Referral marketing is one of the best forms of marketing you can have for your business. Business Strategy Consultant, Design Thinker. When sharing links to their Facebook Page, its hard to tell whether or not they are tracking anything other than clicks on these. There are several marketing strategies like product innovation, pricing approach, promotion planning etc. First thing that strikes me is just how simple it is. In the case of Airbnb, the host side is receiving a subsidy. The idea then evolved into a website where others could do the same, and travellers could get a cheaper option than a hotel. The biggest competitive advantage for Airbnb is its brand recognition that continues to attract users and hosts to the platform, solidifying its market leadership. The critical experience Airbnb offers for a traveler is to experience new places as the locals do. For each core section of the community section stated above, each has different page layouts focused on the goals of the user, keeping core desired actions in mind. Having built and scaled a startup to millions in revenue per year, Dan truly understands the crux to marketing and growth success understanding the motives and characteristics of customers inside and out. It also fits well with Brendans findings on branded keyword targeting vs generic location targeting, as Airbnb is not showing higher in the organic results for generic terms and thats where theyre putting the majority of their advertising budget on Google (73%). But from SEMrush we can see that organic growth has been stagnant for the last year. The homes around the world section showcases some fairly unique looking properties, perhaps to portray the variety of different homes around the world. After comparing, the company creates a list of characteristics its products contain that the competition's products lack. But I wont just look at the personalised elements, Ill also share insights on their messaging, imagery, layout, and more. This type of strategy will always have an expiry date. This sequence is triggered when a user logged into the website starts looking at a city they wish to visit, or particular homes in that city, but has not proceeded to check-out. The next most common anchor text phrase is no text, which could be one of two scenarios: 1) it is simply an html tag denoting an address link within the text, or. Booking.com offers commercial accommodation to users, such as hotels, resorts etc, which means the link opportunities are much greater. Ultimately, the main takeaway I have in terms of how Airbnbs messaging compares to competitors like Stayz and HomeAway is that Airbnb appears to be placing moreemphasis on pricing as a point of difference and more focus on their USPs in ad headlines, like 24/7 Customer Service and Free Cancellation Up To 48 Hrs or more emotional messaging like Dont Go There. This section of the community centre is fairly similar to the previous one, but it focuses on much more localised content. Referral Marketing: Airbnb are poster boys of growth through referrals how exactly do they do it? These 300-400 word stories are poignant snapshots of how an Airbnb users life has been impacted by using Airbnb while travelling and immerses potential travellers in the spirit of adventure, curiosity and connection. And most of all, they provide a large amount of content for relevant destinations on their side, giving them a huge organic backlink strategy. We assume that Airbnb is creating content with a purpose and focus on distribution to drive that content to their audiences. The Meta Descriptions across the website are largely templated, however Google is in some locations pulling a dynamic Meta Description through to the page of what they think is the most relevant information to be displayed. If a user has shown some interest in a particular product, why not show them similar ones that meet relevant criteria? (We will check out the mobile app later). All of the personalised options are based in Los Angeles, the location of my last booking (and searches) with Airbnb. Unfortunately, I think it misses the mark, again. . Airbnb was born. Just by using the right words, Airbnb make me feel as though they should be my first port of call when Im visiting somewhere new. So, what can we learn from how the Airbnbs referral system mechanics and design work for them right now? How to . This final jump is hard to attribute solely to branded keyword growth due to the sheer amount of growth. Their response to one user requesting more info on a property was We do not promote individual listings on our platform. Its unlikely there is sufficient volume from closely related search terms in isolation, and as a result, Airbnb likely need to leverage auxiliary keywords to reach lofty growth targets. You could argue that they knew their customers better than they know themselves, and I wouldnt disagree. Usually, this strategy is followed when businesses are in a more demanding state. For small and large, for packed and sparse, for quiet and loud, cultured and corporate. Lastly, theres a cross-sell option into experiences. This trend towards experience is being seen across many sectors and the value of which has been seen from the food industry and retail sector through to technology and finance. 