Airbnb SEO: 10 Proven Tips to Boost Your Ranking

Optimizing your listing using Airbnb search engine optimization (SEO) is the first step to getting more bookings. It’s no wonder that listings on the first page of the Airbnb search results always get more views and inquiries.

To become one of those top listings, you need to understand Airbnb’s search algorithm and how it determines the visibility and ranking of listings. This includes factors such as completeness of listing, guest preferences, booking history, and Superhost criteria. Additionally, response rate and response time significantly impact your listing’s position in search results.

What is Airbnb SEO?

When we talk about “Airbnb SEO,” we’re talking about factors that affect your listing’s visibility on Airbnb’s search engine and ultimately puts you at the top of Airbnb search results. This involves incorporating targeted keywords into your description, pricing your space competitively, and displaying top-notch photos. Your main goal? To land in the top three search results on Airbnb.

Beyond just Airbnb, these SEO practices can also enhance your listing’s visibility on major search engines like Google, particularly for location-specific searches such as “Airbnb in Portland, OR.” However, Airbnb already creates optimized landing pages for these kinds of queries, so the likelihood of an individual listing ranking highly for these specific keywords is relatively slim—slim, but not impossible.

How does Airbnb’s Search Algorithm Work?

Airbnb’s algorithm might seem like a black box, but it’s finely tuned to connect guests with ideal stays. It looks at a broad range of factors, from how complete your listing is to the preferences of past guests, which influence your ranking.

Key Factors for Ranking on Airbnb:

Complete and Detailed Listings

Creating a robust and comprehensive Airbnb listing is pivotal for making informed decisions. Ensure that every part of your Airbnb profile and listing—including the Airbnb title, detailed description, and comprehensive amenities—is fully detailed.

Highlight the proximity to local attractions and transportation, which can be a deciding factor for Airbnb guests. Such completeness not only improves your listing’s appeal but also its visibility in Airbnb’s search results, aiding in attracting potential guests.

Tailoring to Guest Preferences

The Airbnb platform personalizes search suggestions based on guest search behaviors, such as past interactions and booking history. By customizing your listing to meet specific search criteria—such as adding features appealing to families or business travelers—you increase the chances of your listing matching with the right Airbnb guests, thus improving your search visibility and Airbnb rankings.

Competitive Pricing

Effective pricing is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge. Use Airbnb’s pricing tools and consider dynamic pricing software to adapt your rates to match competitive pricing on Airbnb, based on demand and local events. Properly priced listings tend to perform better in terms of both attracting bookings and enhancing listing visibility on Airbnb.

Consistently Positive Reviews

Positive reviews significantly affect your listing’s visibility and position in Airbnb’s search results. Aim for excellence to encourage stellar reviews, which can bolster your Airbnb rankings. Actively encourage guests to share their experiences by making the review process a clear step in the booking process, thereby ensuring ongoing positive feedback and higher booking rates.

Fast Response Rates

A quick response to reservation requests and inquiries demonstrates your commitment as an Airbnb host and enhances guest satisfaction. Airbnb ranks active and responsive hosts higher, which can lead to better placement in search results and an improved guest experience. Maintain a prompt response habit to keep your listing favored in Airbnb’s algorithm.

High Booking Rate

A strong booking rate indicates that your Airbnb listing meets or exceeds guest expectations, making it a desirable choice among Airbnb listings. Keep your booking calendar up-to-date and ensure your Airbnb title and listing description accurately reflect the quality and experience of your offering to maximize your booking rates and improve your ranking in search results.

Fresh Listings

Keep your listing fresh with regular updates, which could include revising the Airbnb title or updating photos and amenities. This not only keeps your listing relevant and appealing but also signals to Airbnb that you are actively managing your page, positively impacting your visibility and performance on the platform.

High-Quality Photos

Invest in high-quality, attractive photos to make your listing stand out in Airbnb’s search results. Consider professional photography to showcase your property effectively. High-resolution images can dramatically influence a guest’s decision to book and are integral to successful listing optimization on the Airbnb platform.

By honing in on these areas, you can enhance your listing’s performance within Airbnb’s search engine, increasing both visibility and bookings.

