Airbnb Online Experiences offer a unique way for people to learn about new cultures, skills, or places from the comfort of their home. Since Airbnb Online Experiences is fairly new, there’s a lot of uncertainty around how the platform works. So, how do Airbnb Online Experiences work?
Airbnb Online Experiences work by allowing guests to schedule interactive, online workshops where they can learn skills, listen to lectures, and meet experts from across the globe. To book an online experience, take the following steps:
- Sign up for an Airbnb account.
- Choose an Airbnb experience.
- Reserve your spot
Online Airbnb Experiences boasts a wide selection of online experiences to fit any person’s preference, from diving with shark experts to mastering the perfect tequila cocktail. Read on and learn more about how these virtual workshops work.
The Process for an Airbnb Online Experience
Participating in an Airbnb Online Experience is an easy process once you know the steps involved. If you’ve got a computer or a smart device, you’ve got everything you need to begin. Below you can find the steps necessary to get started.
Step 1: Signing Up for an Airbnb Account
Before you can get started with Airbnb Online Experiences, you’ll need to sign up for an Airbnb Account. Signing up is free, and you’ll need one of the following pieces of identification to get started (Source: Airbnb):
- Email address
- Phone number
- Facebook account
- Google account
- Apple ID
Along with a basic online ID to set up your account, there are also a few requirements that you’ll need to reserve a slot in an Airbnb Online Experience. Here is some of the other information you should have available when you get ready to set up your reservation:
- Full name
- Email address (if not used as primary ID)
- Verified phone number
- An introductory message for your profile
- House rules agreement
- Payment information (all major credit cards accepted)
A profile photo is preferred for your Airbnb account but is not required. Note that Airbnb does not give out their customer emails to Airbnb hosts—these emails are hidden behind a temporary address that Airbnb sets up to protect client security.
Step 2: Choose an Online Airbnb Experience
After you get your Airbnb account set up, you get to choose your Online Airbnb Experience. There are tons of Experiences available for every taste. You can do everything from going on an online safari with a leopard expert to learning how to make pasta with Italian grandmas.
It’s easy to find the perfect Experience for you, as Airbnb has their experiences grouped into several major categories, such as:
- Field Trips
- Great for Team Building
- Cook and Drink with Friends
- Up Close with Animals
- Best Sellers
These collections enable people to get a general idea of some Experiences they might be interested in. There are also ways for you to narrow down Airbnb Online Experiences using a search engine filter that filters Experiences by the following variables:
- Dates
- Time of day
- Price
- Language offered
- Baking
- Arts and Writing
- Cooking
- Dance
- Drinks
- Family friendly
- Great for groups
- Social impact
- Wellness
- Entertainment
- Fitness
- History and culture
- Designed for accessibility
- Magic
- Music
- Olympians and Paralympians
Consider This When Choosing an Experience
With so many choices for Airbnb Online Experiences, how do you choose the right one for you? They’re diverse workshops, so it depends on your personal taste. Here are some questions you might want to ask yourself when you’re thinking about how to narrow down your choice:
- Do I want to learn something during my Airbnb Online Experience? Many Airbnb Experiences feature subject matter experts that can lecture on everything from French baking to Greek history. If you’re interested in learning about a specific topic, it’s a good idea to search the Airbnb database to see if any of the online experiences are a good match.
- Do I want to watch a performance? Many artists, musicians, and even magicians have turned to Airbnb to turn their artistic talent into a live online show.
- What language do I need my Airbnb Online Experience to be in? Some Airbnb Online Experiences are offered in languages other than English, and some are also offered in American Sign Language for the hearing impaired.
The best way to choose a good Airbnb Online Experience is to examine your interests and then see if you can find any Airbnb Online Experiences that match up with them. In the process of looking, you might come across other Experiences that look interesting too.
The great thing about Airbnb Online Experiences is that they’re relatively cheap compared to in-person Airbnb Experiences. This opens up the option to try multiple Experiences if you see more than one that catches your eye. These articles at Business Insider and Slate explain some of the advantages of trying multiple Airbnb Online Experiences back to back.
Step 3: Sign Up for Your Airbnb Online Experience
If you’ve found an Airbnb Online Experience that you’re interested in, it’s time to get signed up! Since you should already be signed up for your Airbnb account at this point, reserving a spot at your Airbnb Online Experience is as easy as clicking a button.
Once you’re on the page of your chosen Experience, click the red Choose button to initiate the process of making a reservation. After that, you’ll be asked to confirm your payment information.
After you verify the payment, you’ll receive your booking information. This will include information such as the following:
- Tips and suggestions from your host
- Requirements for the Airbnb Online Experience (for example, a dance class may require that you have your webcam placed far enough away so that they can see your entire body while it’s moving)
Note: Keep in mind that if you change your mind about your Airbnb Online Experience, you can only receive a refund if you cancel within 24 hours of booking or up to seven days before the start time. If you have a scheduling conflict, Airbnb Online Experiences can be rescheduled within 72 hours of the workshop. (Source: Airbnb)
What Percentage Does Airbnb Take for an Experience?
