Earning elite host badges on Airbnb can transform profitability. As a property manager, understanding the nuances between the Guest Favorite and Superhost designations is essential for maximizing your revenue. This post examines everything needed to develop an effective badge-centric hosting strategy.
Jump to:
Airbnb’s Premium Host Certifications
Why Guest Favorite and Superhost Certifications Matter
Breaking Down Guest Favorite vs Superhost Requirements
Summary: Key Takeaways for Property Managers
Beyond Certifications: Additional Airbnb Visibility Tips
More Advanced Hosting Strategies
Conclusion
Airbnb’s Premium Host Certifications
Airbnb established the Guest Favorite and Superhost programs to showcase exceptionally hospitable hosts who far exceed normal service expectations. Less than 10% of all hosts achieve these prestigious titles.
So, what exactly do they signify?
Guest Favorite badges focus on earning phenomenal overall ratings and are awarded to a specific listing. High marks across all evaluation criteria related to hospitality, amenities, accuracy, cleanliness, value, and more, also take into account the reliability of the host, with host meaning the individual or entity responsible for managing the accommodation and ensuring a positive guest experience. The guest’s favorite badge is re-evaluated daily, reflecting their ongoing satisfaction with the host’s performance and the overall quality of their stay.
Superhost is a recognition at the host level, evaluating their performance across all their listings – and therefore appearing on all their properties, with eligibility criteria spanning across five core areas (Response Rate, Cancellation Rate, Booking Rate, Total Number of nights, Ratings). The Superhost badge is re-evaluated quarterly.
In short, Guest Favorites highlight hosts who provide an incredible guest experience in a specific property. Superhosts meet that same high bar for hospitality while also demonstrating excellent communication practices, reliability, and consistently high demand… on all properties from that specific host.
While the specific requirements differ slightly, they ultimately showcase Airbnb’s premier tier of hosts.
Now, let’s explore why these badges matter…
Why Guest Favorite and Superhost Certifications Matter
As a property manager, homeowner, or host, earning these elite Airbnb badges translates directly into financial upside through:
Increased Visibility & Exposure
Airbnb intentionally gives badged listings better visibility and prominence across search, browsing, and recommendation features. This puts them in front of more potential guests. Recent data shows certified hosts averaged 31% more bookings compared to similar non-certified listings.
More eyeballs and exposure leads to more bookings!
Ability to Charge Higher Prices
On average, certified hosts command 5-15% higher per night rates relative to non-certified counterparts. Guests perceive substantial extra value and assurance from these badges. They also provide peace of mind.
As such, travelers are often willing to pay a premium. Considering occupancy rates near 90% for certified listings, significant revenue is left on the table by not earning badges.
Exclusive Promotions & Rewards
Airbnb wants to incentivize exceptional hosting, so they unlock exclusive tools, offers, and bonuses aimed at funneling new clientele to certified properties. Recent examples include discounted photography, featured placement in niche search results, and targeted digital advertising credits.
Reputational Advantages
In addition to direct financial perks, Guest Favorite and Superhost badges strengthen a host’s overall reputation and trustworthiness. These distinctions communicate excellent hospitality track records.
Use them to showcase your expertise and commitment to providing phenomenal stays!
With those benefits covered, let’s move on to unpacking the specific eligibility criteria.
Breaking Down Guest Favorite vs. Superhost Requirements
While the overarching goals are similar, subtle differences exist between what’s required to earn and maintain Guest Favorite compared to Superhost status.
Guest Favorite Badge:
- Criteria: This badge focuses on high guest ratings (above 4.9 stars), a minimum of five positive reviews, and a strong reliability record. It’s awarded at the listing level, unlike the Superhost status, which evaluates the overall performance of the host.
- Competition: The introduction of the Guest Favorite badge adds a new layer of competition, especially for new properties that need to quickly accumulate positive guest reviews.
- Pricing Strategy: Over 1 in every 3 Guest Favorites have an average daily rate of under $100 USD, suggesting competitive pricing might play a role in attaining this badge.
- Visibility: The visibility of the Guest Favorites badge has surpassed that of Superhost on listing pages. In search results, properties labeled as “Guest Favorite” are more likely to be prioritized by guests.
Superhost Status:
- Criteria: Hosts must have a 4.8+ overall rating, 10+ stays in the past year or 100 nights over at least 3 completed stays, a cancellation rate lower than 1%, and a 90% response rate.
- Overall Recognition: Superhosts are widely recognized as top-rated and experienced hosts on the platform. However, the Guest Favorite badge, being a newer addition, might start to eclipse the Superhost status.
Comparison and Impact:
- Distinct Purposes: While there is some overlap in the criteria, these badges serve distinct purposes. Superhosts showcase outstanding hospitality across all listings, while Guest Favorites highlight top-rated individual listings.
