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How to outsmart the Airbnb Search Algorithm
- How does Airbnb’s search algorithm work?
- Understanding Airbnb’s Algorithm Through Data: A Study in Correlation
- Why Does This Study Matter?
- Breaking Down the Top Ranking Factors
- Guest Satisfaction
- Absolute Price
- Listing Word Count
- Minimum Stay Length
- Days Since Calendar Updated
Other important factors impacting the Airbnb search algorithm
- Click Through Rates
- Update Airbnb listings descriptions regularly
- Emphasize Experiences
The impact of improving your Airbnb Listings
- Conclusion: Leverage Data to Optimize Your Airbnb Listing
A common complaint we hear from Airbnb hosts is this: “I have a beautiful property, a good description and nice pictures, but why do I get so little listing views and bookings on Airbnb?”
Let’s get this question answered in this blog. Airbnb is driven by a complicated search algorithm that decides which listings get viewed and which get missed. To increase the visibility and number of bookings from listings, it is essential to understand how the Airbnb algorithm works. We'll break down the way the Airbnb search algorithm works in this blog, but more importantly, we'll show you how to use this information to improve your listing and increase revenue.
The Airbnb search ranking algorithm is designed to provide the best possible match between guests and hosts. Airbnb’s ultimate goal is to match guests with the right listings, ensuring positive reviews and loyal customers. The better the algorithm becomes in reaching that goal, the more the platform and the hosts can earn. This blog is a good place to start to increase the earnings from your Airbnb listings.
It’s essential to understand what factors impact the ranking in the search engine of the OTA (online travel agent) before looking at the actionable tips to optimize your listing.
The answer to how the airbnb search algorithm works exactly is a good kept secret. But data analysis and correlation studies give us a clearer picture of how certain listing attributes impact visibility and ranking.
We will take a close look at a study that has been done on the correlation between different characteristics of listings and their page rank on Airbnb. This study gives valuable insights into the secrets of Airbnb’s search algorithm.
Not a big fan of statistics? Don’t worry we will explain it in the simplest way possible. Or you could skip to: 'Breaking Down the Top Ranking Factors'.
The study collected data from Airbnb’s website, analyzing multiple listing attributes to understand their impact on their page rank.
This study started with scraping data from the Airbnb search results pages, filtering listings based on specific criteria, and collecting detailed listing information such as reviews, prices, amenities, and guest capacity. The next step was organizing the data and processing it for correlation analysis.
The correlation study presented below shows the most important factors impacting a listing’s position on the Airbnb search ranking algorithm. Each factor receives a correlation score (from 0 to 1). This score indicates how strong it’s impact is on page rank. The closer the number is to 1, the more impactful.
The results of this study, presented in the chart above show the importance of certain factors on the Airbnb search ranking algorithm. This allows hosts to prioritize parameters that significantly impact search visibility.
Important to keep in mind is that while these factors correlate with better rankings, that doesn’t necessarily mean they cause them directly. Another note is that interaction between the different factors is crucial, and you should never focus on just one factor. Let’s explain this with some examples:
This is why a holistic approach is so important. Instead of focusing on just one metric, improving several factors will create a bigger improvement in your search ranking.
You’ve gotten to the practical part of the blog. Let’s take a closer look at the highest-impact factors from the correlation study and explore how you can optimize each of them for better performance of your listings.
Unsurprisingly guest satisfaction wears the crown as the most impactful parameter, with a correlation of 0.906, a nearly perfect score.
Guest satisfaction includes everything from cleanliness to communication and value. This means that if guests leave your property happy and rate you highly, Airbnb is much more likely to promote your listing to future guests.
Action Steps:
Pricing is a major driver of booking decisions, which makes it no surprise that Absolute Price holds a correlation of 0.901. Airbnb wants to make sure that listings offer good value for money relative to other listings in the same area. Hosts who price competitively are more likely to appear higher in the search rankings.
While lowering your price can boost your ranking in the short term, focus on maintaining profitability. Tools like dynamic pricing can help find a balance between competitive pricing and maximizing revenue.
Action Steps:
The third place goes to… listing word count. A longer, more detailed listing description often leads to better rankings. This is because a well-crafted description provides more information to potential guests, helping them make quicker and better decisions. It also signals to Airbnb that you’ve put effort into your listing, which will increase your visibility.
But, of course simply adding words for the sake of word count won’t help, content quality matters just as much as quantity.
Action Steps:
Shorter minimum stays increase the likelihood of attracting a broader range of guests. This is especially relevant for those looking for weekend getaways. The Airbnb algorithm favors hosts who offer more flexibility with their minimum stay requirements.
Action Steps:
Regularly updating your calendar shows the algorithm that your listing is being actively managed and is available for bookings. Even if your availability hasn't changed, updating your calendar can give you a small boost in visibility.
Action Steps:
The study we covered above gives some interesting insights into the Airbnb algorithm, however, the Airbnb search ranking algorithm changes constantly. We can be sure that the key ranking factors will stay relevant, but at the same time it is important to keep learning about the latest updates in the way Airbnb ranks its listings. The Autorank team is specialized in analyzing data on Airbnb in real-time. That is why we added some other important ranking factors in the following part of this blog.
Click-through rates (CTR) have a significant impact on Airbnb’s search ranking positions. When a listing has a high CTR, it signals to the Airbnb algorithm that the listing is attractive and relevant to users. This metric proves that users are interested enough to click on the listing when they see it in the search results.
The click-through rate (CTR) is calculated by deviding the number of views by the number of impressions on a listing.
Action Steps:
Airbnb's search algorithm favors listings that are active and regularly updated. Frequent updates in the descriptions signal to the algorithm that a listing is well-maintained and relevant, this in turn will boost your visibility in the search results.
The algorithm also takes into account how often guests engage with a listing, such as how many times it is saved or booked. An extra benefit of keeping your listing description fresh is that you can increase engagement rates, as updated descriptions are more likely to capture the attention of potential guests.
Otamiser conducted a survey to find out how often hosts update their Airbnb listings, and the results were surprising. Nearly 70% of hosts rarely update their descriptions. This creates a great opportunity for you to stand out from the crowd by consistently refreshing your listing details.
Action Steps:
Go further than describing the property itself. Include details about local attractions, unique activities, and cultural highlights in the neighbourhood of your accommodation. Travelers often seek more than just a place to stay, they’re looking for a memorable experience.
Additionally, keep an eye on upcoming events in the area. Is there a festival, a major trade show, or other events happening nearby?
Action Steps:
Airbnb states that hosts who enhance their listings can see up to a 60% increase in bookings.
By optimizing your listings, you boost the likelihood of appearing in top search results, which drives more traffic, increases bookings, and maximizes revenue on OTAs.
To help you understand the importance of listing optimisation, we include this case study that demonstrates the transformative power of listing optimization.
One of the largest property management companies in the U.S. became the first to use an AI-driven listing optimization tool on 20 of their low-performing listings. This tool updated the Airbnb descriptions around the clock, using machine learning to track changes in the Airbnb search ranking algorithm.
The manager was amazed by the results. As you can see in the graph, not only did visibility skyrocket, but the conversion rates also increased by over 50% all without any effort.
Data-driven insights provide a powerful roadmap for improving your Airbnb ranking. By focusing on the highest-impact factors like Guest Satisfaction, Pricing, and Listing Quality, you can optimize your listing to align with what the Airbnb algorithm values most. However, remember that it’s not about fixing one area, it’s about making strategic improvements across multiple factors to create a holistic, well-optimized listing.
