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Published:
May 10, 2024
Reading time:
4
minutes

Channel manager that works with Airbnb

As a host, you know that property management can be challenging. This is especially true if you list your properties on multiple sites (like Vrbo or Airbnb). However, a high-quality channel manager can be a host’s best companion when it comes to managing all their vacation rental property needs. With Airbnb being one of the top property hosting platforms, many hosts want a channel manager who works with Airbnb.

What does a channel manager do? A channel manager is software for managing and updating your listings across the platforms you use. For instance, it automatically synchronizes your property availability, enhances communication, and improves efficiency.

Read on, and we’ll tell you why you need a channel manager for Airbnb, how to connect one, and explore Keybee’s professional channel manager and how it can help you better run your STR business.

Do I need a channel manager for Airbnb?

If you want to better manage and promote your property, maximize your income, and save time, then you need a channel manager.

Channel management software will update all information in real time across all platforms at the click of a button. This includes availability, pricing, photos, descriptions, and more. Keeping all this up-to-date is crucial to ensure accurate information and continuous bookings. The benefits of centralized listing management, synchronized calendars, and automated pricing updates mean you save time and enhance your image as a host.

Some hosts claim you don’t need a channel manager. This may be true for hosts who only rent a single small property for a bit of extra cash a couple of times a year. However, a channel manager is vital for hosts who want to run a profitable business from being a short-term rental host.

With proliferating platforms and services, managing short-term rentals (STRs) alone without the help of a channel manager can be time-consuming, stressful, and difficult. For all the reasons we’ve discussed, a channel manager is a necessary component to the growth of your hosting business.

How do I connect Airbnb to a channel manager?

Connecting Airbnb to a channel manager is generally a quick and easy process.

First, ensure your Airbnb account is in good standing and working fully. You also want to ensure whichever channel manager you pick is fully up and running. This is to help avoid any potential connection issues and properly connect the two systems.

We recommend contacting your channel manager provider so they can give you the exact steps to complete integration. However, below, we outline the steps generally required when linking an Airbnb to a channel manager.

  1. Authorization: First, you must authorize the channel manager software to be installed on your Airbnb account.
  2. Connect: Next, map existing Airbnb listing IDs in your channel manager configuration.
  3. Distribution: Then, you will distribute data from your channel manager to Airbnb.
  4. Review: Finally, once connected, you should review your listings to ensure all the information is accurate.

What is a channel manager on Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking?

As a concept and phrase, channel manager is quite a generic term.

While channel managers work broadly the same, the context can change depending on your platform.

Airbnb

A compatible, high-quality channel manager will complement your experience on Airbnb. A channel manager integrated with Airbnb allows hosts to centralize and manage their property’s data, including some aspects we’ve already mentioned, such as availability and pricing.

Using a channel manager with Airbnb reduces the bandwidth needed to keep listing and updating information. It reduces pricing and availability discrepancies. As a result, you can expect increased guest trust and booking conversions.

VRBO

Connecting a channel manager with VRBO is a method of quickly making changes across all your listings. It automatically distributes them to all the channels you’re integrated with.

The channel manager will synchronize your listings. A channel manager connected to VRBO keeps your data accurate, helping avoid double bookings and managing your rates in real time.

Booking

Channel managers for Booking.com link your property management system (PMS) to manage your rooms and prices. It lets you quickly and easily update your prices across all online providers.

It enables you to eliminate double bookings by instantly removing booked rooms cross-channel. Furthermore, a channel manager for Booking.com will also immediately relist unlisted rooms, saving you the trouble of having to log in to their website directly.

Can Keybee connect with other platforms apart from Airbnb and VRBO?

The short answer is yes—Keybee’s vacation rental channel manager works with Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com (BDC).

These three platforms generate over 92% of all STR bookings worldwide. Covering the big three means using Keybee helps hosts maximize their income potential. As an official partner of all three platforms, Keybee connects easily and ensures seamless synchronization and management across them.

The benefits of using Keybee’s channel manager

Keybee’s vacation rental channel manager offers complete channel management.

The platform was built from the ground up to be user-friendly and feature-rich. Compared to others, Keybee’s channel manager works with Airbnb, VRBO, and BDC. Its unified calendar synchronizes your bookings and availability, eliminating double bookings.

The channel manager works out of the box since Keybee is an official partner of the three most used STR platforms. This ensures you can get up and running quickly and easily without the fuss.

Conclusion

If you’re a host, you want to optimize your vacation rental business. You want to make the job easier and optimize your listing performance. If so, a vacation rental channel manager is right for you.

As we’ve discussed, a channel manager that works with Airbnb can be a host’s best friend. One that works with other platforms is even better. Explore Keybee’s channel manager service, see why it’s better, and maximize your income today.

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