Comprehensive Airbnb Search Ranking Analysis
Introduction
Rankbreeze's recent study provides a deep dive into the landscape of Airbnb's search rankings across three markets. Analyzing a massive 1.49 million Airbnb pages, the study uncovers crucial insights from 29,244 unique property listings, offering invaluable advice for hosts aiming to climb the Airbnb search ranks. Good news - this confirms what Vanage Vacation Homes has done along; our properties consistently rank in the top pages.
Key Findings
Instant Book Feature and Ranking
Impact of Instant Book: Properties with the "Instant Book" feature enabled tend to rank higher in search results. The data shows a clear preference for listings with this feature in the top and middle pages.
Instant Book Usage: Over 93% of properties use "Instant Book," highlighting its popularity for better visibility.
Superhost Status
Superhosts Rule the Roost: Superhosts predominantly appear on the first page. Their presence slightly decreases on the 2nd and 3rd pages.
Non-Superhosts' Ranking: Hosts without Superhost status are more likely to appear after the 6th page.
Listing Description Length
Optimal Length: The sweet spot for listing descriptions is between 350 - 880 words. This range is commonly seen in properties on the first 3 pages.
Content Quality Over Quantity: While length matters, the focus should be on welcoming, informative, and conversion-focused descriptions.
Star Ratings
Rating Thresholds: Listings with star ratings below 4.85 need attention. Page 1 results generally average 4.89 stars.
Impact of Lower Ratings: Properties with lower ratings, capped at 4.5 stars, tend to appear on lower search pages.
Photo Count
Quantity and Quality: Top-ranking listings usually feature 30 to 60 high-quality photos. The emphasis should be on engaging, high-quality images.
Property Management Strategy
Listings Per Profile: Large property managers often split properties across profiles, with a common number being 150 properties per profile. The number of listings per profile doesn't significantly impact rankings.
Cancellation Policies
Strict vs. Flexible Policies: About 50% of top-ranking listings in studied cities had strict cancellation policies, which might slightly benefit ranking. In contrast, properties with flexible cancellation policies frequently appear on lower pages.
Check-In and Check-Out Times
Preferred Times by Top Listings: The majority of top and middle-ranking properties prefer a 4 PM check-in and a 10 AM check-out.
Conclusion
Rankbreeze's extensive study provides actionable insights for Airbnb hosts, highlighting the importance of features like Instant Book, Superhost status, optimal description length, photo quality, and strategic management of listing profiles and cancellation policies. Adapting these factors can significantly influence a property's visibility and ranking on Airbnb's search pages.
