When you own a holiday property, Airbnb is undoubtedly the place to be with 150 million members (and growing). However, rivalry can be intense. Your neighborhood’s other holiday properties are competing for the same potential clients. Listing your home and waiting for reservations to come in is insufficient.
How can you be more noticeable in the search results? How can you improve your ranking? We examined Airbnb’s search algorithm in-depth to find the answers to these concerns, as well as some strategies you may use to improve your ranking.
Rankings on Airbnb are Determined by Many Factors
In actuality, Airbnb evaluates over 100 different variables when determining the order of vacation rental listings in search results. However, they clarify that some characteristics influence their search algorithm more than others. These consist of:
Listing Excellence
This entails publishing high-quality property images and accurately describing your home—as well as its distinctive features—in your home listing.
Popularity
Your property will appear higher in search results as more visitors click on it, add it to their wish list, contact you, or book a stay.
Price
The pricing factors that Airbnb’s algorithm takes into account include how your rate compares to other nearby vacation homes (homes with comparable facilities and guest capacities) for those same dates.
Among other things, Airbnb may take into account:
- How many times people visit your vacation rental listing.
- Your speed of responding to messages and requests for accommodation.
- Your accessibility.
- How frequently you take reservations.
- How often you cancel reservations.
- How well visitors evaluate your property following their visit.
- If your listing is new to the platform, Airbnb gives it an initial boost to build momentum.
The Good News is That You Can Modify Your Airbnb Ranking
While Airbnb doesn’t reveal their exact ranking system or algorithm, the good news is that you can influence how you’re ranked. Among the best techniques to raise your ranking are:
- Provide coveted luxuries
The majority of people who use Airbnb narrow down their search results by using amenities. Offer the features that visitors desire in your vacation rentals. Consider adding a hot tub, excellent WIFI, central A/C, and/or allowing pets in your home. Include a description of those amenities in your listing so that anyone searching for such features will find your property.
- Make your listing better
Making your listing as appealing as you can makes sense given that Airbnb considers how frequently guests interact with and contact you. Get their attention by:
Include only images that showcase your home in a professional, appealing, and attractive manner.
Writing a vacation rental listing that sets the mood and depicts the guest experience appropriately is crucial.
- Expand the dates
Your calendar’s flexibility to accommodate visitors’ travel dates increases as it has more availability. Add availability to your calendar so you’re more likely to appear in people’ search results rather than blocking time off for yourself or to see family and friends.
- Change the rent you charge
Utilizing demand-based pricing for your Airbnb is one of the best pricing techniques. For instance, charging more while a well-attended event is taking place and less during slower weeks. Listings with the highest value typically appear higher in the search results on Airbnb.
- Develop your 5-star rating
Owners of vacation homes that continuously provide exceptional service (and have a deluge of 5-star ratings to show it) will experience an increase in their ranking over time. There isn’t much customer feedback yet? Here’s how to increase your number of positive Airbnb guest reviews.
- Make prompt decisions
It can assist your ranks in search results if you routinely respond to booking inquiries within 24 hours. Conversely, consistently turning down requests or worse, canceling reservations after you’ve already confirmed them can hurt your rankings.
Your vacation home is on its way to ranking higher in search results now that you have a better understanding of Airbnb’s ranking methodology and this useful advice.
