Trying to understand the dreaded search Alogirithim - or - how do I get onto page one?

[Thomas746]

Ok this is going to be a little long but I think those who read it will recognize the dilemma.  I put this post into a reply to another post about the pricing and position one gets in a Traveler's search.  How to get on the top of the list.  I thought I would share this with the whole community as I've spent a lot of time testing searches and talking to the folks at Airbnb - to no avail.  So I am putting out a kind of summary of four weeks of regular work on this issue.  I'm writing this as of May 2019. 

I did a number of Airbnb searches from a position of traveler coming to Airbnb for the first time who knows or doesn't know about Plus, Superhost etc.  So I would search no plus, no super host, basic amenities, thinking if someone is looking for something other than a hotel experience they would want a kitchen, wifi, TV, a/c, heating, a private bathroom, and a bedroom - this is a whole house I'm talking about - very very centrally located in LA - a total house for guests only.  I did this kind of search with and without dates.   I also did a deeper amenities search (Superhost, instant booking, price range, dates, almost all amenities - smoke detector, hair dryer etc).

I found my place (I am a Superhost with over a dozen reviews (all 5+),  came up only when I asked for specific days I had available - only those days.  Here's a second hit to that:  if I had a five-day block open and listed all five days in the search, I came up.  If I listed only three of those five days, I didn't.  I called Airbnb and got into a circle dance that of course lead nowhere.   I also changed the price up and down.  Down seems to have an effect but not as drastic as I was hoping - I'm talking going way down.  So I can't figure it out really.  And lastly, why is it I see other places popping up on page one, three, five and seven, when I don't show up on any of the 17 pages of 300 homes?   I see these folks are double listing their places with little tweaks here and there (price, length of stay etc) to make it seem like it's a different place.  (I can't imagine Airbnb can't figure out it is the same place and do something about it - in essence giving the same place a number of hits on a search).  One thing I think might be affecting getting on a search is the amount of positive reviews.  If you have a lot of great reviews it seems to help get you on the first page.  (if it's not a plus or superhost filtered search).  But not getting on at all unless you have a specific block of dates sandwiched between booked dates and it has to be all those days requested in the search to get your place a hit.  One day less, no hit.  Sorry to repeat but I see no rhyme or reason to the algorithm.  All comments, suggestions, and commiseration welcome.

Thomas 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Thomas746 @Ann72 

I may have been a bit inprecise with my 'cost per person'. THAT isn't a price filter as such. What I would expect to happen is a guest would firstly... search for their group size and their dates. If they further wanted to filter down then they would add cost. However, they would definitely search date and group size first. In those listings presented to a guest the listings at the lowest cost per person would be the first ones offered, combined obviously with the positive review counts etc.. ABB would not promote listings just because they were cheap. It would not be in their own interests to do that.

What would it be that ABB would like to promote? Good quality listings at good value for money with hosts who have good ratings and who have plenty of positive reviews. The only thing which stings this is the honeymoon period where ABB don't know the listing and host and so they provide a preferential listing for the hosts to prove themselves and their listing.

All sites like incoming links. Posting on FB and Instagram will provide incoming links. I do question though to what level does this need to be done?

Possibly passive marketing would work best? Rather than specifically posting about "XXX / ABB / TRIPADVISOR / BOOKING / VRBO..." Why not just include a signature including all the links? You could then tweet or Post on FB on 'Toads' and still get those link bonuses.

Then, do you link to your listing or to the main portal page? Cynically, I'd say the main portal page would provide more benefit. There is nothing to stop your signature including a personal website however at XXX first, and when the guest searches in your area if you play fair - you'll be there.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Thomas746 @Ann72 

I wrote: Then, do you link to your listing or to the main portal page? Cynically, I'd say the main portal page would provide more benefit. There is nothing to stop your signature including a personal website however at XXX first, and when the guest searches in your area if you play fair - you'll be there.

I've thought on this and it wouldn't be right. In normal circumstances with your own website it would. But nn this circumstance some unidentified link made from Twitter or FB would do a host no good. Where a link to the Airbnb landing page would be far more benefit for Airbnb (and they could provide that link by setting up an inbound link management incorporating a hosts member ID) but don't. I've searche all over for this but can't find using any of the searches. It might exist somewhere.

