6 Tips For When You Are Struggling with Low Short-term Rental Bookings on Your New Listing

Updated : Feb 9, 2025

There are 7.7 million active listings on Airbnb and over 2 million properties on Vrbo. This crowded market demands extra effort from property managers when short-term rental bookings are low.

If not, receiving more bookings will become challenging for new STR listings. Your newly added vacation rental on online booking platforms may be lost among thousands of properly optimized listings in your location. That said, staying prepared early on is essential when launching new properties.

6 Tried and Tested Strategies Property Managers Use When Short-Term Rental Bookings Are Low

Below are some of the most effective tips for making your listings stand out and scaling your STR portfolio every season.

Optimize Listing Headline & Description

Nobody will consider booking an STR property with a boring title, like “a two-bedroom condo.” Attractive Airbnb titles are your property’s first impression on your guests and why they will click on your listing.

Additionally, the description should concisely reflect what your guests can expect from your STR home. Craft an engaging, informative, free-of-error description to highlight its unique amenities.

Make sure the listing features the following details:

• The number of bedrooms
• Property Capacity
• Decor style
• Furniture and equipment
• Unique offerings
• Nearby tourist attractions
• Charges for extra guest
• House rules

To write the perfect description, you should know what your potential guest looks like. Then, add details in Airbnb listing description that resonate with your potential customers’ vacation and search preferences. Ensure to add details and keywords to improve visibility. For example, mention a dedicated workspace, high-speed internet, and office supplies if you target digital nomads. You can also use PriceLabs’s free Airbnb Description Generator tool to create appealing listing descriptions and titles.

Here’s a snapshot of an accurate description of Airbnb listing:

Upload High-Quality Photos

Customers prefer browsing the property photographs first. To make your listing bookable, its photo gallery must showcase the features and amenities you covered in the description.

Let your vacation rental’s imagery speak for you. The Airbnb algorithm will give more exposure to your STR home when you add high-quality photos.

So, invest in a professional photographer for well-lit shots of your property at the best angles, showcasing the best views, amenities, and features. Remember to include outdoor pictures, such as a rooftop terrace, front porch hammock, private pool, or backyard space.

For added charm, upload photos highlighting your space’s seasonal beauty, such as snow-capped mountains and autumn foliage.

Update Pricing As Per The Seasonal Trends

Seasonality directly impacts pricing and bookings for your STR property. Pay attention to seasonal vacation rental pricing beforehand to get the most out of your new listing. 

Assessing what the next six months look like in your area will give you a deeper understanding of the market-based pricing for vacation rentals. Next, researching prices for comparable rentals on OTAs is also vital. 

Use PriceLabs Dynamic Pricing software to adjust your vacation rental pricing strategies for shoulder, off, and peak seasons. The tool’s performance analytics and seamless integration with OTAs will help boost occupancy for your new listings stress-free in any situation.

It’ll auto-tweak your STR property’s nightly rates based on the most critical market metrics, including vacation rental seasonality, demand, local competition, and upcoming events. This tool ensures that per-night pricing is competitive yet profitable.

Check how PriceLabs’ vacation rental pricing tool helped a user adjust seasonal rates and improve occupancy rates.

Collaborate with Influencers to Market Your Listing 

If your STR listing has a social media page, take it one level ahead with influencer marketing. A lifestyle or travel influencer’s authentic and personalized reviews will create a social proof of your property’s quality among the online audience.

Their high-quality imagery or video content will reach the hearts of their followers. Your property will be visible to its well-established loyal fanbase, which will attract more potential guests when short-term rental bookings are low.

Tip: Choose from a mega, macro, micro, or nano influencer based on your budget for marketing strategies for vacation rental.

Offer Referral Discounts for Direct Bookings/Repeat Bookings

A good deal will pique the interest of previous and new customers. So, launch a special offer when short-term rental bookings are low to entice your target guests.

For instance, release limited-time promotions during quiet periods to attract more direct bookings. Another effective way to maximize your overall bookings is to offer discounted rates for extended stays. The key is to launch tempting offers that make your listing a go-to choice for budget-conscious travelers.

Sending referral discount codes for past guests is also a smart strategy. The occupancy rate will improve if the referred friends or family members book your vacation rental.

Further, extend the deal by incentivizing customers who shared your referral code to get repeat bookings. If guests re-book with you, offer them extra benefits like birthday decorations, free upgrades, or access to exclusive events.

Encourage Guests to Leave Reviews on OTAs

When your guests leave reviews on Airbnb or any OTA platform, it’ll enhance direct sales for your STR property. Positive reviews and ratings help build credibility for your future customers. The more reviews, the higher the bookings and cash flow.

Several Reddit members admitted bookings for their vacation rentals increased when they got more reviews.

Here are some of the best Airbnb guest review examples.

FAQs

1. Why am I getting less bookings on Airbnb?

Key reasons for getting low bookings on your listing include inaccurate listing description, poor quality photos, low reviews, high competition, and slow response to customer queries.

2. What is a good ROI for short-term rental?

Generally, a good ROI for short-term rentals will be around 8% to 10%. However, the success quotient for every vacation rental differs. Calculate the ROI for your listing using this formula:

ROI = (Annual Rental Income – Annual Expenses) / Total STR Investment.

3. How do you analyze a short-term rental market?

Analyze seasonality, target guest demands, occupancy rates, and comp prices to optimize your STR property’s revenue plans. Subscribe to PriceLabs Dynamic Pricing software to automatically optimize your nightly costs as per changing market conditions and trends.