Listening to podcasts is becoming alluring to more and more multi-tasking Airbnb hosts, who like to tune into great podcast shows and acquire knowledge on attracting travelers and improving their businesses. The growing popularity of Airbnb podcasting is following the general trend: in total, 155 million people, or 55% of the US population, have listened to a podcast, according to the Infinite Dial survey 2020.
So if you are an Airbnb host that hasn’t yet become a passionate podcast listener, probably you are looking for an answer to a straightforward question: Why should you care about podcasts? Is there something more than just a ‘buzz’ around podcasting?
Yes, there is. Podcasts, which are usually produced in audio format but can often be published in a video format, have proven to be an invaluable educational tool for Airbnb hosts.
Short-term rental owners and managers can use podcasts to learn from podcasters and interviewees’ experiences, who are knowledgeable about the industry’s ns and outs.
The storytellers in vacation rental podcast shows, unlike mainstream media, are most often Airbnb hosts, just like you. The ‘breaking news’ is tailored to your needs, which means that you can tune into topical discussions on matters such as Airbnb’s updated policies for hosts and guests. And the voices of so many different podcast guests provide insights on topics relevant to your Airbnb listing, which you can rarely find outside of the podcast universe. They can be influencers or experienced Airbnb hosts that can provide information and inspire you to improve.
Airbnb hosts can immediately relate to engaging and in-depth talks in the niche of Airbnb short-rental businesses. Especially now, when Covid-19 keeps most of us in our homes, listening to podcasts has become an everyday routine as a time-efficient and easy to consume form of communication. You can also become more than a passive listener by taking part in the podcast discussions on social media. This means that podcasting can bring you more close to the short-rental Airbnb community.
We chose the six best Airbnb podcasts with dissimilar hosts. Each Airbnb podcast show has its different style and length; some are more personal and build upon hosts’ own experiences, while others try to attract listeners through interviewing experts and hosts alike. We deliberately try to list various podcasts so you could find out what suits your taste. Get ready for a podcast binge listening to discover your favorite podcast!
1. Get paid for your pad (by Jasper Ribbers)
This podcaster, Jasper Ribbers, is the author of the book Get Paid For Your Pad: How to Maximize Profit From Your Airbnb Listing, where he details his experience as an Airbnb Superhost. Jasper is a podcaster known outside the podosphere and he also has a blog where he publishes advice on how to run successful Airbnb listings. In April 2017, Jasper sold his apartment in Amsterdam as Airbnb became too restricted in the Netherlands’ capital. Since then, he has invested in three properties in Colombia, Thailand, and the Philippines.
What is fantastic about this podcast is the podcast description. The description consists of topics covered in the podcast, what the guest would do differently, how to connect with the guest through social media, and how the interviewee goes through the coronavirus crisis. If you enjoy this podcast show, there are over 300 episodes to dive into.
Podcaster style: Conversational style with interviewees and learning resources
Podcast content samples: Why it’s important to have a direct booking website; what differentiates revenue management strategy from pricing; how to personalize the guest experience and use of email marketing; how to market to the work-from-home traveler; hosts’ advice on how to find a community; why hosts should think about their values; how to grow to 100 units without marketing; how to train your cleaning staff, etc.
How the host describes the podcast: Tips and tricks on how to improve your Airbnb listing as well as real-life experiences from Airbnb hosts from all around the world.
2. Short term rental success stories (by Julian Sage)
By inviting a variety of guests, the host of the podcast show Short Term Rental Success Stories, Julian Safe tries to attract listeners who run professional Airbnb rental businesses rather than regular Airbnb hosts. Julian is an Airbnb superhost and a co-host of the Vacation Rental Machine podcast. The description in the podcast episodes is more focused on the interviewee and it’s not too detailed. Yet, there is a transcript from every episode where you might find any info you might have potentially missed during listening. What is great about this podcast is not only the topical focus across episodes but also the quality of the recording. The podcast episodes are over an hour long and an episode airs every week.
Podcaster style: Conversational style with professional hosts as guests
Podcast content samples: Growing portfolios; scaling up rental management companies; strategies for increasing direct bookings; how to stand out in a crowded market; how to price Airbnb property during Covid-19; empowering local short-term rental advocates; house hacking strategy, etc.
How the host describes the podcast: Short Term Rental Success Stories is a podcast for rentalpreneurs who are looking to grow their business by hearing how professional Airbnb hosts start, manage, and scale their vacation rental business. Our goal for the show is that the listeners will learn how to overcome the challenges of starting an Airbnb business and find out what successful hosts are doing today to improve and scale their short term rental empires continually.
3. Hosting Journey (by Evelyn Badia)
Airbnb hosts who are not overly ambitious to grow but are rather home-sharing owners would probably love tuning into the Hosting journey podcast by Airbnb host Evelyn Badia.
Evelyn has been working as a home-sharing educator for years, presenting as a host educator at Airbnb conferences. In Hosting Journey, she invites on-topic guests (most often Airbnb hosts), or in some episodes, she provides tips from her own hosting experience.
What makes this podcast stand out is that it’s a personal, relaxing chat, and Evelyn addresses listeners directly, both during the podcast show and in the episode descriptions. Also, episode descriptions offer insightful information, such as bullet points on what you’ll learn and short descriptions of interviewees. Evelyn, as a podcaster, also spontaneously shares her advice during the talk with her guests. The episodes are almost an hour long.
