Brace yourself: TA is changing its ranking algorithm again

[GoodScout]

Got this email over the weekend:
"We're Improving How B&Bs Are Ranked
As part of our continued efforts to provide more accurate and helpful recommendations on TripAdvisor, we're updating the TripAdvisor Popularity Index.
We developed this update in response to feedback from travelers and owners to create more consistency in rankings between properties with an established review history and newer properties that are accumulating reviews and building their reputation on TripAdvisor.
We're notifying you because you may see changes in the Popularity Index over the next several months as a result. We've already introduced this update for accommodations in other areas, and are happy to report measurably positive results. To learn more, read this article.
The article is essentially a sales pitch for TA's "Hand Over Your Customers Program" aka Review Express, but does say this (emphasis mine):
TripAdvisor recently updated the Popularity Index to help travelers make the best booking, dining and sightseeing decisions. In December 2015, TripAdvisor rolled out updated popularity rankings on restaurant and attraction pages. In February 2016, TripAdvisor began making the change to the Popularity Index algorithm across hotel pages on the site.
As always, the Popularity Index focuses on the quality, quantity and recency of reviews and opinions. Before the enhancement, it was possible for a business with relatively few reviews to receive high review ratings and rise significantly in the rankings, over a relatively short period of time. The recent update to the Popularity Index promotes even greater consistency in the rankings, in order to better represent the performance of a business over time.
Quantity, Quality and Recency of Reviews
The most important factors that impact a business’s popularity on TripAdvisor are quantity, quality and recency of reviews. Here are a few tips to help you improve your business’s performance on TripAdvisor:
Quantity: Encourage guests to write reviews! See below for ways to ask past guests to share their experiences on TripAdvisor.
Quality: Set guest expectations before they arrive by making sure any information about your property, amenities and services is up to date and photos accurately reflect your business. Fulfill or exceed those expectations during their stay, and you’re well on your way to receiving positive reviews.
Recency: Recent reviews carry more weight while older reviews have less impact over time; so make sure to keep encouraging guests to share their feedback online.

 

[Generic]

Recency: Recent reviews carry more weight while older reviews have less impact over time; so make sure to keep encouraging guests to share their feedback online.

Translation... keep promoting us for free as we continue to give you worse than nothing for your efforts... we'll try to send your guests elsewhere, where we can collect a commission too.

 

[Lee2014]

Remember InnRewards does reviews now. Send them there.

 

[Flower]

Another barrel to jump. Maybe they are losing their rankings as other have come into the market.
So many more places to place your reviews on. Company' s have join forces with other company's to make a more visual in the market. I am sure they feel it .

 

[Flower]

Recency: Recent reviews carry more weight while older reviews have less impact over time; so make sure to keep encouraging guests to share their feedback online.

Translation... keep promoting us for free as we continue to give you worse than nothing for your efforts... we'll try to send your guests elsewhere, where we can collect a commission too..

Amen!

 

[Aussie Innkeeper]

I refuse to believe that TA is 'improving' anything except their bottom line

 

[Hillbilly]

Remember InnRewards does reviews now. Send them there..

Yes we do, and they will be checked and verified as well. If you have an issue with the review you can request it to go into mediation to work out the issues. Example: If a reviewer gives a horrible review because you charged them full price even though they didn't stay. Well you can plead your case at this point. The reason you charged them is because they booked a room and never showed up. At this point the 2 parties can work out the issues and come to a happy conclusion. Then and only then will the corrected review be posted.

 

[Morticia]

Recency: Recent reviews carry more weight while older reviews have less impact over time; so make sure to keep encouraging guests to share their feedback online.

Translation... keep promoting us for free as we continue to give you worse than nothing for your efforts... we'll try to send your guests elsewhere, where we can collect a commission too..

Recency: Recent reviews carry more weight while older reviews have less impact over time; so make sure to keep encouraging guests to share their feedback online.

Translation... keep promoting us for free as we continue to give you worse than nothing for your efforts... we'll try to send your guests elsewhere, where we can collect a commission too.

Exactly.

 

[JBloggs]

Recency: Recent reviews carry more weight while older reviews have less impact over time; so make sure to keep encouraging guests to share their feedback online.

Translation... keep promoting us for free as we continue to give you worse than nothing for your efforts... we'll try to send your guests elsewhere, where we can collect a commission too..

Recency: Recent reviews carry more weight while older reviews have less impact over time; so make sure to keep encouraging guests to share their feedback online.

