Listings show surrounding areas first before the requested region

[Dave-and-Connie1]

We have 2 Airbnb listings on the same property. When I do a search of "all" Airbnb properties for our zip code in Georgia one of our listings gets shown AFTER neighboring cities' listings are shown. Some are 40 minutes away! Why would 2 same kind of rooms, side by side to each other, not show within the same zip code search? We were doing fine with the search function until 2 or 3 weeks ago until Airbnb rolled out changes. Airbnb says nothing is wrong with the algorithm as it's always updating. But we've been doing this for over 3 years with no problems like this until now.

Does anyone experience this too? How have you resolved it?

If I search a particular city I surely don't want to be sent to another city until I've seen all in that city. Makes sense?

[Emiel1]

@Dave-and-Connie1 

As you can see both listings are in the search system:

https://www.airbnb.com/s/homes?host_id=238138249&map_toggle=true

Are you sure they do not show up both ? As you can see they "overlay" each other on the map, did you zoom in on the map to make both visible ?

[Mary778]

Having the same problem with my 2 listings at the same property.

[Emiel1]

@Mary778 

it is not exactly same issue, as your listings are not in same location:

https://www.airbnb.com/s/homes?host_id=11278432&map_toggle=true

[Mary778]

Well depends on how far you zoom the map, they are both located on the same property, not too far from each other.

[Dave-and-Connie1]

I see what you are saying Mary778. I searched for Prineville and got a bunch of listings, then it jumps to Redmond 20 miles away, and then I get your listing back in Prineville. That's weird! I didn't make any special designations.

By the way, looks gorgeous! If ever I get out towards Prineville we'll have to check out your place. Unless I want to stay in Redmond :).

[Dave-and-Connie1]

Type into search "Tyrone, GA." Choose any date you wish. I chose The first 4 results are in Tyrone (including one of our units).  The next result: Villa Rica (31 miles, 47 minutes away!). Result 6 & 7 are Tyrone. Next...Sharpsburg, Newnan (16 miles, 25 minutes), Peachtree City, Tyrone (11th result), Newnan, Peachtree City, Senoia (15 miles, 25 minutes), Newnan, Tyrone (16th result), Newnan (a TENT!!), Newnan, Senoia, Palmetto (10 minutes), Fayetteville (10+ miles, 20+ minutes), and then on the 22nd result is my second unit. This is based on searching TYRONE. This is what I'm talking about. A search result that takes me to other cities many miles away before giving me my place, in my town, to join my other unit which is located in the same house, same town, same kind of listing.

If I zoom in the map area, which takes in only the neighboring edges of towns, there are 13 non Tyrone results (!) and we are then 23rd listing!

This only started in the past several weeks. My place did not move. My search request did not change. If you don't get something like this when you search Tyrone then something is messed up on my search function and then I am ready to hear how to fix my search function within Airbnb.

[Emiel1]

@Dave-and-Connie1 

If i search for "Tyrone,GA" it shows me over 1000 listings !

Do you expectboth of your listings show up on top of that list ?

There are many parameters involved in a search process, including the IP-address (=location) of the searcher and also if the user is logged in or not.

When zooming in both of your listings start to show up, but they are not both in top results. That's how the search system works. Even on the website or on the app you will experience different results.

IMO there is nothing wrong with the search results, only your listings are in in same spot, which maybe could result in overlooking one when the searcher is focussed on the map only.

So for me i see no issue, sorry.

[Dave-and-Connie1]

I don't expect both of my listings to be in the top of the list and In what I've written you can see that is not my complaint. I expect that a search for a particular city will get results in that city first. Not one that is nearly an hour away before coming back to results in my city. Isn't that the reason for a geographical search?

And as I also said, this problem of not seeing all the Tyrone units was not an issue until the past couple of weeks. Prior to that a search of Tyrone, GA gave me all the Tyrone Airbnbs before it wandered off to neighboring towns . . . and it never showed Airbnbs 40 minutes away on the first page of results because there are dozens of good candidates within the area of search.

My frequent search experience shows this is a change in the system's search engine since the recent update. Perhaps this is what Airbnb decided it wanted to change, but it is not what used to be.

IMO it is a problem.

An example, if I want to visit family in Leeuwarden I will look at the places in the Leeuwarden and once it jumps to Sneek or Dokkum then I will think that's the end of places in Leeuwarden. Thus I will give up looking further into the listings, unless I can't find what I want and go looking further and I see more for Leeuwarden. Why aren't they clumped together?

That's what a traveler wants . . . results in their search area.

Thank you for your effort,

goedenacht

[Exclusive-Holiday-Homes0]

Hello @Dave-and-Connie1  I am having the exact same issue, did you solve this?

[Joan2709]

@Dave-and-Connie1 @Exclusive-Holiday-Homes0 @Mary778 

Airbnb's search algorithm used to show all listings in a particular city and then move on to outlying areas. However, that all changed in the summer of 2023 when Airbnb totally revamped the search algorithm. It now searches for what listings are "popular" (getting booked), even if those listings are outside the search city the guest entered.

The algorithm knows which listings are most likely to be booked based on popularity, price and other factors. If it sees that a listing 20 miles away from the search city is getting booked, it will offer up a few of the top booked listings in the search city and then shift to other areas outside the search city and offer those up instead. This means that recency of bookings at your listing play a big factor. Of course, this is a catch 22. If your listing is bypassed in favor of listings outside the search city, then of course you can't become "more popular" as your listing falls down lower in the search rank or doesn't appear at all in the first 15 pages. It also knows if the guest normally selects listings with a particular amenity and you don't have that amenity, it will search for those that do; even if it means moving to other nearby cities and towns. 

This adversely affected many Hosts in 2023; many of who had to list on other platforms (like Vrbo) who does not use the same tight geographical search algorithm. Vrbo does use amenity search filters and other filters, but not the same tight geographical filter that Airbnb does. 

[Exclusive-Holiday-Homes0]

Dear Joan. Thank you very much for your reply, it’s very much appreciated. 

i think I’m facing a different issue since it only happens where I have two or more listings in the same area. 

for example I have two villas next door to one another, they are almost identical in all aspects be it price, reviews, rating (both 4.9+), amenities etc. the only difference is calendar availability, and I use different photos and text. 

however one villa is on the first page of the search results for the locality, the other is on the last page after properties which have low score or from a nearby area ! 

it’s a huge problem and the second listing is only surviving as I get the bookings on the first villa and then move them to the second listing 

I very much appreciate anyone’s and everyone’s input on this ! 

[Joan2709]

@Exclusive-Holiday-Homes0 

Please provide links to the 2 listings that are involved...you have multiple listings.

[Exclusive-Holiday-Homes0]

Dear Joan, many thanks, pls see below

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/22310925?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=b6c20c83-5ab0-47e5-8ee5...

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/46759293?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=bfc815d6-34c5-47ae-8724...

[Joan2709]

@Exclusive-Holiday-Homes0 , @Dave-and-Connie1 , @Mary778 

In the Listing Editor, what have you chosen for Location sharing settings? Specific or general? 

If you have the specific slider on, I suggest you change ONE of the listings to general so the map "bubbles" are not on top of one another in guest view.

You can also contact Airbnb and have them move the map pin on one of the listings to make the bubbles even further apart (there is a limit to how far you can move the map pin).