When a person browses an Online Travel Agency (OTA) such as Airbnb or Booking.com in search of a temporary accommodation, they expect to find the ideal place in the shortest possible time. And, of course, not to have any unpleasant surprises upon arrival.
This is why it is so important that owners provide detailed and accurate descriptions of the accommodations they offer.
In addition to the descriptions, photographs are key, since in many cases potential guests will barely read the texts and will be guided and captivated by the images. Each accommodation site should be properly photographed in different situations. For example, with natural daylight coming through the windows and also with night lighting by means of lamps. Another option is to show the dining room area in a secluded area to give an idea of the size and then the same space with the table laid out, the chairs and everything arranged for the total number of guests. The same can be done with sofa beds, trundle or pull-out beds, extra cribs, etc. If the space has a patio or garden, you can show the place clear and then with the elements of use that are offered, such as chairs and tables, hammocks, children’s playground equipment, etc.
Photographs must be sharp and realistic. It is not allowed to make tricks in the images to modify spaces to make them look bigger or brighter, for example, or to add objects that are not really there.
In total, there should be between two and five photographs of each space in the house, adding in turn images of details that make the difference or distinguish this accommodation from other similar ones.
Returning to the description of the accommodation in general, it is convenient that it is concise and specific, as we do not want guests to get dizzy with words that may divert the focus of their interest and ours, which is none other than to determine if that place is the right one for that person or group and for that particular trip, and to make the reservation in the shortest time possible and without doubts that need to be cleared later.
In the description it is important to start with the size of the property, the location and the number of people that can be accommodated. Then you should describe the spaces such as the rooms, kitchen and bathrooms, followed by particularities of each accommodation that make it stand out among others with similar characteristics. Be sure to mention all the good things but do not omit or “disguise” things that might not be ideal, as the guest will be disappointed upon arrival and that will result in a negative rating. Always be honest and make it clear to the visitor what they will find in the place, from the different spaces to the services, facilities and objects available.
Likewise, it is essential that the title of the property describes it with its main characteristics but in a few words. You can select some of the keywords by which you think that this accommodation could be searched, such as geographical area, size, proximity to a busy place, brightness, the option to bring pets or to stay with small children, etc.
As for the language of the texts, the ideal is to use the local language as neutral as possible, without idioms or words that are difficult to understand for all potential readers. In this way, not only will it be clear to visitors using the local language, but the automatic translation performed by the platforms will result in a text that is accurate and faithful to the original, thus allowing those visiting the site from other countries to read the same content in the language of their choice.
After completing the general description, the platforms will also ask you to select all the services and objects available in the accommodation and then display them on the property’s page in easy-to-read lists, usually accompanied by icons that identify them.
As each accommodation has its own page within the platforms, with its own photos, descriptions and specific listings, we must bear in mind that the more detailed the description of the page, the more likely it will appear in the search results.
What do we mean by “housing page”?
A person who owns several rental properties or an administrator who manages the rental of several properties can publish on each platform all the properties he/she wishes to offer. If the properties share the same address, i.e. they are different units within the same location, they are published on the same page. If the properties are located in different places and do not share the same geographic location, each one will have its own page within the platforms.
Do the platforms always show the description of the accommodation as written by the owner?
No, and this is important to know in advance. While Airbnb does display the texts as they are created by the owner, Booking.com does not.
The description of your accommodation that Booking.com visitors will see will be automatically configured by the system of this OTA from the information that you upload in the extranet, which is the Booking system for the administration of all the processes related to the rental.
Thus, the description is done automatically by the site and is updated every time you make a change in any of the items. The data included in the description will be what Booking.com considers most relevant to potential guests. . That is why it is important that you keep the information updated and that it is accurate and as detailed as possible. Information on facilities, services, location and policies should be complete.
Why does Booking have this automatic description mode?
Booking.com’s automatic description system aims to make the texts easy to read and meet the requirements needed by users, which are continuously researched by this platform to optimize search results and conversions. These requirements are, for example, the type of content most searched for by visitors when browsing for accommodation, the length of the texts, the type of language used, the structure and the terms necessary to optimize the appearance in search engines (SEO).
In addition, the automatically generated descriptions are instantly translated into other languages and have the characteristic of maintaining the same tone and style throughout the site for all the properties, which facilitates reading and the detection of topics of interest for each user, who does not have to adapt to the writing format of each property as they move from one page to another in their search for the best place to book.
Is it possible to include custom text within Booking.com?
Yes, without breaking the rules and respecting the criteria chosen by Booking.com to unify the descriptions of all the pages of the accommodations offered in their agency, there is a way to add a little personality to our description. The way to achieve this is within the section destined to the host of the accommodation. In this section each host is free to write something about themselves and their property that will not be changed by Booking.com. In addition to the host’s profile, there are two other topics to complete: “About the accommodation” and “About the neighborhood”. These three texts will be displayed at the bottom of the accommodation page next to the host’s image. Therefore, if you want to include your own words or speak directly to potential guests you can do so in this section without violating the rules and adding a bit of personalization to your page.
