Why does my listing not show up in searches?

[Jeremy747]

Hello everyone, 

I have tried to read previous answers on this forum but, none have worked. I have noticed an extreme slow down in booking request. I have searched both very general and specific requirements of my property and it is not showing up as a result for people to book. Does anyone know why this is? it always used to be near the top when we first listed it in Decemeber and now nothing. 

How can we fix this? 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Jeremy747 newly listed properties get a boost in the search. After that one of the key determinants of search position is the number of bookings taken. So it is now a catch 22 I am afraid - low bookings = low search position = low bookings.

Switching on Instant Book and a flexible cancellation policy (I don't recommend the latter) may help as might ensuring the price is truly competitive.

Sorry can't help further.

[Jeremy747]

we have been accepting every booking request. however, i did have to deny 1 recently. could that have caused this issue? 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Jeremy747 Quite possibly. But the algorithm for search placement is a well kept secret so we will never know.

[Amerigo2]

Similar question: when doing a search as a traveller, and when I put down “I am Flexible”, I am presented with types of place to choose on top, e.g. Cabin,  Beachfront , etc. There is no type that represents our house. Shouldn’t these options be the same as what Airbnb asks us to choose when list our place, in our case “cottage” ? We have a four season river-front cottage/house and it does not show up in “I’m flexible” searches.  The only time it shows up is when I do a search for “water front”.  Am I missing a setting?

Thanks in advance.

[Sarah977]

@Amerigo2  I don't know the answer to your question, but you are saying that "entire house" doesn't show up when you enter "I'm flexible"?

As an aside, I took a look at your listing. Nice place, but the listing itself needs editing. It is showing all the beds in one bedroom, just above your listing description. 

You also haven't pictured all the bedrooms in your photo gallery, there seem to be mostly outdoor shots, so I don't get much sense of the house itself.

Nor have you described the house in your description. "The space" is where you are meant to describe the house itself, the sleeping spaces, the layout, etc. That's where you would also mention the crib, etc. 

[Amerigo2]

Thank so much Sarah. I will check and fix that.

I have listed the house as a cottage. In "I'm Flexible” search, there is no type of place called "cottage", just Cabin. When setting the listing, there's no "Cabin" option for the type of the house. 

Thanks again.

[Sarah977]

@Amerigo2  I know a lot of people call their vacation home a "cottage", but I would not call what looks like a spacious, 3 bedroom home listed for 8 guests a cottage and I think it might be misleading. 

People generally think of a cottage as a small, cozy place that has maybe 2 bedrooms, max. At least I do.

If you look up the definition of cottage, it generally mentions "small".

[Emiel1]

@Amerigo2 

Your listing does show up for weekends en weeks when using the "i am flexible" option.

You can test the conditions for showing up by using your personal link to the search system:

https://www.airbnb.com/s/homes?host_id=20667719&map_toggle=true

[Emiel1]

@Jeremy747 

Your listing is in the search system:

https://www.airbnb.com/s/homes?host_id=435074412&map_toggle=true

(maybe zoom in some more on the map when searching)

[Ignacio474]

My property does not seem to come up on searches either... not even in the map which is quite surprising!