Help! My listing is hidden 😢

[Jennifer2975]

Desperately need help! I’ve been hosting for 3 years. Every year I get fewer bookings despite being a super host and being extremely competitive with my pricing. All my friends and family have told me that they can’t find my listing at all. I did a search myself and I was shocked that my listing didn’t even show up on my own search. I called Airbnb support and they assured me that the listing is active. Any suggestions on how to get my listing visible again is greatly appreciated 😊❤️🙏

[Helen3]

I can see your listing @Jennifer2975 so it's not hidden.

Have you checked demand and supply in your area. You may be operating in an oversaturated market .

[Danlee1]

@Helen3 

Hello Helen, 

Can you share how to check supply and demand in an area? That would helpful to know!

Thank you!

Danlee

[Joan2709 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Jennifer2975 

Luv your place and lots of great reviews ! Looks like you are in an oversaturated market though with alot of competition. I did a search several different ways and didn't find your listing on the first 15 pages. 😥 On the off chance their is something wrong on the Airbnb side, I would contact them and make sure the listing shows "active". A few suggestions:

Title

This should highlight your top amenity. I would say that would be how close you are to the beach. Right now you mention the balcony view first (which is nice, but how close you are to the beach is better!) I would change your title to something like:

"1 Block to Beach! Balcony Ocean Views!"

Photos

Since your market is so saturated, the most impactful thing you can do at minimal cost is get professional photos done. Your market is very competitive and similar listings have much better quality photos. Market research shows photos are the most important factor in the success of your listing. The return you will get in increased bookings is well worth it. Most times you can deduct the cost as a business expense on your taxes also. I would get professional photos done and pick the top 25-40 photos. Many of your photos are not well lit, blurry or tilted. In order to stay competitive, you'll need to improve them.

Text On Photos

Airbnb restricts photos with text or logos on them. Not sure if your listing has been tagged by the algorithm because you have alot of text on many photos? I tried to find that in help articles, but could only find the one below for Experience photos. Airbnb does this mostly to prevent Hosts from sneaking in a link to a direct booking site. Just to note, too much text on photos is distracting. Put your text in the captions below photos; not on the photo image. I would remove the text from your photos just in case the algorithm has "tagged" your listing for this. You have 80+ photos. I would delete photos that are very blurry or not good quality for now. I would show how close you are to the beach with just a small red arrow (no text). 

No Text Or Logos On Photos For Experiences:

https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-experiences/a/photo-requirements-for-experiences-386

Maybe this one:

Cover Photo

This is of course the most important photo. It should highlight the best most unique amenity you have as compared to your competition and that seems to be your location so near the beachfront. Right now you have a collage cover photo and they don't usually do very well on Airbnb. This is because the thumbnail is just too small to try and cram 4 photos into it. I would delete the collage photo and try the photo below as your cover for now until you can get your professional photos done:

I would then place the photo below as your number 2 photo until you get your professional photos done. Exterior twilight photos do well according to market research:

This could be your number 3 photo with a small red arrow pointing toward house:

Try this for a month or two until you get your professional photos. You could also make the photo above your cover photo instead of the coffee cup on balcony photo. Change it up as you see the need. 

Let us know here how it goes. You have a fantastic property in a great location and I think getting those professional photos done will put you much higher in search rank and help you  compete in a very tough market. 👍 😊

[Danlee1]

@Jennifer2975 

Hello Jennifer, I have a very high performing listing that has been “disappearing” from searches on and off since October. For years I had usually been the very first listing that came up in searches. Long story short, after dozens of interactions with Customer Support, I was finally connected with someone “higher up” in support who told me that this was a glitch related to the new Winter Release. It continues to affect me (and others). Now it is happening each time I add a price promotion. Each time my listing disappears, I am just relentless with Customer Service until I get someone who acknowledges the issue. This is after countless responses from support people who give me “scripted” answers about everything being fine and my listing not showing up because of numerous “scripted” explanations…none of them are correct or make any sense. I usually search my own listing multiple times a week to check my competition for open dates and make adjustments…this how I first became aware of the issue. It has affected numerous hosts and I have not been able to detect the common thread yet…and perhaps there is not one. I am a Superhost, Guest Favorite, Rare Find, have perfect 5 star ratings and am almost always 98% booked or higher. I knew, no matter what reason I was given, it made absolutely zero sense for my listing to not come up at all. Once I get a Customer Support person who can help, my listing reappears and comes up first in searches again. I suggest you try to get your issue escalated by Customer Support to a “higher up” or more technically aware person and see if your listing is being affected by this glitch that has not yet been eradicated. 

[Joan2709]

Hi @Danlee1 

As I mentioned to @Jennifer2975 , Airbnb has gotten alot stricter about having text in photos, as I mentioned to @Jennifer2975 . I noticed your listing has quite a few photos with text in them (reviews, guest comments, etc.) I wasn't able to find the help article I had read for stays, but found this one for Experiences that restricts photos from having text or logos. Airbnb does this to prevent Hosts from sneaking in links to a direct booking site. Vrbo won't even allow a photo to be uploaded to the listing if it has text or a sign in the photo; it blocks you from posting it. Perhaps the algorithm is "tagging" your listing for this reason?  Might be worth removing the photos from your listing that show text and see if it makes a difference in your "disappearing listing" situation. Might be worth a shot?

No Text Or Logos On Photos For Experiences:

https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-experiences/a/photo-requirements-for-experiences-386

[Danlee1]

@Joan2709 

Thank you Joan! I was not aware of that. I don’t use VRBO, but for 12 years I have shared photos of guest comments and reviews without any negative consequences. But, I guess things may have changed. I was told that there is a search glitch, but I will try removing them and see if it makes a difference. I appreciate the thorough and thoughtful feedback that you always give. 

[Junior206]

Love your advice. im taking it thanks!! Love this group.

[Junior206]

Hi Joan this group brings me a little light. I to am struggling with some problem that i'm not booked out like I always have been. I to have talked to the scripted customer service, but just leaving asking WHY!!   May I ask if you would have time to review my listing, and give me a little insight. I would appreciate any insight you could give me.

[Joan2709]

Hi @Junior206 

Happy to help 😊. Which of your 2 listings did you need help with?

Casa Toros Apartment or the other listing?

[Leigh612]

Hi!

I am having EXACTLY the same issue. What is the recourse? I can’t get any real answer either. 
what can we do??

[Leigh612]

Hi,

I am having exactly the same issue.

Did you figure anything out?

[Jennifer2975]

No, I haven't been able to get anywhere on it. All the reps tell me is to update my photos...of course with no bookings I really can't do that. My place is totally dead 😞 It's so sad because my neighbor's house is more expensive to rent, not as nice, and further back from the beach-but on the map it's showing closer to the beach than mine and he's booked all the time. I just think my listing is shadow banned.