Introduction: How to Automate Your Airbnb

Your Airbnb messages are too long.

For 75% of you reading this, it is a true statement.

And, here is the ultimate “go to jail” card: Do you send your guest a monstrously long check-in message? I’m talking 500+ words.

I have received these messages as a guest. They are waaay too much. Here is an example (I cut it off halfway through, by the way):

The Airbnb Reservation Flow

Like most things in life, even Airbnb reservations have a predictable pattern. After understanding this natural flow, I created and optimized a set of messages for nearly complete Airbnb message automation (i.e. automatically sent to the guest).

You know how I say Pricing is not a set-it-and-forget-it tool? Well, automating your messages is!

This has given me back 80% of the time I would have used sending messages and answering common questions.

If you implement my strategy, the only questions you will respond to are specific ones only a handful of guests will ask.

Learn how to put 80% of your Airbnb on autopilot with this strategy. Share on X

How to write your automated Airbnb messages

Below, I will share my guest message flow, but withhold the exact wording I use for each. I am going to teach you how to form your own unique messages with my best practices.

Additionally, I am also going to share the tools I use to accomplish this strategy.

If you decide to build the messages on your own, this is the most important thing to remember: keep them concise. Most of the messages I have created for this flow are below 50 words.

Part of creating a good experience for the guest is knowing what, when, and how to communicate with them.

Here is what NOT to do:

• Do not send any messages over 100 words unless absolutely necessary
• Do not send check-out info at any time other than near or at check-out time
• If one out of 100 guests does something you do not like, do not create a rule and make the other 99 read it.
• Do not disrespect the guest’s time by making them read things they do not need to
• Don’t treat the guest like a child and repeat yourself unnecessarily
• Do not create lengthy ‘do not do’ lists

These best practices are taken from the OptimizeMyBnb.com Airbnb Commandments.

Here is what you should do:

Communicate only necessary information to the guest in an effective and timely manner.

My Automated Messages at a Glance

I have the following messages prepared and automatically sent to my guests as part of my Airbnb automation strategy. These will make up 80%+ of the messages you will have to send. Below, I comment on what information should be included with each message.

1. Initial booking inquiry
2. Request to book message
3. Booking confirmation
4. Check-in information
5. One day after check-in message
6. Pre check-out message
7. Post check-out message
8. Review reminder
9. Friends + Family discount offer

Tools you will need to accomplish this strategy:

• A PMS (click to watch my video on how to choose)
• Hostfully electronic guidebook. You can read my Hostfully review here.

Booking Inquiry

If a guest does not want to Instant Book (IB) or send a booking request (if IB is not activated), they can send an inquiry instead. An inquiry is just a message to the host without an intention to book.

In this case, I acknowledge receipt immediately and inform them I will address any questions shortly. This comes in handy if I am asleep. I let the guest know this is an automated message. It is a personal preference that has worked for me, and I have received no negative feedback about the decision.

The reason comes down to whether or not a guest asks a question within the inquiry. If they do, a canned message ignoring the question seems impersonal. About 40% of reservations are from first-time guests who have been told Airbnb is more personal than a hotel, from the actual accommodation to the communication with the host. I want to foster this idea.

40% of Airbnb reservations are from first time guests. Share on X

Request To Book

You will receive a request to book inquiry (inquiry with an intention to book) if you:

1. Do not have IB turned on or
2. You have IB turned on, but your limitations do now allow the guest to use this feature (either you require them to have a verified ID and they did not, or you require at least one positive review from a prior host and they do not).

You will have to approve each of these reservations individually. It should be similar to your booking inquiry message.

Booking Confirmation

If a guest is ready to book and the listing has IB activated or you accept a ‘Request to book’ message, then the following message should be used to confirm the reservation and provide immediate information.

In this message, I provide my location recommendations. Booking an Airbnb is exciting for the guest and they’re likely to want to research things to do in your city. Help them and set yourself apart from other Airbnb hosts’ by providing local recommendations through your digital guidebook.

You can also provide an Airbnb guest travel itinerary.

I also tell the guest to expect a check-in message with important info, like how to access the home, wifi, etc., three days before arrival. This is a magic number because I find Airbnb guests start to send messages around this day asking for more information. You can avoid this unnecessary message by sending one first.

