Most listings don't fail because of one big problem. They lose bookings to a handful of small, fixable ones. Here are the ten we check for most often, with what to do about each and where the advice comes from.
1. A title that's too long to read
Airbnb recommends titles under 50 characters because longer ones are automatically shortened in search. If your best feature is at the end, guests may never see it. Fix: lead with the feature, then cut until you're under 50. Our title formula shows how.
2. Caps, emojis and "!!!"
Airbnb's title guidance says to avoid emojis and all caps and not to repeat symbols for emphasis. Fix: sentence case, commas between ideas.
3. A weak cover photo
Airbnb says the first photo is the large one that shows up in search, and that the first five are the most important. A dark interior, a bathroom or a close-up as your cover is the single most expensive photo mistake. Fix: use your best wide shot. See the photo order guide.
4. Rooms with no photos
Airbnb's photo tour needs at least one photo of every room or space for that room to appear. Fix: photograph every space guests can use, including outdoor areas.
5. Dark, tilted or vertical photos
Airbnb recommends horizontal photos, natural light and shooting straight ahead at eye level, at a resolution of at least 1200 × 800. Fix: reshoot at the brightest time of day, or edit brightness and straighten verticals.
6. An incomplete amenity list
Airbnb notes that many guests use filters to search for the amenities they want, and that there are nearly 150 to choose from after you publish. Amenities you don't tick can't match those filters. Airbnb names the ones guests search for most: wifi, a pool, a jacuzzi, a kitchen, TV or cable, air conditioning, a washer and dryer, free parking and self check-in. Fix: go through the full list and add everything you genuinely offer.
7. A description that opens with "Welcome to our home"
Airbnb's description guidance says to keep it brief and to lead with what's most important. A greeting spends the first line on nothing. Fix: open with your standout feature and who the place is perfect for.
8. Leaving out the practical details
Beds in each room, parking, how check-in works, real distances ("10-minute walk to the city center" is Airbnb's own example). These are the questions guests otherwise message about, or don't, and book elsewhere. Fix: add a short "Good to know" section.
9. Overselling
Airbnb warns that overselling or exaggerating can lead to disappointment and negative reviews, and suggests being upfront about anything that could be a challenge for some guests, such as people with limited mobility or children. Fix: describe the place honestly. A small caveat in the listing beats a bad review later.
10. Phone numbers, emails or outside links in the listing
Airbnb's off-platform policy says all guest communication before booking must happen on Airbnb, and asking guests for contact information before booking isn't allowed. A phone number or "email me for discounts" in your description breaks that. Fix: remove them and keep everything on Airbnb.
Bonus: the factors you can't control directly
Airbnb says quality, popularity, price and, for homes, location heavily influence how a listing appears in search, and that listings bookable instantly may rank higher. You can't change your location, but the ten fixes above are all about quality and how your listing converts, which you can control today.
Sources
- Airbnb Resource Center: Guidelines for writing your listing title
- Airbnb Help Center: Setting up a photo tour for your home listing
- Airbnb Resource Center: How to take great photos for your listing
- Airbnb Resource Center: Help your listing stand out
- Airbnb Resource Center: Writing an effective listing description
- Airbnb Help Center: Off-platform policy
- Airbnb Help Center: How search results work
Airbnb updates its guidance from time to time. We read these pages in October 2026. GlowListing is independent and not affiliated with Airbnb.