Multi-platform listing: taking your home beyond Airbnb

Article contents

1. Airbnb created the market, but no longer holds it alone
2. Guests do not all book in the same place
3. What multi-platform listing can do for your income
4. The real risk: double bookings
5. How Yes Conciergerie lists your home
6. A listing wins or loses in a few seconds
7. Frequently asked questions about multi-platform listing
8. Further reading

For many owners, short-term rental means Airbnb. That makes sense: the platform created this market. But guests no longer book only there. A home that appears on a single platform is missing out on part of its potential guests without even knowing it. Here is why listing on several platforms has become essential, and what it takes to work well.

Airbnb created the market, but no longer holds it alone

Airbnb really took off in France and Europe around 2012, so this is still a young market. For a long time, Airbnb had it almost to itself.

Over the past few years, big players such as Booking, Abritel and Vrbo have won back a good share of it. In some areas, they can now account for more than 40% of bookings. An owner who lists only on Airbnb can therefore miss 40 to 50% of demand.

Guests do not all book in the same place

The short-term rental market is global, and each platform has its strongholds: some do very well on one continent and far less elsewhere. Guests from Asia, for example, do not just use Airbnb, far from it: they often go through sites specific to their own country. The same goes for some guests from South America.

To reach these guests, you have to be where they are looking. The more platforms your home appears on, the better its chances of being booked, including in quieter periods.

What multi-platform listing can do for your income

Putting your listing on every platform multiplies the number of guests who see it, and so the number of possible bookings. The effect on income can range from 20 to 30%.

For a home that already performs well, that means an extra 10,000 to 15,000 euros over the year, simply by being visible where guests book.

The real risk: double bookings

Being on ten platforms at once raises a very practical problem. If one guest books on Booking and another books the same dates on Airbnb a few minutes later, you end up with two bookings for one home. One has to be cancelled, which penalises your listing and lets a guest down.

Managing ten calendars by hand means living with that risk all the time. To list everywhere with peace of mind, you need a very precise tool that runs every platform from a single calendar.

How Yes Conciergerie lists your home

At Yes Conciergerie, we use an in-house multichannel tool known as a channel manager. It connects your home to around ten platforms from a single calendar: Airbnb, Booking, Abritel, Vrbo, Expedia, Hotels.com, Agoda, Trip.com, HomeToGo, Holidu.

As soon as a booking comes in on one platform, the dates are blocked everywhere else. Prices and availability stay consistent on every site. Your home becomes more visible to guests from all over the world, with no risk of double booking.

A listing wins or loses in a few seconds

Being visible is not enough: the listing also has to make people want to stay. The time a guest gives a listing can be measured in seconds. If the photo is not appealing or the listing is unclear, they move on to the next one.

Guests scroll through listings the way they scroll through Instagram. If the first photo does not stop them, they have already gone.

The Yes Conciergerie team

That is why the photos matter so much. At Yes Conciergerie, our teams go through your listings in detail, take them apart and advise you on making them clearer and more attractive. The aim is for guests to stop, take the time to look, and decide to book.

Frequently asked questions about multi-platform listing

Do I really need to be on platforms other than Airbnb?

Yes. Depending on the area, Booking, Abritel or Vrbo can account for more than 40% of bookings. Staying on Airbnb alone means missing out on a large share of guests.

How do I avoid a double booking?

With a channel manager, which links every platform to a single calendar. As soon as a booking is confirmed somewhere, the dates are blocked everywhere else.

Which platforms can my home be listed on?

Our tool connects your home to around ten platforms: Airbnb, Booking, Abritel, Vrbo, Expedia, Hotels.com, Agoda, Trip.com, HomeToGo, Holidu. Enough to reach guests from all over the world.

Does my listing need reworking?

Often, yes. Photos and a clear listing make the difference within seconds. Our teams review your listing and advise you on making it more attractive.

Further reading

Being visible everywhere is pointless if the price is wrong: read our article on dynamic pricing. To find out what your home could earn, try our rental income estimator in Nevers, or see how we take care of your short-term rental from start to finish.

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