If you want your new rental to stand out from the rest of the listings, you came to the right place. At listingok.com we make sure to maximize your rental income with Expert Revenue Management, by optimizing your Airbnb and Booking.com Listings for Peak Performance. And here in this post, we're gonna give you all the tips and advices to make your listings pop.

Key factors to consider when listing your rental

There are only six key factors to consider: Name, Set Up, Pictures, Essential Amenities, House Rules, and Pricing (But dont worry much about the last one as we take care of it for you!).

1.- Name

It's number one priority to name your rentals properly. There are some factors that are essential when it comes to naming your listings:

• LOCATION: Where is your rental located? Adding its location is a nice touch when it comes to naming your Airbnb. It isn’t advisable to add the actual address as by doing so it could lead to dangerous situations. 
• KEY FEATURES OF THE AREA: Showing the area’s nearest spots and key features is a good way to attract renters to your Airbnb. Is your rental close to a shopping mall, a cinema, a supermarket, a small shop, a concert arena, a unique rose garden, or a lake with geese and ducks? Add that! The renters will appreciate that.
• ARCHITECTURE & UNIQUE FEATURES: To some people it may not even matter a little bit, but many people will be more drawn towards your rental if you specify its age, and building type! Is it a modern apartment, an old yet renovated Victorian House, or a cosy 15-years-old shack in the woods? Also highlight its unique features, like having a swimming pool, a  jacuzzi, a home cinema, a private park, a solarium, etc.
• "PRIVATE": It may sound redundant, but why not specify that your rental is 100% a private place? Some people may be sceptical if that isn’t cleared up in a place where they can see it easily, like the name of the property.
• WHO IS YOUR RENTAL MEANT FOR?: This is also important and a good friend when it comes to drawing renters to your place. Is it a small apartment meant for just one person, a couple, or is your rental meant for a family or a group of friends?
• UPGRADES: Have you made any upgrades to the place? Why not brag about it? Clarifying that, lets say, your rental is 5 years old but its bathrooms and kitchen have been upgraded for a better comfortable and easy use will seal the deal to those doubtful renters!
• ABBREVIATIONS: All being said, let’s be real, not a single human on Earth will want to read a name as long as a paragraph! So this is where abbreviations to the most common words come in handy. It'd be easier for the quick eye to shorten, for example, the words "with", "apartment", "bedroom" and "bathroom" to "w/", "APT.", "BR" and "BA" respectively.
• BE HONEST ABOUT THE DOWNSIDES!: If your rental has a few downsides, be it that it’s located on a loud or smelly part of the city, its walls are not recently painted, or some floor tiles are loose, it’d be better to be honest about it and not advertise it as a 5 stars staying or it’ll certainly not get a good review. And we all know that those stars matter!

Here are some great name examples:

• Quiet Couples Retreat Near Yellowstone National Park
• Cosy Lakeside Log Cabin w/ Private Dock & Direct Access to Hiking Trails
• Modern Family Home w/ Game Room & Theatre in Sunny Barcelona
• Pet Friendly Private Cabin w/ RV Parking Near El Morro National Monument 
• Couples Coastal Getaway w/ Wine Cellar & Spa
• Beachfront Bungalow w/ Direct Access to Mediterranean Sea 
• Luxury Downtown Apartment w/ Private Rooftop in Manhattan

2.- Set Up

Now that you named your rental, it's time to add all its features:

• PROPERTY TYPE: When you start to set up your rental, there are three options to chose when it comes to the property type. Those are: “Entire place”, “Private room”, and “Shared room”. Be careful with this choice! Keep in mind that by selecting “entire place”, you are, in fact, granting full access to every corner of your property; “private room” means that although the renters will have a private bedroom, they may have to share some common areas such as the dining room, bathroom and/or living room; and of course, “shared room” means that they will share the place, including their bedroom, with other renters.
• NUMBER OF GUESTS: Always calculate how many guests fit in your rental. Keep in mind that there must be only two people per room! Renters will be very annoyed if they stay in crowded spaces! The number of bathrooms is also important: there should be no more than five people meant to use each bathroom.
• LOCATION: You gave an idea of where your property is located in the name, but now it's time to be more specific: which places are near it? A good way of showing the close spots and streets is saying something on the lines of "You're only 3 blocks away from...", and "... is only 5 minutes away by foot".
• VISITORS: This is also something important to keep in mind. Are visitors allowed to enter your property? If so, how many? Can they stay the night? Specify this to avoid any future problems or disputes with the renters.
• "YOUR SPACE" OPTION: When setting up your rental there's something fundamental to select: the "your space" option. There you should add a complete and accurate description of the property, as if it was written in a captivating tale. This will make your property more likeable and more people will want to chose it.
• BE HONEST ABOUT THE DOWNSIDES!: Once again, be honest about the property's downsides. Be honest about the last time it was upgraded, if the gas for cooking and heating up water is stored in a bottle, if there's usually power outages, etc.

