Study finds Airbnb hosts who smile get more bookings

A new study shows that Airbnb hosts who smile in their profile photos can get more bookings. Hosts with a smile see an average increase of 3.5% in bookings. The study, done by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, Harvard Business School, Columbia Business School, University of Rochester, and Yale School of Management, is forthcoming in the Journal of Consumer Research. Smiling hosts, especially those with higher uncertainty in their listings, e.g., hosts with less experience or those with properties in high-crime areas, see a significant boost in demand. A smile may reduce perceived uncertainty and improve Read More