9 ways to rank higher in Airbnb search results
Ever wondered why some properties always seem to appear higher in Airbnb search results? How does Airbnb rank listings?
Unlike most property rental platforms, you cannot pay to rank higher in Airbnb search results. However, there are ways to organically promote your Airbnb listing.
Like any search engine, Airbnb’s uses algorithms to determine the ranking of listings, so think of these like a points system. The position of listings in the search results are determined by points, which are awarded based on many factors, which I discuss in this article.
By following each of these steps, your points will add up, resulting in your Airbnb listing appearing higher!
1) Lower your price to increase your click through rate!
Temporarily lowering your price is a great way to get more views and bookings, and subsequently to rank higher. This is because it attracts more interest to your listing which, even if travellers don’t book, results in higher rankings. Airbnb state:
If guests frequently click through to your listing page or try to book your space, this can also positively affect your placement in search.
So you should lower your price to increase your click through rate! It will also lead to a kind of snowball effect. Reservations tend to come in cycles as successful bookings result in better rankings, leading to more reservations, and so on… So lowering your price is a great way to get the ball rolling. It will also lead to more reviews which contribute to ranking higher in the long term. Read on to find out more about this.
2) Regular activity
Log into your account daily. Airbnb’s search algorithm recognises regular activity on accounts, rewarding them by raising them higher in search rankings.
Consider messaging current guests through Airbnb rather than email or mobile and leaving review responses thanking guests and welcoming them to stay again. Regularly updating your calendar is also important. Airbnb state that:
“Hosts who don’t let their calendar get a month or more out of date are 70% more likely to get booked.”
So daily updates can go a long way towards ranking higher. Also consider regularly changing base pricing and long term discounts by small amounts.
2) Complete your profile
Airbnb rewards complete profiles as it demonstrates commitment and an active account. Ensure all sections and ID verification’s are complete, which also helps to build trust with potential guests.
3) Consider instant book
Many hosts don’t see this as an option due to a lack of control over who is able to book. However, as a result of recent Airbnb updates, you can now tweak instant book settings to suit your individual preferences.
For example, only allowing guests who a) other hosts recommend, and b) agree to the house rules (e.g. no large groups of under 21s without prior vetting). It’s safer than ever, and instant book can increase both rankings in Airbnb search results and bookings!
4) Cancelling/declining bookings will negatively affect your listing’s ranking in Airbnb search results!
Airbnb state:
Search also considers how many guests you accept. Rejecting a large number of requests, or failing to respond to enquiries will affect your placement and visibility in search.
So you should ensure that your calendar is up to date and your copy accurately describes your listing. This will prevent unwanted bookings and minimise the amount of declines.
Airbnb also state:
If you do cancel on a guest, it can negatively impact where your listing appears in search.
So never cancel a trip if you can avoid it!
5) Social media
Share your listing on Facebook, Twitter etc. to increase page viewings and improve Airbnb search ranking. Airbnb loves the free publicity, and they reward it. Share your listing and get all your friends to add it to their wish list.
6) Reduce your minimum stay to one night and your maximum to 365 days
The higher the availability of your listing, the greater the number of search queries it satisfies and the more search results it appears in. This is not recommended if you are using instant book (unless you are willing to accept one night stays – recommended for new listings).
7) Achieve Superhost status
The golden ticket for Airbnb hosts, and a key sign to guests that you are a top host of a great property. All Superhosts rank highly in Airbnb search results, but achieving this status can be difficult. It requires a response rate of 90% or more, as well as at least 80% 5 star reviews.
At Guesthoo, our dedicated team respond to enquiries and guest queries around the clock to ensure 100% response rates. This factor is included in the Airbnb search algorithm and contributes to better rankings.
Furthermore, Airbnb state:
“Both the quantity and quality of reviews from past guests can impact your search performance.”
So it is obvious that achieving lots of 5 star reviews is a must.
8) Keyword Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
In short, SEO seeks to make websites rank higher on search engines like Google. Every single website uses SEO, some more effectively than others. This is an important and often overlooked aspect, but SEO applies to the Airbnb search engine in the same way as Google.
At Guesthoo we conduct thorough search traffic analysis to identify the most popular tourist attractions and travel connections in your area. We then include the key terms most people are searching for in your listing’s description and title.
How does this lead to higher search rankings?
Airbnb state the more travellers which click through from search to your place, the higher you will rank. So knowing which tourist attractions most people are looking for will lead to a higher click through rate and better rankings.
Advertising the local attraction with the highest search traffic in your listing also increases the likelihood that potential guests will identify your listing and book it. This is because the most popular attraction is more likely to satisfy the travel plans of a higher proportion of guests. More bookings leads to more reviews, and hence higher rankings.
We are the first and only company to offer real keyword Airbnb SEO strategies. Watch your search rankings, views and bookings increase in a matter of days! Try it now.
Before and after Guesthoo Optimisation.