Airbnb takes a 20% service fee out of any money that is collected by Airbnb experts. This fee is taken to cover several company expenses, such as the following:
- Liability insurance for non-online experiences: One of the advantages of going through Airbnb for in-person Experiences is that these experiences are insured by Airbnb. This will come in handy just in case something bad happens, and compensation is needed.
- 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week customer support: Airbnb provides 24/7 support for both guests and hosts, allowing them to solve customer service issues across the world as soon as they occur.
- Host tools: Airbnb offers several tools for its customers, including temporary email addresses, cleaning services, Zoom access, and other services.
Wondering if you’ll be getting any tips for hosting? Check out this article for everything you need to know on tipping an Airbnb host!
Recently, Airbnb has waived their service fees to help people who have been economically affected by COVID-19. Airbnb Online Experiences is dedicated to helping combat the social isolation and travel restrictions that have affected much of the world in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. (Source: Airbnb News)
What Makes an Airbnb Experience Successful?
People all over are jumping on the Airbnb Experience bandwagon to share their expertise and make money. But the reality is that not every Airbnb host will be successful. It’s natural to wonder, “What is it about an Airbnb Experience that makes it successful?”
Below are a few tips for doing well when you host an Airbnb Experience.
Be a Subject Matter Expert
Even if you’re already considered an expert in the area you want to run an Airbnb Experience in, constantly learning more about your chosen subject and introducing new elements into your Airbnb Experience is imperative. Continually pursuing knowledge in your subject will help keep your Experience fresh and bring back repeat customers.
Cultivate Good Reviews
Hosts live and die by their online reviews at Airbnb, so make sure to be polite and professional with all guests to ensure that nobody leaves a bad review. If you do get a negative review, reach out to the customer without judgment or defensiveness, and see if there is something you can do to make their Experience better.
Be Fun and Friendly
One thing that people love about Airbnb Experiences is getting to meet new people who know interesting things, so be sure to keep Airbnb Experiences lively and entertaining to keep guests happy and engaged.
Learn the Technology
All Airbnb Online Experiences are run through Zoom, so be sure that you’re familiar with webcam technology. It’s also helpful to learn how to best present yourself before you ever run your first Airbnb Online Experience.
Airbnb Online Experiences are a great way for Airbnb hosts to continue to earn a living from home, but it does require a little finesse to pull off an Experience through Zoom. Following the tips above can help ensure that your Airbnb Online Experience is successful.
How Do You Make Money with Airbnb Online Experience?
The process for getting set up with Airbnb to host an Online Experience is fairly straightforward. The first step is to submit an idea for an Airbnb Online Experience. It’s a good idea at this point to make your Airbnb Experience sound as comprehensive and thrilling as possible. Doing a mock-up of your Experience with a video is also a good idea.
The point is to convince the review team at Airbnb that you are passionate about your chosen Online Experience and that you also have the expertise to pull it off. Here are some of the other requirements of setting up an Airbnb Online Experience to make money:
- Real-time, live showing: Airbnb Online Experiences are designed to be performed live through a Zoom conference, so no prerecorded Online Experiences are allowed on Airbnb.
- Supply list: All required supplies for an Airbnb Online Experience have to be clearly posted for the guest on the page of the Online Experience so that guests know what they need to bring.
- Home friendly experience: Airbnb Online Experiences are designed for people to be able to enjoy from the comfort of their homes. The entire design of the program is to help people who have been isolated by COVID-19 connect with others in a fun and exciting way. Airbnb Online Experiences are required to be a home experience.
- Interactive learning: It isn’t enough to just give a history lecture on an Airbnb Online Experience—these Experiences require guest interaction with the host.
After submission of your idea, it could take 2-4 weeks to receive an approval or denial email from Airbnb.
Once you’ve been accepted as an Airbnb Online Experience host, all you must do is perform your Online Experiences as approved by the Airbnb team, then rake in the associated fees from happy guests. Be aware that Airbnb will pocket 20% of these fees to cover its costs.
When Did Airbnb Launch Online Experiences?
Airbnb Online Experiences was launched in 2016 initially as a way for people to experience Airbnb Experiences they couldn’t reach otherwise. However, in the aftermath of the novel COVID-19 coronavirus, Airbnb has rededicated themselves to conducting Airbnb Online Experiences as a way for those Airbnb hosts who’s in-person Experiences were negatively impacted by COVID shutdowns.
Since the shutdowns, Airbnb has reached out to try and use its online experience services to both help connect people socially through the quarantine and to also help foster welfare for the elderly, especially in LGBT communities. (Source: Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders)
Starting with only fifty online experiences available, Airbnb has continued to grow its online experiences capacity and has more plans for expansion moving forward.
Final Thoughts
Modern society can leave people feeling disconnected, but Airbnb Online Experiences are a great way for people to vibe together over their shared common interests. Check out Airbnb to see if any of its Online Experiences are right for you!
(For more unique AirBnB experiences in the U.S. check out that article!)