IB option is turned on. Unit appears in results when logged in, doesn't appear when logged out

[May1657]

So here is a strange question. 
I've discovered this issue since the winter release a few weeks ago. 

I love to search our area and check on the "competition" once in a while.

I run a search, using multiple filters to make sure that users who are looking for our type of offering can find it easily. 

We do have an instant booking option ON in our settings. 

When looking for our unit in an incognito mode (not logged in) with a few filters (like dates when I know we are not occupied, parking, self-check-in)  - Our unit is on the first page. No problem here. 

Looking with the exact same filters, exact same everything but turning the Instant Booking filter ON - We are no longer coming back in results.

This ONLY happens if I'm logged out of Airbnb. While logged in - No problem.

Has anyone encountered this issue? Any ideas on how to resolve this? We are back and forth with Airbnb's support for almost a week, the bottom line from them is  "it was always like this" which I know is just not true as I've been doing a similar test for the last two years once every few weeks and always got our suite in results (not logged into Airbnb)

Please help, really getting frustrated by this 😞 

[Emiel1]

@May1657 

Instant book listings are shown to guest which are allowed to do Instant Book (and also meet the requirements set in the listing). If not logged in it can not be determined if IB is allowed.

Test with which filters your listing will show (or not) on this URL:

https://www.airbnb.com/s/homes?host_id=13340074&map_toggle=true

added: also please note IB settings have changed recently:

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Airbnb-updates/Details-on-Airbnb-s-update-to-Instant-Book-settin...

[May1657]

@Emiel1  Thank you for your reply, however, we haven't made any changes to our listing for the last year, but for some reason, we no longer appear for non-logged-in users if IB is selected. 

Even if I remove all filters and only turn on IB - If you are not logged in, we don't turn up in results.

I wonder what setting should we change to get back in results when IB is selected for non-logged-in users. Any advice?  

[May1657]

Well... I just solved it.

Turning the IB feature off, and then on again - Resolved it. We are back in the results for non-logged-in users. 

Hope this helps anyone else with the same issue. 

[JoandJoe0]

One thing to check is to go to an "incognito" screen or onto someone else's computer. AirBNB uses cookies to make it appear your listing is high in the search engines... to you. Or when or where it appears.  One of the many deceptions AirBNB has for hosts.

What you see when you search (prominent placing) is NOT what guests see (page 5 below the seedy motel rooms in the next town with a 4.1* rating).

[Trude0]

It would make sense if it was like @Emiel1  wrote: “ If not logged in it can not be determined if IB is allowed.” But this does not seem to be the case. 

I did as @May1657 did: I went and tried searching incognito for my listing, with some filters, incl IB. It did not come up. Turned IB off and then on again for my listing, tried again, it came up. Lots of other properties come up too, not only mine. Looks like we can actually search for IB listings even if not logged in. Weird how turning IB off and then on again, would make the listing come up, both for @May1657  and me.

I’m no longer surprised by bugs and strange things like this.

Two weeks ago, my page views dropped to 0. While searhing for a reason, I discovered that all of my English texts had disappeared (I had both Swedish and English before). Some other hosts confirmed that when looking at my listing, they saw only the Swedish texts. Headings and other info from Airbnb in English, all texts written by me in Swedish. I have no idea how/why this happened, but can certainly understand that guests could not be bothered google-translating my texts, and instead looked at other listings…

Urgently added back English texts. The went to search for my listing, to see if it now appeared with English texts, and was visible with relevant filters applied. Searched in my little area on the map. The only options available in this small area under Property Type were House and Apartment (no Guesthouses, no Hotels). Chose House, as my listing was in property type Cabin, sub category to House. It did not come up. I then changed property type in my listing to Guesthouse, sub category to Secondary Unit. Now when searching, the Property Type Guesthouse was also an option in my area (so, House, Apartment or Guesthouse). Chose Guesthouse in my search, and my listing came up (as the only Guesthouse in the area).