The Superhost Effect: How It Influences the Airbnb Algorithm and Bookings

Ever wondered if having the ‘Superhost’ badge could get you more bookings on Airbnb? Jeff, our founder at IntelliHost, took a deep dive into our data to uncover how being a Superhost can influence the four primary booking funnel metrics. The findings? Let’s just say you might be in for a surprise.

Impressions: To Appear or Not?

Impressions on Airbnb are counted whenever your listing appears in a search. Whether it’s on the first page or the fifteenth, every appearance is recorded. The pressing question is – does being a Superhost improve your visibility in searches?

If guests actively filter for Superhosts, it should increase, right? Our data showed that average daily impressions for Superhosts rose to 335 from 302. That’s a promising 11% spike in overall impressions!

First-Page Impressions: Are Superhosts Really Favored?

One might assume that Airbnb’s algorithm would prioritize Superhosts in search rankings. However, our research paints a different picture. The difference between non-Superhosts and Superhosts regarding first-page impressions is minimal – 45.6% for the former and 46% for the latter.

Such a marginal difference makes it hard to conclude that Airbnb significantly rewards the Superhost status in search.

Click Rate: Superhost or Not, It’s Almost the Same

Click rate metrics were nearly identical for both categories. With a rate of 20% for both non-Superhosts and Superhosts, the difference is negligible, hinting that the Superhost status doesn’t necessarily guarantee more clicks.

Conversion Rate: The Real Game-Changer

This is where things get spicy! Non-Superhosts recorded a conversion rate of about 0.86%, while Superhosts managed a rate of 1.03%.

It might seem small, but that’s a substantial 19.8% increase in conversion rate for Superhosts. This appears to be the real benefit of the coveted Superhost badge.

The Bottom Line…

When you sum it up, the advantages of being a Superhost translate to approximately a 30% increase in the booking funnel metrics. From improved visibility in daily impressions to a better conversion rate, the Superhost status undeniably brings some perks.

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