.As many of us have witnessed, Airbnb has created an expansive site redesign.
This has caused quite a bit of uproar in the Airbnb community, as hosts and guests alike try to figure out how to navigate the new design.
What has Airbnb updated in their May 2022 update
- Unique ‘categories’ have been created to highlight listings. These categories are different search sections for guests as well
- The search results page doesn’t include the number of reviews or titles of the property. The title has been replaced with generic text, such as “Home in Chicago”
- A guest can split their stay between two properties easily, this is done with a feature called “split stays”
- In certain categories, Airbnb will pull the most relevant photo and display that as your cover photo. For example, in the category of “Amazing Pools”, Airbnb is showing all pool photos and in some cases, these photos are not the first photo that the host has setup
These are bold design changes & there’s a lot to unpack here.
Rankbreeze Update
Currently, the data & tools in Rankbreeze are set up for the “All Homes” category.
Which looks like this in Rankbreeze:
We’re researching what it’s like to search as a guest in different areas, both urban and in traditional vacation rental markets. This also means running through multiple scenarios for the different reasons people travel & using different guest counts.
For categories, we’re running a feasibility study. This involves answering basic & advanced questions about the categories.
Right now, categories aren’t populated with enough listings but we expect this to change as Airbnb powers through.
So naturally, there are a few questions we questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my title matter anymore?
Yes, Airbnb is still using your title to categorize your property.
Artificial intelligence is being used to analyze your title, description, photos, photo captions, & other internal data.
When a guest lands on your listing page, they will see your title front row & center.
It’s important to remember that a guest does not know anything about your property & the title is a very easy way to inform them immediately.
In fact, there’s a bit of a shock factor to seeing a title for the first time.
Finally, as Airbnb grows in technical complexity, it will need more data – not less. The more information you provide Airbnb, the better.
Has the entire Airbnb algorithm changed?
Parts of it certainly have, but many remain unchanged.
Foundational ranking factors, such as click through rates, time on page, & these other Airbnb ranking factors in this list still remain.
Think of categories as additional Airbnb filters. Remember, we always need to remember to “fight the filter”.
Everything a guest does while searching on Airbnb is about filtering & adjusting those filters.
What has changed though?
The inputs that feed that algorithm are adjusting. For example, the removal of the title on the search page englarges the focus on photos.
However, to optimize for a category, you need to consider your keywords used to describe your property & more.
Over time, we believe rankings will shift towards hosts & properties that put an extreme emphasis on keyword & listing optimization, photography & amassing valuable reviews.
What should I do with my listing after this update?
1) Review your property’s details in Airbnb. Make sure you’ve got the right categories selected for your property type.
2) Monitor your ‘All Homes’ rankings. The new categories sections don’t usually have enough listings to satisfy most people who have a stricter location.
3) If you’re looking to add yourself into a category, try to add more details about that category in your listing description. Update your title, description, photo captions, host profile & review your photos. If you need to retake your photo, this would be the time to do so. You could also delete your photo and re-upload it.
4) Know who you are trying to attract and if it’s not insanely obvious, you have to change that in your entire listing. For example, if you usually attract big groups & your photos don’t scream the largeness of the property, you need to change that.
5) Revamp your title to improve the following:
- The shock factor
- Be informative
- Use the keywords in Rankbreeze to optimize your title for the ‘All Homes’ category. Especially if you’re not in a category yet.
- To try to optimize yourself into a category by adding that exact keyword to your property title & summary. We’ll expand more on this as we learn more as well.
6) Photos are now the central focus when it comes to getting clicks from search results. Star ratings still appear but let’s be honest, do you click on a listing because of the star ratings?
- If your current photo doesn’t stand out enough, you’ve got to supercharge it so that it draws in the most amount of clicks.
- Review your competitor’s photos. Rankbreeze has a handy feature called the “spot check button” where you can review multiple date ranges & guest counts quickly.
- If you own multiple listings in an area, brand your photos. When people see two of your properties & they have similar branding, they’re going to want to click.
- Clicking on a property will add that property into a guest’s personalized search results – so get that click!
- Select 1 room to redesign or reshoot. Don’t get overwhelmed with redoing your entire property, just select 1 area to start with.
- Completely mix it up. If Airbnb won’t let you display your title on the search results page then get creative & add it to your photo.
7) Split stays are only available for properties that have 3 or more days open in their calendar. Consider testing your minimum ‘length of stay’ settings for Monday to 2-3 days.
8) Offer exponential value on your listing page. Consider what you can do to get that person to say, “heck yes! I’m booking this right now before anyone else does!”
Airbnb’s recent algorithm update is shaking up the hospitality industry. As a company, we are committed to staying ahead of these changes and ensuring that our customers have the tools they need to succeed.
That’s why we’ve been working hard on listing optimization strategies and ways to help you stay ahead of the curve.
If you have any questions or want more information, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our team is always here to help!