- Professional Property Managers: For property managers, the Guest Favorite badge offers a unique opportunity to highlight specific listings, as it operates on a listing-specific basis.
- Gamification Element: The introduction of these badges adds a layer of gamification, challenging hosts to strive for excellence in both quality and pricing to attain these badges.
Summary: Key Takeaways for Property Managers
- Airbnb’s Guest Favorite and Superhost certifications increase visibility, pricing power, and occupancy rates.
- Guest Favorites purely recognize listings with exceptional guest ratings and reviews.
- Superhosts have expanded eligibility across communications, reliability, and demand metrics.
- Both signal hosts provide memorable, 5-star stays
- Maintaining status requires passing strict quarterly reviews
- Certification drives bookings and directly enhances profitability
- Implementing an ongoing strategy centered on acquiring and retaining badges is essential
The bottom line—these prestigious distinctions showcase tremendous hosts. Consider adding the incredible financial upside they offer into your broader short-term rental game plan!
Beyond Certifications: Additional Airbnb Visibility Tips
While the Guest Favorite and Superhost badges work wonders, additional opportunities exist to improve visibility and search rankings!
Here are 5 more ways to get existing and prospective listings in front of more eyeballs:
- Optimize Titles & Descriptions
Include popular guest search terms like “entire apartment” or amenity keywords. But avoid keyword stuffing! Strike a balance between being descriptive and letting Airbnb’s algorithms pick up on precise semantic signals.
- Highlight Unique Attributes
Do you have rare features or amenities compared to competitive listings? Distinct architectural details? Local attractions or neighborhoods not widely promoted? Spotlight these in listings to stand out!
- Refresh Photos
Ensure imagery looks bright, crisp, welcoming and gives an accurate sense of spaces. Avoid wide-angle warping or fish-eye distortions. Low-quality photos can negatively impact click-through rates.
- Feature Local Partnerships
Airbnb spotlights listings supporting community commerce. Participate in local small business discount programs. Promote beloved neighborhood establishments that inspire staycations!
- Keep Listing Content Updated
Modify descriptions if installing new fixtures, appliances or furniture. Adjust as neighborhood dynamics evolve. Airbnb’s algorithm factors freshness and accuracy as positive ranking signals.
More Advanced Hosting Strategies
Let’s kick strategies up another notch for hosts immersed in short-term rental property management already earning consistent bookings…
The tips below help take proven listings with badges to the next level:
Competitor Benchmarking
Analyze rates and occupancy dynamics for comparable nearby listings. Are badged hosts underpricing properties significantly? Has any new competing inventory been added recently? Understanding the landscape is critical.
Collecting granular block-by-block insights allows adjusting rates to find pricing sweet spots, balancing demand vs premium rates.
Seasonal Pricing Adjustments
Travel demand fluctuates. Weekends, holidays, and summer months all impact occupancy and rates. Consider installing dynamic pricing software that automatically calibrates rates.
Or get familiar with local seasonal changes yourself. Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day all warrant rate bumps for vacation hotspots. Some prefer fixed premium pricing year-round, maximizing peak periods. Do what works best for each market!
Cross-Listing
While concentrating efforts exclusively on a single platform seems simpler, cross-listing across multiple sites like VRBO, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor expands exposure significantly.
Each attracts different audiences. So, even with some duplication, aggregate demand grows considerably. Just be sure listing data and calendars stay fully synced! Prevent overbooking catastrophes.
Lead Time Pricing Boosts
Travelers booking months out anticipating deals. Consider sliding rate discounts for long lead time reservations. Once within 30-60 days of check-in dates, revert back to normal daily rates.
This incentivizes planning ahead while maximizing revenues from last-minute bookings. Just ensure discount levels still produce acceptable margins!
Conclusion
Hopefully, this all-encompassing guide provided tons of tactical insights into unlocking the money-making magic of Airbnb’s Guest Favorite and Superhost programs. If you want to learn more about making your property stand out, check out this article on spotlighting your property.
Earning elite certifications takes commitment but pays dividends, enhancing property visibility, occupancy rates, and profitability.
For property managers, developing hosting strategies fixated on acquiring and flaunting badges is a wise move. Doing so spotlights your expertise while also communicating exceptional hospitality and experiences.
Yet never rest on laurels either. Consistently maintain standards through quarterly reviews to retain status. And keep innovating, listing content, amenities, and partnerships for incremental improvements.
Strive to become Airbnb’s premiere host in your respective markets. Let recognized designations reinforce that positioning and drive bookings directly to you compared to competitors without them.
Soon, you’ll be proudly owning those certified badges while revenue and reviews pile up quickly!
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