Yes! you can take advantage of listing on Airbnb and VRBO at the same time. As you know, Airbnb and VRBO are two of the most popular short-term rental platforms. They both allow hosts to list their properties and attract customers. They both have numerous similarities and significant differences. You can take advantage of listing your property on Airbnb and VRBO simultaneously.
All you have to do is use some smart tricks and tips to carefully manage your listing on both platforms and take the utmost advantage of this opportunity. So, keep reading to find out how to manage this efficiently.
The great tool for hiring temporary staff for your business at this link.
Why Should You Choose Listing On Airbnb And VRBO?
In the short-term rental business, the more people know about you, the greater is the number of bookings and the higher is your profit. If you have doubts regarding listing your property on both Airbnb and VRBO then the benefits you could gain from it will help you decide.
Most important tips for Airbnb listing optimization read here.
Increase Visibility
The best way to increase income is to increase visibility. That means you need to reach more people in a shorter time. The best way to gain high visibility is to use multiple channels for listing your property and what better channels can you choose than Airbnb and VRBO?
Airbnb has evolved into a popular brand name over a period of 12 years. Today, it is a go-to platform for travelers. Airbnb has over 7 million listings and is operating in more than 220 regions and countries. Airbnb provides you a wide reach whereas VRBO provides a specific and well-targeted reach. VRBO operates within the United States of America and attracts the travelers and admirers of America.
They both differ in their visibility offerings and thus by listing on both the platforms you will be able to reach diverse markets. Furthermore, when you list on VRBO your listing also appears on HomeAway since it is the parent company. Thus, using two platforms like Airbnb and VRBO will help you to expand your visibility and inform more people about your property.
Rise In The Number Of Bookings
If you advertise through newspapers then only newspaper readers will buy your product, but if you use both television and newspaper to advertise yourself then you will be able to reach and persuade more people, which will lead to an increase in sales. Similarly, if you list your property on multiple platforms then the number of bookings tends to increase. You will be able to convince the users of both Airbnb and VRBO. With more visibility comes more inquiries and with more inquiries comes a greater number of bookings.
Higher Profits
Always remember more platforms, more visibility, more income. Most entrepreneurs in short term rental business prefer to list their property on multiple platforms because they forecast the long-term benefits. If your strategy is in place and you execute it effectively then listing on Airbnb and VRBO could increase your profits. As a cherry on the top, Airbnb and VRBO both allow you to list your property free of cost.
How To Take Advantage Of The Differences?
Airbnb and VRBO work in the same industry, but they have numerous differences. As a businessman, you should perceive these gaps as opportunities. Their differences can lead to your success.
Payment
Airbnb and VRBO both accept payments from the guests through different mediums. While a credit card is accepted in both the platforms, payment through PayPal is only accepted in Airbnb. VRBO allows the guests to pay through e-Check but not PayPal, which is one of the most popular payment portals.
By listing on Airbnb and VRBO you are reaching people who are comfortable with all 4 payment methods. Potential guests who use PayPal will book you through Airbnb while interested guests who prefer E-Check will reach you through VRBO. Customers always appreciate convenient options for payment methods and thus you can use this difference to attract more guests.
Position
Airbnb is known for its unique and affordable places to stay while VRBO is popular for luxurious properties. In Airbnb, you can list a bungalow as well as a shared room in your apartment. Whereas in VRBO you have to list an entire property ensuring the privacy of the guests. Both the platforms have chosen different niches and positioned themselves in the market accordingly.
If you want to gain benefits from listing on both then you have to list your property differently on different platforms. On VRBO you must showcase your property as a luxurious destination well suited for a family outing. But on Airbnb, you can showcase it as a fun and affordable place perfect for a friends’ vacation.
First, you should try to understand the characteristics of the platforms you are using. Then wisely list your property aligning with the market recognition of the different platforms.
Users
Most of the Airbnb users are the backpackers who look for affordable places to stay for a short period of time. Whereas in VRBO you will find users with a good budget willing to spend in exchange for quality. The demographics and the psychographics of both the platform’s users are different.
To take advantage of the difference in users of Airbnb and VRBO, you should highlight different features for a different market. You should study the users of the platform and then offer them what they are looking for in the best possible manner. Listing on VRBO and Airbnb will allow you to reach both the target groups but you have to target them smartly. You have to showcase something appealing to attract their attention and grow your business.
The Possible Problems of Listing On Airbnb And VRBO With The Solutions
1. Double Booking
This is the most common problem that you can encounter while listing on Airbnb and VRBO together. Double booking means when your property is booked for the same date on different platforms. In such a situation, you have to cancel your booking on either Airbnb or VRBO. No short term rental encourages canceling the bookings especially Airbnb, it also charges penalties for such cancellation.
Solution – You should keep your calendars on all the platforms up to date. It could be an exhausting job, but you can do it easily with the help of a management software. Hosty Management Software allows you to synchronize calendars between multiple short term rental channels to prevent double bookings.
2. Missed Booking
You can also miss bookings while listing on Airbnb and VRBO due to the flood of messages. It is not easy to check the different inboxes separately. The customers also expect for quick replies, on the failure of which you can either miss a booking or face threats of bad reviews.
Solutions – Checking your inboxes every hour and ensuring you reply to each message is the solution. You don’t need to do everything yourself. You can take the help of Hosty management software and use their central inbox feature to access all the messages from different platforms on a single dashboard. Furthermore, you can also save templates and control automated trigger messages to ensure quick reply and good reviews.
3. Attention Overload
When you use two platforms it is obvious that your attention will be split between them, but you aim to minimize the ill effects of this. Divided attention could lead to ignorance of one platform.
Solution – You have to make sure that you pay equal attention to both Airbnb and VRBO. If you feel it’s overwhelming to manually and individually manage both the accounts then you can use Hosty to integrate both the accounts, organize all the data, and effectively manage your business.
Listing on Airbnb and VRBO could prove to be beneficial for your business. But you have to be smart about it. With multiple platforms, the responsibilities will also increase. You can use the help of property management software like Hosty and take full advantage of listing on Airbnb and VRBO.
