Beyond the Basics: How to Boost Bookings by Mastering Your Listing Features
As we emerge from the peak summer season, it’s the perfect time to shift focus from survival mode to growth mode. If you missed our recent webinar with Tatiana, you missed a goldmine of information on one of the most underrated ways to increase your visibility: Listing Features.
In the world of Short-Term Rentals, your features are more than just a list of amenities – they are the keys that unlock OTA algorithms and put your property in front of the right guests.
Why “More” is Actually More
It’s easy to think that if you have a pool and allow pets, you’re covered. But guests are becoming increasingly specific.
If a guest filters for a clothes iron because they’re attending a wedding, or a printer for a work trip, and you haven’t checked those boxes, even if you have them in the cupboard, you are invisible. You won’t even appear in their search results.
The Algorithm Advantage
OTAs like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo use complex AI to suggest filters to guests based on their past behavior. If an OTA reminds a guest that they usually prefer beachfront properties, and you haven’t tagged your property correctly, you’re filtered out before the guest even sees your beautiful photos.
Stop Manual Entry: The Power of Feature Mapping
One of the most powerful (and often overlooked) tools in Homhero is Feature Mapping.
Every OTA has a different name for the same thing. Take a BBQ for example, Airbnb calls it “Barbecue Area,” Vrbo calls it a “Grill”, and Booking.com calls it a “Barbeque Grill”! Instead of logging into every portal to manually select them, Feature Mapping lets you link them once.
Pro Tip: Airbnb Attributes
Airbnb has introduced Attributes, which allow you to go even deeper. You can now specify if a BBQ is Private or Shared, or if a grill is Electric or Gas. Providing this level of detail manages guest expectations and reduces the chance of a 4-star review due to a shared surprise.
Hidden Gems: Services and Safety
Not all features live in the Homhero Amenities tab. Depending on the OTA, you should also be looking at:
- Booking.com Services: This is often where Parking lives. If you can’t find it in features, check here!
- Vrbo Location Features: Vrbo allows you to tag location-specific details like “Beach View” or “Golf Nearby.”
- Safety Features: Don’t forget to list your smoke detectors and emergency contacts. These aren’t just for safety; they are trust signals for guests.
Accessibility Matters
Accessibility amenities are a massive opportunity to reach a dedicated traveler base.
Important: Airbnb requires you to have a photo of the accessibility feature before you can claim it.
In Homhero, go to your Images tab, click the pencil icon, and tag an image with “Wide Doorway” or “Single Level Home.” This proves the accessibility to the OTA and the guest.
The Convenient Way to Professional Descriptions
Struggling with writer’s block? We’ve all been there. Homhero now features an AI Description Agent.
Because the AI is built directly into Homhero, it already knows your property’s address, capacity, and all those shiny new features you just added. It can generate a professional, evocative description in seconds.
The Bulk Tool: If you have 50 listings that need a refresh, use the Bulk AI Descriptions tool under the “Manage” menu to generate and review updates for your entire portfolio at once.
Take Action Today
As things settle down after the peak, take an hour this week to:
- Sort your listings in Homhero by “Number of Features”
- Target the “low” properties (anything under 20 features) and see what you’ve missed.
- Check your mapping to ensure your hard work is actually reaching the OTAs.
Need a hand with the setup? Our support team is ready to help you merge duplicate features or get your Google Vacation Rentals connection live (it’s commission-free, so why not?).
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