17 May What Are Airbnb’s Superhost Requirements?
Let me start by saying that becoming an Airbnb Supershost is a great accomplishment! In the beginning these are just numbers and you should keep them in mind as you implement your own ‘standard operating procedures’ for your Airbnb(s). These should merely function as landmarks to make sure you’re headed in the right direction. Remember these ‘requirements’ don’t MAKE a Superhost, they merely reflect ALL OF THE THINGS you’ve been doing right up until that point.
What is an Airbnb Superhost?
If you’re new to the Airbnb platform, regardless if you’re a Guest or new Host, there are two different statuses that Airbnb assigns. All ‘primary’ owners of the space are considered to be ‘Hosts’. This is the default status you are given when your listing is approved by Airbnb. A Superhost is that status assigned to those Hosts who stand out from the crowd. For those Guests well versed with the Airbnb search features it is a ‘go-to’ setting if they are looking for a great experience during their travels.
Related: Airbnb Tips for Successful Hosts
At Nestrs, We’re Superhosts
As I mentioned in the beginning, what makes a Superhost is so much more than what the numbers reflect. Hospitality runs in my blood! From the start I wanted to be the best. Hosting is something I take pride in. You don’t Host your own Airbnbs and Co-host 20+ more without being a little crazy 😉 Knowing that someone loved their stay with you and left a review mentioning those little touches -that’s what fuels me.
When we design an Airbnb it’s completely around anticipating the needs of our Guest. This process never stops when it comes to the ever evolving amenities of your space, but it does slow down. Remember it’s not just the space they are rating and reviewing! You play a big role in the experience they have. From check-in, to check ups, to solving problems, you are the intangible glue that makes the whole thing work. If you always have your Guest’s best interest in mind, you’re doing it right.
The Four Airbnb Superhost Requirements
Experience:
Completed at least 10 trips OR completed 3 reservations that total at least 100 nights.
Remember, you aren’t born perfect and the same goes for your listing(s). Just like anything you need to get your reps in and there will be no shortage of obstacles that you will have to overcome. These obstacles are what help you become a good Host and eventually a Superhost.
Responsiveness:
Maintained a 90% response rate or higher.
In any relationship, communication is key. The same still applies here! You only have a short period of time to build a good relationship with your Guest(s) and there are several ways you can do that.
Creating a bulletproof listing is key. The more you put into your listing, laid out in a way that is easy to consume and read, the more a potential guest can learn about your listing without needing to ask you a bunch of questions. We’re always happy to answer questions, but how amazing would it be to have potential guests have all their questions answered just by diving into your listing so they can make the decision to book your listing asap?!
You can do the same thing once Guests arrive at your listing. Each one of our spaces has a Welcome Book. In there we include anything and everything; favorite restaurants, forms of transportation, nearby attractions, etc. By taking the time to compile this information and present it to each guest you will cut down on the amount of communication. Once these pieces are in place you will notice the messages you do receive are typically the ones you NEED to respond to.
When guests do reach out to you via the app I recommend responding to them in under 5 minutes. How quickly you respond to Guests, especially on the app is critical to your Superhost status and your listing’s search placement on Airbnb’s platform.
Your response rate is the percentage of new inquiries and reservation requests you responded to (by either accepting/pre-approving or declining) within 24 hours in the past 30 days.
You’ll need to respond to questions posed by potential Guests within 24 hours to maintain your response rate. You will need to accept or deny a reservation request within 24 hours to maintain your response rate.
The response rate to determine Superhost status is calculated a little differently and uses 365 days to determine your eligibility.
TIP! You do not have to have the last word in a conversation to remain your response rate. Your response rate isn’t affected by follow up messages -so just make sure you get back to reservation questions and approvals as soon as possible.
The time it takes you to respond to Guests, also known as your response time, is not as heavily weighted when it comes to making you eligible for Superhost status. They take the time it takes you to respond to guests over 30 days and finds the average. You want to keep this as tight as possible.
Nestrs can show you how to be an amazing superhost and get 5 star reviews from your guests
Commitment:
You must maintain a 1% percent cancellation rate (1 cancellation per 100 reservations) or lower, with exceptions made for those that fall under our Extenuating Circumstances policy.