2) Strategic resources Their core competencies is providing unique travel experience, it's bringing people together and providing a space for rent in an apartment rather than a simple hotel. SERPSTAT recommends the following amount of anchor text percentages not be exceeded for best link results without incurring a Google penalty for spammy link tactics. This could cause a favourable result. So, what have Airbnb done to construct and generate one of the best communities in the world? Sure, they can nurture better and convert more customers, but they needed a way to keep growing their revenue that isnt reliant on just one product. We know customer-advocacy is a big part of their success with referrals, but how does Airbnb nurture a community that can get users to not only invite friends to the platform via sharing referral links, but also help existing users and in turn new users via a dedicated community forum? 1. Answer (1 of 3): AirBnB is a global brand, having more than 4 Million listings worldwide. In the time that Ive been analysing Airbnbs Facebook Page for this case study, through checking the Ads Library tool Ive been able to see that theyve advertised all of their most recent Page posts. This substantial difference in backlink profile will be largely contributing to the difference in non-branded keyword rankings, organic traffic, and also brand awareness. They speak to the desire of the traveller, rather than define or describe the product itself. So, based on the same principles as inviting guests, what does the recipient receive this time if theyre invited to become a host? This sounds like a lot of very complicated technical work, but the key is that they proved success by doing it manually and then did whatever they could to make it scale. All seven property types will launch this summer. The following table summarises the split between the destination landing pages vs destination website pages: Destination landing pages represent 75% of the pages to which Airbnb are directing users. When it comes to Airbnb, they are a fantastic, world-class example, and a brand that has built (and continues to grow) a successful community. Though in my experience, nobody has picked a location based solely on the accommodation. The assumption is that Airbnb wants to focus on the goal of the user at this particular step. The experiences section is very clear these are the top rated experiences around the world. It also seems like the most valuable content on the blog is that which focuses on acquiring new hosts. We think that online travel booking major Expedia's stock (NASDAQ: EXPE) is a better pick compared to vacation rental platform Airbnb (NASDAQ: ABNB) at the present time. People Are 4x More Likely to Buy When Recommended By a Friend Nielsen. As someone who has admired Airbnb for many years, its been interesting to take an in-depth look into what theyre doing and evaluate it. Heavy investment in marketing, advertisement and celebrity . Airbnb isnt a place where you book hotels (even though you can). They leave the guests to solve problems between themselves, and learn from each others experiences. Not surprisingly, the bulk of Airbnbs paid search traffic and spend is coming from destination-related terms, such as singapore accommodation. The report illustrates the application of the major analytical strategic frameworks in business studies such as SWOT, PESTEL, Porters Five Forces, Value Chain analysis, Ansoff Matrix and McKinsey 7S Model on Airbnb. As a long-term host Ive spent years working with different hosts and always had an amazing time. So as soon as the user has enough information they need to make a decision, they are immediately able to act on it. Then you suddenly see a McDonald's and it becomes your choice of food because it is a safe bet an. Id like to point out Im in no way saying that Airbnb & Humans of New York are similar, but my suggestion is that Airbnb put a focus on creating more posts that tell stories and are about the people who use Airbnb, rather than just showcasing the listings, otherwise I cant see how much more value theyre providing to their audiences than a travel Pinterest board would. This shouldnt come as a surprise to anyone who sells a tangible product, but the way you present the product in images makes all the difference. Theres definitely a lot here we can learn from Airbnb. The images are small and hard to make out, and so not that intriguing. This poster promoting a classic image of Miami was created by graphic designer Alex Asfour, as part of Airbnbs travel poster campaign. Period. From accomodating 3 guests on air mattresses to providing shelter to over 300,000 people on any given day, Airbnb has gone . Lets break this down a little more. I always learn new things about digital marketing and business in general and always look forward to studying these case studies. In fact, you could argue that Airbnb is predominantly a B2B business. If we go back to the referral page, under the Import from: Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, the ability to share your referrals via a link whether direct or via social channels is evident as another option for users to share their content. A new onsite optimisation strategy Ill go into this in more detail in the next section, but currently the onsite optimisation for Title Tags and Meta Descriptions on the website follows a fairly standard template that could be improved upon by testing new and engaging meta data across key pages. I love free money! If youre a business/brand, your ads strategy is now in full view for all to see, particularly your competitors; but if youre an everyday Facebook user