Instabook settings impacting search placement

[David8]

Hi all,

I am a 2 year host who has had success with my condo and my starter home, I really enjoy hosting and so far my guests have left very positive reviews.  Still, I am not taking my guests for granted, and I follow all of the tips I read about in order to raise my listings profiles.

One step I have often heard is that if you enable Instabook for your listing, then Airbnb will place your listing higher in the search results, all other things equal.  I do have Instabook enabled, but not at the recommended setting; I require government issued IDs to be uploaded, and also positive reviews from other Airbnb hosts.

I wonder whether my more stringent setting for Instabook impacts how favorably Airbnb will prioritize my listing in any given search.  Any insights?  

Best, David

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5834173

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5392318

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1901631

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

There is a long list of things that dictate where a property is placed in the listing on any particular day or in any particular search. Everything from the number of new hosts going live in an area through to people amending photos and copy on their listing. So, it's really a losing battle to try and outwit the multiple reasons for listing placement. 

You have stringent conditions for a reason I suppose - why would you want to risk, or trade off against your peace of mind by reducing those conditions just to get what might be a more risky booking?

[David8]

Hi Gerry/Rashid,  I do have the more stringent conditions because all things equal, I do want to have more assurances.  

However, I have enjoyed many bookings, and good amount of Instabooking, and have not had any problems that I would characterize as worse than "annoying".  So, I am willing to relax the Instabook settings if I would think it would benefit the profile of my listings.  Without a basis to believe that the profiles would be raised, I am not interested in relaxing the standards.

I hope you aren't interpreting my question as an attempt to "outwit" the system, I just wonder if there is a search placement benefit to choosing Airbnb's recommended setting of Instabooking. 

[Melanie58]

The first time I used airbnb, I was requested to upload a govt id to verify myself, and I honestly had no idea that there was any other option.  The idea/appeal of instant book is you know you are going to get the listing when you book it and you won't have to haggle.  Then when you are a first-time guest, you realize, "oh I must have to do this id thing too".  So I don't think there is anything on airbnb that would indicate to a first time user "hey, this listing is going to throw up the least barriers-choose this one if you like things to be easy".  I do know when we have been searching last minute for emergency accomodations, the instant book feature is really appealing because the idea of waiting 24 hours for a response doesn't work when you need a place immediately.  

As a host, I have the same settings you have.  I require previous reviews because the guests are staying in my house with my kids.  I approve most people without reviews, but still want that extra layer of protection to yea or nay.  I have noticed that these guests who need to request a reservation due to lack of reviews are less likely to book with me, even though I am always very prompt in my response.  But, I think to a potential guest one place is the same as the next and if prices are fairly similar between a few places they will just go with whoever responds first.  So probably if you take off the previous reviews requirement you would have more people instant book because they would click the instant book button and not have to go through that additional vetting step which leaves the door open for the potential guest to continue their search.  I don't know if that is so much about improving search placement as just "getting the deal closed".