Maximize Your Airbnb Bookings With These Calendar Hacks

After years of Airbnb experience, we’ve crafted the best calendar strategies to keep your Airbnb booked! Hosting on autopilot is a thing of the past. Today’s guests are savvy and your competition pool is vast. If you think you can just coast and still snag those bookings, think again. Savvy hosts constantly scan the hosting horizon for ways to step up their game – and it paid off for us in a major way.

Table Of Contents:

• Maximize Your Airbnb Bookings With These Calendar Hacks
• Unlock More Bookings: Airbnb Calendar Hacks
• Hack #1: Ditch the Rigid Length-of-Stay Restrictions
• Hack #2: Master the Art of Airbnb Promos
• Hack #3: Stop Neglecting Local Events
• Hack #4: Dynamic Pricing
• Hack #5: Future Booking: Don’t Jump the Gun
  • Tying It All Together
• Airbnb Calendar Tips
• Calling All Hosts: The Hosting Handbook

Unlock More Bookings: Airbnb Calendar Hacks

These tips are about about strategy, outsmarting the competition, and increasing your earnings. So buckle up because we’re about to explore boosting your occupancy and ensuring you’re not losing out on potential income.

Hack #1: Ditch the Rigid Length-of-Stay Restrictions

It’s tempting to think that dictating longer stays automatically means more Airbnb revenue. But sometimes, you can unlock more bookings by being flexible with your restrictions.

Travelers have different needs, and being too rigid with minimum stays could cost you bookings. I used to require a two-night minimum, thinking it was the only way to maximize profits. However, when I embraced flexibility, things changed. Guests loved the option of booking a quick one-nighter, and those weekdays that used to be open? Booked solid.

To see if removing restrictions will work for your property, consider these tips:

• Analyze Your Airbnb Insights: Your hosting dashboard provides valuable data about your occupancy rate, average length of stay, and average daily rate (ADR). Carefully reviewing this data can reveal areas for improvement. You’ve heard us say it before: Know Your Numbers. Get our FREE Know Your Numbers guide right here.
• Explore Paid Data Tools: For more in-depth data, consider a paid Airbnb pricing tool like PriceLabs. This platform provides next-level insights that can give you a competitive edge.

Hack #2: Master the Art of Airbnb Promos

Let’s talk promos because when used strategically, they can be highly effective. The key is to be smart. Here’s how we approach it:

1. Consistent Cadence: I review my calendar every Monday morning to understand my market and demand fluctuations.
2. Knowing Your Booking Window: Determine your average booking window to understand how far in advance guests typically book.
3. Targeted Discounts: Instead of random discounts, align your promos with gaps in your calendar within your usual booking window. For example, if your shoulder season bookings are slow, run a promo to fill those vacancies.

Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see immediate success. Consistency is vital when it comes to the Airbnb algorithm, but strategic promos will get its attention and even improve your search ranking.

Hack #3: Stop Neglecting Local Events

Your local events calendar isn’t just for festivals. It’s a goldmine of Airbnb calendar hacks, especially for anticipating demand and adjusting your pricing. Here’s how to utilize this tool:

• Major Events & Conferences: Keep track of significant events that attract large crowds, like concerts, sporting events, and industry gatherings. These are prime opportunities to adjust your pricing and attract more guests. Consider offering extra services, such as luggage storage, for added convenience. We’ve love to chat all things dynamic pricing. Check out our Hosting Hotline covering what to do when big events are coming to town! 
• Hidden Gems: Identify less obvious events that might bring people to your area. Niche conventions, chess tournaments, and local festivals can create unexpected demand surges.

Get in the habit of:

• Regularly reviewing: Scan your local community calendar quarterly to stay informed about upcoming events and adjust your pricing strategy accordingly. This will help you to set your pricing and availability.
• Documenting: After an event, record the rates you secured, average length of stay, and other relevant details. This data will provide valuable benchmarks for the following year. For example, if you notice a trend of late check-out requests during a particular event, you can adjust your check-out times or offer a late check-out option for an additional fee. Understanding your guests’ needs and preferences can lead to positive reviews and increased bookings in the future.

Hack #4: Dynamic Pricing

Airlines do it, hotels do it, and you should too. Using static pricing, where you set one price for each day or season, is outdated. The most successful hosts utilize dynamic pricing.

You’re probably thinking, “This sounds complicated.” You’re right, which is where Airbnb tools like PriceLabs are useful. PriceLabs is a dynamic pricing platform for short-term rentals. This tool factors in events, seasonality, demand, and more to help ensure your listing is competitively priced, maximizing your earning potential.

When your listing has adaptable pricing, Airbnb sees you as a proactive host. This can increase your listing’s visibility and attract guests looking for the best deals.

We recently sat down for a Revenue Management 101 chat with our team member, Colleen. Check out our interview right here.

Hack #5: Future Booking: Don’t Jump the Gun

Landing bookings far in advance is exciting, especially when your calendar looks bare. It feels good to get a head start. But here’s the truth: Early bookings could cost you money.

Guests who book ridiculously early often prioritize securing a property over getting a deal. If you allow this, you miss out on potential earnings.

Here’s how to handle future bookings:

1. Booking Window Sweet Spot: I never open my calendar more than six months out. However, the optimal booking window varies, so it’s important to regularly analyze your competitor’s bookings. Specifically, pay attention to how far out they’re booked and their rates.
2. The “Luxury Tax” Approach: I charge a premium for those who need to book very far out. Consider it a “pay-to-play” strategy. You can incentivize this by offering things like gift cards to local attractions. Not only does this help your listing stand out, but it also encourages guests to book, potentially leading to more positive reviews and a higher ranking stack in search results.

Tying It All Together

One of the easiest ways to manage multiple bookings is to sync your Airbnb calendar with external calendars, such as Google Calendar. This is a free tool that prevents double bookings and keeps everything organized.

Airbnb Calendar Tips

In the world of short-term rentals and maximizing your Airbnb calendar, staying ahead of the curve is essential. You’ve got this. These are the same strategies top earners and Superhosts use to reach their revenue goals. So, take action, embrace the dynamic nature of this business, and start increasing those profits.

Don’t forget to make your guests stay special and memorable. Visit our Amazon Store for all of the products we use to make our guests comfortable and happy!

Calling All Hosts: The Hosting Handbook

If you loved this post we invite you to check out our one-stop-shop solution for hosts everywhere —the Hosting Handbook! While you can download all the easy to consume, step-by-step tips we use in our own hosting business and create the ultimate “book” the Hosting Handbook is so much more than that! If you’ve consumed or content for years (or just met us!) this is the reference guide for all the amazing and tactical tips we have for running a profitable and, more importantly hospitable, short-term rental. How do we price for pets? How do we fold our towels? What sheets do we buy? How do I purchase a short-term rental? All these questions (and more!) can be answered in the Hosting Handbook! Check it out now!