Send your check-in message 4 days before arrival. I noticed that guests start sending messages asking for this info at this time. Share on X

If the guest is booking the same day or within three days, skip this message and directly send the ‘Check-in information’ message.

Check-In Information

I send a check-in message four days before arrival with relevant information.

I have found that most questions start coming around two or three days before check-in so sending on the fourth day before check-in eliminates these extra messages.

In my booking confirmation message above, I promised to send this message three days before check-in, but I actually send it four days before check-in to avoid messages like this: “Hey! You said you would send check-in info by now, but I have not received it. Do you mind sending?” Due to time differences, this message is likely if you say three days and send it three days before check-in.

This message should be extremely short, with no repeated information and a link to a guidebook. The only time I would repeat the information here is when it is of extreme importance (quiet hours, no smoking, and other generic house rules are not of extreme importance).

An example of extreme importance is if you rent out many rooms in one house, you will want to identify which bedroom the guest will use here. Or if there are very important check-in instructions or anything else that will result in confusion and a bad check-in experience.

I use Hostfully as my digital guidebook.

Related: What Info Goes In My Digital Guidebook?

Check-Up Message

At 11am the day after check-in, I send a message to the guest asking how they have settled in. This allows me to address any problems real time to ensure a 5-star Airbnb review. It also allows the guest enough time to come up with any questions as they’ve likely used the bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen by this time, but not too much time where they may have encountered even the slightest of inconvenience.

About 75% of the guests do not respond to this message.

Pre Check-Out Message

At 5pm the day before check-out, I will remind the guest of the check-out time and any essential specifics they should be aware of.

This is an excellent opportunity to repeat yourself (remember, this info is already in the guidebook) as you are saving the guest the step of opening the guidebook and finding the check-out instructions.

I mention that I hope their stay was 5-star quality. I want my Airbnb guests to know I expect a 5-star review.

To get a 5-star Airbnb review, tell the guest you'll be leaving them a 5-star review. Share on X

Important: Post Check-Out Message

This is the most important message and the cause of the many 5-star reviews I have received. Three hours after their scheduled check-out time, I send the final message related to the actual reservation.

I thank them for leaving the place in good shape. This message goes out regardless of how the guest actually left the place. This is because regardless of how the guest left the space, I still want a 5-star review.

I never try to charge the guest an extra cleaning fee except in the most egregious scenarios. With this message, I am setting the expectations that I am happy with the guest and they will be getting a 5-star review.

The message is sent before the guest can leave a review in the hope that if they were planning to leave a negative review, they would feel bad as I have just told them I am sending them a positive review.

This message is so powerful, I want to share it with you. If you want my exact wording, I’ll send it to you.

Review Reminder

This goes out only if the guest has not already left a review. Most PMS’s are smart enough to recognize this and not send the message in these cases.

About 72% of Airbnb guests leave reviews, so this message mostly does not go out. Remember that if the reservation was not positive, you will not want to pester the guest about leaving a review that might not be 5-stars.

5-stars is an A+, 4-stars is an F-.

On Airbnb, a 5-star review is an A and everything else is an F. Share on X

Friends + Family Discount Offer

To increase occupancy during the Airbnb slow season, I proactively extend an offer to prior guests and their friends and family to stay at my listing for a discount. Just remember to turn this message off if the guest was not pleasant or you don’t want to remind them to leave a review (if it might be negative).

If your area does not have a clear busy vs. slow season, you may consider offering the discount for midweek stays or stays lasting a day or two longer than your average stay length. “Stay three nights and the 4th is free!”

Do you offer your prior Airbnb guests a friends + family discount? Share on X

Airbnb Message Automation – Conclusion

First, create your digital guidebook.

Second, sign up for a PMS to set up your automated Airbnb messages.

Personally, following this strategy has cut down on my manual messages by 80-90%. You will still get questions from guests about things already covered in your listing; it is just part of the game.

Airbnb encourages guests to message numerous hosts each trip. If you have ever been a guest before (if you have not, do it immediately), it is exciting to see all these homes available to rent at prices way below what a hotel would cost.

Good luck and happy hosting!

Are there any messages you send out to your guests not covered in this blog post? Tell me in the comments. See you there and, until next time, happy hosting.