{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"","title":"EP198: How to Use Facebook to Enhance Your Airbnb Business","description":"Perhaps the greatest challenge of being a remote host is building a relationship with your guests when you can’t be there face to face. Airbnb was founded on the principal of personal connection, but when your listing is in the rural village of Dudeldorf, Germany, and you are a thousand miles away in Spain, how do you go about making the guests feel at home? Or providing personal recommendations for seasonal things to do?
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\nNiels Becker has designed a truly genius approach to remote hosting through a listing Facebook page. The page functions as a sort of interactive, continually updated guidebook, providing guests with timely information around events in the area, like the popular Christmas market. In addition, the Facebook page promotes Niels’ listing as his satisfied guests like and share the page with their contacts.
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\nBeyond his experience in the short-term rental market, Niels also manages several long-term rentals in Dudeldorf. Today on the podcast, he compares the revenue earned via Airbnb guests versus tenants. Niels explains how he secured public funds to restore his properties, why he chose to try Airbnb in one of those investment units, and how he finds information for his Facebook page. Listen in and learn his unique approach to remote hosting and why investing in rural communities is your safest bet.
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\nTopics Covered
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\nNiels’ decision to try Airbnb
\n•\tRents several units long-term (near US airbase)
\n•\tHad trouble renting small studio
\n•\tListed studio on Airbnb six months ago
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\nThe particulars of Niels’ investment property
\n•\tBeautiful area near border with Luxembourg
\n•\tArea losing residents to large cities
\n•\tWorking to preserve heritage
\n•\tProvides funding to restore historic buildings (to modern standards)
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\nNiels’ Facebook page
\n•\tSolves problem of being remote host
\n•\tShares interesting things going on in area, nearby villages to visit
\n•\tEntries mined from local Facebook groups
\n•\tProvides most current, updated info
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\nHow the Facebook page promotes Niels’ listing
\n•\tGuests ‘like’ the Facebook page
\n•\tGuests contribute their own photos, reviews
\n•\tGuests’ contacts exposed to listing
\n•\tBook Now button links to Airbnb
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\nLong-term rental vs. Airbnb
\n•\tNiels currently making 2X for studio
\n•\tGoing into low season, but bookings still coming
\n•\tComparable to long-term units (location, furnishings, architecture)
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\nHow Niels manages his units from home in Spain
\n•\tRelies on local cleaning, management services
\n•\tRest is automated (e.g.: lock box for entry)
\n•\tSends handwritten note as photo through Airbnb to welcome
\n•\tAlways available to guests through Airbnb messaging
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\nThe Airbnb-friendly regulations in rural Germany
\n•\tShort-term rentals, tourism encouraged
\n•\tMany empty units (opposite problem of cities)
\n•\tEarns less revenue than cities, but property more affordable
\n•\tNiels receiving very good ROI
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\nConnect with Niels
\nLiving in History—Dudeldorf/Eifel
\nNiels’ Airbnb Listing
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\nConnect with Jasper
\nEmail: jasper@getpaidforyourpad.com
\nTwitter: @GetPaidForUrPad
\nInstagram: @GetPaidForYourPad
\nFacebook: www.facebook.com/getpaidforyourpad
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\nThis episode is sponsored by Hostfully.com where you can create a custom digital guidebook for your guests!","author_name":"Freewyld Foundry"}