Optimise your listing for search ranking

Search ranking is influenced by signals you control on the listing and signals you control through behaviour. Here's what moves the needle.

On the listing itself

Completeness

A listing that fills every field ranks ahead of one with gaps. Empty amenity boxes, missing per-room details, no FAQs — each one is a small ranking penalty.

Open Listings → your listing → Listing Quality Score. Get every red and yellow item to green.

Photo quality and quantity

Minimum 10 photos. Listings with 25+ tend to outrank listings with 10.
A strong cover photo that beats nearby competitors' cover photos.
Photos of every bookable room, not just two.
See Photos that convert.

Accurate, specific descriptions

Generic descriptions ("amazing location in the heart of the city") rank below specific ones ("on a quiet side street 4 minutes from Hermannplatz U-Bahn"). The algorithm doesn't keyword-index descriptions much, but better descriptions convert better, and conversion is a ranking input.

Per-room detail

Listings with detailed per-room information (size, bed, bathroom type, photos) outrank listings with one block of generic info. Residents filter by these details.

Realistic availability

If your calendar shows mostly blocked dates, search hides your listing for those queries. Keep your calendar open and accurate.

Through your behaviour

Response rate and time

Faster responses = better ranking. See Why response time matters.

Acceptance rate

Hosts who accept the bookings the platform sends them rank above hosts who decline frequently.

Recent positive reviews

Recent reviews (last 60 days) influence ranking more than older ones. A stretch of strong recent reviews lifts you.

Low cancellations

Host cancellations are heavily penalised. Even one or two in a month can drop your ranking meaningfully.

Conversion rate

The percentage of people who view your listing and then send a request. Strong conversion signals you're well-matched to the queries you appear in.

On the pricing side

Competitive pricing

Listings priced clearly above or below the market band for similar quality get fewer impressions. Find the local sweet spot.

Steady pricing

Frequent price changes look like noise to the algorithm. Set seasonal pricing for predictable shifts rather than constantly editing the base.

What does NOT move ranking

Listing age alone. New listings can rank well immediately if they're high quality.
Number of past bookings. Quality over quantity.
Posting in multiple languages. We auto-translate; multi-language hand-writing doesn't boost.
Linking from external sites or social media. Coliving search uses its own signals.

A 60-day plan to lift ranking

If you want to systematically lift your position:

Week	Action
1	Audit Listing Quality Score; fix every red and yellow. Refresh cover photo.
2	Rewrite description with neighbourhood and community specifics. Add 5+ new photos.
3	Update every room with full details and per-room photos.
4	Tighten response routine: notifications on, templates ready, sub-1-hour replies.
5–6	Drive 3–5 new bookings to good completion, with the welcome → check-in → check-out flow tight.
7–8	Solicit reviews from satisfied residents.

By week 8, performance metrics reflect the changes and ranking shifts.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Is there a way to "boost" my listing? A: We don't sell ranking. Some markets have promotional programs you can opt into — visible in Performance if available.

Q: I'm a new host. Will the algorithm "trust" me? A: Yes, but slowly. Early performance (your first 3–5 bookings) matters disproportionately for building ranking.

Q: Does multi-listing exposure help (e.g. having several listings in the same building)? A: Each listing is ranked individually. Strong listings in your portfolio don't lift weak ones.

Q: I made changes and my ranking didn't move. How long should I wait? A: Most changes need 30–60 days for the impact on metrics and conversion to feed into ranking.