We’re testing a fresh new look for your listing

[Airbnb]

You may have noticed some listings look a little different lately, either within the main listing page or when they show up in search results. That’s because we’re testing a few changes that we hope will make it easier for guests to learn about your space.

What’s being tested?

We’re looking at new ways to display important information to potential guests. Here are some of the changes we’re testing:

• Key details—like title and rating—will be displayed above your photos on the listing page
• New links will quickly take guests to reviews, photos, and your listing overview
• Your listing type, title, and price will show up more clearly in the search results page

Why is this test happening?

These changes are intended to help guests find the information they need more easily and to bring more design consistency across the platform. But before we roll them out to all users, we first want to understand how guests are responding—and tests like this are an important part of that feedback process.

Is my listing included in the test?

Most likely, yes, even if you haven’t noticed any changes. Your listing will only feature the updated look for some users (so one guest viewing it might encounter the new design, while another gets the old one).

Will my listing information change?

No. All listing information will stay the same—we’re simply testing a new way of displaying it, one that will give more prominence to the details that matter most.

How long will the test run for?

We’ll be monitoring the impact of these new designs anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to get results.

We know changes to the platform can sometimes be a little jarring, and we’re trying to be better about explaining the “why” behind them. Thank you for your ongoing support, and please let us know if you have any questions or feedback in the comments below.

[Trevor243]

I've just checked 2 of our properties to compare old style vs new style. For info, the new style showed up in Preview Listing on the Firefox browser, the old style was viewed in Chrome browser (normal listing, not preview). Both viewed on a laptop.

The changes mentioned are showing up. They are minor changes - repositioning of the * rating and new (shortcut) links below the photos, moving the Share and Save buttons / links from "over" the photos to above them. The information below the photos remains mostly as before.

Does it look ok? Yes. Do the changes seem to make sense? Yes. Will we see any real benefit from them? Don't know.

Something not mentioned is that the photos are now smaller. On the old listings, the 5 photos stretched across the full width of my laptop screen - now they cover the same width as the text below. This means more whitespace - and whitespace is wasted space.

The new layout doesn't address an existing problem of important / useful information being "below the fold" - users still have to scroll down to see it. For example, the selling points:

Entire home

You’ll have the chalet to yourself.

Self check-in

Check yourself in with the lockbox.

Sparkling clean

2 recent guests said this place was sparkling clean.

Great location

100% of recent guests gave the location a 5-star rating.

One of my properties has an 11% special offer running. Again, this is hidden below the fold, just as before.

I would like to see a future update that moves to full screen width and full 2 columns. This might mean displaying only 3 or 4 photos, with the but would make the selling points and special offers more visible. With my very limited skills in graphics, I've knocked up an example as below. Any thoughts or comments? Is this something AirBnB might change to later?

[Stephanie]

Absolutely excellent feedback @Trevor243 and it's ever so useful for when we are running these test! 

[Sarah977]

@Trevor243  How strange- mine is showing the exact opposite- the changes show when I am in Chrome, and no changes in the Firefox browser.

[Emilia42]

@Airbnb 

- For the life of me I cannot figure out why the 'Home Highlight' section is of any importance and why it has always taken up so much room as the top of the page. "20 recent guests said this place was sparkling clean." I don't know what that truly means. Out of how many? Were there guests who did not find the place sparking clean? How come I have never seen this number on any listing go above 20 even though there could be hundreds of reviews? It's useless information.

- The "Entire Home" indication is misleading. Guests see Entire Home and think just that. But a private guest suite, an apartment, etc. is NOT the same thing as an Entire home to yourself. But is all fits into the same category and guests stop reading at Entire Home.

- House rules are still buried. In my eyes the most important information on my listing page is in the "You must also acknowledge" section. It is clear and concise and quickly lists the essential information that is going to make or break a guest's stay. That information is hidden. Gee, I sure hope guests will see and fully grasp it before they arrive and have different expectations.

