How can Hosts benefit from Airbnb’s redesign?

[Quincy]

As people start to feel comfortable traveling again, they’re not always sure where to go first—or when. So we just introduced a whole new way for guests to explore listings and discover great places like yours.

The new features can help you reach more guests in the earliest stages of trip planning. For example, we’ve added 21 Airbnb Categories, from Camping to Iconic Cities, to highlight great stays that guests can browse. Your listing could pop up in someone’s feed as soon as they open the app.

As a Host, you can improve your chances of getting noticed by making sure your listing details are as current and complete as possible—and complemented by attractive photos of your space. You can find out more on the Resource Center. 

What’s one thing you’ve done recently to make your listing really shine?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Quincy Or anyone really...... Where do I find the category for our properties? Can the host change it/add it or if not how does it work?

[Quincy]

Hi @Mike-And-Jane0! Listings are categorised algorithmically so Hosts cannot categorise their own listing. However, you can increase your likelihood of appearing in a category by making sure you have selected all of the relevant amenities and by highlighting them with front-page worthy photos. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

Thanks @Quincy - Another question -How do I find out if I have been algorithm'd  Into a category

[Stephanie]

Hi @Mike-And-Jane0 ,

Currently, the best way to see what categories you surface in is to browse the categories yourself. 

Select the category you’re interested in, using dates when you know your listing has availability. Then select the map view and zoom in to display your location, and select Show list. If your listing is included in the category, you should see it both on the map and in the list view.

Keen to hear your thoughts and feedback!

Thanks,

Stephanie

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Stephanie then I guess I have to wait as I can't search by category yet.

[Stephanie]

@Mike-And-Jane0 should be live now? Try this URL.

To get to the Categories, you need to go through "I'm Flexible".

Thanks

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Stephanie Found it. My feedback is that categories don't work.

It would appear that there is only 1 property in Derbyshire with a view and the chalets in a marina (a bit like a static caravan site) are the only properties in countryside that are available for a week in August. 

Just like the guys in Jaws who needed a bigger boat I guess Airbnb needs a bigger algorithm.

[Julie1247]

I agree, in one category that my properties should be shining there are only 29 properties to choose from, none in the area I have selected and one of them is listed 9 times! I can’t find any of my 7 properties anywhere and I’m not getting bookings!

[Kimberly718]

Stephanie, Are you serious? Here's my feedback. This is a disaster!!!! Airbnb's decided that I don't know my property so well and that their Ai can do a better job of categorizing and selecting for me a preview image that better represents my listing. I DONT think so.

My historical, 300 year old farm located in the iconic Mystic, Connecticut area in New England, offers a luxury stay with mountain and pastoral views of my herd of horses and Texas longhorns, we are minutes from the Ocean (Beach), National and Historic parks, designer accommodations, mountain views and beautifully situated in the countryside of one of New England's most picturesque coastlines. My listing now only appears under Farmstay #53 of the whopping 56 categories. To which if I was looking for a farm stay now in coastal Connecticut, close to Mystic (the most searched for town in CT and top 5 in New England) I am shown farm stays that are over 200 miles away and not anywhere near the coast. My 5-star listing is buried deep among "farm stays" many which are barely 4 stars and don't even have a farm. My bookings have STOPPED since this change. My daily views have gone from 30 on avg to 0, my saves 0, bookings 0. Airbnb is killing my business. I don't understand why this couldn't have been an added widget to help those looking to explore unique stays while still keeping the workhorse of this platform which is about empowering hosts to create unique experiences that travelers love. Please don't give us canned how to links to show us how to try to renavigate a system that was working really well. This is such a blunder.  

[Julie1247]

I couldn’t agree with you more Kimberly! It is a total disaster! My bookings have gone to zero as well! I can’t find any of my 7 properties I have listed and like you when I search I am getting properties that are hundreds of kilometres away from the location I have requested and some listings showing multiple times, up to 9 I counted on one, with other duplicated properties that gave a choice of about 4 out of the measly 29 that were offered. Why did they change anything!? It seemed to be working fine, they’ve killed it, I’m going to another platform for all my listings. 

