I’m new to Airbnb and have listed a whole apartment & not getting any bookings or messages.
I think i have a good property, pics and the location is great.
Any advise on what I’m doing wrong?
Hi Steve, I had a quick look and just a few possible improvements:
- Some of your pictures can be improved by using a wider angle. I noticed some photos only cover the central part of a room and a wider angle would allow the whole room to be displayed and potential customers can have better idea of your properties/rooms
- Your guest can have access to internet but it is not free, this could be a huge disadvantage as many places offer free wifi. Is it possible for you to sign up some cheap bundle so you can offer your guests free wifi? Or at least let your potential guest know how much they have to pay for the internet, otherwise one would image it could be expensive.
The location seems very nice but I’m not familiar with surfers paradise. Have you checked your competitions? I think your price seems fair but it also depends on how competitive/saturated your market is.
Last but not least, the tiger in your photo could scare your potential customers away (well I hope this is a nice joke, my friend always tell me I have no sense of humour
)
Hi Steve
Welcome
A few things jumped out at me.
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Use a photo of yourself on your profile, describe your interests and why you are hosting
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The description in your listing is incredibly basic. You need to describe the facilities in your apartment and the space. People need to see themselves living there. What do you have in the kitchen - a coffee machine, full oven and grill, do you have a washing machine and dishwasher. What do you have in your bathroom? Describe the resort. What bars, cafes and supermarkets do they have. Where is your nearest airport?
Think about your target market - are you targeting, couples? surfers? - write with them in mind.
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The decoration is quite masculine with heavy black furniture dominating it. Is there anything you can do to soften the space? Take some local shots of the beach? Use some accent colour?
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Why are there no photos of your bathroom. You can only see a small edge in one photo of your table in the apartment. You need to dedicate a picture to it and set the table so people can see themselves eating in it.
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Your balcony and view are a key selling point - sitting out there would be a dream but again the table and chairs are just shown in one photo as an aside. Put some glasses and drinks out so people can imagine themselves watching the sun go down.
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I don’t know pricing in your local area - but have you checked your competitors.
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Well your calendar is completely blocked for the next 2 months ? Are you booked or blocked for a reason? This is your busy season - yes?
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Thanks for the reply’s
I cannot add anymore to the description, I’ve used up all the characters.
I’ve been looking at comparative listings and it seems very well priced.
Debthecat yes it’s blocked for the next 7 weeks as i currently live in it and will vacant mid next month, It’s not the busy season, April is the busy season with Easter and 3x public holidays.
Hi Steve
I was looking at your listing thinking it would probably be somewhere I’d book, BUT then I saw this place in ‘similar listings’, and decided actually I’d probably rather book this place instead. http://abnb.me/EVmg/PuGlygRiuA
So I had a little think about why I had that thought, and honestly it’s all about the photos. They just look so much more welcoming. I think it’s the lights on and the little pot plants, the light colours and just an ‘airy’ feel to it. More luxurious.
So maybe try turning all the lights on, adding a few plants (you can get some really realistic fake ones so you won’t have to worry about keeping them alive) in white pots. Maybe some bright but gentle artwork on the walls. It’s actually made me think more about how I can improve my own listing.
That listing is a fair comparison but your further from the beach, no view, no kitchen, tiny fridge, the unit is half the size,tiny TV & next to a busy highway with no view unless you call the Gold Coast HWY a view 
But there getting bookings and I’m not
I know that. I just tried to explain to you the reason I was drawn to this one - the pictures. That’s the point of difference.
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Point taken thank you.
It’s great to get different opinions of why my listing isn’t successful.
I just realized i wasn’t fully confirmed and I.D. was confirmed and just sorted it out, maybe people were unable to book 
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To be honest the reason you aren’t getting bookings is likely the fact your calendar is blocked. All the rest is tinkering at the edges but wouldn’t stop you getting bookings tbh.
A shame, effectively you’ve wasted your new listing boost by advertising well before you were actually able to start hosting.
It’s good to be prepared but 7 weeks in advance is a bit much. I operate on a 12 week basis but most guests book 3 weeks in advance of their arrival.
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Have been thinking.
Free off street parking?
Closest coffee shop is?
Restaurant deliveries?
You are how far from pacific fair?
Sea world?
In Cavill ave you will find…?
Mono rail to Jupiters Casino is?
You supply the Gold Coast voucher book?
You need to sell the position
I was just wondering that, what’s the most common time people book in advance.
Maybe i will pause the listing for a few weeks if i don’t bring the hosting date forward.
In doing a comparison search, there’s several entire apartments in your area that are renting for half the price…if you are new to Airbnb you should start low, get some good reviews, THEN raise the price. Also get a high security deposit so you have recourse if your place is destroyed.
You can pause it but your boost will still be gone.
Oh and guests don’t read … so while it might be tempting to put together a novella of what you offer, most people book based on pictures and price.
Certainly pad out what you’ve written but I don’t think it’s the reason for the total lack of interest; that’s down to your calendar.
I mention free underground security parking and distance to Cavill Ave.
Yes agree i do need to sell the position i will add some more details in the area, i cannot in the description cause there’s no characters left.
That’s dubious advice @cs2015. Starting with a low price is what Airbnb tell you to do but it’s not actually a good way to maximise your new listing boost.
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guests don’t read 
Known fact. Apologies if you weren’t aware.
cs2015 the only really cheaper ones I’m seeing is for a room only, not the whole apartment.
Please correct me if I’m wrong.
Many units you see in this link are right next to construction sites to expected to go for 3+ years
Many Airbnb advice blogs tell guests to search for listings with previous reviews, that’s why you need to get them to take a chance on you with a low price to begin with. Either that or sound more excited about what a great host and great place you’re offering as has been mentioned.