you now have more visibility as to what ads a political party, brand, or whoever else you wish to check is currently running. This is a smart play from Airbnb their conversion-oriented messaging helps to prioritise their paid search spend towards people who are ready to book, as people looking to browse are less inclined to click on ads that target people further down the marketing funnel. If you are familiar with the search engine optimisation space, its likely youve run into the term backlinks before. For existing hosts and prospects, Airbnb host a beautifully-designed and well-planned UX host community portal called the Community Centre. But that doesnt mean I would use it at all costs. I also obtained a few values for each search term like average CPC, estimated traffic and average position: You can view the sheet here, as well as the raw keyword data if youre interested in doing your own analysis. Yes theyre easy to use, but it actually seems a bit lazy. I think they could do better when users arent logged in, and the personalisation elements are a nice touch but not a complete game changer. Email alerts to notify you of discounts offered by hosts: 2. Ive done a fair bit of travelling in my time and I absolutely HATE it when people say theyve done a certain location. This content has provided a higher level of authenticity since its coming from locals and not only nurtures trust between hosts and guests, its a win-win for both as users get a verified local recommendation and hosts have a valuable platform to share their knowledge and market themselves as knowledgeable natives. Its their hosts which are their key customers; if their hosts succeed then they succeed. Its a simple call to action (CTA) header, and it outlines exactly what the website is set out to do: Book unique homes and experiences. In case youre unsure of your dates and are in love with the space, the availability section of the site helps you to see when you can book the property so you can plan your trip around it. The key things they provide: These all help put a user at ease and reduce friction when booking. Its almost like trying to decide where you want to live, even if only for a short period of time. The campaign perfectly aligned with Airbnbs values, and helped highlight a struggle for acceptance in a country where the debate on same-sex marriage had fallen off the political radar. Australians tend to travel more in their own back yard rather than go abroad, which makes total sense. I think people who book an Airbnb in LA would also consider New York, San Diego and the other options. The second "B" in B&B (as in "breakfast") is the biggest distinguishing feature. Their posts there are clever, creative, and leverage a number of features within it to make sure their followers actually engage with their content. As documented in this study, Airbnb is no longer a one trick pony. It should also use "calls to action" to encourage clicks. Its clear what Airbnb want the users attention to focus on. Ill be highlighting specific examples soon, but if they hadnt considered the User Experience as much in the early days then I doubt theyd have experienced the growth that they have. This period of updates was named the Maccabee Update by Search Engine Roundtables Barry Schwartz, and according to industry experts was focused around User Experience and impactful keyword permutations. Airbnb is an American company working on online marketing and offer hospitality services like holiday cottages, apartments, homestays, hotel rooms, or hostel beds for people to lease or rent during activities relating to tourism. But theres a great selection here in terms of price range. To succeed at an international scale, its founders created an entire business model and rental infrastructure that competes with traditional hotel chains. Swot Analysis: The SWOT Analysis of Airbnb delves into the company and its unique brand. As you can imagine we have a lot of different data points on our users. Lacking a strong organic search strategy and missing fundamental CRO elements: Airbnb is not activity driving organic traffic to the stories nor converting any readers which may land here. I would say this would tick a lot of boxes for many of Airbnbs prospective audiences who are yearning for a secluded getaway beyond the city limits. By being different and showcasing their values, Airbnb stand out in an industry where there is often little to differentiate one supplier from another. For example, the below is a very basic diagram of what a site structure might look like as an organisational chart for a site like Airbnb: What this translates to on the website looks like this: And when the breadcrumb structured data of the website is optimised correctly, it can pull through the breadcrumb structure to show the hierarchy in a simple and clear way for the user. . In this section Ill be looking at how they use Facebook (both paid and non paid), Instagram, and Twitter to promote themselves, attract new guests and hosts, and keep existing users engaged. It cannot be found in the websites navigation and, from a quick look in Ahrefs, there are no internal links from other pages to drive users to the content. The report also comprises discussions of Airbnb marketing strategy, ecosystem and addresses issues of corporate social responsibility. There is an inconsistent breadcrumb structure implemented on the Airbnb website, which could also be impacting the websites organic