Airbnb Releases Update Making App More Personalized, Gives Hosts Ability To Collaborate With Co-Host

Airbnb adds personalized recommendations and a guided ‘Welcome’ tour

Photo courtesy Airbnb

“To me, the most exciting aspect of this update is that the app is becoming a much more personalized experience,” Connor says.

Connor notes that up until now, the Airbnb app had taken a one-size-fits-all approach. No more, she notes, as the company today will drop an update that allows users to more easily identify properties based on their specific interests and needs.

“One of the features we’re launching that I’m really excited about is a new “welcome” tool,” Connor says. “What’s cool about this is that if you’re a new user to Airbnb and you’ve never used our platform before, we’ll actually welcome you – we’ll say hi and give you a tour around the app to help you learn your way around and book a home.”

This feature includes guiding users not only through the basics, but it also includes a screenshot tour of the user’s actual screen – so that they can follow along in real time to familiarize themselves with the app. Once a user sets their filters and makes a few bookings, the app will make suggestions for similar properties in places that user plans to head to in the future.

That could be certain locations, or it could be type of travel – say, family bookings, homes with accessibility features, or individual solo trips. The app will learn what you like, what you need, and where you tend to go, and begin to display properties that are more tailored to those things, rather than simply a list of homes available for rent in a certain search area.

“If you regularly book a trip to Tahoe in the fall, and you come to our app at that time, we should really be making suggestions to you that are relevant,” Connor says. “Now, we’re able to do that. This is really about us getting out of the way and helping you get through the planning stage much faster.”

Hosts can connect with a co-host to help manage their listings

Photo courtesy Airbnb

The most notable change for hosts is the launch of Airbnb’s Co-Host Network.Going forward, property hosts can hire people who live in their area to assist with hosting duties, making the hosting experience more turnkey for those renting on the platform. The benefits to the Co-Host Network run deeper, however. It’s now possible to make money hosting on Airbnb, even if you don’t have a property to rent out yourself.

Personal property hosts have a higher average star rating on the app than listings managed by larger property management companies, averaging a rating of 4.86 versus 4.62, according to data provided by Airbnb. Personal hosts are also likelier to become Superhosts or have their listing selected as a Guest Favorite, the company noted.

“With the cohost network, we’re going to help you find a person to come and help you run your Airbnb home in a very personalized way,” Connor says. “You can find folks that can help you do anything from setting up the listing, to managing the listing, to interacting with guests.”

This will help newer hosts, in particular, create listings that are professional and really showcase why their property is unique. Photos are always a big selling point, and through the Co-Host network it is possible to find not only someone who can take a good photo, but someone who knows what types of shots really sell a home to potential renters. Some Co-Hosts are existing hosts that have mastered the platform – and really help other people get up and running.

“You don’t actually need to be a homeowner to be an entrepreneur on Airbnb now,” Connor says.

If you’re interested in signing up as a Co-Host, or learning more about how it works, visit Airbnb’s Winter Release info page.

Learn More

Thinking about becoming an Airbnb host? Check out Matador’s complete guides to everything you need to know, do, and plan for:

• Everything You Need To Know To Become an Airbnb Host
• How To Set Up an LLC for Your Airbnb Rental Properties

• 9 weird things you can expect as an Airbnb host

• Everything You Need to Keep Stocked as an Airbnb Host