How we increased our direct bookings by 250% (and how we'll do it better in 2023)

If we learned anything in 2022 it is that solely relying on one booking platform can be a disaster for your short term rental business. Even with our direct booking website and listings on VRBO, our occupancy rates still took a big hit after each of Airbnb’s algorithm updates.

This year, we’ll still be working on keeping our Airbnb rankings high, but we’ll also be putting a lot of attention into our website, social media channels and marketing strategy, so that we will (hopefully!) see a big upswing in direct bookings in 2023.

At the start of 2022 we set a very simple goal for our business - drive more traffic to our website - which we did, and our direct bookings increased from around 4% to around 10% over the course of last year. But this year we’re focusing on SMART goals - specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound in an effort to 3x that amount this year.

We’re sharing these goals with you today for our own accountability and also to hopefully spark some ideas for you to implement in your own short term rental business. And if you don’t have your direct booking website up and running yet, keep watching, because you can actually get started on building your email list today even before your website is ready.

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[JJHoffman-ow]

we built a 289 sq ft tiny house in our backyard and started renting it this month, already at 85% occupancy in our first month. Your channel has been so incredibly helpful!

[mariecharlottetamayo]

Hey Kylee and Steven, just wanna say you guys are awesome. Thanks so much!

[BaronessJames]

I want to hit the biggest possible 👍👍👍 for this video. Thank you guys for the amazing ideas and information.

[sparkleberrystudios]

Thanks Guys for these awesome videos. Love all of your info about sending guests to your website. How do you background check and protect yourselves such as with Aircover, etc?

[euniceplanner]

How do you manage insurance outside or Airbnb AirCover. What protection is there for you and your guest? I’ve been wanting to get into the direct booking idea but this question always pops in my head and no one seems to address it when they make videos about direct booking.

I absolutely love your videos and binge watch them all like a Netflix series that I can’t stop watching 🤪

[LisaSoulLevelHealing]

Great video. You are brilliant. QR code is a winner.

[imdaraldal]

Thanks for another video! Do you guys offer coaching? I have a property in Miami Springs doing pretty well, but would like to expand, systematize etc. I also have a question: How do you get comfortable with having to compete to perform financially with your properties year-after-year?

Thanks again! :)

[sophiesfamilyreview]

These are fantastic ideas! Thank you for sharing!

[petersimpson]

Hey guys, great advice I’m thinking about reopening my direct booking website. Just curious on how you guys are doing now with the direct booking and how your SEO’s and SEM’s are working

[Ellenmalhue]

❤️🤣 I love these videos. Thanks for your efforts

[kennyrobman]

It’s not against airbnbs terms of service to gather emails, and remarket them to direct bookings ? I love the idea but i would be worried about them catching on and kicking me off of the platform.

[carminasaldana]

Thank you for sharing all your strategies are really helpful. Can you share where you build your website? Thanks

[young_teach]

thank you for the information! i recently launched two arbitrage units in cincinnati, oh and want to set our business up for the most success. i want to implement all the things you mentioned here, especially setting up a direct booking site. i want to build that out. this will help me get started on the right foot.

[geoffl]

why not create 2 websites? One to market and speak to guests, the other for hosts

[jeuronmcmillan]

Kylee and Steven, where is the link you promised at the end of the video? I didn’t see it. The information you shared was very helpful. Thank you!

[Robertmilne]

what about the insurance for direct bookings?

[andychen]

What website do you use to create direct booking website? I try to avoid the one provided by CMS because I don't like my direct booking tied to any CMS.

[lizzypotatoes]

3:06 that's a tos violation. I know because I was researching the same thing for my own properties.

[brieedr]

How do you make sure that your booking calendars -- on VRBO, AirbNB, your website etc--- all link up?

[truckn]

*When you guys speak about Direct Booking are you talking about by-passing Airbnb and other platforms and booking directly through you? I'm asking because if that's what you are talking about, how do you protect yourself against say for example, Squatters? I'm curious*

I had a guy once book for a weekend. During our conversation via Airbnb, he asked me if he paid for three months in advance if we could do it off of Airbnb? Thankfully when I first got into Airbnb, I seen a news story of a woman who agreed to rent her shared space with a couple off of the Airbnb platform for on month at a discounted rate. She agreed. The promptly moved in the hole family and took over her house. There was video in the kitchen of one of the men walking around in the middle of the night naked eating food out of her fridge and it literally took months' to get them out. BTW when I explained to that guest that I would NOT go off of the Airbnb platform, he canceled his weekend booking.