BNB STORIES #7
Hey you! Glad to see you’re back for another episode of the BnB Stories Series!
In the last episode, we talked about the art of ranking higher on Airbnb. This time, we’re going to tell you how to list on multiple channels like a pro!
Having your property listed on multiple sites is a surefire way to increase your revenue and your chances of getting more bookings. After all, new websites are springing up every week, so it’s essential to utilize the potential they give you.
Listing on multiple channels could triple your revenue. As long as you know how to manage them without wasting time and money, you’ll be met with a great opportunity.
So how can you increase the number of websites you list on without increasing your workload? Easy. Use a channel manager!
Why Use a Channel Manager
A channel manager helps synchronize all your bookings, and it offers rental-calendar sync. And it’s equipped to handle the growth of revenue, multiple communication, and bookings. You’ll be spared from having to update your listings across all websites and spending hours on spreadsheets. And you can sidestep the dreaded overbooking.
To make a long story short, you’ll have all your work centralized, and you’ll save yourself an incredible amount of time when it comes to managing your properties. Better to put your time into growing your business or improving your guest experience!
Why Post on Multiple Sites
Here’s a quick formula for you: increased number of websites = increased visibility + increased bookings.
That’s a lot of new potential income! You’ll get to advertise your property to different demographics and markets, and you can reap the benefits of all the different websites.
But before you do, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
So without further ado, let’s explore the 3 Most Important Things to Keep in Mind when Listing on Multiple Websites:
1. Pricing
As a host, pricing decisions are some of the biggest hassles you’ll face. Figuring out your pricing strategy is often a daunting task, and figuring out a pricing strategy for multiple websites is even more hectic! Before figuring out your pricing decision, always keep this simple rule in mind:
Fewer bookings at higher rates are better than more bookings at lower rates.
When choosing your pricing strategy, here are some other things to keep in mind:
- Understand the different client demographics after each website. For example, most Airbnb users are between 25 and 34 years old, and they stay longer than 4 nights.
- Your property location will determine the type of destination, as well as the pricing strategies for major events or holidays.
- Your competition on different websites.
- The different fees and commission rates per website.
2. Which Website to List On
Let’s take a deep dive into the world of vacation-rental marketing. As a host, there are a plethora of vacation-rental listing sites, and it’s up to you to decide which one works the best.
Here are some of the factors you’ll look at while choosing the perfect vacation-rental website:
- The type of home you have
- You location
- Your revenue goals
- Your long-term goals
- The type of demographic you’re looking for
Let’s look at some of the best vacation-rental listings that will meet your different needs.
Airbnb
The giant of all giants. Without a doubt, Airbnb is one of the fastest-growing and most successful vacation rental websites in the world. In fact, you could say that Airbnb has completely shifted the hospitality industry by making it more focused on shared spaces, reviews, and guest experiences.
Why List on Airbnb
Well, first things first: Airbnb is massive. Around 120 million travelers visit this website every month, so you don’t have to worry about whether your property will reach a decent amount of people.
Furthermore, Airbnb is more than just a vacation rental listing. For example, since people usually rely on branded searches while looking for listings, you’re much more likely to find a “Paris Airbnb” search than a “Paris HomeAway” search.
So with Airbnb, you’ll get brand recognition, customer loyalty, and millions of consumers on the website every month.
Airbnb is perfect if:
- You want to advertise your property to millions of people.
- Your property is located in an urban destination.
HomeAway
HomeAway is another giant in the market. HomeAway has acquired more than 50 vacation rental websites including VRBO, VacationRentals, and Homelidays. They claim to reach around 70 million travelers per month.
Why List on HomeAway or VRBO
They’re perfect if your property is right in the middle of a vacation area or a lesser-known spot. Luxury travelers tend to use HomeAway more than Airbnb. You can always use an Airbnb Vrbo calendar synchronization tool to sync your rentals.
Booking.com
Booking.com is still one of the world’s top accommodation sites with….Wait for it…430 million monthly visitors. Almost half of them are looking for vacation rentals besides hotels for their accommodation.
Why List on Booking.com
More often than not, when a traveler is first looking for a hotel, they’ll go straight to Booking.com. If your property is decently priced and offers more flexibility than a hotel (which it will as it’s not a hotel room), then you’ll definitely be able to leverage its millions of users to your advantage.
Flipkey
Flipkey and Tripadvisor are two other giants of the industry, and they’ve taken the review system to the next level. While it started off as a review website, it’s become a major game-changer.
Why List on Flipkey
Flipkey and Tripadvisor are great if you’re looking to host your property on multiple sites without a hassle. They automatically give you the option of cross-selling your property to guests on all their platforms
3. Commissions
While listing on multiple channels, you’ll need to keep the different commission rates of websites in mind.
Airbnb
While it’s 100% free to list your property on Airbnb, you also get charged a commission. So you’ll get charged a 3-5% commission per booking.
HomeAway
HomeAway offers free pay-per-booking. So if you make less than $7,000 per year, you won’t be billed an annual subscription. The general commission fees are around 8-10%. HomeAway also has a $499/year subscription model, which can save you thousands of dollars if you make more than $8,000/year.
Booking.com
While Booking takes a whopping 15-20% per booking, it’s 100% free to list your property. You’ll also get the advantage of being listed directly on major search engines and Google Maps.
Flipkey and Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor charges around 3% per booking, and they’ll also advertise your listings on Flipkey, their sister site.
Let’s Get Started
Our final recommendation is to list on as many sites as possible—as long as you use a channel manager that’s equipped with booking syncing and rental-calendar sync. We think it’s essential that you try to get your property in front of as many guests as possible. Then you can earn as much income as possible from your property.
