10 Airbnb ranking factors to know

See how Airbnb’s algorithm works so you can increase your ranking
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With 150 million users (and counting), Airbnb is certainly the place to be when you own a vacation rental. Competition can be fierce though. Other vacation rentals in your area are vying for the same guests. It’s not enough to simply list your home and wait for the bookings to roll in.

How do you stand out in the search results? And, how can you rank higher? To answer those questions, we dived into how Airbnb’s search algorithm works and found ways you can help boost your position.

Here’s what to know:

A lot goes into Airbnb search rankings

In fact, Airbnb assesses more than 100 different factors when ranking vacation rental listings in search results. However, they explain that some factors weigh more than others in their search algorithm. These include:

  • Listing quality
    This means posting quality property photos and describing your property—and its unique characteristics—accurately and engagingly in your property listing.

  • Popularity
    The more guests click on your listing, save your property to their wish list, message you, or book a stay, the higher your property will rank in their search results.

  • Price
    Airbnb’s algorithm considers a variety of pricing points, including how your price compares to similar vacation homes in the area (homes that offer similar amenities and guest capacities) for those same dates. Lower-priced listings tend to rank higher.

Other Airbnb ranking factors can include:

  • How many times your vacation rental listing is viewed.
  • Your response times when replying to messages and requests to stay.
  • Your availability.
  • How often you accept bookings.
  • How often you cancel bookings.
  • How well guests rate your property after their stay.
  • If your home is new to the platform (Airbnb gives new listings an initial boost to build momentum).

Good news: You can influence your order in Airbnb rankings

While Airbnb keeps their exact ratings method and algorithm under wraps, the good news is that you can help boost your position. Some of the top ways to improve your ranking:

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  • Open more dates
    The more availability you have on your calendar, the more it can work with guests’ travel dates. Instead of blocking off your calendar for your own visits or for family and friends, add availability so you’re more likely to turn up in users’ search results.

  • Amend your rental rates
    One of the smartest pricing strategies is to price your Airbnb depending on demand. For instance, setting a lower price for less busy weeks and a higher rate when a popular event is in town. Listings with the best value tend to rank higher in Airbnb search results.

  • Build up your 5-star reviews
    Vacation home owners who consistently offer remarkable hospitality (and have the slew of 5-star reviews to prove it) will see a boost in their ranking over time. Don’t have much guest feedback yet? Here’s how to get more glowing guest reviews on Airbnb.

  • Be quick to respond
    Routinely replying to booking requests within 24 hours can help boost your rankings in search results. Conversely, repeatedly declining requests (or worse, canceling bookings once you’ve already confirmed them) can have a negative impact on your rankings.

Now that you better understand Airbnb’s ranking algorithm and have these actionable tips, your vacation home is on its way to ranking higher in guests’ search results.

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