Podcaster style: Conversational style with interviewees or tips from podcaster; use of creative vocabulary and humor
Podcast content samples: How to find a property manager for your Airbnb; tips for welcome entrance, Airbnb updates; Airbnb host policies; impact from coronavirus; house rules; etc.
How the host describes the podcast: Whether you’re a novice or an expert, get your tips, marketing ideas, and proven financial strategies to ensure you have a profitable home-sharing vacation rental business and successful Hosting Journey. Headphones on, and get ready to journey!
4. Thanks for visiting (by Annette & Sarah)
The podcasters in Thanks for Visiting are Annette and Sarah, experienced Airbnb superhosts. Their podcast brings us stories from diverse interviewees from short-term rental industries – hosts, vacation rental managers, and bloggers. Because of the appearance of on-topic guests with industry expertise, professional Airbnb hosts will also find this podcast extremely interesting. What is really special about Annette and Sarah’s podcast is that they try to create a buzz on social media and motivate listeners to share the 30-minute long episodes. Also, Annette and Sarah use creative headlines to attract listeners to tune into their podcast show.
Podcaster style: Conversational style with on-topic guests
Podcast content samples: Attracting influencers to your short-term rental; what to consider when hosting photoshoots in your rental; pivot from the overnight short-term rental strategy to the niche of hourly location rentals; co-hosting from part-time to full-time salary & beyond, etc.
How the hosts describe the podcast: Get actionable advice and the fundamentals of running a profitable 5-star Airbnb side-hustle or a full-on business. Annette’s extensive background in business operations and Sarah’s high-end hospitality management and interior design experience make them a powerhouse duo that delivers high-impact content. With almost a decade of combined hosting experience, they will not only share their own stories, welcoming thousands of guests from around the world but also those of other Superhosts to deliver you a wide array of stories, insights, and profitable and creative ideas to make your listing rise to the top. Whether you’re experienced, new, or nervous to start your own Airbnb this podcast promises to be informative, fun, and from the heart.
5. Airbnb Entrepreneur Successes Revealed (by Rachel Prince)
This is a podcast for short-term rental entrepreneurs hosted by Airbnb Realtor Rachel Prince who is also an author of Rentalpreneur.com. In her interviews with homeowners that last around 40 minutes, first-time buyers, investors, and entrepreneurs, Rachel tunes in Airbnb hosts who want to scale up and improve their business. The short description for each episode is useful to check whether you might want to put your headphones on. What is great about this podcast is that Rachel asks topical and provocative questions to her guests.
Podcaster style: Strong topical focused interviews, fluency, provocative questions
Podcast content samples: Avoid rental arbitrage bankruptcy; Pricelabs’s new algorithms to adapt automation pricing tool to the new vacation rental industry during global Coronavirus shut down; post-Covid19 vacation rental market predictions; Airbnb’s Relief fund, etc.
How the host describes the podcast: Find out how homeowners, first-time buyers, investors, and entrepreneurs are using the Airbnb platform to generate six-figure business models in under a year and slamdunk their ROI.
6. Airbnb Investment Properties Podcast (by David Leroux)
This podcast show hosted by David Leroux, real estate investor and author of the Airbnb Investment Properties Cash Flow Method, is quite different from the podcasts we already listed.
The first difference is that the podcast is for a niche audience – real estate investors who want to learn about buying or renting/subletting Airbnb investment properties. The second difference is the length – the podcast episodes last just two to five minutes. It seems David takes into account that real estate investors don’t have too much time for listening, but they would probably be able to spare time, which is equal to one or two songs on Spotify. In the podcast episodes, David shares personal advice on finding the best Airbnb investment properties/vacation rentals, which is the third difference. Except for the format, David’s podcast stands out in frequency: new episodes are published every day. The quick tips are useful for any profile of Airbnb hosts.
Podcaster style: Sharing of personal experience by podcaster, succinct episodes.
Podcast content samples: What’s the new Airbnb cleaning policy; how high should your estimates be for a dispute with Airbnb; how low should your nightly rate be; should you charge the same amount per guest for Airbnb/VRBO/Booking.com; should you have one or two cleaning teams; how should you inspect your Airbnb smoke alarms; how to communicate with your guests when you will refund them, etc.
How the host describes the podcast: The 5-minute podcast for real estate investors who want to learn everything about buying or renting/subleasing Airbnb investment properties. Tips and insights from David Leroux, the author of the Airbnb Investment Properties Cash Flow Method. Find out how David bought short-term rental properties that generate over 40% return on investment. In this podcast, David shares his secrets on finding the best Airbnb investment properties/vacation rentals/short-term rentals.
Podcasts can be an invaluable source of information about the short-term rental industry. The majority of podcast hosts are experienced owners or managers themselves, making them super knowledgeable and full of insights.
Seeing the industry through their eyes as they discuss ongoing trends can be more than just informative. It can help you spot opportunities for growing your business.
Making a habit of following podcasts focused on the short-term rental industry can help you develop an in-depth understanding of the most recent developments and stay on top of the industry’s hottest topics. And, with the convenience of the podcast’s format, you can get the weekly dose of your favorite podcast show “on-the-go” while jogging, driving, or as a morning routine with a fresh cup of coffee.
