When you’re looking to generate more bookings from your vacation rental properties, how you position yourself on the channels you’re listing on is all-important. And 5* Airbnb reviews for hosts make up a large part of that.
According to a 2023 Booking.com survey:
So making sure the Airbnb reviews for hosts are up to scratch is essential to receiving the bookings your properties deserve.
But when managing properties, tasks like review management often fall to the bottom of the heap, especially when you’re low on time. Luckily, we can help.
With automated reviews, you preset a review template and rating which you can publish with one-click (or completely automatically), allowing you to cut down the time it takes to post reviews on Airbnb. And earn more in return. Here’s how:
Why Are 5* Airbnb Reviews For Hosts Important For Increasing Your Bookings?
Reviews serve a number of purposes, for potential guests, and for hosts. But the most important for you, is the role they play in growing your bookings… and your earnings.
According to Airbnb, properties with a higher number of positive or 5* reviews tend to earn more. But why? For potential guests, Airbnb reviews for hosts serve as social proof, helping potential guests make informed decisions about where to stay. They build trust and credibility. Reviews from past guests provide an authentic glimpse into the experiences at your property, reassuring potential guests that your rental is exactly as advertised. This trust can be a deciding factor when making their booking.
Airbnb reviews for hosts are also a good way of gathering feedback to improve your property listing, and therefore increase your bookings. Receiving lots of positive reviews about your convenient parking or spacious kitchen? Highlight it in your listing. Guests mentioning your cleaning wasn’t up to scratch? Thank them for their feedback and let them know you’re working with a new cleaning company. This helps you improve your property and shows guests you care about their experience, both essential to getting those bookings rolling in.
Want more tips on earning 5* Airbnb reviews for hosts? Check out these tips.
Why You Should Always Post a Review
Posting a review might feel like the last thing on your list of priorities when you’re managing multiple properties. But as we’ve seen, earning good reviews is essential to boosting your bookings. And posting them first helps you do just that.
Guests on Airbnb can only read how you reviewed them after they’ve shared their review in return. So reviewing them first piques their curiosity, providing that all important prompt to encourage them to review you in return.
And even on channels where this isn’t the case, taking the time to review your guests encourages reciprocity: They are more likely to return the favor. This reciprocity helps in accumulating more reviews, which in turn enhances your property’s visibility and attractiveness. Positive reviews not only improve your rankings on channels, but also increase your chances of securing future bookings.
Want to learn how to use Airbnb reviews for hosts to increase occupancy? Check out the full breakdown here.
The Challenge of Managing Reviews
Managing reviews can be time-consuming. Manually rating each guest and writing reviews require effort and consistency. For busy property owners, finding the time to do this regularly can be challenging. This is where automation tools come into play, simplifying the review process and allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business.
How Automated Reviews Work
Rentals United offers a solution to the time-consuming task of managing Airbnb reviews for hosts with our automated review feature. This tool is designed to streamline the process, making it easier and more efficient for property owners.
There are two types of reviews you can set up, depending on your personal needs and time constraints:
Semi-Automated Reviews
All you need to do is pre-set a review and positive rating. After a guest’s reservation ends, Rentals United sends you an email reminder with the review and rating for the guest you have prepared. You only need to click a button to accept and publish the review. This process takes minimal time and ensures that reviews are posted promptly.
And if there are any complications with the guests’ visit, you can choose not to publish your pre-set review, and write a personal one instead.
Fully Automated Reviews
For even greater convenience, Rentals United provides a fully automated review option. Your preset review and positive rating are automatically sent and published eight days after the guest’s departure, requiring no action from you. This ensures that reviews are consistently posted without any effort on your part.
Again, if there are specific cases where you need to adjust the review or rating, you have eight days to do so before the automated review is shared. Auto reviews are only sent if a review is not already made, so you don’t need to worry about an existing review being replaced. At any point, you can turn off the auto review or change its settings. Our product experts are always willing to assist with feature set up to reassure you that everything is working as you wish!
Benefits of Automating Your Airbnb Reviews For Hosts with Automated Reviews
Reviews play a critical role in the decision-making process for vacation rental guests. Reviews from other guests are often more influential than recommendations from journalists or travel bloggers. They provide firsthand accounts of experiences, making them a top factor in booking decisions, alongside price and location.
With automated reviews, you:
Save Time
Automated reviews significantly reduce the time you spend managing guest feedback. Instead of manually writing and posting reviews, you can rely on pre-set reviews that require minimal or no action from you.
Increase Review Volume
Clients using automated reviews report receiving more reviews from guests. This increase in reviews enhances your property’s visibility and attractiveness, leading to more bookings and higher earnings.
Boost Earnings
Positive reviews are directly correlated with higher earnings on platforms like Airbnb. Automating the review process ensures that you consistently receive and post reviews, contributing to your overall success.
Interested in automated reviews, but not a Rentals United client yet? Let’s Talk.
Already a Rentals United client? Here’s how to get started with automated reviews:
1. Log in to Rentals United and navigate to the Guest Planner tab in the main menu. Click the gear wheel icon in the top right corner. You will be moved to the Control Panel settings. Scroll down to the Airbnb Guest Reviews section.
2. You will see an empty review template. If you leave the template empty, Rentals United will auto-generate a generic positive review with a 5-star rating.
Alternatively, you can customize the review message with your own text. For example, you can add a thank you note with an invitation to book again. This text will be suggested to you next time you post a review. You cannot change the rating, but you can always edit the text of the review before publishing, or switch the feature off at any point. Click Save to confirm your changes.
3. If you want to turn on fully automated reviews, once you have configured the review to your satisfaction, tick the automation checkbox to send the suggested review automatically 8 days after the reservation ends. This means that you will not have to perform any action to review your guests.
Interested in automated reviews, but not a Rentals United client yet? Let’s Talk.
Already a Rentals United client? Head to your Control Panel to start using automated reviews!