[Cor3]

Hi @Emilia42,

Airbnb apparently considers the last 20 guests as your set of recent guests.

In other words, recent can mean 20 nights, but maybe also 3 years or more.

Ps.

This particular number is populated, from the compliments left by your recent 20 guests.

[Emilia42]

@Cor3 But why is that so important? Does it really matter to potential guests whether that number is 8 or 15 or 20? Potential guest don't know where that number stems from and if it wasn't there at all they wouldn't bat an eye.

[Jeff89]

Are they still sorting the guests' reviews by country of origin?

[Rachel0]

Totally agree with @Emilia42.  The Home Highlights are of little importance and even less accuracy.  Last week, before the new format was introduced, 15 people had apparently said that my home was "sparkling clean." Now only 14 are saying it, so presumably one has changed their mind  or dropped into a pool of mess  somewhere.

However, more importantly, the House Rules seem to be given increasingly less prominence.  I am now getting asked all the time what my check in time is or, even  worse, not asked and then told that the guest is going to arrive "sometime around 10pm or later" when my check in time is 3pm to 9pm.  

Just another example of Airbnb getting its priorities wrong.

[Blake97]

I wish you guys would fix the price tips instead! I haven’t been able to see them for 4 weeks via the iPhone app or the web version!! I rely on these to get empty nights booked. 

[Jeff89]

They don't waste time fixing problems or platform bugs. They think its more important to spend  time experimenting with new design layouts that inevitably create other problems. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

I worked as a freelance web designer for about 8 years and I am the host and the guest for 3,5 years, so let's see ...  🙂

What I DO LIKE is the new calendar is finally showing all available nights, even those when check-in or out is not possible. HALLELUJAH!

But, the text bubble "host is not available" for dates when check-in isn't possible could be confusing for guests, especially if the unit has a self-check-in option. Guests will wonder why would they need a host? Instead, It should say "check-in is not possible", simple and clear as that.

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We got the "CONTACT HOST"  button FINALLY ! 🙂 But please make it red to be more prominent. Hosts are constantly getting booking requests while the guest just wants to ask a question but can't find the contact link. That's bad because hosts are penalized when they decline a few requests!

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LOCATION section, the big map is great, but under the map, there is a left column of text with a "read more" button while the right column is empty. Why? Just spread the text to the right column as well and drop the button. Users like to stay on the same page and not wait for another page to load.

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HOUSE RULES should be displayed more prominently, under listing description and not buried under reviews.

Custom house rules SHOULD NOT BE HIDDEN behind "read more" barely visible link. Guests have no idea there are some custom house rules at all. It is very important for hosts and for guests to read them !!!!

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HOME HIGHLIGHTS  are senseless and useless, it's a waste of space

the same with those little icons of appreciations or however, you call that ( amazing amenities, sparkling clean, outstanding hospitality etc...  it's unnecessary kitsch. We have star ratings in 6 categories just above and reviews bellow and that's enough.

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And now please add a PET FEE option !!!!!!!! we are waiting for years. Thank you 🙂

[Marcy1]

Yes, pet fee PLEASE! I just quit allowing pets due to the hassle of collecting through extra services -- which doesn't allow collection at the time of booking now that Airbnb actively promotes only paying half of the fee at the time of booking--and one cannot get the extra service paid until that time which is approx. 10 days before the reservation.  I think half payment should be an option that is chosen, not selected automatically by airbnb programmers. And, until there is a pet fee option for guests, that extra services requested at the time of booking should be paid at that time as well so hosts don't have to have a list of non-payers....

[Kay143]

I especially agree with points 3, 5, 6 and 7. These are issues that I often have to deal with.

[Charolette0]

i vote for a pet fee option as well...a family wanted to come here on inquiry regarding a room that sleeps 4 (bunks and queen  beds) but they had 7 pets.  That plus my 3 dogs would not have worked even as big as my house is, but had i needed the booking...the pet fee would have been a blessing!