Posting feedback

[Laura8194]

Hello,

I’m new to hosting and I would like feedback please on my listing. I received the first bookings quickly and now after 4 weeks I have very little traction. I searched my zip code and was close to the bottom. I’ve had 7 bookings and all perfect stars. I’ve adjusted my pricing and am well within the market. 

thoughts?  

[Shelley159]

Hi @Laura8194 

You seem to be doing great!

If you want to rank higher without lowering the price, you could try free cancellation and see how much that helps you to move up when you check in private mode. If you don't like it or it doesn't raise your rank enough, you can always change it back.

(As you seem to know, lowering the price is usually the biggest factor that moves you up)

[Laura8194]

Thank you @Shelley159, I had decent traffic in March and April and now I have just a single booking in May forward. I feel my price is very competitive for the amenities I offer. 

do you think lowering to 2 guests moves the needle in ranking at all? 

[Shelley159]

Hi @Laura8194 

You mean you're considering changing to a fixed fee for up to 2 guests, and then charging per person thereafter?

The impact on rank will depend on the fixed price and per-person charge you choose - lower price will rank higher on average, and price is (unfortunately for our income!) a huge factor in the algorithm.

At the moment your entire listing price makes you most visible for 4 guests and least visible for 1.

The best way to track the effect of any price changes (and experiment with other variables like free cancellation) is to find your listing in private mode and to change one thing at a time and see how it moves up. Do this for 2, 3 and 4 guests in turn, until you're happy with your position and the sacrifices you make.

One practical disadvantage of a per-guest charge is that you may feel the need to check up more to see whether they're declaring all the guests. Many hosts complain here about unpaid extra guests and the fights that follow. I prefer the entire listing price to avoid the drama and to keep things simple, but you need to see what works best for you!

[Laura8194]

Thank you Shelley!  How do I go into private mode to check these things?