Ready to dive deeper into how to make these optimizations work for you? Let’s explore further…

How to boost your Airbnb visibility?

If you want to rank higher, you should get ready to stand up to serious competition. There are currently over 7 million Airbnb listings throughout the entire world! This is why cutting through the noise is getting harder each year.

To help you boost your Airbnb search ranking, we have compiled a list of 10 key tips to power up your Airbnb SEO strategy.

1. Be prompt in your guest replies

The first thing Airbnb takes into account is your response rate and response time. For Airbnb hosts, the response rate is the percentage of inquiries you respond to within 24 hours. The response time is the average amount of time that it takes for you to respond to new messages. Airbnb calculates both metrics based on data from the past 30 days. The algorithm considers these metrics when determining a listing’s position in search results.

Your task as a host is to maintain a high response rate and reply as quickly as possible. If you are prompt in your replies, Airbnb and potential guests will regard you as a responsive host. The platform rewards such hosts with a higher Airbnb ranking. You should also keep in mind that failing to respond within 24 hours can affect your response rate. Consequently, it may have an impact on your ranking position.

Hosts confess that sometimes communication with guests gets overwhelming. Inundated with messages at times, hosts struggle to maintain a high response rate. To be able to reply quickly, you should know right away when a potential guest sends you an inquiry. To help you operate on the go, download the Airbnb app to your smartphone.

Also, save your replies as guests usually ask about the same things. Mostly, they might inquire about parking, transfer from the airport, or the check-in time. Keep your pre-written responses on hand and copy and paste them when necessary.

To improve your response rate and hence Airbnb SEO, try vacation rental software such as iGMS. iGMS allows you to automate your communication by creating templates for your replies. Also, you can send triggered messages on preset dates and times. Your guests will stay informed and you will maintain a high response rate.

2. Keep your calendar updated

Hosts who update their calendars have a higher chance of increasing their Airbnb SEO. If you update your calendar regularly, the Airbnb algorithm tags you as an active host, which can improve your search ranking.

Moreover, it is in your best interest to keep your calendar updated, unless you want to miss a potential booking.

However, if you manage several properties on more than one platform, this may turn into a real headache. Logging in and out of your accounts is not the most productive way to use your time. This is why property managers employ software solutions to track bookings across platforms. Vacation rental software also helps to prevent double bookings. So, you will stay sane, and retain your good reputation and your position in the search results.

3. Get more 5-star reviews

Good reviews are paramount for building up your reputation and optimizing your Airbnb SEO. Search ranking on Airbnb looks at the number of guests you’ve hosted and the ratings left by them. Airbnb’s search algorithm also takes into account the number and quality of reviews when determining search rankings. The great news is that a small percentage of bad reviews won’t affect your ranking if you have many good reviews.

Though, at the beginning of your hosting career, a bad review can be devastating. Do your best to grow the number of positive reviews, if you have just started.

To get good reviews, email your guests right after their stay and ask for any feedback. Mention that you are ready to work on improving the guest experience. If their feedback is good and doesn’t have any critical remarks, leave a review for them on Airbnb. If they were not satisfied with their stay, refrain from reviewing them on the platform.

To get more reviews and increase Airbnb SEO, use a software solution that allows you to automate reviews. For example, iGMS enables you to build templates and publish reviews right via the system.

4. Use Instant Book

Instant Book allows travelers to book properties immediately. Guests appreciate this opportunity to book fast and without any obstacles. Moreover, the Airbnb algorithm pushes listings that are more likely to get booked to the top. That’s why listings with Instant Book on occupy the top positions in the search results. Airbnb’s search algorithm favors listings with Instant Book enabled, as it increases the likelihood of securing bookings quickly.

Sometimes people who are searching for accommodation limit their searches only to listings that allow Instant Book. This means that if you have turned this option off your listing won’t even appear in their search.

Enabling Instant Book also helps to secure more bookings and increase revenue. If you are still worried about using Instant Book, add requirements that guests should meet if they want to book with you. You can make your listing available only for guests who have submitted their IDs. Another option is to accept guests who have recommendations from other hosts. You can even opt for both of these requirements to feel less troubled when turning your Instant Book on.

