Which response time matters the most for AirBnB hosts?
We came across this question on Reddit recently:
The AirBnb Host Both_Care732 asked:
AirBnb shows the host s average response time, like "Responds within an hour" and "Response rate: 100%". Is this determined based on the reply to the FIRST message only from the guest, or future messages too? For example, Guest A sends inquiry: "Hello, is your place close to the bus station?" Host replies within 5min: "Yes it is...". Then the guests says "thank you". The host doesn t reply to this, or just reacts with emoji. Does this negatively affect the response rate because the host didn t actually reply? Basically, is it essential for the host to always be the last one to message to keep this stat high?
Since SnappyReply is all about improving the response time to guests we went on a quest to find the answer.
So which one is it?
Based on the official AirBnB documentation it is the first response to the guest that matters the most.
From the section on response time metric calculation:
Your response time isn t affected by follow-up messages between hosts and guests. You don t have to send the final message in a conversation to maintain your response time.
This means that as long as the host responds promptly to the initial inquiry from the guest, their response time metric will remain high, even if they don t reply to subsequent messages. The host does not need to be the last one to message in order to maintain a good response time rating on Airbnb. The key is to focus on providing a timely first response to new guest inquiries.
Effects on AirBnB ranking algorithm
This is an important Airbnb ranking factor for hosts who care about appearing high in Airbnb searches. It means they can focus their efforts on responding quickly to new inquiries rather than feeling obligated to engage in lengthy back-and-forth conversations. Maintaining a high response rate is crucial for Airbnb hosts, as it is one of the key factors that guests consider when booking a property. By understanding this nuance in the response time metric, hosts can optimize their communication strategy to provide excellent customer service while also maintaining a strong performance profile on the platform and rank higher according to AirBnB ranking algorithm.
