Airbnb Category Optimization Guide
Airbnb categories are not a new thing by now, first released in November 2022 as part of their âwinter updatesâ. Since then itâs been a welcomed addition to help hosts stand out among the crowd by showcasing stays with unique themes and attributes to them.
Previously guests only had search functionality to choose a destination location and date range of their stay, and any amenities they would need to accommodate them. With the addition of Airbnb categories, guests can now select from the homepage a specific category of interest. Top listing results are then display based on a ranking system, on the category landing page.
You can also find an additional filter functionality to accommodate each individual category.
There are currently 62 Airbnb categories ranging from a focus on the experience type like âdesertâ locations, the accommodation type such as âhistoricalâ or âfarmsâ, and desired features like âsurfingâ and âplayâ.
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Appearing in the category (or categories) that best suit your property is a significant advantage to gaining more booking and when optimizing your Airbnb listing to qualify, and place, there are some important tips and tricks youâll want to know.
How does a listing appear in a category?
Airbnb automatically places your listing in the category, or categories, that it deems the most relevant and appropriate. They use an AI algorithm with closely guarded criteria to figure this all out, but we do know some of it. Furthermore you can submit a request to change a listings category or even remove it altogether, but more on that later.
Bear in mind that not all listings qualify for the Categories featured section of the website. Only the listings relevant to one or more of the current 62 themes.
How Airbnb ranks category listings
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âListings that appear in categories are ranked based on a number of factors that evolve over timeâ, according to Airbnb. We can take away three things from that statement;
- Listings under categories have a ranking criteria that differs from regular search (although similar).
- Not all listings qualify for inclusion
- Airbnb doesnât disclose all of their criteria
Here are some key factors that we do know however, that will help you rank;
- Price
- Popularity
- Proximity (for location searches)
- Category fit
- Listing photo quality
All of the above are generally the same criteria as appearing in the regular search algorithm but with the listing optimization having more of a focus on the desired category placement.
For example; Cover photos that showcase the expected and relevant criteria will more than likely be included. Here is an example from the âPlayâ category.
Notice that all cover photos seen here show “play” related activities such as games, sports, etc. The images are also high quality and follow best practices for Airbnb image optimization.
Additional listing attributes that are considered for inclusion in categories are;
- Titles
- Descriptions
- Photo captions
- Guest reviews
Again, not dissimilar to non category specific listing optimization practices, as those attributes are used to signal and highlight what your listing attributes are. Amenities are also a ranking factor according to Airbnb, but certainly only when search filters are used.
My takeaways
My casual observations on other key factors are that there isn’t much that stands out in the stays that are category specific, how ever the top listings I reviewed do include âplayâ related attributes in their description.
I also noticed that keyword density and placement may have played a role. I would recommend that those who wish to optimize for multiple categories or Airbnb SEO for search engines will want to strike a balance between content and placement.
In addition, the reviews I read didnât have relevant keywords within them. I can only assume that their AI is looking for positive sentiment in comments, which would already contribute to a high scored listing.
How to check if youâre listed in a category
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You can check if your listing is included in any categories from the Airbnb admin dashboard. Click âYour spaceâ under the listing editor of the listing you want to check placement(s) for. Once there, click âProperty typeâ. If your property is categorized, youâll find them listed there.
How to add or change your listings category
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If you believe that your listing is in a wrong or inappropriate category, you can sign in to Elevate and manage requests from there. You can select 5 initial desired categories from the â+add a categoryâ button, and any additional ones after their review outcome. These requests are reviewed by Airbnb and are not guaranteed.
Once a decision has been made youâll receive an email with the status of inclusion for each category youâve requested.
Conclusion
Category placements are awarded to stays that fit specific criteria, and could qualify for inclusion in a single or multiple categories. Although Airbnb automatically selects category niches that best fit your listing, listings that are well optimized for inclusion in categories will benefit from increased visibility which leads to more bookings.
While optimizing for categories the same principles apply as optimizing for Airbnbs regular search algorithm, with an emphasis on category specific criteria. You therefore want to strike the right balance to ensure youâre targeting both search and category algorithms to give you the best possible placements throughout the platform.
There are no substitutes for the fundamentals such as listing titles and descriptions which provide clarity and set expectations for potential guests, an up-to-date amenities list, and well optimized images that attract attention and highlight your properties best attributes.
