Search issues

[Emiel1]

I noticed a lot of hosts are complaining about their listing is not showing up in search results.

In most cases there is a simple explanation, related to:

- A listing with min. stay of 3 night will NOT show up on "flexible", "a weekend" (as Airbnb considers a weekend as a 2 nights stay on Friday,Saturday)

- A listing with a max stay up to 6 nights will NOT show up on "flexible", "a week".

- A listing with a max stay upto 27 nights will NOT show up on "flexible", "a month"

- A listing with minimum stay of 31 nights and more will NOT show up on "flexible", "a month" (as 31 nights do no fit in any month)

It is easy to test when your listing shows up, and in which of the new categories, by using your personal URL to the search system (as i explained in other threads)

As Airbnb widened the default search area AND also set catagories-display as default AND option "i am flexible", "a week" are set as default AND showing more results then before (max. 300) your amount of views will probably have decreased.

And last but not least:

For a new listing it can take upto 24 hours before it is visible in the search system.

Airbnb even uses a (theoretical) 72 hours limit:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1336/creating-a-listing

Hope this helps to understand the search system.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

This is just too complicated for the average guest. Even simple tasks like reading a listing description, setting the right number of guests in a group, arriving at an agreed time, or locking the front door is too much for many people nowadays.

Is it a holiday brain syndrome or the evolution has gone backward is hard to tell but I realized I have to talk with them like with kids if I want them to remember what I just said.

Airbnb, please simplify this platform as much as possible. It is too cluttered and too complicated for the average user's IQ

[Emiel1]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

I agree about the cluttering.

Luckely not ALL guests are that stupid (or lazy) and will find there way around.

[Suzanne302]

@Emiel1 

Oh we understand it VERY WELL Emiel, that's why we've been complaining about it. The "new" search function is not guest friendly OR host friendly. As a guest, I cannot find what I'm looking for unless I am a millionaire who can just browse $10,000/night listings anywhere in the world on a whim. As a host, I am not showing up in most searches because of the way the search function has been altered.

So, it's not that hosts don't understand it, it's that we want it back the way it was. We don't need an education on this, we need CHANGE.

[Emiel1]

@Suzanne302 

I have seen other posts of you about the subject and although having some very good points in it, it also shows indeed some education is needed to understand the (changes in the) search system.

I am a host too, ofcourse using same platform, but do not face many issues after the update.

And my guests can still find me, but amount of views (also) is decreased. Which is mainly because of more results are shown then before (as explained) when searching.

We are all in the same boat, only with more people (read: compatitors)...

Although IMO "categories" and "flexible" should not be "on" by default, but be made optional, as a lot of guests are confused by it. On the other hand, with some education or at least a closer look on the screen, they will find there way as before.

[Suzanne302]

@Emiel1 

My comments obviously went over your head. No, I understand the search function completely. Please don’t patronize me. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Although IMO "categories" and "flexible" should not be "on" by default, but be made optional, as a lot of guests are confused by it.

Agree 100%

On the other hand, with some education or at least a closer look on the screen, they will find there way as before.

Uh @Emiel1   guests don't reads or listens to instructions (or anything) anymore. People just scan the top of the page and go intuitive... and if they can't figure it out in max 10 min by themselves then they will let it go.... or worse - they will book the wrong property in the wrong city at the wrong time with the wrong number of people .... and will blame the host 😛

But your post will help many hosts.

[Emilie]

Thanks @Emiel1 for sharing a few tips on this!

It is something we always see plenty of questions about on the Community Center so that should definitely help a lot of Hosts. 🙂

@Suzanne302 @Branka-and-Silvia0 Your feedback on the search page has been passed as well, thank you! Hosts finding their own properties has always generated questions, even prior to May, so hopefully those pieces of advice will still be useful to those who need more guidance. 

