Critique my listing - Stephan from Vienna, Austria

[Stephan4236]

* I have experienced a total drop off in bookings since early January. Before that my average booking rate was at 87% for the previous 18 months

* The visibility of my listing on Airbnb is very poor (even via Incognito mode and using a VPN). On the map the listing only shows up at maximum zoom in. At medium zoom (on my neighborhood), it is listed on page 15 despite great feedback and "guest favorite" status.

* The listing type is set to "room" in loft. When searching for a property to book on Airbnb.com it shows up as "place to stay". I don't know what that means. More strange is that the property does not show up at all when the filter for "room only" is activate in the Airbnb search.

* I am a professional photographer and have turned down the repeated offers by Airbnb to send me a free photographer. I have messaged support explaining that I don't need the free photoshoot. Am I still getting penalized for this?

* I have done every conceivable thing for listing optimization, from changing the copy of the listing regularly to offering a long list of amenities. Changing the cancellation policy to flexible doesn't work for me, which is the only thing I could still do to score more points with Airbnb's algorithm as I see it. What did I miss?

* I lost my superhost status for 1 single involuntary cancellation (1 guest who arrived 2 hours after the announced checkin and who only stayed for 1 night wasn't able to unlock the door and when airbnb support couldnt reach me they slapped me with a host cancellation. It seems I can only get the superhost status back in 9 months when I get back below 1% cancellation. This is hugely frustrating. Anything I can do about this? Could this be the reason or a factor for the poor performance even though all other metrics are ok?

Here is the link to the listing: airbnb.com/h/vienneseloft

Your help is much appreciated, I've read up on this a lot and have tried so many things and I am at my wit's end.

Thanks!

main listing image

[Joan2709 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Stephan4236 

I think you are on the right track as far as changing the property type so as to appear in more guest searches:

Property Type

I suggest you change your property type to the "Rooms" category. This will help you appear in searches and is going to get you more views than "Place to Stay".  More guests will be searching under "Rooms" category in your area and you will appear more often in searches. Recent changes to the algorithm may be favoring that category over "Places to Stay". I would keep the wording about it's a loft in the description.

What Are Airbnb Rooms

https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-homes/a/what-are-airbnb-rooms-613

How to Setup Your Rooms Listing

https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-homes/a/how-to-set-up-your-rooms-listing-614

What Listings Are Not Considered as a Room?:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/3400

"....A loft, room or other space without a door that separates it from other spaces in the home..."

If the guest space (bedroom) doesn't have a door to separate it from other spaces in the home, technically Airbnb says it can't be listed as "room".

Extra Guest Fees

Any kind of extra fees are a real turn-off to guests and fees have received alot of negative press lately in the media. You advertise your place for 4 guests, but start charging extra guest fees after 1 guest? I think this is hurting you. I would just increase your nightly rate to compete with other similar listings that aren't charging addl guests fees like you (I checked a few out and they aren't charging addl guest fees). If you really still want to charge an addl guest fee, I would only charge it after 3 guests and most Hosts only charge $15-$25 for an addl guest.

Property Description

I would clarify exactly where the unit is located? It isn't clear in your description. Is it a loft over a business on the bottom floor? Will there be noise from the business? If so, add that under "Potential for Noise" in listing under Property Info.

Recent Airbnb Cancellation

Just curious, do you have Pro Tools turned on? If so, your recent issue with cancellation might show up on the Insights page under "Listing Issues." I would take a look: 

[Stephan4236]

Hi @Joan2709 ,

Thank you for your kind reply.  Thanks to you I was finally able to figure out why the listing was displayed as "place to stay" even thought in my listing options it was listed as "private room". It was of course, as you pointed out, because the property type was set to "loft". I have now changed it to condo. It would have taken me hours to figure this out!

Nothing is listed under listing issues but I still find it frustrating that it seems I will have to wait a year to get the superhost status back... 

I have added some additional info on location and potential for noise. This was also valuable feedback as one of the unique features is how quiet it is, thanks to the unit being in a courtyard.

Thanks again!

[Joan2709]

Yaayyyy @Stephan4236 👏

Yes, definitely highlight how quiet it is wherever you can on the listing!

[Stephan4236]

Hi again Joan, 

wondering if you have an idea what's going on now. I have changed the listing type to condo. 

When I open the listing to show all the details. The title of the listing is displayed as "Private room in condo..."

But strangely on the search page the listing is still shown as "Place to stay" and the listing doesn't show up at all when I filter for "rooms only".

Any thoughts?

[Joan2709]

Hi @Stephan4236 

When Airbnb first introduced the "Rooms" alot of Hosts had problems with it. You should see the little "passport icon" on your cover photo and different layout on the first page of a listing that is categorized as a "Room" (which is the category you should be in). You're definitely not considered a loft by Airbnb if you have separate bedroom with door for guests. I'm thinking it's something to do with how you have set up the property type? I'm not very knowledgeable about the Rooms category as I haven't worked with any Hosts who are classified as "Rooms" by Airbnb.

Try logging on to your account and then go to this help article about setting up Rooms and click the icon at the bottom "Update Your Listing" and see where it takes you:

How to Setup Your Rooms Listing

https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-homes/a/how-to-set-up-your-rooms-listing-614

If you can't figure it out, then you'll have to contact Airbnb to help you get your lisiting in the Rooms category. Your place is probably more like a room in a home or room in an apartment, but not sure? If there are other "condos" in the building it wouldn't really be considered a home? It does have shared spaces though, so should be in the "Rooms" category and that is where most guests would be searching anyway where you are located.

Let us know how it goes?