This walks you through the full process of creating your first Airbnb listing—from setting it up on Airbnb to customizing your listing title, description, pricing, house rules, and calendar settings. The process includes initial setup, professional customization, and post-publishing optimization.
Why This Matters
Properly setting up your Airbnb listing ensures it ranks well, attracts the right guests, and operates efficiently from day one. A well-crafted listing improves visibility, guest trust, and ultimately your booking conversion and revenue. Skipping steps or incorrect setup may result in poor performance, bad guest experiences, or avoidable disputes.
What You Need
You must have an Airbnb account
Property details (address, amenities, guest capacity, etc.)
Listing photos (or placeholders)
Access to the Vacarya Masterclass for templates
Instant Book enabled and security devices in place (e.g., exterior camera, noise monitors)
Steps
1. Initial Setup on Airbnb
Navigate to https://www.airbnb.ca/
Click "Switch to hosting"
Click "Listings"
Click the “+” icon to create a new listing
Click “Create a new listing”
Click “Start on your own” and then click “Next”
2. Listing Information
Select the type of property and what best applies to your unit
Enter your property's address
Add key property details (unit type, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc.)
Enter the maximum number of guests the property can accommodate
Select available amenities (Note: not all options appear on this screen)
Upload your listing photos
If professional photos aren’t ready, use placeholders temporarily
Create your Listing Title using this format:
“2BR | Free Parking | Near DT”
Start with 32 characters; later, you’ll be able to expand to 50
3. Listing Customization & Optimization
Choose 2 phrases that best describe your home
In a new tab, access the Vacarya Masterclass
Watch the "Airbnb Listing Mastery" video
Download the "Listing Description Full Template"
Use this template to write your listing description
Enable Instant Book
Select "Allow any guest to book"
Pricing will be handled using Vacarya PriceLabs
Enable all discount options provided
Under safety devices, check:
Exterior security cameras
Noise decibel monitors
4. Post-Publishing Edits
Once the listing is published, return to Listings and begin full editing
Revisit the Title section and expand it to the full 50 characters
Under Internal Name, use this format:
“Unit # - Location”
(Internal names are only visible to you and your team)
5. Description, Amenities & Booking Settings
Revisit the Description tab and fully complete all prompts using the template
Fill out all applicable amenities
Re-enable Instant Book and turn on "Good track record"
Set your House Rules:
Pets: toggle based on your policy
Events: Off
Smoking: Off
Quiet Hours: 10 PM – 7 AM
Commercial Photography: Allowed
Max guests = number of beds available
6. Check-in/Out & Pricing Strategy
Go to Check-in and Checkout Times
Default check-in: 4 PM
Default checkout: 10 AM
Add a $50/hour fee for early check-in or late checkout
7. Additional Rules & Guest Safety
Open "Additional Rules"
Copy/paste your rules from the “Rules List” template (Vacarya Masterclass)
This protects you in Aircover disputes
Fill out all Guest Safety details (e.g., smoke detectors, fire extinguisher)
Change Cancellation Policy to Strict
If your listing isn’t ready for bookings yet, set it to “Unlisted”
8. Calendar & Availability
Open your Calendar
Go to the Fees section and ensure all required fields are filled out
Under Availability, switch the booking window to 24 months
This allows guests to book up to 2 years in advance
Next Steps / Related Reading