3.- PHOTOS

The pictures you add to your listings are very important, maybe even more important than the name! This is why, although it may sound like a waste of money, you must hire a professional photographer to take high quality pictures!

Once you hire a professional, or if you chose to do it yourself, keep in mind these few tips to shoot the best photos:

• NUMBER OF PICTURES: It may sound way too much, but by adding 25 to 50 pictures you will help future renters to imagine how their stay will be like. Including the "your space" option as well as a good number of photos of the property will ensure your listings to be very popular amongst other properties.
• WHEN TO TAKE THE BEST PICTURES: Always remember to take the pictures on a sunny day and with the lights on! Sunny days make your property look cosy, warm, and welcoming. Otherwise, the fotos will look uncomfortable, cold, dim, and maybe even quite creepy.
• WHAT TO TAKE PICTURES OF: We wont stress this enough, take pictures of everything! But specially of all your most exclusive rooms and their amenities. 
• SMALL TOUCHES: Do you want to make your rental aesthetically pleasing? Add small yet beautiful touches! Lay the table in the dinning room, with the place's fanciest china and cups, a beautiful flower base, and why not lay it for different meals, like breakfast, and dinner?; in the living room add colour to your sofa with cute and fluffy, or elegant pillows and small warm blankets for the coldest days; a clean, well made bed with nightstands lighted by lamps that match your room's aesthetic is also a good idea to keep in mind.
• TAKE PICTURES OUTSIDE OF THE PROPERTY: Yes, your rental is the most important when it comes to taking pictures, but why not show the street it's on, the closest landmarks, parks, arenas, popular coffee shops and restaurants, and shopping malls as well? By taking pictures outside of the property, you are showing future guests what they are going to encounter when they go for a walk, or a car and bus ride.

4.- COMPLETE LIST OF HOUSE RULES AND ESSENTIAL AMENITIES

HOUSE RULES

LIVING ROOM

• Welcome Note
• Check In
• Check Out
• Cleanliness
• Is someplace off limits?
• Damage & Security Deposit
• Neighbourhood
• Extra Guests & Visitors
• Parties & Events
• Parking
• Balconies & Deck Areas
• BBQ & Outdoor Amenities
• Kids' Safety (if kids are allowed)
• Security
• Smoking
• Pets
• Appliances
• Garbage Disposal
• Compliance and its Consequences 

ESSENTIAL AMENITIES

BATHROOM

• Bath Towels
• Hand Towels
• Toilet Paper
• Hand Soap
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Body Wash
• Body Soap (a soap bar will need to be replaced after every guest, but it means less plastic than disposable bottles of body wash).
• Toothpaste
• Body Lotion
• Disposable Razors
• Disposable Toothbrushes
• Shower Hanger
• Towel Hanger
• Hair Dryer
• Bath Mat
• Garbage Can

BEDROOM

• Pillows (more than one pillow per guest is ideal)
• Tissues
• Safe for Valuables
• Bedside Table and Lamp
• Garbage Can
• Notepad and Pen
• Hangers for Clothing
• Alarm Clock

KITCHEN

• Tea and Coffee
• Kettle
• Sugar and Seasonings
• Dishes
• Pots and Pans
• Silverware
• Cups
• Wine Glasses
• Ice Trays
• Coasters
• Tupperware
• Cleaning Supplies
• Dishwashing Liquid
• Hand Soap
• Trash Bags
• Mop
• Broom
• Dustpan
• Oven Mitts
• Dish Towels

LIVING ROOM

• Coffee Table 
• Reading Items (Books, Magazines, Travel Guides)
• Pens and Pencils

APPLIANCES

• Washer and Dryer
• TV
• Cable and/or Subscription Streaming Service
• Clothing Iron
• Wi-Fi

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

• First Aid Kit
• Smoke Alarm
• Carbon Monoxide Detector
• Fire Extinguisher
• Contact List for Emergency Services
• Wi-Fi Thermostat
• Childproofing
• Disaster Kit
• Anti-slip Mats
• Lock on Bedroom Doors

5.- PRICING

Finally, if you want to maximize your earnings without missing out on any potential income, be smart when it comes to choosing the pricing. For example, if your property is on a beach, rise the fees in the summer; and also rise the prices if it's New Year's Eve, Christmas, Easter, or any other National or International Holiday. 

That's it!

You now know how to make your rentals stand out the most. Use this information wisely, and good luck with your listings!

Does it all sound complicated or time consuming? If you choose to work with us you dont have to worry about anything as we take care of it all for you.