Where do we go from here!

[Robin4]

I have been away for the best part of a month so my knowledge of current events is somewhat lacking but, I have been puzzled during my time away that my listing views have dropped from  30-50 per day to less than 10, some days just 2 or 3! On doing some checking I have come across a thing called 'Summer 2022 release search filters' which seems to answer my observations. The programming geniuses have tampered with the search page yet again.

For the life of me I will never understand why Airbnb go out of their way to upset their long term experienced, profitable hosts. Every time they tinker with the program they lose sight of the fact that we hosts have to adapt what we do and say to accommodate their changes and work with them. They don't reward us, they punish us for putting in the time and effort to make it work and be successful.

Because I don't automatically fit one of their tidy little nebulous search boxes, my listing has dropped from  page 1 down to page 5 in a search of our area.

A guest used to be able to search for a listing they liked the look of and could afford, now they can only search by its availability. Not every guest wants to stay in a listing for one week which now appears to be the default criteria.......80% of mine only want to stay for one or two nights! Listings with less than a handful of reviews are given preferential search placement specifically because of some quirky feature. I believe after reading the new TOS Airbnb have actually revived that old chestnut where hosts could buy their search placement as per this, direct from the current TOS......

Whereas, with my previously full monthly booking calendar, my 6 years of loyalty and 500+ Airbnb reviews sees me in a situation where my bookings are drying up. The search page no longer says how many reviews I have, it doesn't mention I am a Superhost, it removes all the hard work I have put into making a desirable Airbnb listing for guests to book. For goodness sake what **[Inappropriate content removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines] keep coming up with these ideas.....Airbnb are actively trying to destroy my business and the good rapport I have built up with Airbnb in this local community of mine!!'

I don't know where I go from here........I am sick and tired of trying to re-invent the wheel every time Airbnb let their programmers loose on some aspect of the platform. I don't want to but, I am going to have to look for other hosting options.....Airbnb, I have been good to you but, you have worn me down! 

Cheers........Rob

[Robin4]

@Fred13 

Fred, that picture of Bird Island express brought back memories for me.

I had a half a million dollar 10 berth river houseboat that I seriously thought about listing on Airbnb. I didn't in the end because I never knew where I stood with Airbnb.....next month black is white! You can't commit a serious investment on that basis.

I let it through a company that specialised in river houseboat rental......

https://www.houseboats.com.au/

We did ok with it because 'Unforgettable' looked after us, they made it their business to make sure everything ran like clockwork.....there were no glitches, no half baked advertising promo's, sure they took a large slice of the profits but, it was worth it.

The only thing that stopped us was, I had a depreciating asset.....every year the boat was worth less than it was the year before. The time came to sell it!

I bring this up Fred because I have seen both sides of the hosting coin, Airbnb treat us like they are doing us a favour, Unforgettable treated us like we were doing them a favour, there is a massive difference mate!

Cheers........Rob

[Richard2341]

Nothing new to share here, but i can confirm that the property my wife and I own and manage had been getting consistent bookings.  March and April and most of May were booked up. We have superhost and great reviews.

Since the update, not even an enquiry. It is peak season in the area.

I look on the AirBnB performance graph and page views have dropped from over 200 a day, to around 10.

Someone at AirBnB needs to address this. It is really distressing. 

[Richard2341]

Anyone got any word from AirBnB why are page views and bookings are suddenly in the toilet? 

[Z-2]

@Richard2341  No improvement for the views. One of my house only got one view in last 2 weeks. But luckily, from this one view, I did get a reservation about 10 days ago. Just don’t know what’s happened. 

[Z-2]

[Richard2341]

This sucks. I have had one booking since the change, for the July 4th weekend. Nothing else.

Rewind to March, April, i was getting bookings every other day.

I cant believe AirBnBs total bookings have cratered like our bookings/views have, so some listings should be winning from these change.