Translation... keep promoting us for free as we continue to give you worse than nothing for your efforts... we'll try to send your guests elsewhere, where we can collect a commission too.

Oh they give us something alright, heart burn!

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Recency: Recent reviews carry more weight while older reviews have less impact over time; so make sure to keep encouraging guests to share their feedback online.

Translation... keep promoting us for free as we continue to give you worse than nothing for your efforts... we'll try to send your guests elsewhere, where we can collect a commission too..

We moved up one spot today and I think it is because we have the most recent review.
It is over a week old and we didn't change spots until today. I don't pretend to know how they do the rankings.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Recency: Recent reviews carry more weight while older reviews have less impact over time; so make sure to keep encouraging guests to share their feedback online.

Translation... keep promoting us for free as we continue to give you worse than nothing for your efforts... we'll try to send your guests elsewhere, where we can collect a commission too..

We moved up one spot today and I think it is because we have the most recent review.
It is over a week old and we didn't change spots until today. I don't pretend to know how they do the rankings.
.

We moved up a spot a day over the weekend and are now at #2. From sitting at #6 for the past several months. And with no new reviews in the meantime.

 

[Morticia]

Recency: Recent reviews carry more weight while older reviews have less impact over time; so make sure to keep encouraging guests to share their feedback online.

Translation... keep promoting us for free as we continue to give you worse than nothing for your efforts... we'll try to send your guests elsewhere, where we can collect a commission too..

We moved up one spot today and I think it is because we have the most recent review.
It is over a week old and we didn't change spots until today. I don't pretend to know how they do the rankings.
.

We moved up a spot a day over the weekend and are now at #2. From sitting at #6 for the past several months. And with no new reviews in the meantime.
.

There's hope for us yet. We're holding onto 6th place for dear life. And it looks like you can buy an ad now so that puts us down to 7th if you count the ad also.
Luckily, there are only 7 inns in town.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Recency: Recent reviews carry more weight while older reviews have less impact over time; so make sure to keep encouraging guests to share their feedback online.

Translation... keep promoting us for free as we continue to give you worse than nothing for your efforts... we'll try to send your guests elsewhere, where we can collect a commission too..

We moved up one spot today and I think it is because we have the most recent review.
It is over a week old and we didn't change spots until today. I don't pretend to know how they do the rankings.
.

We moved up a spot a day over the weekend and are now at #2. From sitting at #6 for the past several months. And with no new reviews in the meantime.
.

There's hope for us yet. We're holding onto 6th place for dear life. And it looks like you can buy an ad now so that puts us down to 7th if you count the ad also.
Luckily, there are only 7 inns in town.
.

DH is not happy with moving up the list. Our worst ever review started with, "I decided to try the #1 ranked inn ....." We were a disappointing #1. Can't take the pressure. We are happy to exceed expectations but expectations for a #1 inn are pretty high.

 

[JBloggs]

Recency: Recent reviews carry more weight while older reviews have less impact over time; so make sure to keep encouraging guests to share their feedback online.

Translation... keep promoting us for free as we continue to give you worse than nothing for your efforts... we'll try to send your guests elsewhere, where we can collect a commission too..

We moved up one spot today and I think it is because we have the most recent review.
It is over a week old and we didn't change spots until today. I don't pretend to know how they do the rankings.
.

We moved up a spot a day over the weekend and are now at #2. From sitting at #6 for the past several months. And with no new reviews in the meantime.
.

There's hope for us yet. We're holding onto 6th place for dear life. And it looks like you can buy an ad now so that puts us down to 7th if you count the ad also.
Luckily, there are only 7 inns in town.
.

There's hope for us yet. We're holding onto 6th place for dear life. And it looks like you can buy an ad now so that puts us down to 7th if you count the ad also.
Luckily, there are only 7 inns in town.

We're #2. I don't like the sound of that.

 

[Morticia]

Recency: Recent reviews carry more weight while older reviews have less impact over time; so make sure to keep encouraging guests to share their feedback online.

Translation... keep promoting us for free as we continue to give you worse than nothing for your efforts... we'll try to send your guests elsewhere, where we can collect a commission too..

We moved up one spot today and I think it is because we have the most recent review.
It is over a week old and we didn't change spots until today. I don't pretend to know how they do the rankings.
.

