Summer 2022 release: Airbnb algorithm removes YOUR category - check your listings as a guest ASAP!

[Susan1188]

All hosts should immediately go on the platform as a guest.
Open up another browser session to eliminate your cookies, or better go on someone else's profile or create a dummy guest profile.

Try to do a search like the typical guest in your area.  

You will be shocked to see that most likely, the artificial intelligence has obliterated the legitimate category of your listing; and is proposing cheaper properties 30 miles away;  That your category no longer exists in your area; If you have worked hard to place yourself high in the search engine results, you will be dismayed to see that your property is now buried and hidden because the artificial intelligence is now applying completely different criteria compared to last week.

A confusing array of "categories" is added to the search page and hard for the guest to ignore.  The  classic search still exists but the other features are so distracting it would be hard for guests to do the same type of search as before.

If you are legitimately and truly "beachfront", it is highly possible you might excluded from the "beachfront" category.  With no way to remedy this besides the vague advice of "improve your photos, description, price and service".

You will be shocked at the complexity and feel of the search engine, the bafflingly high number of irrelevant categories, the lack of relevant categories.

These "categories" are assigned by the algorithm on a minute by minute and person by person basis, so not verifiable and constantly changing.

The Airbnb release: 

1. Airbnb now assigns a "category" to your listing by artificial intelligence
2. Does not allow you to see which category has been assigned to you
3. Does not allow you to take action or introduce a complaint to correct the category assigned to you
4. Flagrantly disregards your true category - amazing view, beachfront, etc to propose other properties based on the algorithm 
5. Apparently changes the categories around based on the time of day, the profile of the person inquiring, the dates ..
6. Hides the number of reviews - so someone with 1 five star review will appear higher than a superhost with 500 reviews and average of 4,9
7. Hides your property name only to put generic "apartment" or "home"
8. Seems to prioritize price over all else including geographical location, so someone searching for a specific area will be proposed properties  20km away
9. Seems to prioritize price over experience, superhost status or number of reviews
   
   
   If you care about your listing, if you rely on bookings for your livelihood, please view your area as a guest now, search for your own place,  and publish your results on this thread:
   
   
   
   https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Airbnb-Updates/Airbnb-2022-Summer-Release-What-you-need-to-know/...
   
   

[Susan1188]

I guess the first line of the announcement says it all:

• "Airbnb Categories: A new way to search that makes it easy for guests to discover millions of homes they never knew existed"

That means, they are promoting novice properties with few reviews, in out-of-the way places.
If you have a property in prime area and are an Airbnb superhost, you will be disadvantaged as they propose other properties far outside of your area based on price.

[Kate867]

I am somewhat comforted due to having two new bookings since the rollout and both to take place within the next two weeks.  Other than that I am pretty much fully booked until October.  Ours is not a new listing or anything particularly special although it is ‘apparently’ in the countryside category.. along with numerous flats in the nearby city!  However, due to those new reservations I think people are still looking in the traditional way as well.

[Molly396]

They are trying to “distribute guests across more locations and dates than before”. So if you are in an area more dense with airbnbs you are screwed. Big slap in the face to city hosts. 

the response to the ticket I submitted was basically the same as above. They told me to update my listing and photo captions and I MAY be featured but there’s no guarantee. (Meanwhile, the listings that do come up under categories mostly have no photo captions). They said categories update weekly so one week you may be on and not the next. As a Superhost I’m upset so many other non superhosted properties are being suggested before my own. 

[Susan1188]

That sums it up:

superhosts who invested in prime locations will see their listing completed by novice hosts in less desirable locations because cheaper.

[Pat271]

My experience with the new features is mixed. I have 2 listings. The Maui search produces amazing results. I put a 2 bedroom, 4 bed with an ocean view near a beach in Maui for less than $450/night, for anytime in November. One property came up…mine! Not only that, but my primary photo was changed to the photo that best highlighted the ocean view! Not bad!

