How To Get More Airbnb Bookings In The Off-Season

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If you host in a summer vacation destination like we do on 30A, congratulations on making it through your busy season. Take a minute to congratulate yourself and take a deep breath! But then, we’ve got to get back to work. Today, I’d like to share some tips on how to get more Airbnb bookings in the off-season and shoulder seasons.

Of course, everything depends on your location and type of accommodations, but typically, these tweaks will help you increase your Airbnb occupancy during the slower months. I will say that the smaller your space is, the easier it is to stay booked all year with couples and small families. Larger homes that are typically popular for multifamily or multigenerational travel often have a harder time staying filled during the school year.

Airbnb Bookings In The Off-Season

Owning Airbnbs is great during the peak season when higher rates, occupancy, and demand mean large payouts. But it can really be a grind in the off-season when you have to lower rates and hustle to fill your space.

To be honest, sometimes it’s easier and makes more sense to let your space remain vacant. Why? Unfortunately, my experience shows that the guests who book at the lowest rates for short stays tend to be the most difficult. Sometimes, it’s not even worth risking a less-than 5-star review.

READ: Why I Don’t Always Leave Airbnb Guest Reviews

However, I like to keep my places booked as much as possible during the slower months to help keep my cleaners employed and to limit dust accumulation that occurs after a 5+ day gap in your calendar. Often, when that happens, I have to have my cleaners come back to refresh our condos, and it’s not always cost-effective when offering last-minute deals.

How To Get More Airbnb Bookings In The Off-Season

But the goal is to keep our short-term rentals booked and get as many Airbnb bookings as possible. So, here are six strategies for how to get more Airbnb bookings during the off-season and shoulder seasons.

#1 Change Your Airbnb Title & Listing Description

It’s a great idea to adjust both these often, especially in the off-season. In your title, use the maximum number of characters (50) to highlight seasonal amenities that set you apart, such as a heated pool, fall foliage, firepit, etc. Or maybe target digital nomads with your fast wifi and dedicated workspace.

It could look like these:

4 Bdrm w/Heated Pool, Fire Pit, Baby Gear, Wifi
Updated Cozy Cabin | Fall Leaves| Near State Park
Top Rated Condo for 4: Walk To Duval St + Marina

I change my Airbnb listings a few times a year, highlighting the heated pool during the cooler months and the beach access during the summer.

In your Airbnb listing description, add a short bulleted list toward the top. Here, you can again highlight the reasons why your place is great in the off-season. If there are any located nearby, mention seasonal events or festivals.

Of course, depending on how far out your calendar is open, you will still want to mention seasonal amenities for the guests booking further out. You can put that below your shoulder season highlights!

#2 Make Your Listing Baby Friendly

Most families with children ages 5+ are tied to school calendars that limit their ability to travel outside of school breaks. However, families with babies and younger children have more flexibility.

My one-bedroom condos are baby-friendly, with essential baby items such as a mini crib, booster, baby bishes, bottle racks, and more. Most of my shoulder season guests are couples with toddlers who choose my condo over others because of these inexpensive amenities. It is 100% worth investing in these amenities, and make sure to advertise them!

READ: How To Make Your Airbnb Baby-Friendly

#3 Adjust Your Airbnb Rates Daily

I adjust my Airbnb prices on a daily basis. It’s easy to do so via the Airbnb app or desktop website. About three to four weeks out, I drop them by around 5% or 10% per day until I find the sweet spot for these last-minute shoulder season bookings.

Often, you will have to discount weekdays significantly. However, have a bottom line, and don’t go below it. Also, if you normally require weeklong stays during peak season, consider reducing your minimum to three or 3 nights. However, I will say again that my most demanding and difficult guests are almost always two-night stays who got an amazing last-minute deal.

If all of this feels overwhelming, consider using PriceLabs to help set your seasonal prices and determine the best rates for your market.

#4 Join Local Groups On Social Media

You are going to have to hustle more to get those off-season bookings! Look for local or regional Facebook groups for your area or travel-related groups where it’s okay to post links to your Airbnb listing. I do this often in the 30A Vacation Rentals Group on Facebook and have gotten many bookings that way. Just make sure not to be spammy!

Also, build up your own social media. In the post linked below, I share my strategies for leveraging social media for my rentals. Sharing deals, events, and seasonal content in your Instagram stories is a great way to get past guests excited about a future visit!

READ: How To Use Social Media For Your Rental

#5 Offer Discounts For Longer Stays

I am usually not a fan of long-term rentals (4 months+) in a short-term rental if profit is the main goal.

However, longer stays of four to twelve weeks, such as snowbirds, can be a good idea in the off-season. I offer 10% off for a week-long stay. That said, my rentals are smaller and tend to draw a year-long audience of couples and young families. If you have a large multibedroom house, you need to be flexible if you want it to get booked in the off-season and may need to offer a much higher discount.

I will say that I would rather have a heavily discounted 20-day rental over seven consecutive discounted three-night rentals any day. Why? Well, a booking takes the same energy from me (reccomendations, cleaning, check-ins, follow-up, etc.) regardless of how long it is. And the longer stays give me a bit of a break!

#6 Use This Time For A Refresh & Deep Clean

In some instances, there may not be a market for your Airbnb rental in the off-season. If you simply can’t get any Airbnb bookings, use this time for personal use. It’s always important to stay in your own rental property often to learn more about the area and ensure things are in order. Eat at restaurants, visit shops, take photos, listen to live music, and create content for your social media. I am sure the local businesses appreciate your patronage this time of year, too!

Choose your slowest time to do an annual deep clean and refresh. Take care of any special projects, such as painting. I recommend doing this during your low season and as close to the start of your Spring season as possible.

READ: Deep Clean & Refresh Your Airbnb

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More Airbnb Hosting Strategies

Check out all of my Airbnb hosting blog posts for more helpful strategies to help you earn more money, streamline your workflow, and earn top Airbnb reviews.

Also, make sure to sign up for my Airbnb newsletter and join my 5-Star Airbnb Hosting Facebook Group to reach out to me directly!

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