Unlocking the Secrets To Top Performing Airbnb Listings: What Put Both of The Tropical Oasis Villas in The Top 1% of Airbnb Listings? (Part 1 of a Series)

We recently shared the breaking news that 1 of 2 of our Airbnb listings were identified as being in the Top 1% of Listings by Airbnb. Our joy has now multiplied, as the 2nd listing has also been bestowed this same honor. So, 2 out of the 2 listings, both Villa A and Villa B at the Tropical Oasis are outperforming 99% of the platform's other listings.

I think this is a pretty good sign that achieving this feat is not a fluke, and that we're doing something right with the property and as hosts.

We believe that there's more than enough sun for everyone to shine, so we're happy to share some of what we think has distinguished us from other listings on Airbnb.

1.Know Your Target Market & Targeted Guests

Clarify & refine the people that your listing will serve (also known as your target guest) . This can be influenced by your location and the type of property you have (also known as your target market/ audience). Who typically travels to your area, and what type of accommodation best meets their needs?

Target Market, Target Audience, Target Personas — Diagram from Lemuel Park That Describes Target Market, Target Audience, and Target Personas.

Whether you serve guests that are young families seeking kid friendly activities, groups of friends looking for lively night life, couples seeking a romantic setting, connoisseurs of good food, tree hugging nature enthusiasts, beach bums, history buffs, locals seeking a staycation, or professionals seeking respite during their work trip, knowing who your target customers are is an important first step in having a quality listing.

This clarity ensures you can anticipate their needs, preferences & pain points when traveling. In the marketing world this exercise is known by a few names like personas or customer profiles. According to HubSpot, a trusted marketing thought leader and service provider, "Every business has a target audience, which is further divided into different customer segments. Within those segments, there are different types of buyers — not every customer has uniform wants and needs."

Check out this YouTube clip from HubSpot about Personas along with a free tool to create your own:

Or Use this link to study the concepts for yourself. We love using the free HubSpot Academy, for resources and information on all things marketing.

2. Curate Your Guests' Experience

Understanding your target customer can help frame the experience you create for them. I don't think putting a nice bed in a nice house, and making sure it's clean is enough anymore. Those are the bare minimum for what some would call a saturated market on Airbnb for hosts. Depending on your market, you may not even need to do that to succeed, especially if you have a market that's in high demand and low supply. Based on our own experience, it appears the the supply of Airbnb listings outweighs the demand in many markets. However, the demand for quality experiences in quality properties that meet the unique needs of each guest is absolutely in high demand and low supply. This is the sweet spot of opportunity. Investors looking for a quick buck and a truly passive income limits some of those investors drive to provide quality experiences for their guests. It may seem frustrating for some, but the bar and consumer expectations are always evolving, and if you want to compete, you have to stay nimble and curious in this regard.

Here are a few examples of optimizing the experience in your short term rental for your target customers needs:

Young families: Providing a crib, high chair, kid themed room/ play room, kid specific TV Channels/ streaming services, child-safe flatware, and information about kid-friendly activities in the area.
Working Professionals: Highspeed WIFI, separate work space, coffee, and quiet hours.

On this subject, we were immensely inspired by Sandal's Resorts, which offers a gold standard in the hotel industry for creating memorable experiences for couples. Did you know that when Sandals is scouting new locations, they only select west facing properties? They do this because the sun sets in the west, and amber colored sunsets are usually considered more romantic than sunrises, plus the water tends to be calmer in the west compared to east facing waterfront properties. A prime example of knowing your target audience and giving them a quality experience that they value. Don't be afraid of gathering inspiration from other listings or industries that cater to your target guests.

Cheers to making quality experiences for our guests and being successful hosts!

Want to checkout our gold trophy listings on Airbnb for yourself, be our guest: