For Airbnb hosts in Colombia, a strong Airbnb title is important, we look at 5 dos and 4 don’ts for titles that can result in more guests.
With coronavirus and curfews in Colombia it is important to have a good Airbnb title to set yourself apart from your competition. Many Airbnb tiles in Colombia are weak, so if you improve your Airbnb title you can be a step ahead of the competition.
The Airbnb title is for your guest, not you. Your title is the second most important part of your Airbnb listing, excluding price and location which are filtered before any Airbnb title is read. My experience tells me that 85 percent of Airbnb hosts are not getting this important title feature right.
Given how many Airbnb hosts overvalue their property in terms of their nightly rate, it is surprising to see so many lackluster titles. We have all seen them (these are actual Airbnb titles):
- Beautiful, Relaxing Home in Central Location
- Private and Clean Rustic Cabin Next to Lake
- Two Bedroom Condo in Amazing Area Cheap Price
- In this article, you will understand what goes into (and stays out of) the best Airbnb titles.
Also, we previously looked at 15 ways to improved you Airbnb search rank in Colombia.
About the Author
My name is Daniel Rusteen and I am a location-independent digital nomad having lived in 50+ cities exclusively sleeping in Airbnbs (1,500+ nights) while remotely managing Airbnb properties and helping Airbnb hosts to be successful.
I run a personal blog – dannybooboo blog and have another website to help Airbnb hosts make more money – OptimizeMyBnb.
Daniel Rusteen, the author of this article
I come from the days before the Airbnb you know today. I started working at Airbnb in 2013. I remember countless conversations with residents of San Francisco, the headquarters of Airbnb, who had no idea about the company even when it was valued at over $10 billion and 7 years old.
In the eight years that have passed since I first heard of Airbnb, I’ve become one of the world’s best at everything Airbnb:
- Worked at Airbnb from 2013-2016
- Wrote a best-selling book on Airbnb
- Founded an Airbnb property management company
- Slept over 1,500 nights in Airbnb properties, as a guest
- Am an Airbnb Superhost
- Creator of a popular Airbnb blog for Airbnb hosts
Apartment buildings near Santafé mall in El Poblado, Medellín
1. Focus On The Front Of Your Airbnb Title
21…miles from what? Seems far. Over…overlooking a prison?
Maybe I am overreacting. It is ‘Overlooking Garden’ and ’21 minutes from downtown’, but hopefully you can see the point. On mobile or tablet and sometimes desktop, the end of the Airbnb title may be cut off.
Pro Tip: Changing ‘minutes’ to ‘min’ and ‘from’ to ‘to saves 4 and 2 characters, respectively. You get 50 in your Airbnb title. Example: Private Studio 21min to DT w Pool + Lounge Access (49 characters).
Regardless, those great adjectives are not selling the future potential guest, This brings me to my next point…
2. Your Airbnb Title Should Be 50 Characters Or Damn Close
Airbnb appears to favor listings with longer titles. The maximum length of any title is 50 characters so get to it or within a few characters of it
3. Use Your Amenities To Sell The Guest
Do you live in a city environment typical of parking issues, but have a parking space for the guest?
Do you have a private rooftop with a hot tub overlooking the beach in Cartagena?
How about a massive back patio with a fire pit and built-in BBQ? A game room?
If you’re a standard home, how about Netflix? Fiber optic Wifi? Balcony? King bed?
No matter what kind of listing you have, even a single bedroom, let the guest know in the Airbnb title. Other less dazzling, but unique and/or useful amenities are:
- Self-check-in
- Full kitchen
- Washer + dryer
- Garden
- Office
Under the right circumstances, these may all be used in your Airbnb title.
4. Avoid Generic Adjectives In Your Airbnb Title
Simple. Do not use adjectives. If you have any of the following words in your title, go to jail. Then, pat yourself on the back for finding this post and go change them when you are finished reading:
- Beautiful
- Cozy or Comfy
- Convenient or Central
- Charming
- Renovated
- Luxury
- Spacious
- Studio, Condo, Townhouse, apartment, home, house, etc.
You do not want to use these because they are generic and do not communicate any information to the guest who is looking at a dozen other listings. You want to GRAB the attention of the future potential guest. Telling them your home is quiet and convenient in a central location is not going to accomplish that objective.
In addition, I want to comment on ‘luxury’ and ‘renovated’ which are, let’s say, tier 2 adjectives? At least they provide a bit more context, but you still do not want to use them in your Airbnb title. Why?
- Luxury – The photos will communicate this thoroughly to the guest. You want to communicate as much information to the guest in the least amount of time so this becomes an unneeded word. Delete it and add something better. Plus, if your home truly is luxurious, you will likely need to explain what makes it so. “Heated bathroom floors!”
- Renovated – The pictures will also communicate this, but you need to add what was renovated and when. This is great to include in the ‘About this listing’ section. “Completely renovated in 2017!” If I am a guest, I am now thinking this home is not going to give me any hot water, heating, electricity, wifi, etc. issues.
5. Do Not Use The Airbnb Title To Identify One Of Your Listings
More than once I have seen a code or number in the listing. It is always a property manager trying to identify the listing for themselves while totally disregarding the future potential guest. I get it, it makes life easier for you.
But, it does not make life easier for the future potential gues. Well, it sort of does. It makes their life easier by easily looking over your listing in favor of one with a better title. Hopefully, after reading this article you understand how important your Airbnb title is and how to do it right.
Recently, Airbnb added a section in the ‘Title and Description’ area of your Airbnb listing to address the internal name.
6. Do Not Use CAPITAL LETTERS
To me, capital letters seem to be connected with low quality and scam behavior. The obvious point is to stick out and draw more attention to your listing.
Capital letters give you less space because each individual character takes up more space. This is especially important on mobile devices. I do not use capitals for my listings or the listings I optimize.
7. Do Not Add Your Neighborhood
This is a controversial recommendation. I know people who recommend using the neighborhood, especially a well-known one. I very rarely use the neighborhood. I assume one of two things:
- The average future potential quest does not know anything about your specific neighborhood so telling them is not going to encourage them to book (i,e. save the words for something that is)
- The neighborhood is so popular that the future potential guest already knows about it and whether or not your home is there or not.
One exception might be if two drastically different neighborhoods are bordering each other. Let’s say one is known for crime and the other is upscale and your home is on the border (yes, these do exist). In this case, I may specify in the title or somewhere prominent that my listing is in the “nice” neighborhood.
8. (Maybe) Use A Location-Specific Descriptor
I am referring to a man-made structure (stadium, etc.) or a natural formation (beach). If you are by a stadium, you may think about using its name in your Airbnb title.
I do not recommend this because the map shows your location within a few blocks. It is not necessary. The guest will zoom in the location and then look for a listing.
If you are next to a natural formation like a beach in Cartagena, it may make sense to call this out. Some guests want to literally be right on the beach. It may be difficult to know this without asking due to the way Airbnb shows the map. This listing could be anywhere from in the water to a 5-minute walk to the beach.
9. Using Symbols Or Emojis ☞ Airbnb Title
I started using emojis and symbols in my Airbnb listings in 2013 and it is my most powerful technique. I use a whole range of symbols for the listings I optimize depending on the situation.
In the past, I have used:
- Musical notes (♪♫♬♩)
- Arrows (→⇒↓⇓←⇐↑⇑↔➡️⬅️)
- Sunrise (☀)
- Stars (★☆⭐️✭✫✩✬✯✰✪⁂)
- Checkmarks (✓ ✔ ☑✅)
- Figures (☄⛷☀️☘️☕)
- Letters (ⓐⒷⓔⒼⓗⓘⓛⓝⓞⓡ Ⓣⓤⓥ)
- Hearts (♥ ♡ ❤️)
- The degree symbols (270° Views)
But, the most common ones I use are the star (☆) or the heart (♥) or simply “|” to cleanly separate my Airbnb title. Instead of saying ‘heart of downtown’, use the symbol to communicate the same information in fewer characters. Do not overdo it, though! Three maximum.
However, be sure to check on both desktop and mobile if your symbols and emojis show up. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t depending on the browser or operating system.
I would be remiss if I did not point out that technically this is against Airbnb’s content policy. On the website, Airbnb states that “listing titles that include symbols or emojis” are not allowed. Even though they are not allowed, many hosts seem to be getting away with it.
Please consider the risk versus reward in choosing to apply this strategy and don’t feel like you’re missing out if you decide to not implement emojis in your title.
Inside an apartment in Medellín with a view
Medellin Guru’s Airbnb Series
Medellin Guru now has a series of several articles about Airbnb in Colombia:
- 9 Strategies to Find Killer Deals on Airbnb in Colombia
- 15 Things to Know Before Investing to Become an Airbnb Host in Colombia
- 10 Airbnb Best Practices for Airbnb Hosting in Colombia
- 9 Tips to Attract Long-Term Airbnb Guests in Colombia
- 7 Strategies for Airbnb Slow Season in Colombia
- How to Identify Problem Airbnb Guests in Colombia Before They Book
- 15 Ways to Increase Your Airbnb Search Rank In Colombia
- How Safe is Airbnb in Colombia? Is it Safe to Use Airbnb in Colombia?
- Airbnb Travel Itinerary for Your Airbnb Guests in Colombia
- How to Get Started on Airbnb in Colombia: A Guide
- Why Airbnb Hosts in Colombia Should Consider A Pet Friendly Airbnb
- Airbnb Hosts in Colombia: How to Win with Coronavirus
- Improve Your Airbnb Profile in Colombia For More Guests
- Improve Your Airbnb Title in Colombia For More Guests
Are You Looking to Buy a Property for Airbnb Hosting in Colombia?
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Inside an Airbnb
The Bottom Line: Improve Your Airbnb Title in Colombia For More Guests
The bottom line is that the title is for your guest, not you. With so many Airbnb listings in your area, you need to do everything to set yourself above your competition. After the cover photo, your title is extremely important so why not optimize it
I hope you enjoyed my contribution! To learn more about me send me a message on Instagram. If you’re an Airbnb host, then visit my blog for Airbnb hosts.
Also, keep in mind becoming an Airbnb host in Colombia is not for everyone. And you can see all 14 of the Airbnb in Colombia articles I have written for Medellin Guru.
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