Where is my listing?

[Danielle1703]

I am so confused! My listing has been active for 6 months and we've had two bookings. Both were very soon after posting. Since then, there have been zero views of our list. I can't even find it on the map when I search. I would love to understand why this might be the case. 

Thank you in advance. 

[Danlee1]

@Danielle1703 

I searched your listing in La Quinta for open dates you had in April. (It looked like all dates were blocked until April 1). The search I did came up with over 1,000 available listings, so you are in a very saturated area. I looked at about the first 100 listings that came up and did not see yours, but that is not surprising. I think you are just going to have to be patient and give yourself some time. Once you get some reviews you should become more visible. 

Your property and photos look really lovely!

[Danielle1703]

Thank you so much! We are currently booked until 4/1, so fingers crossed we can get a great review this time around. 

I appreciate the response.

[Rebecca]

Hi there @Danielle1703

Did any of the comments support you with an answer? If so, it's always lovely to mark it as a best answer - it's a huge thank you to the Host that supported you. 

Rebecca 🌟

[Joan2709 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Danielle1703 !

Frustrating situation for sure. I did not see any reviews for your first two bookings? The algorithm has placed you low in search results and no reviews and no bookings are probably the cause. Since that is the case, you might consider creating a new listing and deactivating the old one. This will at least give you the "New" boost that Airbnb gives you and try to capitalize on that while you can with a new listing. You have so much competition it's going to be tough to stand out.

Professional Photos

The best thing you can do is get professional photos done. The cost is reasonable and is worth it if you get more bookings because of the high quality photos. You should also be able to write the cost off as a business expense on taxes. You really need about 25-35 photos of the listing and the first 5 should highlight your best amenities. I would get professional photos done first and then create a new listing.

Cover Photo

This is the most important photo for your listing. A drone shot is ok, but the current one you have shows lots of houses and I have no idea which one is yours? If you are going to use that, I would add an arrow to the photo so guests can see which house is yours. Lots of information out there on what makes a good cover photo and how it impacts the success of your listing.

Optimize Your Listing

There are alot of factors that go into making a listing successful; especially in a saturated market. I'll send you a direct message about that. 

Wishing you much success going forward! Let us know how it goes 😊

[Danielle1703]

Thank you so much for this response! Our first guest was a bit of a head-scratcher, as they were there for about 4 months and left the place in a very odd state. All of the furniture and art had been moved around, plants were in closets, dishes were in the oven, and there was a TON of trash (5 trash cans worth) full of Amazon packages (opened and unopened). They also left some very interesting unmentionables in drawers. We were so baffled with how to review this guest that I ended up just skipping the review. 

We currently have a guest through the end of March that we're hoping will leave a great review. 

I will take a look at our photos and consider reposting once this current guest checks out. I appreciate the feedback. 

[Joan2709]

@Danielle1703 

Ok...that explains the lack of reviews and the calendar being blocked till April. Did the the guest that just left leave a review? Their review should still post 14 days after the stay even if you don't write a review?

I would say that accepting long term bookings right away, while tempting, is not always the best in the long run for a new listing. You are trying to capitalize on the short period you get the "New" listing boost in search results and you want to get as many bookings as you can quickly. This is especially true in a saturated market. Shorter stays are better; at least initially. Lots of scams and pitfalls with long term stays as well. Many unscrupulous guests will target New listings as they know the hosts are not experienced yet. 

Here's hoping the next booking goes better! Let us know how it goes! 

[Danielle1703]

The guest that just left has not left a review. We just passed the 14 day mark, so I would assume it isn't coming. 

Thank you so much for the feedback! I will keep you posted.