Kelvin Mah from Rankbreeze: “Get more insights about people who book your competitors.”

podcast kelvin mah
By The Hospitable Team

Short-term rental (STR) hosts have to stand out in a sea of listings and ensure their property ranks high to attract more bookings. But the competition is fierce and the algorithms governing your fate seem as mysterious as the Bermuda Triangle.

But here’s the twist: we sat down with Kelvin Mah, CEO and Founder of Rankbreeze, and actually uncovered the secrets of short-term rental success. The conversation was fast-paced and to the point, much like the strategies Kelvin himself champions. So, now it’s time for a sneak peek into the juiciest tips on turning your Airbnb listing into a 1st-page result. 

Tune in to our Hospitable Hosts podcast to learn how to supercharge your guest bookings.

Prefer to read the highlights? We’ve got a summary of the key takeaways below. 


Rankbreeze and Its Three Optimization Pillars

What can you focus on when improving your STR listings and what is it that gets optimized? Kelvin Mah breaks it down in simple terms — the three crucial pillars that are the keys to your Airbnb success:

  1. Rank Optimization: It all starts with tracking where your listing appears for different date ranges and guest counts. Then the data is aggregated and visualized to help you incorporate these insights into your strategy.
  2. Price Optimization: The second pillar, dynamic pricing, is already integrated with Hospitable. It helps you price your property optimally, ensuring you’re competitive in the market while maximizing your revenue.
  3. Market Data: The third pillar, known as the “market scanner,” is a game-changer, mapping out properties in your area and generating custom reports based on your preferences.

Kelvin emphasizes that understanding what makes your competitors’ listings successful is key and tools like Rankbreeze then act as your shortcuts to becoming an STR super host:

“There’s all sorts of different ways. Many flexible tools for listing optimization. And I even find tools like “review analyzer” that get missed by hosts in our optimization hub. While in fact, it’s great for improving your listing. There’s just so many different insights that you can get about people that didn’t book your property but booked your competitors’ properties instead.”

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Identifying Your Weak Spots

Kelvin warns — do not seek the no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to optimizing your Airbnb listing. Instead, find the right combo that suits your case. Here’s some ground rules you need to know:

  • Photos: Your listing’s photos are your first impression. These are the thumbnails potential guests see first and they’re what often drive clicks.
  • Title: Your listing’s title is like the cover of a book. It should be captivating and informative, giving potential guests a clear idea of what to expect. 
  • Pricing: Your pricing strategy is vital. You need to find that sweet spot where your property is competitive yet profitable.
  • Description: Focus on your unique selling points, like outdoor games or special amenities. Circling back, do make sure they’re showcased within your photos!
  • Click-Through Rate (CTR): Airbnb calculates your CTR by looking at how many people viewed your property by clicking it. Keep your eye on it and look for patterns. 
  • And more, more, more.

So, for Kelvin, there’s no one “most important” element; it’s a cohesive strategy that counts: “Sometimes it’s okay to follow a recommendation or experiment a little bit. Then, of course, see how it works out there… in the wild. And then you track the changes in Rankbreeze.”

Complex Tools — Yet Simple Features

Kelvin remains tight-lipped about specific future developments but hints at exciting things on the horizon. While the three core pillars remain unchanged, there’s always room for growth and improvement:

“Making sure that we’re building trustworthy, reliable and transparent data — that’s a lot of our focus too. But I think right now we’re really looking at how to make things even simpler.”

In a world where ease of use and trust are paramount, teams like Rankbreeze and Hospitable pursue the same ultimate goal — making your hosting journey smoother and more intuitive. 

How? Explore the full episode of our Hospitable Hosts podcast

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