We moved up a spot a day over the weekend and are now at #2. From sitting at #6 for the past several months. And with no new reviews in the meantime.
.

There's hope for us yet. We're holding onto 6th place for dear life. And it looks like you can buy an ad now so that puts us down to 7th if you count the ad also.
Luckily, there are only 7 inns in town.
.

DH is not happy with moving up the list. Our worst ever review started with, "I decided to try the #1 ranked inn ....." We were a disappointing #1. Can't take the pressure. We are happy to exceed expectations but expectations for a #1 inn are pretty high.
.

We were #1 for the first few years. Then 2. Then 3. Now holding steady at 6.
We don't get enough fresh reviews. Then, all you need is one prima donna and it's all over.
Oh well.
But, yes, agree I don't want to be #1. It was ok back when ta was new. Not so much now.

 

[gillumhouse]

I can ignore the entire ranking system as I am #1. Cannot fall nor climb - the curse of being 1 of 1.

 

[GoodScout]

I can ignore the entire ranking system as I am #1. Cannot fall nor climb - the curse of being 1 of 1..

I can ignore the entire ranking system as I am #1. Cannot fall nor climb - the curse of being 1 of 1.

Imagine the stress of being #1 in a two-inn market.

 

[JBloggs]

I can ignore the entire ranking system as I am #1. Cannot fall nor climb - the curse of being 1 of 1..

I can ignore the entire ranking system as I am #1. Cannot fall nor climb - the curse of being 1 of 1.

Imagine the stress of being #1 in a two-inn market.
.

I can ignore the entire ranking system as I am #1. Cannot fall nor climb - the curse of being 1 of 1.

Imagine the stress of being #1 in a two-inn market.

Really? Is it stressful? or are you being facetious. I ask as I think that is great.
I always ponder this thought:
If you are running a race, say NASCAR stock-car or even a foot-race, is it more stressful to be # 2 to try to keep up or to be #1 and try to stay ahead? Is it harder to see someone gaining on you and it helps propel you to stay ahead or to be chewing at someone's bumper?

 

[TheBeachHouse]

I can ignore the entire ranking system as I am #1. Cannot fall nor climb - the curse of being 1 of 1..

I can ignore the entire ranking system as I am #1. Cannot fall nor climb - the curse of being 1 of 1.

Imagine the stress of being #1 in a two-inn market.
.

I can ignore the entire ranking system as I am #1. Cannot fall nor climb - the curse of being 1 of 1.

Imagine the stress of being #1 in a two-inn market.

Really? Is it stressful? or are you being facetious. I ask as I think that is great.
I always ponder this thought:
If you are running a race, say NASCAR stock-car or even a foot-race, is it more stressful to be # 2 to try to keep up or to be #1 and try to stay ahead? Is it harder to see someone gaining on you and it helps propel you to stay ahead or to be chewing at someone's bumper?
.

It is difficult to carry off #1 because peoples' expectations may be unreachable. I have only anecdotal evidence, but it sure bit us in the butt.
We've had mostly very good reviews except for one who tried us because we were #1 and was disappointed not to get what he expected.

 

[Jcam]

I can ignore the entire ranking system as I am #1. Cannot fall nor climb - the curse of being 1 of 1..

I can ignore the entire ranking system as I am #1. Cannot fall nor climb - the curse of being 1 of 1.

Imagine the stress of being #1 in a two-inn market.
.

I can ignore the entire ranking system as I am #1. Cannot fall nor climb - the curse of being 1 of 1.

Imagine the stress of being #1 in a two-inn market.

Really? Is it stressful? or are you being facetious. I ask as I think that is great.
I always ponder this thought:
If you are running a race, say NASCAR stock-car or even a foot-race, is it more stressful to be # 2 to try to keep up or to be #1 and try to stay ahead? Is it harder to see someone gaining on you and it helps propel you to stay ahead or to be chewing at someone's bumper?
.

It is difficult to carry off #1 because peoples' expectations may be unreachable. I have only anecdotal evidence, but it sure bit us in the butt.
We've had mostly very good reviews except for one who tried us because we were #1 and was disappointed not to get what he expected.
.

people's expectations are a nightmare - you have absolutely no control of them up or down - its like we had a review saying we wern't a luxuary boutique B&B - no where every have we ever even implied we are - comfortable and home from home is our level
We have extensive descriptions and photo's of the same - but we do have very nice guests who give us glowing reviews and it pumps up expectations - its a can't win situation!