How Airbnb measures listing lifetime value

Publishing on Medium, Not Airbnb’s Own Site

• Multiple commenters are confused why an engineering article lives on Medium instead of Airbnb’s own engineering blog.
• Others argue the main goal is recruiting engineers, so posting on Medium maximizes distribution to where engineers already are.
• Confusion over “paywall”: some see only a dismissible signup banner, not a true paywall.

Critiques of the LTV Methodology

• Several readers say the described model is really a 365‑day revenue regression, not true “lifetime” value.
• Missing pieces called out: treatment of uncertainty, calibration, variance reduction, and how predictions translate to decisions.
• Lack of causal inference in the marketing part is highlighted as a major omission.
• Some doubt the model’s actionability and suggest the “marketing-induced incremental LTV” example is weak.

Ignoring Guest LTV and Negative Externalities

• Big concern: the framework values listings by bookings/revenue but largely ignores how bad stays cause guests to churn from the platform.
• Examples: dirty or unsafe places, last‑minute cancellations, retaliatory or fabricated damage claims, and deleted negative reviews.
• Several commenters say a single terrible stay permanently ended their use of Airbnb.
• Others note the system doesn’t let guests review hosts when stays are canceled, and social/ratings pressure discourages honest negative reviews.

Host vs Guest Incentives

• Debate over whether Airbnb really values hosts or guests more; some argue host LTV is orders of magnitude higher, so the platform structurally favors hosts.
• A host claims recent policy shifts now over-favor guests, with weak support and high fees (often cited as ~17–30%), prompting hosts to move to property-management software and direct marketing.
• Overall impression: incentive design and moderation make the reputation system fragile and easily abused from either side.

Airbnb vs Hotels and Other Platforms

• Many commenters say Airbnb has become as expensive as hotels once fees are included, without professional standards or predictable service; they are moving back to hotels or to competitors like Booking.com or VRBO.
• Others still value Airbnb’s unique, “lived-in” spaces, kitchens, and suitability for families or large groups.
• Complaints include dynamic pricing that raises rates as users browse and opaque fee structures, though some regions now require full upfront pricing.