How to improve your Airbnb ranking?

The introduction of Airbnb’s new summer updates for hosts and accommodation providers has primarily changed how listings are categorized and displayed. As a result of these changes, many short-term rental owners are asking the recurring question: How can I improve my position on Airbnb?

The updates have caused drops in rankings, and previous methods of standing out no longer seem to work.

Today, we will outline the new guidelines for optimizing your listing and share a few tips to enhance your Airbnb visibility.

What Impacts Search Results on Airbnb?

If you’ve already created a listing, it’s worth considering how to adjust it so that Airbnb’s algorithms rank your accommodation higher in the search results. The ultimate goal, of course, is to achieve the highest possible position, making it easier for guests to find you quickly.

The primary goal of the search engine and its underlying rules is to connect listings with customers. The algorithm is tailored to meet guests’ needs.

Thanks to the improvements Airbnb has implemented, the platform is attracting more people searching for accommodations.

Travelers typically use the search bar to input details like their travel destination, dates, and filters such as the number of bedrooms. However, these factors alone do not directly determine a listing’s high ranking or placement at the top of the search results for a given area.

What Can You Do to Make It Work?

How to Improve Your Airbnb Listing for Better Visibility – Tips

Your Listing Is Key

1. high-quality photos – encourage guests to visit.

Guests choose accommodations by comparing photos of listings

• show the type of property you offer – clearly present the category in the main photo, e.g., cabins or chalets
• attract attention with decorations, fruits, or an open book
• take photos from the corner of the room to show a wider view
• remember that even a photo of the surroundings can influence the choice
• you can hire an interior photographer

2. detailed listing description

Write precisely what your guests can expect upon arrival. If your place is near a street, mention it

• write what is unique about your property: close to the center, near a lake, farm stay, equestrian vacations, industrial loft
• describe the surroundings: distance from neighbors, dirt road, city center, gated community

3. take care of amenities

Travelers look for specific amenities and filter available listings based on them. Provide what your guests are looking for

• fast internet – important for longer stays and workations
• pleasures at the property – e.g., a bathtub could be what your guests are searching for – check options for hedonists
• special offers during the stay – prepare unique attractions for them

How to Set a Listing Name on Airbnb?

In this section, we will focus on naming your listing. Changes made by Airbnb and the introduction of new categories temporarily rendered listing names irrelevant to the algorithms.

However, starting June 30, the ability to assign individual property names has returned.

How to Use a Listing Name on Airbnb to Achieve a Good Ranking?

1. short name – optimize for searches on mobile devices like smartphones

• long names are replaced with “…”
• a maximum of 32 characters is allowed
• place the most important information at the beginning, e.g., Apartment in Poznań city center, Guesthouse with private beach, Romantic cabin in the mountains

2. avoid CAPITAL LETTERS – THEY ARE HARD TO READ

• use capital letters only for proper nouns or names, e.g., airports like WAW, POZ
• the human eye reads standard text more easily
• writing in all caps doesn’t make your listing stand out; instead, it annoys guests—on the internet, writing in all caps is considered shouting

3. no emojis or special characters – in different countries, emojis and symbols can have various meanings

• avoid emojis like a thumbs-up or a smiley face
• do not repeat special characters in your listing name, e.g., !!! or ***

4. do not repeat information from the listing

• guests already see the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and the city in the listing details
• use detailed information, e.g., the neighborhood or distance to the airport
• you can include information like a workspace
• avoid using the word NEW – guests already see this in the search results

Additional Booking Terms

For the Airbnb algorithm, responding to guest inquiries and accepting reservations is crucial. If you have available dates listed in your booking calendar, it’s highly likely that your accommodation will rank higher in search results.

Remember these key rules:

• respond to requests within 24 hours
• avoid rejecting booking requests whenever possible, and ensure no overbooking occurs
• use instant booking
• do not cancel previously confirmed reservations – this greatly harms your listing

Superhost

This is one of the factors considered in positioning your property in Airbnb’s search engine. Positive guest ratings, reviews, and recommendations play a big role. Guests can filter their search to display only Superhosts when choosing their accommodations.

In summary, if you are hospitable, you won’t have trouble achieving this title, and your guests will appreciate your efforts.