[Claire1772]

I’m a host… but truly interested in visiting your AHmazing property!!! It sounds so gorgeous and I love horses.  Wish I knew how to find your property 

[Sasha216]

I agree too @Kimberly718 . I was buzzing along great with my bookings and now it is CRICKETS. I hope the collective feedback will influence Airbnb to reverse course. Don't 'fix' something that is not broken. Personally, when I am searching Airbnb as a traveler, I do not want to sort via categories. We just booked a place in Whistler, BC for August and Winter Park, CO for July, if I'd chosen to limit my searches based on categories I would have never found the places I ultimately ended up booking. I'm really disappointed and feeling the bad  effects of this design change.  

[Christine2422]

100% agree, the summer update has destroyed many, many, excellent airbnb hosts business's, ours included. We are based in the UK at Lands End in Cornwall a very picturisque area with history, we have an Iron age village 2 miles away, amazing scenery and beautiful beaches, the Atlantic ocean is on three sides of our properties  we have 14 beaches within 5 square miles.We are not showing in any of the relevant category's. Our bookings have fallen off a cliff at a time when we should be full.We like you have strived for perfection obtaining great reviews over numerous properties covering several years. This now appears to count for nothing.

This is a huge mess, all we get from super host support is a scripted response, as if we are new to hosting with NO experience. Why was this major change not first operated has a BETA version whilst continuing to operate the original system. This cannot continue, AirBnb must make an immediate reversal to the original system whilst the mess of the new system is corrected.

[Eddie-And-Sandi0]

@Kimberly718 @Quincy  Hi Kimberly, I totally agree with you. 

I have one property in Miami it is very centrally located.

The listing is in a quiet residential neighborhood surrounding restaurants, museums, beaches, nightlife, just a perfect area. We get outstanding reviews, 15-20 bookings a month, and plenty of views. Now we have 0-10 views, no bookings, no hope for the future, no inquiries.

Aside from the fact that they removed my nice personalized title that I worked so hard to present the listing in an attractive way.  They have given me a title with a location that has nothing to do with me or the area I am in. I decided to write to you because I agree with you and all the other hosts that have expressed our concerns yet nothing is being done. I do not see that Mr. Chesky nor the Airbnb care and I fear they will lose all these amazing Super Hosts. He made unrealistic changes not taking into account the real hosts that make this platform work so well. The categories they have created exclude so many great listings and potential experiences for guests. Where is the category for the amazing hospitality my guests can expect to receive?  The average guest wants to come and visit my place because it is in the heart of Miami, it is quiet, clean, they can easily come in and out, enjoy nice restaurants, beaches, and not pay an outrageous amount of money to visit all the sights they would like to see. These categories seem to only include mansions, luxurious pools, high end cabins with mountain views, and so many more boxes that do not allow the majority of hosts a chance. We bring in a lot of revenue to Airbnb with only one listing. The prices are astronomical for these new categories and the majority of people are not looking for this extreme luxury because for that you might as well stay at a five star hotel. Not to mention the inaccuracy of these changes. What happened to Airbnb starting with just a mattress in an apartment? Like most businesses, once the money is flowing the big fish start to eat the little fish and completely forget we exist. Airbnb was originally inspired by hosts like us trying to free ourselves and find creative ways to use what we have to not only have an income, but to share with guests our beloved city and what we do best, host! These changes make hosts like us feel not good enough. I will continue to hold on and wait for bookings however if nothing changed I guess Airbnb will become a thing of the past and I will no longer recommend it the way I once did. Please read the feedback from all of us hosts and take into consideration the damage you have done to us. Please do better. Thank you so much for reading. I am willing to do anything on my end to help as much as I can.

Sandi in Miami