5 Star Reviews: Why They Matter & 5 Ways to Get More
Why Five Star Reviews Matter on Your Short-term Rental
Are you looking to set your vacation rental up for success and explode your revenue? One of the most proven and effective ways to gain more visibility for your short-term rental on sites like AirBnB, VRBO, and others is to consistently receive five-star reviews from your guest stays. In order to help you get there, we’re here to educate you on the why and how of five-star reviews on vacation rental sites.
Reviews are king in the short-term rental industry. Not only do they demonstrate your credibility as a vacation rental host to potential guests, but they are also a huge determining factor for guests to decide whether or not to book a stay at your property. Reviews are your first chance to make an impression on your potential guests, so it’s vital to put your best foot forward.
There are a few reasons to aim high when it comes to your guest reviews. Getting more five-star reviews can:
Increase your visibility and bookings on short-term rental sites
Allow you to obtain special perks, like Superhost status on AirBnB
Build trust with guests before they ever step foot on your property
How to Get More Five-Star Reviews on Your Short-Term Rental
There’s a huge difference between a four-star and a five-star review when it comes to short-term rental sites. When given the option between two homes with the same features and amenities, five-star reviews often become the determining factor for your potential guests. In order to make the best first impression with guests and get more of those five-star reviews, there are a few tips that we recommend.
#1: Ask Every Guest for a Review
The easiest way to get more reviews is to engage with your guests and ask nicely for a review on the short-term rental site where they booked their stay. After every stay, it’s a good practice to send your guests a message asking them to review their experience at your vacation rental.
Not only does this give you a chance to get that coveted five-star review, it’s also an opportunity for you as a host to see your areas for improvement and hold yourself accountable to making those changes. There’s no feedback like guest feedback, and using every review as a chance to improve your processes is a surefire way to land more of those five-star reviews.
#2: Respond Quickly to All Guest Communications and Concerns
One of the most important aspects of providing great hospitality to your guests is to respond as quickly as possible to all communications. Whether that’s a potential guest with questions about the rental before they decide to book or a guest running into maintenance issues while they’re staying in your property, it’s key to respond to all guest inquiries as soon as you can in order to make a great impression on your guests and ultimately, receive more five-star reviews for your short-term rental property.
#3: Set Realistic Expectations for Guests
Your listing is your first opportunity to impress potential guests, but make sure you don’t go overboard with exaggerating amenities or the closeness of things to do in the area. Guests will know the minute they step foot on the property if the listing was too good to be true, and they will note these types of things in their reviews.
Setting realistic expectations for guests is not only the right thing to do, it also helps them to look forward to and plan their trips accordingly, allowing you to benefit from more of those five-star reviews.
#4: Step up your Amenity Game
When guests are searching for somewhere to stay on short-term rental sites like AirBnB, they often filter their searches to only show them properties with certain amenities that will improve their stay. Of course, certain items and appliances are always expected, like a coffeemaker filled with coffee for the morning, but adding on coveted amenities to your property can improve your listing’s visibility and allow you to get more five-star reviews.
Consider investing in higher-ticket items, like a larger television or adding a hot tub to your outdoor space, in order to awe your guests and help you get more five-star reviews.
#5: Create a Welcome Packet with a Local Guide
Guests typically book stays in places that they want to get out and see, so why not make that process a little bit easier for them? To try to land more five-star reviews, creating a welcome packet for your property is one easy step that will only take a small time investment and could pay off big for you when it comes time for guests to review your property.
With your welcome packet, you have an opportunity to educate guests on your property and its nuances, as well as provide them with more information about local things to do that will make their stay even more pleasant. This effort, in turn, will be appreciated by your guests and can help you to get more of those five-star reviews you need to improve your visibility and get more bookings.
How LocalVR Can Help You Get More Five-Star Reviews
Getting more five-star reviews is critical to making your short-term rental a financial success, but what if you don’t have the time or energy to put into asking every guest for a review? LocalVR knows that guest feedback is more than just a way to gain visibility–in fact, it is your credibility as a short-term rental host, and the properties that we manage are much more likely to become top-rated.
If you’re looking to land more five-star reviews and set your rental up for increased revenues, check out our site for more information about how LocalVR can help you achieve your short-term rental goals.