5. Avoid rejections and cancellations

To please the requirements of the Airbnb SEO algorithm, you should avoid cancellations. By keeping your calendar updated and listing complete, you reduce the chances of having a canceled booking. The algorithm considers the frequency of rejections and cancellations when determining search rankings.

Rejections can also result in a drop in your search ranking position. Airbnb looks at how often guests request to book with you and how often you reject them. The platform compares you to other hosts. So, if you reject more guests than other hosts, your Airbnb ranking may decrease.

6. Fill in your Airbnb listing and keep it updated

A completed listing and host profile are essential for Airbnb SEO. Usually, filled in listings attract more bookings as guests want to feel safe and only book with hosts who look trustworthy. The search algorithm favors listings that are complete and regularly updated. Get your profile verified and make sure to complete each and every section of your listing.

A detailed and well-structured listing description is crucial to improve visibility and appeal. Revising listing descriptions based on gathered research and incorporating emojis can attract potential guests and influence search rankings. Use scannable, well-organized, and keyword-rich descriptions to enhance your listing.

Don’t forget to edit your profile once you have updates to share. You don’t want to have any inconsistencies between your profile and your answers to guest inquiries.

7. Promote your account on social media

Once you have set up your listing on Airbnb make sure to showcase it on social media too. Share it on your Facebook or LinkedIn page and ask your friends to do the same.

Having a presence on social media is essential for your Airbnb SEO strategy. Airbnb will appreciate your move by boosting your ranking immediately. External links are incredibly useful for your position in the search results. So, go beyond Airbnb and use other platforms to promote your business. Additionally, optimizing for other search engines like Google can further increase your visibility.

8. Create a compelling listing description

Another step to boosting your Airbnb SEO and overall listing description is by creating a guidebook for your listings. A well-optimized guidebook can improve visibility on both Airbnb and traditional search engines. A guidebook is a great resource for guests as it is full of valuable recommendations. Hosts can share their favorite local spots, restaurants or things to do in the area.

When creating a guidebook, make sure to include a list of top attractions and landmarks. By including the most popular destinations, you will increase your chances to rank higher.

Boost your Local SEO!

9. Use professional photos for your listing

A picture is worth a thousand words, they say. This holds true for an Airbnb listing as well. Your Airbnb SEO will increase if you complement your listing with professional photos. Great photos can highlight the best features of your property. This, in turn, will attract more travelers to your listings.

Additionally, optimizing your listing title by highlighting nearby attractions, using specific location names or landmarks, and focusing on the experience offered can significantly enhance your listing’s appeal and visibility.

What is more, Airbnb will watermark your photos and this will also automatically optimize your listing’s ranking.

10. Price your listing competitively

When you are starting out, getting your first booking can seem a bit challenging. How are you going to compete with no reviews and ratings? The only way to win your first guest is to lower your Airbnb listing price. By charging less than your competitors, you can attract travelers who are ready to explore a new property at a reduced price.

Once you have enough reviews and reached an occupancy rate of 80% or higher, you can justifiably increase your pricing. However, when increasing your pricing, you have to make sure that it is appropriate and competitive within the market. The Airbnb SEO algorithm takes into account your price as it is one of the factors that are the most important for guests. The search algorithm considers competitive pricing when determining search rankings.

Keeping up with the competition in terms of pricing is easier said than done, though. Usually, hosts don’t have time for completing data research or analyzing the prices of competitors. So, it makes sense to use pricing management tools to save time and remain competitive. These tools take into account seasonality, events, occupancy rates of your competitors which help you to come up with the most appropriate pricing.

Final Thoughts

Although optimizing your listing for Airbnb SEO may take some time, it is totally worth your effort. It doesn’t matter how great your accommodation is if your listing still falls behind. The list of Airbnb SEO principles can go on and on, but if you start by improving the basics you can already give your listing a substantial boost. These tips aim to improve your search rankings, making your listing more visible and appealing to potential guests.

To have more time for making your listing better, you need to reduce the number of routine operations. This is where vacation rental software comes into play. Moreover, it may come in handy to improve many aspects of your rental management.

Use vacation rental software such as iGMS to enhance your guest communication, grow the number of positive reviews and streamline the whole process of your business management.