How to optimize your Airbnb listing and attract more digital nomads as a result

Digital nomads, remote workers, “bleisure” travelers…what do they all have in common?

Many of them are taking advantage of “location freedom” and travel while working. And since they can work from anywhere, they tend to travel slower and stay in one place longer. That’s the reason why often they´re searching for accommodations where they can stay longer than 14 days.

And if this trend doesn’t convince you, how about the numbers? Only in the USA, at the beginning of 2020, it was estimated that 24% of the labor force will be working remotely. And that means 42 million workers!

Remote working becomes a trend and an opportunity

With the pandemic spreading, more companies needed to opt for “working from home”. So, if they can work from home they might as well change the environment. Even within their own country.

That gives you- the hotelier, an opportunity to attract these types of travelers. Of course, this includes creating a setting for them to work. Switching your dorm rooms into smaller capacity, adding writing-desk, improving your wifi connection.

Another step is appearing on online travel agencies, which these travelers favor. One of them is Airbnb.

A platform for remote workers and digital nomads

Airbnb became wildly popular during the last 10 years among travelers. It has about 150 million users. And as research shows, it’s an alternative to staying with friends and family or extended hotel stays.

What is more, as a booking platform, it has a young customer base: people aged between 18-34 years old. Are you trying to attract to your property digital nomads, right now? If the answer is yes, then you should consider being on Airbnb.

Still not all professional hospitality businesses can list their rooms on this platform.

Airbnb is widely known for trying to connect locals with travelers. Their intention used to be to provide local experiences. In recent years Airbnb has blurred the lines between a platform to connect locals with travelers, and another Online Travel Agency.

Yet, it still works well for many hostels and bed and breakfasts. So what kind of professional properties do Airbnb allow listing on its platform?

With independent style and unique atmosphere,
Guest rooms have personal touches,
With high-quality photos showing what guests can expect,
That are accessible for people with reduced mobility,
That have lively common spaces or events.

As you can see, hostels, boutique hotels, pousadas, and bed & breakfast fit that description quite well.

Benefits of listing your rooms on Airbnb:

Low commission from bookings,
Possibility to chat directly with the guest,
Possibility to easily contact guests prior to their arrival in order to tailor better their experiences,
More visibility to types of travelers like digital nomads.

How to make your Airbnb listing more attractive?

Now, once your property is accepted (or might already be, in this case, use the following to revamp your listing), it’s time for you to set up your listing. We want to give you some tips so your property can be even more appealing to your target audience.

First of all, make sure you know who your target audience is.

Writing a general profile and trying to appeal to everyone, might not be as effective as you imagine. The general rule of thumb is to write for 20-30% of your audience. And that means that if your goal is to attract digital nomads make sure you know their wants and needs.

Check the Facebook groups dedicated to them and research their language. The way they speak and maybe what kind of problems they deal with.
You can also check your own reviews and see what your previous guests loved about your place. This will help you to know your strengths and where you can improve. What to leverage.

The next step is providing high-resolution photos.

Show how this specific group of travelers can enjoy their stay with you. The zones where they can use their computers or sip delicious coffee. What’s more, they also want to know what kind of measures you take due to COVID-19. If you’ve made some special arrangements and can show it in photos- do it.

Make sure to write in the words they use while communicating (that’s where you can use your research on the target audience). Plus lead with benefits and outcomes that they can have as a result of staying with you. Maybe you give the solution for their problem?- make sure to include that!

Choose an attention-grabbing title for your listing

You can go for using keywords like “digital nomads” or “remote working”. Remembering that it should be clear and specific. On Airbnb, you have only 8 words, which you can use together with the room picture.

Sometimes headlines will be what sets you apart from the rest. If you’re not into sitting down and thinking on it, try one of the formulas suggested by Touchstay:

“Formula: [Adjective] [Property Type] Near [Landmark]

Example: Modern Artistic Cabin Close to Creek

Formula: [Adjective] [Property Type] w/ [Features/Amenities]

Example: Art-Deco Loft near Lady Liberty ★ Rooftop Garden ★

Formula: [Adjective] [Property Type] Perfect for [Experience]

Example: Historic Vineyard Cottage ♥ Couples Escape ♥ Pool

Formula: Enjoy [Selling Point] at [Adjective] [Property Type] in/at/nr [Location/Landmark]

Example: Enjoy 3600 Views at Sleek Penthouse on South Beach”

When it’s time to set up properly your rooms, make sure to avoid:

Not updating your prices and availability
Configuring your shared dormitories as listings for the individual beds
Not making a follow up to the inquires and requests.

If you use Channel Manager that offers Airbnb as a channel, start using it. Most probably you’ll encounter 2 types of connections: iCal and XML.

iCal is a standard connection, based on the calendar view. In general, it’s quite limited, which means that the availability updates aren’t instant.

On the other hand, the Airbnb XML connection allows for instant updates just as any other channel.

The good news is, right now at FrontDesk Master we offer a free Airbnb XML connection until October 2021. So if you are want to take benefits of this channel, start by contacting our sales manager Magda at [email protected].