Long story short, don’t cancel on your guests. Just don’t do it. Guests are booking your space and counting on you to deliver your end of the bargain so they can focus on the rest of their trip planning.
A tip to help you out with this:
Keep your calendar up to date. Do not open up your calendar availability a year out if you’re not positive you’ll be Hosting that long. You can open up custom dates or have your calendar automatically open dates depending on what you set it at: 3 months, 6 months, etc.
Quality:
Maintained a 4.8 overall rating (this rating looks at the past 365 days of reviews, based on the date the guest left a review, not the date the guest checked out). The Airbnb platform does a great job of automating a reminder to each Guest to leave you a review, so your main focus is to ‘get’ that 5-star review.
Don’t be afraid of feedback. Some Hosts that I talk to are afraid to encourage feedback because they didn’t believe that someone would leave a 5-star review. Trust me, encouraging feedback from your Guests is how your listing grows into becoming a sought after one. This rating is a culmination of everything, even though a review may mention something specific.
Guests are asked a bunch of questions by Airbnb upon check-out and then Airbnb will let you know what guests are saying in the ‘Progress’ section of your Host Dashboard. Was your listing hard to find? Was it decorated well? Was it clean? And that’s not even the tip of the iceberg.
You get better by taking all criticism and seeing if it’s something you can improve upon. Over time the goal is to have less and less constructive critical feedback.
Related: What Does it Take to be an Airbnb Host?!
How often does Airbnb calculate Superhost requirements?
Airbnb is a great platform for both Guests and Hosts. When it comes to earning your Superhost status, the platform is assessing your statistics each quarter. These assessments begin on January 1st, April 1st, July 1st, and October 1st, every year. Airbnb will notify you of your Superhost status at the end of each evaluation period. Keep in mind that ‘primary’ Hosts are the only ones eligible to attain Superhost status. So, if you’re a Co-Host your main or primary Host will be the one to earn the status.
Benefits of being an Airbnb Superhost
Earn Extra Money
When you become a Superhost you will find that they are sought after in the short-term rental community. Guests prefer to stay with someone who is a Superhost and the ‘badge’ that appears on your profile and listing are easy to find indicators. Aside from landing more bookings, this status helps in more ways as well.
Attract More Guests
As I’ve said before Airbnb does a great job of helping both Guests and Hosts through their platform! In being a Superhost you have the opportunity to be featured in search results, without having to filter, as well as in Airbnb’s emails! Exposure and support from the brand has never hurt.
Access Exclusive Rewards
After becoming a Superhost people start to notice; friends, family, colleagues. They start to ask questions about possibly hosting their own Airbnb. If you refer a new host you will get an extra 20% bonus on top of your referral payout. Also, for each year that you continue to hold the Superhost status you will receive a $100 travel credit!
Interested in becoming an Airbnb superhost? Here is how Nestrs can help!
Strategies for becoming an Airbnb superhost
- Get a second opinion on your space
- Be proactive about your response time
- Make a strategy and stick to it
- Keep looking for ways to improve
Whether you are a new Host or a seasoned veteran, there are resources out there that can help you find clarity and implement better systems. Finding a Superhost and picking their brain is a great way to get headed in the right direction. For those who would like to pick my brain and get an inside look into how I manage 20+ Airbnbs, I do offer consulting for short term rental hosts.
If you haven’t, I also host a podcast called Thanks for Visiting. This is a free resource that features a number of different formats; interviewing other hosts around the world, sharing our own experiences, and discussing current events and how to adjust your strategies.
As I mentioned before, you will always have your eye out for ways to improve your space. The space is only half your business. Communication between the guest and yourself is such a pivotal point. From the response times, to information in welcome emails, or physical welcome books in the space, there are always opportunities.
Conclusion
The short term rental space is always changing, as well as the Airbnb platform itself. With the announcement of Airbnb Plus it’s clear there are hosts out there making significant efforts to create amazing experiences. A significant benchmark to reach is becoming a Superhost. AIRDNA, a resource I use for my own properties, statistically shows that Superhosts experience an 81% higher occupancy rate and 60% more revenue for each available day. If you need a little help or encouragement definitely check us out over at Thanks for Visiting!
Related: What the Hell is the Difference Between Hosting and Co-Hosting?
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