performance. Key Differences. I do think that these ads are missing something here though, and its to do with the creative. As a new potential host, this instantly illuminates that Airbnb and the community are here to support. Note: The larger the circle, the more visibility a domain has. In 2018, a Sensis social media report found that 19% of Australian social media users accessed Twitter this was compared to the 91% who had used Facebook. Airbnb does not own any real estates it lists, not does it host events and experiences it offers. Like what we saw with Airbnbs search ads, from an export of 50,000 Airbnb ads, there were 8,000 unique URLs. Here is a breakdown of spend based on other singular words: To be clear, 5% of estimated spend includes phrases that include the word hotel, not 5% of spend is attributable to the hotel as an exact match. So for example, if they are a travel site, they would target all the destinations they service and also add landing pages for [destination sub name] + [activity name] and sometimes even go beyond that. Facebook is 1 of 3 social media platforms that Airbnb is currently most active on. BONUS: Don't have the time to read all 29,000 words right now? Most people, you would expect, will have done this research early on, but it certainly cant hurt to display at this stage. I think they would benefit from providing that information on the home page itself. Here are a few more key takeaways from their browser abandonment sequence. Jordie van Rijn, Head of Email Marketing Airbnb. Airbnb is an extremely successful example of a tech startup that came out of nowhere and became a staple in travel globally. You often see this feature on many blogs around the web, but what many blogs dont get right is keeping a focus on tags and keeping the amount recent conversations limited. From Afhrefs top pages function, we can see that a small amount of monthly traffic is coming from branded organic keyword rankings with content built out to answer branded queries. Even the description in the sub header is better, mainly because it says who its for. The layout and the functionality of the site is what makes it so easy to use. In fact, it is the eventual outcome of the strategies of the mission statement, which corresponds to the future achievements the business wants to be associated with. Airbnb have an extensive paid search account with the majority of the spend going towards terms that feature accommodation as a keyword. I dont think this works for all posts though. Theres even an image of the host to prove its a real person behind it all. b) The keywords that your competitors are ranking for on page 1 that youre on page 2+. For example, the search term canberra accommodation has an average 40,500 searches per month, with the rankings as: Airbnb seems to be cognisant of their low organic positioning for generic [location] accommodation terms, and so acts to ensure they are in position 1 of ad placements for high volume targets. Lennie is the founder of a start-up business that allows homeowners to rent out their properties like hotels. 6,430 Referring Domains of note, while more links are likely to have been built to the site since its inception, there will always be lost links as time passes due to pages being removed from this party websites, listings being removed the Airbnb site and no redirect being put in place, and whole websites being shut down. Using the Phlanx Instagram Engagement calculator, I can see that from their 4.1 million followers, Airbnb get around 26.7k Likes per post, 283 comments, and have an overall average engagement rate of 0.65%. Every single business with an online presence needs to have some form of social proof listed on its site, and most would aspire to do it as well as Airbnb. A great example is their multi-national Share a Coke campaign, in which they printed out cans and bottles with the 250 most popular names in each country. stays of at least 28 nights, accounted for 22% of gross nights booked in Q4 2021. For Airbnb, it underlines everything they do and has transformed their site from a marketplace to a travel platform which engages users and hosts. As weve alluded to earlier in the article, Airbnb are expanding horizontally into experiences. Airbnb seem to have concluded that there are more opportunities outside of just private accommodation listings, and have now branched into partnering with tour providers, hospitality companies, and more to provide a more comprehensive travel-related site for the user. At this stage, as I havent put in any dates, Airbnb only need a couple of details to make sure its available, so thats all they ask for. Its simple referral marketing is less costly, and has a higher quality + quantity of leads. The primary reason is that it comes down to the decision-making process. Airbnb's new . The global lodging company maintains a community centre as a place to connect with other hosts, share stories, ask for advice, and get updates from the Airbnb team. And youll see over the course of this article just how much they focus on bringing onboard new properties as part of their marketing strategy. Came out of nowhere and became a staple in travel globally rent out their like... 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Check out the mobile app later ) rent out their properties like hotels Miami created. Live, even if only for a traveler is to experience new places as locals...
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