However, you need to link to your listing instead. Inbound link benefit and click count benefit on your listing.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Sarah977 

I'd imagine that the price filter is extensively used by almost all guests. 

I would say the amount of people filter would be most used before the price filter. Whether thats 1,2,4,....people

[Ann72]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 I would agree with @Sarah977.  The number of people filter is probably not used when only one or two people are traveling.  Two is probably the most common group size, and every size group uses the price filter.

People THINK about price per person, but of course there is no filter for it, nor can one search it to get results.  I recently used Airbnb in London for business.  First I looked at a couple of my favorite hotels, then calculated what two rooms would cost, one for me and one for a colleague, then found an Airbnb that would accommodate both of us and return a much lower price per person.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Ann72 Talking about searches, surely cost per person is far more important to Airbnb than any filter. After the fiters are used how are the listings ranked?

"Dear Anne... listings in your area have booked at 18% less than...."  What is really important to Abb ?

[Ann72]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 I guess cost per person is important to them, but I don't see how it can easily be factored into a ranking when a listing sleeps up to 10 but gets anywhere from 1 to 10 people in any given booking.

"In those listings presented to a guest the listings at the lowest cost per person would be the first ones offered..." - this isn't true.  I just searched for Savannah by date for 1 person (planning to visit my daughter), and the listings weren't ordered by lowest to highest price.  I think it's more likely that a person's search history and use of one kind of web browser over another and use of a computer vs a mobile device and use of a Mac vs a Windows machine will impact the results.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Ann72  Cost per person wouldn't be the deciding factor in placement. It will help, but as I posted previously other factors are taken into account... 

...combined obviously with the positive review counts etc.. ABB would not promote listings just because they were cheap

[Michelle2137]

@Sarah977 I would say you were right Sarah. I've used airbnb extensively for 3 years and it is almost impossible for me to find cheap places. I have on occasion booked a prime spot so Airbnb will just push me to that limit because they know that's what I can spend. It has even given me one low cost option which is a hostel, what a joke! I know because I often have my kids use their phones to find something

I've often found cheap rates at the top hotels, but I personally hate hotels, can't breathe in them and want a kitchen even if its just to make my own tea. I always have my coffee in bed before I go anywhere lol. It's my downtime for the day.

I will only book a hotel if I cannot find a decent place in the location which is often around airports and popular spots, then hotels are often cheaper.

[Alice595]

@Thomas746 Definitely something weird happened to your listing. I tried to narrow down to where your home is located on the map. I zoomed in and still could not see your listing. Just wonder how your listing could be booked. I saw that your house were still blocked for many dates in May and in June.

Is the location shown on the map in your listing correct? There are a few discussion about the map used by Airbnb has issues with some address. This could possibly be the issue in your case.

[Thomas746]

So today I did the same exact search and without dates, I came up after two Plus homes and one non plus home.  Then when I put in dates that are available on my calendar, 17 pages of homes and I am nowhere.  I kept the two pages and called Ab. They kicked it upstairs when I sent them links to the two searches.  Let's see what they say.   Thanks. 

[Thomas746]

Not heard a word from Airbnb.  

[Azzuri0]

The price is the most important criteria, the rest of the actions you take  are negligible, for some months my place rents out for 150 dollars, for some 200, 250, 300 $, and the more expensive the price the more far I am on the page list, for 150 $ I am on first almost always, for 300$ I cannot find myself.

[Mike1034]

@Azzuri0The star rating is also very important. I have seen two or three houses close together on the map. The one with higher star rating is shown on top while the other ones were covered by the top one. The nightly price of the top one is even higher than the others.

[Thomas746]

My star rating is full 4.9/5.  I have every amenity save a pool, hot tub or jacuzzi, gym.  My reviews are really stellar though only 13.  Response time etc all less than an hour.  Never a cancel, never a complaint.  l brought the nightly price ridiculously low just to test it.  

[Mike1034]

@Thomas746As Alice suggested above, you may have to check with Airbnb technical team. There might be an issue with the map to recognizing your home address. It seems that your listing does not come up on the map at all after I zoomed in the map to a large extent. Normally a listing will appear even if it is covered by some listings nearby after a large zoom-in on the map.