Leveraging Floor Plans to Boost Airbnb Revenue

A Cubicasa 2D floor plan

Lately everyone is talking about how competitive the Airbnb and short term rental markets have become. So how do you differentiate your rental from the one down the street and get a little competitive edge? There are many many ways, but one often overlooked way to easily get more engagement on your listing is by adding a floor plan to your photos. A great floor plan will elevate your listing and set clear expectations to your guests.

Airbnb Floor Plan Benefits

1) Clarity for your Guests- The first and most obvious benefit is clarity for your guests. You can show photos of each room to illustrate the style of your property, but a floor plan will help illustrate how your property is laid out. This is important to many people who are concerned about noise issues, where the kids are sleeping and overall comfort while staying at your property. A good layout will be obvious in the floor plan. By giving your guests more information, you are taking away any ambiguity so that they can make better-informed decisions on which property to choose.

2) Show Sleeping Arrangements- A floor plan can show exactly what the options are for sleeping arrangements. What rooms have which beds? Where are the kids sleeping in relation to the adults? Where are the bathrooms in relation to sleeping spots?

3) Fewer Inquiries To Respond To-  By being more clear about how the property is laid out, you will have fewer questions from guests that you have to respond to which will, of course, save you time. It will also make your guests happier to not have to spend time reaching out to you then waiting for an answer.

4) Better Booking Experience- You’re providing a better booking experience for your guests because they will not have to wait for answers about the property. This makes the decision-making process less frustrating and quicker for future clients. They will remember this when it comes time to review you!   

5) Showcase External Spaces- A floor plan can include outdoor spots that are coveted by guests such as hot tubs, pools, patios, etc.

6) Better Reviews- More honest, accurate information about your property will result in better reviews. Guests will not show up and be surprised or disappointed in the place they are staying. This kind of transparency is appreciated and makes a guest feel respected. By providing the guest a better booking experience and saving them time from having to wait for answers to any questions they may have, you are leaving a good impression on the client which will naturally result in better reviews.

7) More Booklings, More Revenue-  Better reviews will put more eyes on your listing which will result in more bookings and, of course, more revenue!

To conclude, having a floor plan on your listing will honestly and transparently showcase your property, set your guests expectations and enhance their booking and overall experience.

Do I Have to Hire a Pro?!

Now, you might be thinking you have to hire a professional to create a floor plan which will just be another expense. Not at all! There are many free floor plan creator apps online now. Here are three that also give you a floor plan for free:

1) RoomSketcher- Easy, intuitive and very popular app. You can choose between 2D or 3D floor plan, 360 views, Live 3D and m ore. The free version allows you to create two free plans and there are lots of YouTube videos for instruction on how to create.

A RoomSketcher 3D floor plan with furniture

2) Floorplanner- Again, an easy-to-use app with options from B&W basic plans to fancier 3D rooms where you can add the flooring type, wall color and even furniture. This app gives you one floor plan for free and is tailored to Airbnb owners and property managers.

3) Cubicasa- This is a popular one for real estate photographers. It’s free to create an account and your first floor plan is free. It's easy to use within minutes, allowing you to scan the space with your phone’s video function and then generating the floor plan from your video within 24 hours. A Cubicasa floor plan sample is pictured at the top of the page. You can also get a version with dimensions if you'd like.

This post has a more extensive list of floor plans catered to Airbnb owners.

If you don't want to do your own floor plan or are worried it's too difficult, you can also always hire a real estate photographer to do one for you. Most charge around $100-300 for the scan and floor plan and it only takes about 15 minutes to scan your space. So why not get ahead of the competition and elevate your listing with a floor plan? The cost is low and it could definitely help increase your bookings!