Summer Updates: Airbnb Categories
Airbnb just launched the biggest change to its platform since its inception—Airbnb Categories. It’s an all-new design allowing guests to easily navigate unique homes and discover places they wouldn’t have known to search for.
This is a game-changer for hosts who want to make their listings stand out.
Airbnb Categories organizes homes based on 50 curated collections, such as home style, location, and nearby activities. Guests are now able to browse listings under categories such as “Arctic” and “Beach”; “Chef’s Kitchen” and “Design”; “Skiing” and “Vineyards.” There’s even a collection showcasing 2,800 homes with Grand Pianos!
How does it work?
In order to fully take advantage of this new feature, it’s important you understand how Airbnb Categories are curated. Here’s what you need to know:
Machine learning is being used to analyze titles, listing descriptions, guest reviews, and photo captions.
Members of the curation team at Airbnb manually review listings and hand-pick featured photos.
Each category goes through a final review for consistency and photo quality.
How can hosts capitalize on this change?
Airbnb rolled out this innovative feature in response to the new way in which people are traveling—to enjoy an overall experience, as opposed to just a destination. Travelers are also staying for extended periods of time, which often means they're spending a considerable amount of time at their Airbnbs.
As a host, you should be thinking about what categories you can classify your Airbnb under, as well as how you can modify your listing to entice guests to book long-term stays. Now more than ever before hosts need to be focusing on quality photos, vivid listing descriptions, and positive reviews. All three factor heavily into how and if your listings get categorized.
