Receiving your SUPERHOST status on Airbnb is not just a pretty icon next to your name. It has the ability to translate into more trust from your potential renters, higher click through rates, and more bookings!
Usually, SUPERHOSTS will on average earn 60% more bookings revenue than a non Superhost in the same city. On top of that, they also receive different perks from Airbnb, such as travel coupons, the priority with customer support, and invitations to exclusive Airbnb sponsored events in your city.
With all of that being said - becoming a host sounds like the way to go! But, how do you earn revenue AND keep your SUPERHOST status? It is not just a one-time event where you receive your trophy and don't have to try hard afterward. The reality is that you have to be consistent in order to maintain your perks and status as a SUPERHOST. Many hosts gain it only to lose it. But you have nothing to worry about - we have your back! If you follow the steps below, you can easily learn how you can both earn and keep your SUPERHOST status.
Meeting Airbnb’s Superhost Minimum Requirements
To become a Superhost on Airbnb it is pretty straight forward. All you have to do is meet Airbnb’s requirements and you’ll earn the status. However, straightforward does not mean easy. Here are the requirements:
Responsive: You must maintain a response rate of 90% or higher. (Keep it at a 100% by responding to every single inquiry, even if this means saying “thank you but no thank you” 1000 times). This requirement is the easiest one to meet, just remember to ALWAYS ANSWER INQUIRIES.
Doesn’t Cancel: Don’t cancel any reservations, even if your pricing was not entered correctly or for any other reason. Learn the lesson and take the hit on this one because keeping your SUPERHOST status is worth more than the one-time loss. Another easy requirement to meet. Just DON’T CANCEL BOOKINGS.
Experienced: You must have at least 10 completed bookings in the previous year. If you have an appealing listing with stunning photos, and a profitable Airbnb pricing strategy, then the rest is up to your market. You’re either located in a market that gets enough traffic for you to satisfy this requirement, or you’re in a market that isn’t going to give you enough traffic. Look at the top listings in your market and see how many days out of their calendar that they’re booked 3 out. If they’re booked an average of 15 nights a month, assuming an average of 3 nights/stay, that means they are getting 5 bookings a month (or 60 bookings a year). Looking at the numbers, you can see that this is quite a LOW REQUIREMENT.
Highly Rated: This is one of the most important ones! You must have at least 80% of your reviews as 5-star ratings. This is often the requirement that keeps most hosts from gaining or maintaining their SUPERHOST status. One too many 4-stars in a month and you can quickly lose your status and must wait months again to earn it back. Always go the extra mile with each guest to get that positive review for your Airbnb Listing.
Out of the four requirements, only the last one is difficult and primarily within your control. Therefore, getting those 5-star reviews is priority #1 with every guest!
Superhosts Manage Expectations and Over Deliver
If you’re honest in your listings, can deliver on your promises, and meet guests' expectations, then you will get great reviews. However, this may not be enough to get you to the 80% five-star rate.
To do that, you must be exceptional at performing the following:
Manage Expectations: Show your listing in the best light possible, but do not exaggerate or promise anything that you cannot consistently deliver.
Make the Extra Effort: Getting 5-stars requires OVER delivering on some aspects of the guest experience. This does not mean you have to have a huge budget on snacks and gifts or provide a chauffeur for your guests. It does mean listening and adding the personal touches that show you care about your special guests. For example, if you know your guest is on a vacation to celebrate an anniversary, leaving them a nice bottle of wine or providing a list of perfect spots for their next romantic getaway can do the trick. On the other hand, if it is a family staying at your rental, recommend the best outdoor places to spend a day together or provide them with some coupon discounts for local attractions. The secret is to think outside of the box and create opportunities for your guests to make their own special memories.
They Never Miss the Basics: It is natural to forget things occasionally, and most guests are forgiving. But SUPERHOSTS NEVER miss the basics. They NEVER run out of toilet paper, extra towels, pillow covers, etc.…Doing so will make you look unprepared and unprofessional - something you do not want showing up in a review or rating.
Proactive: Most guests, even if something bugs them, aren’t going to tell it to your face. Most will just hold on to it and a few will talk about it in a negative review. A great way to prevent this is to ask questions during their stay, usually the evening of or the morning after they check-in and every 2-3 days depending on their stay.
If you do these things consistently in a market that supports enough bookings, you’ll easily become a SUPERHOST and be able to remain one.
But what if you lose your status???
Don’t Worry so Much About Losing Superhost Status
Instead, focus on creating A unique experience that only you can provide. If you are unlucky in that you had a string of horrible guests that would not have been happy no matter what you did, all you can do is take small steps to become better each day. Yes, it does suck, but it’s only temporary.
Superhost listings do get more coverage, but if you do everything else right, you will still be able to get the most out of your listing. You can spruce up your listing description according to the seasons, take better photos, and other things to enhance your listing. Plus, you’ll still be able to book your listings and make money. At the end of the day, it is about meeting cool and interesting people while providing them with a great experience.
Don’t let one or two bad situations dictate the mood of your investment. You are the creator of this beautiful space, and you should own it!