Let's talk about search

[Ann72]

Some of us got off-topic on another thread, but I wanted to talk about it some more, so I'm starting this.

I'm SO curious about how guests use the filters when they search but I know that as @Ute42 said we will never be told.  I have heard that the algorithm uses something like 100 factors to rank our listings.  But how do guests search and how are the results impacted by what filters they use?

It might be interesting for 4 or 5 of us to conduct the exact same search with an incognito window.  We can decide on a place, dates, and number of guests and then screenshot what we find.  I don't know if this will actually tell us anything, but that's the nature of experiments.

Would love to hear what you've all observed.  Full disclosure - I have no idea how people find my places, since the location part of the algo is so very, very strange.  I'm sometimes more likely to show up in a search for a town an hour's drive away than I am for a search in my town.

@Ute42 @Sarah977 @Katrina79 @Robin4 @Emilia42 @Debra300 @Kelly149 @Anonymous @Colleen253 @Anna9170 

[Debra300]

@Anonymous,

I thought about the voucher/credit scenario when I wrote the post, but omitted it.  I've visited NYC a few times, and since I am no longer trying to hang out all night long, I stayed at better than okay, but definitely not posh places, but have had the issues raised in the reviews of the hotel highlighted in this thread.  The last place that I stayed, The Element Times Square, offered very nice amenities for the money five years ago, and based upon that I'd probably stay there again.  I just checked, and reviews indicate that recently the standards have taken a significant decline.  I will attribute poor staffing, resources and standards to COVID-19, but probably wouldn't stay there again until I saw markedly improved reviews.

Actually, the next time I go up north I'll take the PATH over from/to NJ, and stay at @Mark116's rental.  I have a voucher that's expiring by the end of Q1.

[Anonymous]

@Debra300  That sounds like a great plan! I love it when hosts from the online community connect IRL. When I was at the Airbnb Open in Paris in 2015 I had the pleasure of joining some of the original ladies of the CC for a delightful apéro. It was by far the highlight of an event that unfortunately coincided with a not-ideal time to be in Paris.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

I know hosts who have an apartment for 6 guests in the same street as we do. They are usually on the top of the search results and booked solid all the time (ok, not now due to Covid) . The secret of their success is simple - they host EVERYONE so they appear in everyone's search - they accept 1 nighters, kids, pets, smokers (they have a balcony for them), they have moderate prices, weekly discounts, parking place....

So if you ask me, I think the search result depends on how many people will get your listing in their search. For example, we have 2 nights min,  and we are not kids friendly and we have a cleaning fee (not sure if that matter thou )