My second property is in the city, so the new categories don’t help that listing at all. I don’t quite understand why they completely disregarded city categories, but they did say that they are adding more and more categories all the time, so maybe city categories will appear soon.  I would imagine that a significant number of Airbnbs are in or around cities. I even have friends who like to visit cities in particular, and traditionally have “thrown a dart”, so to speak, to figure out which city to visit next. It would be nice for them to have categories like Cosmopolitan City, Great Food, Top-notch Entertainment, Nightlife, Live Music, etc.

[Susan1188]

Hoping that most guests will quickly resort to the standard search and filters when they realise the algorithm is hijacking their inquiry and sending them irrelevant properties.

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

Going in on an unused search platform - My prime categories are not yet listed for searching in this region (including "view").  Perhaps I am not using the search correctly. Like many of you,  I got only listings a number of hours away from here, including in the cities. Patience...I'm now waiting for the algorithm to sort itself out in my area. A normal search works like it used to.

[Susan1188]

The problem is that the "categories" are so distracting and confusing, most guests will surely click on them and be proposed listings far away.

[Susan990]

@Kitty-and-Creek0   Brilliant  analysis of this mystery site and what it is up to. I followed through with my own investigation of my 2 guesthouses/studio/cottages (I name them with all 3 words hoping to help them be found. Discovered that one of my guesthouses comes up from a variety of approaches and the other one-priced exactly the same, presented in same format-  Never comes up in any search path. Next I clicked Cabin and my listing came up there-the favored one- but not the other one.

Next I clicked Tiny Home because the guy across the street has 2 of them and noticed they always came up, both, and they are priced more than mine- then noticed that the named Tiny Homes also appeared in the Cabin search! And they came up in the blind search for City and Price- and are higher priced than my one guesthouse again. and appeared ahead in the search results to mine which is cheaper.  And my discriminated against second guesthouse is totally disappeared.

  Another twist I kept going back and searched  again and noticed it showed me several properties in California that fit the price range???

P.S. categories does not list Guesthouse or Studio or Cottage.

[Jenny]

Hi @Susan1188 

Thanks for starting this thread, which has provided us with further feedback to pass over to Airbnb, I just wanted to let you know that we've noted the feedback provided by everyone in the thread.

The feedback you're all giving is valuable - I'm just sorry there's nothing more practical that I can do.

Jenny

[Susan1188]

@Jenny 

I have found a way to make a property re-appear, if it has vanished from the search results and map.

Turn on "pets accepted"

(Do a search as a guest trying to find a place on the map with a pet)

Then turn "pets accepted" back off.

Out of prudence I would recommend turning off instant book while you do this.

It worked for 2 of my apartments.

Hope that helps

[Robin129]

@Jenny  here is a question. When I do a search as a guest, before I put in any details I have the option of "shared home" (actually I have a multitude of options at that point) but when I put in, West Virginia USA, I'm flexible, 2 adults, I do not have that option anymore. This kicks my listing out. I can force the search to show my listing by zooming in hard, almost to street level. 

My listing is a shared home. I can't put that anywhere. There is no checkbox for it.  Do you know why I would not be able to find the "shared home" option? 

[Colette203]

I don't mean to be rude, but why are you on here, randomly replying to posts, if you can't do anything "practical"? It seems to me you're just wasting screen space with platitudes, meaningless apologies and empty sentences. 

[Jenny]

Hi @Colette203 

Just to clarify, the Online Community Management team aren't customer support and this community forum is not a customer support medium.

We're here to facilitate host to host conversation and provide a space that encourages open discussion about what's important to Airbnb Hosts, whilst keeping it respectful and constructive. 

However, when possible, we do try to elevate Host questions and issues internally, whilst also trying to get more information where possible.  

In the case of this specific thread, it's about a notable change to how the site works, and we've been collecting feedback from Hosts to pass to the relevant team at Airbnb.  

Hope this helps! 😊

Jenny