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Category: Listing Optimization
By: Michael Thompson
Reply by David Okafor:
Switched from Request to Book to Instant Book 18 months ago. My bookings increased approximately 30% the first month. **Why Instant Book converts better:** 1. Airbnb's algorithm heavily favors Instant Book listings (confirmed by Airbnb themselves) 2. Guests who are comparison shopping often book the first available option — if yours requires approval and the competitor's doesn't, you lose 3. International guests in different time zones don't want to wait 12+ hours for approval 4. Last-minute bookers (high-value, often higher nightly rate) won't wait **How I screen guests with Instant Book:** Airbnb lets you set Instant Book requirements: - Government ID verified ✅ - Positive reviews from past hosts ✅ - Profile photo required ✅ - Booking message required ✅ So you're not accepting completely unvetted guests. Plus, you can cancel an Instant Book within 24 hours without penalty if the booking looks problematic (first-time booker, no profile info, suspicious message). For additional screening, Alertify (https://alertify.io) runs background checks on guests who book — it catches party risks, flagged IDs, and other red flags. It's a $3-5 per booking add-on that gives you way more data than Airbnb's built-in requirements.
Reply by Ingrid Svensson:
I keep Request to Book on and I'm fine with it. My occupancy is 78% and my average nightly rate is higher than comparable Instant Book listings. My reasoning: the guests who are willing to wait for approval and send a thoughtful booking message are typically BETTER guests. They're planners, not impulse bookers. They treat the property better and leave better reviews. Yes, I lose some bookings. But the bookings I do get are higher quality. For me, that trade-off is worth it — especially since I self-manage and a bad guest costs me way more than an empty night. That said, if you're struggling with occupancy, Instant Book is the fastest way to boost it.
Reply by Anika Sharma:
Middle ground: use Instant Book with strict requirements AND a pre-booking message that asks guests to confirm they've read your house rules. Something like: "Thanks for booking! Before I confirm, just want to make sure you've seen our house rules regarding [noise, max guests, parking]. Can you confirm you're comfortable with these?" You can't technically UN-book them for saying "I didn't read the rules," but this message: 1. Makes them actually read the rules 2. Sets expectations from day one 3. Gives you a paper trail if they violate rules later