5 OTA optimisation tips to boost your Airbnb ranking
- Apr 7
- 8 min read
Getting your property listed on Airbnb or other OTAs is just the beginning. If you're not actively optimising your listing, you're leaving bookings on the table – and handing them to hosts who are.
In this episode of Host Planet Bitesize, James Varley sits down with Kyle Geri from Orange Rentals in Liverpool for a rapid-fire five tips that any host can apply today.
Whether you're just starting out or managing a portfolio, these practical, no-nonsense OTA optimisation strategies will help you climb the search rankings, convert more browsers into bookers, and build momentum from day one.
Tip 1: Optimise your listing title
Your listing title is your first – and sometimes only – chance to grab attention. On Airbnb, you have a 50-character limit to work with, and the same constraint applies on most other OTAs. That space is precious, so every character needs to earn its place.
The most common mistake hosts make is filling the title with generic, uninspiring words like "cosy", "quaint", or the bedroom count. Bedroom count already appears elsewhere on the listing – there's no need to repeat it in the title. Instead, lead with your best and most distinctive feature.
"Advertise all your best features, and especially in the order that they're appealing. People read left to right, so put your best feature first." – Kyle Geri
If your property has free parking – and not every property does – put that in the title. If you have a hot tub, a cinema room, or you're walking distance from a tourist landmark, lead with that. Think about what genuinely sets your property apart and make it the very first thing a potential guest reads.
Kyle also recommends using ChatGPT to help generate title options. Jot down your property's best features in a notepad, paste them into ChatGPT, and ask it to produce a few Airbnb-optimised title options under 50 characters. You'll get several variations to test and choose from.
Finally, don't set your title and forget it. Refreshing your title – along with your photos and description – two or three times a year signals to Airbnb that you're an active host, which can push you back up the search rankings. If your occupancy starts to dip, a title refresh is one of the first things to try.
Tip 2: Write a description that converts on mobile
The majority of guests browsing OTAs are on their phones. That matters more than most hosts realise, because on mobile, guests only see the first 250–300 characters of your description before they have to tap "show more" – and most of them won't bother.
That opening section is your most valuable real estate. Don't waste it on a generic opener like "Welcome to this lovely property, which features..." Instead, front-load your most important, most sellable features right from the first line.
Think about what a guest cares about most: is it proximity to a stadium or theme park? Is it the number of bedrooms? Is it a particular amenity that's hard to find elsewhere? Whatever it is, put it at the top – within those first 250 characters.
For the body of your description, Kyle recommends using bullet points or emojis to break up the text and make it scannable. These stand out in the listing and help guests quickly find the information they're looking for.
"If you're near somewhere really big – like Anfield Stadium in Liverpool – people are always searching for it. Put that in your short description and it makes it much more converting." – Kyle Geri
Mentioning nearby landmarks and tourist hotspots is also worth doing in the description even if they're not in the title. Guests often search for accommodation near a specific venue or attraction, and having that location name in your copy helps your listing show up in those searches.
Tip 3: Make your first five photos count
On Airbnb and most other OTAs, the first five photos are the ones guests see before they click into your full listing. Those five images do the job of stopping the scroll and convincing someone to look further. Get them wrong and guests move on before they've even read a word of your description.
Lead with your most eye-catching space – whether that's the bedroom, the living room, or an outdoor area. Then work through the next four best shots in order of appeal. Every photo should be captioned so guests immediately understand what they're looking at and can quickly confirm the listing has what they need.
"Airbnb have said that people move on very quickly from listings that don't immediately show what they expect to see." – Kyle Geri
On the subject of photo quality, Kyle is unequivocal: hire a professional photographer. And ideally, one who has experience shooting short-term rentals or Airbnb properties specifically. They understand how to frame rooms to make them look spacious, how to use light effectively, and how to make each space work hardest for the overall listing.
Airbnb in particular has a demonstrated preference for professional-quality imagery. If your cover photo looks like it was taken on a phone – especially if it's vertical rather than landscape – your listing will underperform in the rankings compared to those with professional shots. Take photos in natural daylight, not at night, and make sure the space is clean, well-staged, and inviting.
Tip 4: Add a call to action
Not every potential guest who views your listing is ready to book immediately. Some are browsing, comparing, or saving properties for a future trip. That's where a call to action comes in – a prompt that encourages them to take the next step before they forget about you.
Kyle's recommended approach is to add a call to action in the sections below your main description – the "notes" or additional sections available in most OTA listing builders. Something like: "Book now to avoid disappointment – this property is in high demand and dates fill quickly." It sounds simple, but it works, because not every guest assumes availability is limited unless you tell them.
A complementary tactic is to encourage guests to add your property to their wish-list. When they do, Airbnb notifies them if your price drops or if dates they've viewed become available again. It keeps your property top of mind and brings warm, interested leads back to your listing automatically.
