The Airbnb experiment that changed how I’ll list forever
Today I am sharing the results of a fifteen-month experiment I have been running with my own Airbnb listing. I wanted to understand something that a lot of hosts struggle with. When you have more than one ideal guest, can you effectively lean into different target markets at different times of the year?
I had a theory. I thought it might be a genius move in terms of niching. Instead it taught me something very different, far clearer, and far more useful for every host reading this.
I am confident this will help you decide how to run yours too.
Why I ran the experiment
My place is a bit unusual, although not uncommon. It appeals to two very different audiences.
Couples book all year round, especially during autumn and winter, often for weekends or short getaways. Families, particularly those with toddlers and babies, are a strong audience from May through to the end of the summer holidays. A small number of solo travellers or workers come through too, although they are not a target audience.
My advice is always to lean fully into your ideal guest. I absolutely believe in that. The challenge is deciding which of the two groups to prioritise.
So I decided to test it.
What I set up
On Airbnb you can only list the same space twice if there is a substantive difference between listings. Some hosts list a single room and then the whole house. Others offer different combinations of bedrooms. In my case, I created one listing for couples only, and one listing for families with the sofa bed and the extras noted.
The two listings had:
different titles
different photos
slightly different staging
different descriptions
different prices
different audiences in mind
The calendars were linked using iCal, so availability was not an issue.
For couples, I leaned into the quiet, romantic, walking-and-relaxation side of the space. Wine glasses at sunset, the monsoon shower, cosy touches. For families, I highlighted the fairy trail, climbing frame, books, games, and the sofa bed. I tried to make each listing feel naturally right for its intended guest.
My hypothesis had two parts.
First, I thought each listing would perform better because it was more relevant to the audience searching. Second, I wondered if momentum might stall because neither listing could receive the full volume of bookings.
What happened
For the first few months, both listings sat within the first two pages of search results. Then the couples listing slipped. I assumed it would recover in winter when couples tend to book more, and although I did receive some bookings from it, the listing kept slipping further and further down.
Meanwhile, the family listing stayed on the first page of search results.
This result was part of what I’d been looking to find out. But then something all the more interesting happened: solo and couple travellers booked the more expensive family listing. I do not mean one or two. I am talking about seven different bookings where a solo traveller or a couple chose the more expensive family listing, even though the couples listing was still live and available for the same dates at a lower price.
Airbnb had decided the family listing was a better performer and was showing it first. Guests cannot order results by price. They book what they see. They book what Airbnb presents to them. They were choosing the more expensive listing because the algorithm placed it higher.
Momentum trumps price. Momentum trumps ideal guest. Momentum trumps everything.
Once the couples listing lost ground, it continued to lose ground. The family listing kept winning, and so Airbnb kept pushing it.
The clear result
The family listing outperformed by a mile.
This surprised me because, historically, couples have always made up the majority of our bookings. Families have never been the minority, but they have not been the main driver either.
Yet the family listing brought us:
slightly higher revenue per night
several more bookings
couples also booking it despite the higher price
Airbnb rewards whatever is making it money. If one version of your listing is performing, it will appear higher in search. Once it wins, it keeps winning.
What I learned
Momentum is everything on Airbnb. It is not mystical or mysterious. It is simply the platform rewarding the listings that make it money.
Price is not the main driver. If you stay within the top ten to fifteen search results, guests will book even if you are 10, 20 or even 30 percent more expensive than similar properties. If you slip down, the opposite is true.
Couples were not put off by the family positioning. A listing designed for families did not repel them. This was a surprise, and a useful one. Families need clearer signals than couples do. Couples can see a wide range of listings and imagine how they will use them. Families need reassurance, practicalities, and clarity.
Running two listings was not worth it. While it is allowed, and while it can work for some setups, in my case it split my momentum. The compromise was too great.
What I am doing next
I have removed the couples listing completely. This will naturally boost momentum because every successful night contributes to a single listing’s performance.
I will still adjust my messaging and photos slightly through the seasons. Autumn and winter will lean more towards couples and solos. Spring and summer will lean towards young families. But I will not dilute anything by splitting the listing again.
Momentum can be lost for many reasons. A long direct booking, availability gaps from agents, long stays, or a few quiet months can all push a listing down. The good news is that it can be recovered with focus and strategy (but it does need a bit of thought).
This experiment has given me an even clearer understanding of how the algorithm behaves and how to work with it rather than against it.
If your listing has lost momentum
If you suspect you have lost traction, or if you are trying to optimise your listing and do not know where to start, I can help you get clarity. I offer strategy calls and full Airbnb listing reviews, which are ideal if you feel stuck. Take a look at ways to work 1:1 with me here.
If you want to work alongside me ad a group of like minded hosts to revamp your listing, then Airbnb Accelerator is the place to look. This isn’t 1:1 but it is also not just me telling you what to do. We do it together. You get the plan, the steps, the community, the feedback and the confidence to get your listing performing properly. Once your first booking comes in, the investment is covered.
This experiment taught me a lot. I hope it helps you too.