Airbnb Superhost Status. It sounds truly impressive, but what is it? What makes a host ‘super’? Does attaining this lofty status take a lot of hard work? Or a lot of money? Is it something that is worth working towards? What’s in it for the average Airbnb host?
People usually have lots of questions about Airbnb Superhost Status. And today I’ll cover answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Why Would You Want Airbnb Superhost Status?
Most hosts on Airbnb aspire to gain Superhost Status, and for some very good reasons. Airbnb awards superhosts a special profile badge that is prominently displayed in the search results—where travelers first see your listing. It stands out.
Searchers tend to skim those results rather quickly, so the fact that the badge stands out will almost always get their attention. Guests see this badge and they know they are dealing with a professional. Travelers can also filter out all listings so only listings operated by superhosts display in their search results.
With superhost status you also get the following benefits:
- Increased visibility and priority placement in search results.
- Superhosts get a $100 travel coupon if they maintain superhost status for one year.
- Priority support when calling Airbnb.
- Superhosts receive product exclusives.
Previews of upcoming releases and an opportunity to attend exclusive events. - Some guests simply won’t book a place unless the host is a superhost!
In their recent assessment of the impact of Superhost status, Airdna noted that Superhosts see increases in these key performance indicators:
- An 81% higher occupancy rate.
- 60% more revenue per available day.
- 5% improvement in listing traffic.
And because you’ll be accountable to the Airbnb community to keep your Superhost status, you’ll become a better host and get more 5-star reviews. More 5-star reviews equal more reservations and ultimately more revenue.
What Are the Airbnb Superhost Requirements?
Perhaps I’m biased because I’m so passionate about the guest experience, but it seems to me that the requirements for being a superhost should be the minimum requirements for being a host, period. I say that because the requirements are fairly simple but they do call for effort and commitment on your part.
In a nutshell, the requirements to achieve superhost status are as follows:
- You must have hosted at least ten trips within the last year.
- You must have a 90% response rate or higher.
- You must maintain a 4.8 overall rating.
- Zero cancellations, with exceptions made for those that fall under the Airbnb Extenuating Circumstances Policy.
There is no application process for Superhost status. If you earn it, it will come. Airbnb checks your account every three months and if you meet the standards, you’ll earn your badge.
How Do You Keep Superhost Status?
Hosting ten trips and not cancelling reservations are pretty straight forward. However, there are some actions you can take to help ensure you keep superhost status once you’ve earned it.
Keep Your Listing’s Availability Up to Date
Make sure to keep your calendar updated. If you’re still cleaning your own listing, and you’re unable to clean between checkout and checkin, make sure you have Airbnb set to automatically block the night before and after each reservation. Better yet, hire a cleaner so you can increase your revenue by offering more nights on your calendar.
Having an outdated calendar is the top complaint guests have when booking and inquiring on Airbnb. On numerous occasions I’ve requested to book a place only to find out that the listing isn’t available because the host didn’t have their calendar updated. This is not only a bad experience for potential guests, but it wastes their time and your time. Always, always keep your calendar up to date.
Maintain Great Communication
Superhosts are great communicators. Airbnb expects them to respond within 24 hours to maintain their status. But the fact is that you should respond to queries much faster than that, ideally within the hour when possible. Today’s consumer wants everything now. Meet that demand and your professionalism will be reflected in your reviews; because fast, open communication is something that Airbnb’s average customer truly appreciates.
Treat Others as You’d Like to be Treated
This is a very simple, yet often overlooked concept. Just offer a great guest experience. Keep it top of mind while dealing with travelers. What is the best way to improve your guest experience? Stay in an Airbnb yourself, as a traveler. This is hands down the best way to embrace the guest experience. You need to put yourself in your guest’s shoes. By doing this, you will not only get ideas on ways to improve your listing, but more importantly, you will see things from your guest’s perspective.
Why Did I Lose My Airbnb Superhost Status?
I hear this question more often than you’d probably expect. If you’ve lost your superhost status it’s probably because you didn’t keep the guest experience top of mind. If you keep the guest experience in mind at all times you’ll maintain superhost status. Not canceling, and maintaining an updated calendar are important things too, but nowhere near as important as treating every guest who passes through your property with dignity and respect.
The bottom line is this…
You need Airbnb Superhost Status to maximize your revenue as an Airbnb host. And yes, it feels good too! Superhost status is easy to get and easy to keep if you keep your guest experience top of mind and keep your guests happy. For ways to make the guest experience better, read Airbnb Tips from an Austin Superhost. If you don’t have Superhost status you should definitely make it a point to work towards this goal… it will make a difference in your overall occupancy as well as your profit margin.
Happy hosting,
P.S. Let me know in the comments below… What’s been stopping you from getting Superhost status?
