How to recover Airbnb momentum
After running my fifteen-month Airbnb experiment, (which you can read all about here), one thing became absolutely clear. Momentum is the single biggest driver of visibility, bookings and revenue on the platform. I often hear chat about the algorithm and sometimes we can talk, as hosts, about Airbnb as if it's ‘unfair’ or mysterious. It is not personal. Airbnb will always prioritise the listings that make it money. Once we get our heads around that, it makes listing a lot easier to get right.
If your listing has slipped down the rankings, or if bookings have slowed, the good news is that momentum can be recovered. It takes a bit of focus, a clear plan, and in some cases a shift in how you present your ideal guest through the year.
Here’s my experience of what affects momentum, how it gets lost and what you can do to get it back.
What momentum actually is
Momentum on Airbnb is measurable activity. When you achieve consistent bookings at rates that perform well for your area, the platform sees your listing as a win. If you’re making money, Air is making money and it deems your listing one to show front and centre because money is what it is designed to prioritise. It pushes you higher in search so that you can continue making it money.
If your listing slips, Airbnb has less reason to prioritise it and other listings move ahead. The gap can widen and it can quickly become a downward spirel: fewer bookings = less visibility = fewer bookings and so on.
The reassuring part is that you can influence almost every lever that drives momentum.
What causes momentum to drop
There are several common reasons for losing traction.
Long direct bookings
If you have long direct stays or long bookings from an agent, your Airbnb calendar naturally becomes sparse. Less availability can lower visibility because Airbnb cannot sell those dates so the algorithm knows it is less likely to make a sale from your listing.
Long stays through Airbnb
These fill your calendar but reduce movement. Fewer bookings mean fewer chances for Airbnb to learn that your listing performs.
A quiet period for your target guest
For example, if your space usually attracts families, winter may slow things down if you do not shift your positioning.
Listing drift
This is when small changes, old photos, unclear messaging or a lack of seasonal updates slowly push the listing out of relevance.
None of these are failures. They are simply signals that your listing needs a small injection of attention. If you’re looking to transform things, I work with hosts on a couple of options. Airbnb Listing Reviews are a wholesale, entirely personalised review of your listing with examples and suggestions for changes. The report tells you exactly what changes to make and pertains specifically to your listing and property.
Another option is Airbnb Accelerator (affectionally known as ABBA for short!), where you work alongside me in a coaching group to learn what exactly makes a successful listing and how to action that for yourself. It requires more work but creates deeper learning that you can take forward, and it is also more affordable. Take a look here.
How to tune your listing through the year
A major lesson from my experiment was that different audiences behave differently.
Families need reassurance. They search with practical questions. They look for safety, comfort, clarity, and things to make life easier with children. When your listing shows that you understand this, they book.
Couples are flexible. They can look at a wide range of listings and imagine themselves in almost any space. They do not need to be spoken to as directly. This means you can lean harder into the family audience in spring and summer, and still not lose couples.
In autumn and winter, it is natural to soften the family focus and bring in more language, photos and staging for couples and solo guests. It makes your listing feel seasonally right without needing two separate listings. In spring and summer, I will be fully leaning in to the family focus.
What to do to rebuild momentum
Momentum can be recovered. It may take a bit of strategy and some temporary changes, but it is always possible. Things to consider:
Optimise your listing: if you want a quick refresh, you can download my guide to creating a successful listing here. For a more in depth review, look at Listing Reviews and ABBA (both detailed above).
Review your minimum stay: dropping your minimum stay temporarily can bring in a few smaller bookings that give the algorithm activity to work with.
Check your calendar: make sure your availability is accurate and not blocked by mistake. Open up as far in advance as you’re comfortable doing.
Consider a temporary price adjustment: this is not the priority. It is simply one lever. You do not need to drop dramatically. You only need to attract a few bookings to show the algorithm that your listing is active again.
The aim is to create a small run of momentum that lifts your listing back to where it should be. This isn’t something you will need to do regularly; it’s just to use when things have dropped off temporarily.
If you want support, there are a few ways I help:
Strategy calls
These are perfect if you know something is wrong but cannot pinpoint what it is. We work through everything together and make a clear plan.
Full listing reviews
If you feel overwhelmed, this is the one I recommend. I go through your listing section by section and give you specific changes to make so you can start recovering momentum straight away.
Airbnb Accelerator
A coaching group where we optimise your listing together. You bring your listing, I bring the plan, and by the time the course ends, your listing will be in its best possible shape. Once your first booking comes in, the investment is covered.
