Whether you’re just starting out on your journey or already managing a whole bunch of properties, Airbnb badges are an important element of this industry to consider. For example, the Airbnb Guest Favorite Badge, among others, is something to strive for. This post will discuss how the different Airbnb badges can help your bookings, and some actionable tips on how to earn them.

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Why do badges matter?

Basically, a badge tells a guest that you’re a serious host. Over time, your quality performance is what adds up to earn you a badge. As a result, guests know you have consistently delivered a solid experience, and they can trust they will enjoy your home. When you have a badge, you improve where your listing shows up in search rankings. The higher you are on the list, the more clicks on your property, and ultimately, more guests. Basically, it’s yet another way to help you stand out in a crowded and competitive market.

What is the Airbnb Guest Favorite badge?

In short, the Airbnb Guest Favorite badge is a mark of excellence. It’s given to listings that consistently impress guests. In order to receive it, you must have at least five reviews and consistently keep your average rating above 4.9 stars. Furthermore, you must maintain a low host cancellation rate of 1% or less. Earning this badge signifies to guests that you are reliable and that other guests believe you to be an excellent host.

What is Superhost status?

One of the most well-known Airbnb badges is Superhost status. It’s awarded to the top-performing properties. They must consistently demonstrate a high-quality guest experience. Requirements include maintaining a 90% response rate or higher (this means no leaving guests on read). Also, hosts must have an average rating of 4.8 or above from guests and cancel fewer than 1% of bookings. Plus, they must have a total of 10 stays that total a minimum of 100 nights. Unlike the Guest Favorite badge, the Superhost badge is more representative of the host themselves rather than the physical property. However, they are similar in that having the badge increases your visibility on search.

What is the Airbnb Verified Listing?

An Airbnb Verified Listing is a listing page that has been digitally inspected and verified to ensure it meets certain quality standards. This basically means that your property is verified as being a real rental unit at the location you claim.

How do you get your listing verified on Airbnb?

To have your listing verified, you must submit a request for verification through your hosting dashboard. You’ll likely need to include items like photos, videos, documentation, and sometimes an attestation.

Benefits of having an Airbnb Verified Listing

• Improved Visibility: Verified listings are given priority in search results, increasing their visibility to potential guests.
• Guest Trust: The verification process adds credibility to your listing, giving guests confidence that they are booking a legitimate and trustworthy property.
• Higher Booking Rates: With improved visibility and guest trust, verified listings tend to have higher booking rates compared to non-verified listings.

Airbnb Support Badge

Apart from Superhost and Verified badges, there is also the Airbnb.org Supporter badge. This badge is given to hosts who open their homes to those in need during times of crisis or natural disasters.

How do you get the Airbnb.org Supporter badge?

To receive this badge, hosts must join Airbnb.org and list their properties for free stays for displaced individuals or families during times of need. Alternatively, hosts can donate a percentage of their payouts.

Benefits of being an Airbnb.org Supporter

• Making a Difference: As an Airbnb.org Supporter, you have the opportunity to make a positive impact on those in need by providing a safe place to stay during difficult times.
• Recognition: By displaying the Airbnb.org Supporter badge on your listing, you are recognized for your efforts and contributions toward helping those in need.
• Community Support: By opening your home to those in need, you are also supporting the Airbnb community and promoting a sense of solidarity among hosts.
• Tax Deductions: In some cases, hosts may be eligible for tax deductions for offering their properties as free stays through Airbnb.org.

How to earn more badges

Earning these badges requires consistency over time. Keep in mind these basic yet actionable tips to help you get started on the path to earning your first badge:

• Always communicate quickly and thoroughly. Host Tools AI auto-replies can help you respond to messages almost instantaneously.
• Cleanliness is a non-negotiable. Be sure to automate your cleaning crew so a guest never shows up to a dirty space.
• Always go above and beyond. Whether it’s a surprise welcome basket or a personalized note, these little details are what can set you apart from other properties and start earning you those 5-star reviews.
• Its always worth considering offering a flexible booking policy. For example, maybe allow for flexible check-in or check-out times if the schedule allows.
• Of course, use tools to help automate your workflow. We’ll get into that deeper in the next section. Automation helps eliminate human error from the hosting process.

Bonus tip

Let us here at Host Tools help turn your responsibilities on autopilot. Our product can save you up to 80% of your time on day-to-day hosting tasks. For example, we can automate your communication with guests, sync your calendar, manage cleaners, integrate with smart locks, and a whole lot more. We automate your tasks so you can spend more time focusing on the big picture. Hosting shouldn’t be a full-time job…let us help!

Final thoughts

As you can see, earning awards like the Airbnb Guest Favorite Badge is a smart way to elevate your short-term rental listing. Badges boost your credibility and ultimately your visibility. The more eyes on your listing, the more guests you attract, and ultimately, the more money you make.

Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today!