Airbnb Custom URL

Great news – Airbnb now has the option to add a custom URL for eligible vacation rental listings.  This is a free feature you should be using, even if you have your own website.  It is one of the biggest improvements Airbnb has made in quite a while.

In this article, I’ll explain why it is important to use this feature and give you some tips for creating a custom URL that will work to increase your bookings.

Why Do I Need a Custom URL

You are no longer just a number! 

A custom URL gives you a better chance of your guests remembering and finding your listing in the future.  As a result, you can capture more repeat bookings and grab the attention of new guests.

How to Set Up a Domain Name and Website Hosting for Your Vacation Rental, gives you several tips for creating a custom URL.

If you’re really serious about marketing your vacation rental, getting more bookings and boosting your income, you need to have a website with a branded domain.

Without a website and branded domain, you are wasting your time with trying to get your brand to stick with your audience – inquiries, guests and repeat guests.  You’re going to be lost in the noise of the internet.

No one is going to remember that your vacation rental is Airbnb #123456 – right?  Well, unless you’re lucky enough to have #123456.  Even I might remember that!  But seriously, think about it.  No one is going to remember your listing number from any site you are listed.

So, you need to bite the bullet and get serious about your vacation rental business.

Successful businesses have websites with branded domains.

You don’t go to www.website.abc/387239875 to get to google.com.  Why should you do that for your vacation rental business?  Exactly – you shouldn’t!

Now, Airbnb is giving you the option of having a branded URL for free!  This is certainly good news for vacation rental hosts who do not want to go to the extra expense of having their own website.  But these same ideas apply to Airbnb’s custom URL.

Your own website/domain name is best, but Airbnb’s custom URL will certainly give you an advantage over VRBO or other OTA sites that do not offer the custom feature.

In addition, the custom URL can bring more potential guests to your website where you can book direct.  Guests are becoming wiser to the additional fees posed by OTAs, so they are actively searching out vacation rentals where they can book direct and save hundreds of dollars.

If your website and Airbnb custom URL is a match, then you are more likely to move guests to book direct.

How to Choose the Best Airbnb Custom URL

Check out this article, 5 Tips for Choosing the BEST Vacation Rental Business Name:

You will want to choose a name that represents your branding.  Airbnb has some policies for what can and cannot be used as a custom URL, so be sure to stay in compliance.

Per Airbnb, the custom URLs CANNOT include:

• Any variation of the word “Airbnb” or any other content that violates our brand guidelines
• The word “verified”
• The word “official” unless sanctioned by the person, place, or organization with whom the connection is asserted
• Symbols or punctuation, except for hyphens
• Fewer than three characters
• Contact information, including, but not limited to, email address, phone number, website address, and surname
• Trademarks or brand names, unless you own them or are authorized to use them
• Misleading information or impersonations of another person, entity, or listing
• Content that is illegal or that violates another person’s or entity’s rights, including intellectual property rights and privacy rights
• Content that promotes harmful or illegal activity, or that is profane, vulgar, obscene, offensive, threatening, discriminatory, or harassing

Custom URLs can’t consist only of:

• Generic property types (for example, Apartment, Cabin, TreeHouse, Loft, Home)
• Generic geographic locations (for example, SanFrancisco)
• Numbers (all URLs must contain at least one letter)

Perhaps you already have a name for your rental.  If you do, then I recommend sticking with that name and continuing to promote your Airbnb with that new custom URL.

If you already have your own website, use a custom URL that matches or is similar to your website domain name.

Ideas for an Airbnb Custom URL

• Make it memorable.  Keep it simple.  Use a custom URL that guests will easily remember.  
• Be unique, but not difficult to remember.  Don’t over generalize the name.
• Make the custom URL easy to spell and not a play on words or a plan on the spelling.
• Consider using your destination city or area hotspot in the URL.
• Keep it consistent with your branding.
• Avoid using words that misrepresent your listing, such as luxury or beachfront, if that’s not what you are offering.
• Avoid hyphenated words/spaces.  Hyphens/spaces are more difficult to say over the phone and often get miskeyed.

Brand your Custom URL

Once you have created a custom URL for your Airbnb listing, start using it to brand your listing.

Create a logo for your custom URL name.  Use an App such as PicCollage, PicMonkey or Canva to create a logo that incorporates the name of your Airbnb.

If you have an Instagram or Facebook account, you can begin updating your bio and profile pictures with the logo and custom URL.

Refer to your Airbnb as your URL name on social media, on the phone with your guests, and in printed material (such as your welcome book).

If you need help coming up with a name, shoot me an email or drop a comment below.  I’ll be happy to help you come up with a name that will work best to get you more bookings!