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Published:
April 5, 2024
Reading time:
5
minutes

Airbnb search optimization

As an Airbnb host, you want potential guests to find your short-term rental (STR) properties. The easier users can find your properties, the higher your booking rates. This is where Airbnb’s search engine optimization (SEO) plays a crucial role. Comparable to Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs), Airbnb SEO improves a listing’s visibility in Airbnb search results.

This article covers how you can take advantage of Airbnb SEO. We’ll break down Airbnb’s search algorithm and how to optimize your Airbnb listing. Furthermore, we discuss the importance of enhancing the guest experience to improve your property listing rankings. Finally, we’ll show you how you can easily leverage Keybee’s services for success, including improving Airbnb SEO.

Understanding the Airbnb search algorithm

Airbnb uses specific factors to determine a property’s rank. The properties with the best listing visibility satisfy more of these factors. Therefore, we need to understand how the Airbnb search algorithm works.

Fortunately, Airbnb is open about how its algorithm works.

Here’s what they say:

  • Airbnb’s algorithm generates specific search results to appeal to guests.
  • Guests enter search criteria and keywords so the algorithm knows what to look for.
  • It sorts through millions of listings to find the best matches for each search.
  • The algorithm uses many factors to best determine the right order of search results.
  • Popularity, quality, and prices heavily influence listing search results.

We also know that there’s a multitude of other factors that can sway the algorithm. Listing accuracy and completeness, guest reviews and ratings, as well as availability also influence the algorithm.

With so many factors at play, you must ensure your property listings are up to speed. The better your listings satisfy these Airbnb SEO factors, the higher your rankings will be and the more users will view your STRs.

Optimizing your Airbnb listing

As a host, there are many things you can do to optimize your Airbnb listing.

Competition on the world’s biggest short-term rental platform is fierce. But our expert tips for optimizing your Airbnb listing below will help your properties stand out and increase their rankings.

  1. Write compelling titles and descriptions

Your property listing’s title is your best chance to make a good first impression. The title of your listing has the power to encourage or deter potential guests. This is even before viewing your property’s description, pictures, and reviews.

This is why taking the time to create an attractive and persuasive title is paramount to success.

Crafting compelling headlines isn’t easy, though. It’s an art and science that requires winning methods. Using our Listing Setup & Optimization service, our expert copywriters will write enticing headlines and descriptions potential guests will want to click on.

The same is true for your property descriptions. What does it offer your guests? What amenities does it have? Does it have any standout or charming characteristics? Moreover, make the description scannable. An easy-to-read and concise description gets read.

By offering prospective guests a glimpse of what they can experience, you enhance the chances of them booking your vacation rental property.

  1. Use professional photos

A key component to turning your listing into a booking machine is using professional photos.

An image says a thousand words. By using professional, high-quality photos, you give users a window into their future stay at your property.

Take photos that flatter your property. Highlight its unique characteristics such as decor.

This is one of the pillars of a high-performing STR listing on Airbnb.

  1. Highlight unique selling points

Your property is unique—so show it.

Showcasing what makes your vacation rental property different and highlighting its unique selling points is a great way to enhance your property’s attractiveness.

Consider your amenities. Does your property have a swimming pool, a hot tub, or a balcony?

Think about what guests want. Does your STR property have high-speed internet, air conditioning, or EV charger?

Ensuring you upload every unique and desirable selling point onto your listing will increase the likelihood of your property getting booked.

  1. Keep your booking calendar up-to-date

Hosts must maintain an accurate and up-to-date booking calendar.

First, maximize your availability window. This means keeping your calendar open for months beforehand. This enables guests to book their vacation in advance.

Second, if you plan to use your property yourself, block the calendar as soon as possible. This ensures your guests don’t simultaneously book when you plan to use it.

However, keeping your booking calendar accurate and up-to-date requires time and planning. But Keybee’s Channel Manager makes it simple and easy. The software ensures your vacation short-term rental property calendars are synchronized across all platforms, including Airbnb.

Enhance your guest experience

One of the most important factors for Airbnb SEO is how well guests rate their stay. Specifically, gaining more 5-star reviews and preventing negative reviews will do more to elevate your platform ranking than nearly any other factor.

For Airbnb SEO, local competition is most important. This means you need to do your best to provide a more positive guest experience than other STR hosts nearby.

Here are some tips from our experts on how to enhance your guest experience.

  1. Ensure your platform listing accurately reflects what your property offers.
  2. Fully maintain your property so that it’s always in tip-top condition.
  3. Remain available to guests when they need assistance.
  4. After a stay, follow up with guests and see that their stay matches their expectations.

Leverage Keybee for your success

Keybee is a complete and flexible vacation rental maintenance service. We help hosts like you maximize their vacation rental income.

We understand that optimizing your short-term rental property for Airbnb SEO can take a lot of time, effort, and resources. That’s why we offer tailored services comprising complete vacation rental management.

Our services include:

Conclusion

Airbnb SEO is crucial for your success as a host. As we’ve outlined, understanding the Airbnb algorithm is a must for enhancing your property’s listings and rankings. And using our expert tips will give you the upper hand.

But while these will give you a solid foundation, there’s much more to optimizing your property on Airbnb.

Find out more about how to optimize your property’s rankings on Airbnb. Get ahead of the curve and start topping the Airbnb rankings with Keybee.

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