So, I was thinking about what kind of things I’d like to filter for when I’m searching for a host. Some of these may already be included in your plans, but let’s collect ideas here for anything else we might think of.
- Community standing (above certain threshold)
- What kind of people they host (be able to multiple select in various categories gender/race/LGBT friendly/420 friendly etc)
- Last login (today, in the last one week, last month, last year)
- Reply rate (above a certain threshold)
- Number of references
- Is verified
- Join date or years/months of experience
- Is available (not already accepted guests for those dates or otherwise blocked them on their calendar)
This may seem like a lot, but a major problem with CS is that the search filters aren’t specific enough to help you guarantee a response/couch. By adding comprehensive filters, I think you cold narrow down who precisely would be willing to host you and increase your chances of being accepted by a lot. This would in turn build credibility among new members, who often complain they didn’t get any replies or everyone said no.
An example search could be like, I want a host who has higher than 75% community standing score, who hosts men and women, is not 420 friendly, has a 100% reply rate, has at least 10 references, and logged in this month. It may mean I only get one or two people in the results, but at least I’ve got a clearer idea of what my options are.
Thoughts?