Map Search Ranking Optimization (Airbnb)

Explore the full engineering blog here: https://medium.com/airbnb-engineering/improving-search-ranking-for-maps-13b03f2c2cca

This blog details how Airbnb improved its map search ranking algorithm. Initially, the algorithm prioritized listings based on booking probability, a method effective for list-based results but insufficient for map displays. Subsequent iterations modeled user attention on maps, first assuming uniform attention and then incorporating tiered attention and discounted attention based on pin location. These improvements, validated through A/B testing, led to significant increases in bookings and user satisfaction. Future work will focus on representing ...