Summer 2022 release - Airbnb category issues

[Clay0]

Hello all,

Airbnb has released a new design for searching using Airbnb categories. I notice 2 that specifically  apply to my property: "Amazing views" and "Cabin". However, when I filter on these categories, one at a time, in my specific area, my property does not appear.

How does airbnb determine which properties fall into a specific category? And is there anything that can be done to get my property in a category? This is going to be problematic to Hosts if Customers are relying heavily on these category filters for searching and Airbnb is leaving out host properties that most definitely apply to those categories.

I'd like to see if others see the same issue when searching on categories that apply to yours properties in your specific area.

Thanks

[Maxwell49]

I appreciate you taking a look. Until this release I was most often found on the first page and very often the first stay or in the top 3. 

[Ann72]

I figured that's what had been the case @Maxwell49.  I would not have gone past page three but I'm not seriously searching, narrowing things down and filtering.  Guests search differently and they get different results depending on their history, whether in search or by using Airbnb in the past.  Booking patterns are also very different this year compared to '20 and '21.

[Rebecca1740]

Hi @Emilie ,

My home is listed as a cabin, selected as a cabin in the drop down but does not appear in cabin searches. How can I fix this?

https://www.airbnb.com/h/robbinsvilleridgetopretreat

[Mark-and-Gabriela0]

Rebecca

the AI system “automatically “ chooses the categories…. IT DOESN’T WORK, plus automatically changes every TWO WEEKS!

that’s why we are asking to be removed, it’s a mess. 
90% of the listing are not shown.

guests can choose places by filters, CATEGORIES take out the visibility of our properties 

#airbnbdoesntcare

[Gayle12]

https://airbnb.com/h/thepondhouse

Our bookings are WAY down this season. We are usually booked solid, and this is our 8th year.  I am wondering if it's the new categories!?   I know we are expensive but this has never been an issue. Reading through this thread now. I  messaged with a super host help and they say that everything looks good and we are getting plenty of traffic.  I mean - we were the most wishlisted place in Massachusetts last year with hundreds of 5* reviews.  something seems very wrong. reading thru this thread now. 

[Patricia2634]

Hello Stephanie,

one issue I’m having now after the summer release is that my property is not coming up at all in the map when I search without entering a date, I’ve had other people search in the city and my property is not coming up. Before the update my property was the first property that would come up on the list, now the property is not showing at all and the Airbnb customer service reps are unable to tell me why, they told me a date must be entered. Which is not true; most people which contact me do so for dates which are not opened which tells me they are not entering a date at all and just want to know if any dates will become available. If my property is not coming up on the map or list like other properties in the area then how am I supposed to get bookings? 

[Emilie]

Hi @Patricia2634, 

I've done a quick test on one of your properties, which came first for me when entering dates:

That being said, I can only see very limited availability in your calendar - for a flexible search without dates, your listing is more likely to appear higher in results the more availability you have. There's more information about this here. 🙂

Either way, I will pass on your feedback to the team, thank you!

Emilie

[Mark-and-Gabriela0]

Stephanie 

are you going to help us? 

please Airbnb should delete categories, it is creating chaos and ruining our business 

[Basha0]

Once again Airbnb rolls out new shiny objects without researching how it all works 

[Kelly897]

@Stephanie  I also have the same issue.  Our tiny house is not being listed under tiny house category.

This is not a good thing. Since Tiny Houses are very popular these days.

[Chris1866]

@Stephanie Why have the titles changed for our listings? Instead of "Peaceful Cottage in an Olive Grove" I now have "Cottage in San Luis Obispo." That is not going to sell anything. I'm 10 miles outside of town. Hosts have worked hard to come up with descriptive titles to spark a prospective guest's interest, and now it's all generic blandness. What can we do?

[Emilie]

@Chris1866 This change only applies in the flexible category search. Everything displays as normal on any other stay search, and when a guest accesses your listing from the categories screen as well. 🙂

[Chris1866]

I searched on San Luis Obispo for specific dates and got the generic listing heading.

[Emilie]

@Chris1866 I've just tried it out and it seems to display your original title as normal now, so everything seems to be working ok!

[Chris1866]

Thanks for your input. Here's what I get when I search. I'd like the Peaceful Cottage title to show on a search like this. I really don't see the point of changing the titles.