Emilie

[Helen744]

@Emiliel1  Seriously . I am a host and I cant fine it so how on earth can a guest find it . how presumptouous to force numbers of days onto guests even hotels do not do that . That may be the way you explain things to yourself,ut this is ordinairy people going on ordinairy holidays not ' russian roulette' the human mind always looks for an answer so how on earth do you think that your explanation ,even if printed on our foreheads, somehow unravel what is a complete mess Seriously . H

[Emiel1]

@Helen744 

I took a closer look at your listing:

It shows up on "i am fexible" for "any weekend", "any week" and "any month"

This is screenshot for any week (please note prices are in Euro's, being my default currency):

I only explained when a listing does NOT show up, which is IMO logical: if a listing has a max stay of 6 nights  set, ofcourse a stay for a week is not possible.

But the "normal" selection of specific dates still works as it used to be, so when i want to stay in your area 2 nights, it is also showing your listing as in this example (11-13 july):

[Emilia42]

@Emiel1  When you are trying to help hosts by showing screenshots of the search results, you are zooming in basically on the host's exact location. When doing a regular search this way, of course, their active listing will appear in the search results. This aspect of the search has not changed and it is not what hosts are complaining about. 

In my case, I am still getting bookings but only from guests who are narrowing in on my exact town. They want to be exactly where I am, and they are booking. What I am missing out on, and what is a result of the new update, is the vast amount of searchers who are searching for the tourist area to the south of my location. I no longer appear in those searches, which is a major change from my last four hosting summers. Those guests are being guided elsewhere and are not finding my listing as it does not appear in their search. This has resulted in fewer and sporadic bookings. I believe some aspect of this is what many hosts are complaining about when they say something is wrong with the new search.

[Emiel1]

@Emilia42 

"When doing a regular search this way"

Indeed this aspect of the search did not change, which is easy to proof to hosts who claim they can not be found anyway. The "classic' search is still functional, only it takes some more action (clicks...) from a guest to perform such a search, as both the "categories" and "i am flexible" sh*t are dominating the homepage.

Just curious to test it:

What is the name of the "tourist area to the south of my location" ?

[Helen744]

Emiel1 I have not set 'I am flexible ' I assume you did and its all very well to show that I am vacant for two days in July but in the meantime I am vacant now and have received no bookings since a specific date I heavily rely on my reviews and my superhost rating but as a stand alone simple family home things are Grimm and its not a fairytale. thanks for your time H

[Helen744]

also when looking at the map,which I have set to show my house,it does not show my house unless someone knows where it is because the city I am in is divided into suburbs and as I am one side of an imaginary city centre border, then my rather small suburb simply does not appear ,as it is sandwiched between two larger suburbs There needs to be a capacity to search by post code not arbitrary city names or suburbs . Post codes in Australia group geographical areas that are close together and would give people a capacity to find the closest listings to where workers, families ,tourists or anyone travelling for a reason want to be but the map as it is seems to place me in a desert,not literally but figuratively ,so unless someone has stayed here before or has been here before they do not find me . and add the rest of the magical incantations contained in the search and vioila , nothing . an explanation based in reality is all I ask . also a number of people are stating that they have not had the address sent . I have assumed that this is because they have not read anything but who knows .H also you found my listing via my profile initially but it is the initial finding that is the question ,the new guest to Ballarat, my region ,city area . the default for me is Redan , my little suburb which has zero profile but is nevertheless part of Ballarat in fact one of its oldest areas but I cannot list under Ballarat . after people find me they can find me again while looking for a stay in Ballarat but only if they remember the suburbs name although we are all under the post code 3350. Enough said H

H

[Helen744]

Possibly the issue for me is the mapping issue as it appears to remain in the same capacity no matter my selection of "show address or not" . Since many people will use their mobile phones to search I can only assume that there has also been a change in the mapping system that airbnb now apply and either the customer must be given an alternative view of mapping or the so called mapping shown needs to be specific to an area. even real estate agents can figure that out . My nearby competitors will show up on the map long before my listing alough they are on the other side of the river or 500 metres away . this is because I do not fall in the same geographically marked area . There is no overall coverage of my region. This probably did not matter previously ,not sure but since there is more competition then it matters because the competition is arbitrary and gives a geographical advantage that does not exist in actuality to my competitor ,one of whom backs onto a junk yard ,car reclamation yard and always receives bad marks for location . H