How top hosts structure their Turo listing
Your listing is an advertisement for your Turo business. It tells people why they should book your car and what kind of experience they can expect to have.
That’s why it’s worth taking your listing in for an annual tune up!
Your listing reflects your approach to car sharing. A tune up incorporates best practices to bump up your listing in the search results page.
In this post, you’ll discover many ways you can enhance your listing (while still retaining your unique hosting style!) such as:
- Including at least ten high resolution images
- Highlighting the unique features of your vehicle
- Enriching your listing with a thorough description, guidelines, and FAQ
- Throwing Extras in for your guests — and keep 90% of the earnings
- Establishing a dialogue by responding to reviews
- Telling guests a little about yourself through your bio
1. Photos: Tell your car to say “cheese!” & get more views
If a picture says a thousand words in everyday life, it says a million more in the sharing economy. People want to see what they’re going to get before they commit any money, so it’s no surprise that high resolution photos make a huge difference when it comes to online sales.
On Turo, listings with ten or more photos could receive up to 50% more views compared to their less photogenic counterparts.
The more expensive an item online is, the more visual information consumers want. Take photos of your vehicle from different angles and of the interior to provide a 360-degree view of the car. You want potential guests to spend as much time as possible on your listing as they consider whether this is the car for them. A rich photo gallery encourages them to mull over your listing longer than others.
Check out this listing from All-Star Host Elan S. He has 17 high-resolution photos of his 2020 Tesla Model Y. This gallery includes shots of the exterior, interior, trunk, and the dashboard.
Check out our Photography page for more tips on how to make your listing photos pop.
2. Description: Give ‘em something to talk about
Why should people book your vehicle? What makes your service different? Answer this for your guests in the description.
Descriptions with over 100 words or 625 characters rank higher in the search results page.
You don’t need to be a professional writer to communicate effectively in your listing. If your listing’s a little light on words, open up the voice memo on your phone and record yourself answering the questions below as if you’re having a conversation. By recording yourself speaking, you’ll capture your style and attitude and be able to type this out in your description.
You may wind up talking about:
- What guests usually book your car for (e.g. visiting local attractions, going on camping trips) to inspire trip ideas
- How your vehicle enhances the guest experience (e.g. great fuel efficiency, spacious, reliable in snowy conditions or rocky terrain, equipped with winter tires)
- Your strengths as a host (e.g. responsive, accessible, flexible)
- Convenient perks such as offering free delivery, being close to a subway station, or specific discounts
- Your passion for cars and how much you love chatting with other guests about cars
- The rush of satisfaction you get when a guest leaves a review praising you for your excellent customer service
Once you’ve written your description, break up the text so it’s reader-friendly. Elan S.’s passion about his Tesla shines through in his car’s listing with phrasing like, “Rent the FIRST Tesla Model Y on Turo Canada!” and “VIP Tour of the Model Y — I’ll show you the car’s features and controls.” He also uses emojis to break up the text into bullets, so it’s easier for guests to skim.
3. Features: Show them how you roll
You invested good money in a good car, so make sure you show off all of its assets. Guests often filter for specific features when they search, like “all-wheel drive,” so you can amp up your listing’s search results simply by adding what you’ve already got. You can highlight specific features on your Turo listing such as its backup camera, heated seats, sunroof, or GPS.
The great thing about features is that they don’t have to be part of your car. They may be something that comes along with it, like a toll pass, pet friendliness, or the fact that it’s available for long-term bookings.
4. Extras: A cherry on top for your guests
Are you located next to a national park? Your guest may be interested in camping gear or a picnic basket. You can add all kinds of Extras to your listing to make your Turo guests’ trips more convenient and pleasant.
Plus, you keep 90% of your earnings from Extras. Some popular Extras include prepaid refuel or prepaid EV recharge and unlimited mileage.
5. Guidelines: Set your trips up for success
Set yourself up for successful trips by giving your guests the info they need. Sometimes, guests break your rules not because they have bad intent, but because they didn’t know it was a rule in the first place.
Your “Guidelines” section is a great opportunity to outline your expectations and ensure everyone has a great experience. They can cover:
- Specific requirements for handling your car
- Reminders about important Turo rules that your guests may miss
6. FAQs: Anticipate your guests’ questions
Guests can only message you after they book, so you can focus on confirmed trips. That said, your FAQ section can help answer any questions guests may have before booking.
Wondering what questions to include? Think about the most common questions you receive from guests immediately after they book. Do they have questions about your car? How to use it? Contactless key exchanges?
Write thorough answers to these questions in your FAQ to give guests peace of mind and encourage them to hit “Book.”
For example, Elan’s FAQ includes “How do I charge your electric car?” — a useful Q&A for people new to driving a Tesla.
Other hosts, like Jayson L., reassure their guests by providing answers to common concerns such as disinfection, parking fees at airports, and late-night pickups.
7. Respond to reviews: Demonstrate your commitment to customer service
Many guests want reassurance that you’ll be kind, responsive, and helpful if they book your car. A great way to demonstrate this early is by replying to your reviews.
If people leave you a five-star review with a detailed review, reply to them saying you’re glad they had a great experience and to hit you up if they’re ever in town again.
If someone leaves you a review with constructive criticism, thank them for their comment and let them know the steps you’ve taken to address this for the next time they wish to book your car. It’s also a positive way to get the last word in, so future guests know that negative experiences are an anomaly — not a common occurrence.
Review responses are a great way to demonstrate that you have a professional but approachable personality. It’s also a smart way to build relationships and generate repeat bookings.
8. Introduce yourself: Fill out your host profile
The great thing about Turo is that there’s a unique individual behind every car. Your guests want to know a little bit about the person whose car they’ll be driving, so be sure to introduce yourself by sharing details like:
- Why you got into car sharing
- What your hobbies are
- Your favourite road trips
- Your passion about cars
Not only does this make your listing more personable, it signals common interests to guests. It’s one added way to differentiate yourself from other hosts who may have a similar car at a similar price point.
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