"A call to action is very important, because not everyone thinks to book straight away – and then they come back and it's already booked up." – Kyle Geri
Tip 5: Use the new listing boost strategy
When you first upload a property to Airbnb, it has no reviews and no track record – which makes it harder to win bookings in a competitive market. But Airbnb does give new listings a temporary boost in the search rankings to help them get off the ground. The key is to make the most of that window.
Kyle's approach is to launch with intentionally low nightly rates, set the minimum stay to one night, and cap availability at around five nights. This makes it easy for guests to book a short, low-commitment stay at a great price. The goal isn't profit at this stage – it's five-star reviews.
A succession of short stays, happy guests, and prompt review requests builds your listing's credibility quickly. On Airbnb, once you hit three reviews your listing is considered "mature" and can compete on equal terms with more established properties. Once you reach five reviews with a five-star average, you're on the path to Guest Favourite status – which puts you in front of an entirely new audience and significantly increases your visibility.
"Start off strong and build momentum – so you can achieve better results later on." – Kyle Geri
James makes an important additional point: the new listing boost is a one-time opportunity. If you launch with poor photos and a half-finished listing just to "test the water", Airbnb will register the low engagement and push you down the algorithm – and it's very hard to recover from that. Get everything right before you publish: title, description, photos, pricing, and call to action. You only get one shot at a first impression.
Quick summary: Kyle Geri's 5 OTA optimisation tips
Tip 1 – Optimise your listing title: lead with your best feature, stay under 50 characters, use ChatGPT to generate options, refresh 2–3 times a year.
Tip 2 – Write a description that converts on mobile: front-load your best features in the first 250–300 characters, use bullet points or emojis, mention nearby landmarks.
Tip 3 – Make your first five photos count: use your most eye-catching spaces, caption every photo, hire a professional photographer with STR experience.
Tip 4 – Add a call to action: nudge guests to book now or save your property to their wish-list so Airbnb can re-engage them with price drop alerts.
Tip 5 – Use the new listing boost strategy: launch with low rates and short minimum stays to collect quick five-star reviews before Airbnb's new listing boost expires.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How do I optimise my Airbnb listing title?
A: Focus on your property's best and most distinctive feature – not generic terms like 'cosy' or 'quaint'. Airbnb limits titles to 50 characters, so lead with the most appealing selling point first. Try using ChatGPT: list your property's best features and ask it to generate Airbnb-optimised title options under 50 characters. Refresh your title two or three times a year to signal to Airbnb that you're an active host.
Q: How many characters should an Airbnb listing description be?
A: Airbnb shows approximately 250–300 characters of your listing description before guests have to tap 'show more' on mobile. Since most guests browse on their phones, the first 250–300 characters are the most important. Front-load your most sellable features in this space, then use bullet points or emojis to make the rest of the description scannable.
Q: How important are photos for an Airbnb listing?
A: Extremely important – especially the first five. On Airbnb and most other OTAs, the first five photos are displayed before a guest clicks into your listing. They need to be your most eye-catching and visually appealing shots. Professional photographers who have experience with short-term rental properties are strongly recommended. Airbnb penalises listings with poor-quality, vertical, or phone-shot images in its search rankings.
Q: How do I get more reviews on Airbnb quickly?
A: When launching a new listing, temporarily reduce your nightly rate, set your minimum stay to one night, and limit availability to around five nights. This makes it easy for guests to try your property at a low price. Deliver a great experience, then promptly ask for a five-star review. Once you reach three reviews, your Airbnb listing is considered 'mature' and competitive. Five five-star reviews puts you on the path to Guest Favourite status.
Q: What is the Airbnb new listing boost?
A: Airbnb gives newly created listings a temporary boost in search rankings to help them generate their first bookings. This window is short and one-time only. Hosts should take full advantage by having a fully optimised listing – strong title, compelling description, professional photos, competitive pricing, and a clear call to action – from the moment they publish. Poor engagement during this boost window can push your listing down the algorithm permanently.
Q: What should I put in my Airbnb listing description?
A: Start with your most important and sellable features in the first 250–300 characters – the section visible without tapping 'show more' on mobile. Include nearby landmarks or tourist hotspots (e.g. stadiums, theme parks, transport hubs) as guests often search by location. Use bullet points or emojis to structure the rest of your description clearly. Add a call to action in the notes section below, encouraging guests to book now or save the listing to their wish-list.
About Kyle Geri
Kyle Geri is a short-term rental operations manager for Orange Rentals in Liverpool. He uses Hostfully as his property management system and has been an advocate of the platform since he first adopted it, crediting it with helping Orange Rentals scale operations, respond to guests faster, and push listings across multiple channels simultaneously.
Listen to the full episode
To hear the full conversation, including Kyle's take on how Hostfully has transformed the way he runs his business, listen on your preferred podcast platform: YouTube, Spotify, or Apple.
This episode is sponsored by Hostfully – the property management platform that helps professional hosts and property managers run more efficient short-term rental businesses with powerful PMS tools and industry-leading digital guidebooks. Host Planet listeners get $500 off onboarding and 30% off digital guidebooks for life. Click here for further details.
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