Social Spotlight: How Airbnb kept the lights on when everyone was home
Overview
At the start of the pandemic, the future was dim for Airbnb. The infamous hotel industry disruptor was now facing a devastating disruption of its own. Suspended travel, shelter-in-place and strict social distancing cost them $1 billion in canceled bookings—a loss that left them no choice but to postpone their long-awaited IPO plans, and cut their staff by almost 2,000 employees.
But by summer’s end, the tides had turned. The brand baffled the business sector as it recovered from a 90% drop in bookings to a 22% YoY increase in consumer spending in July. Not to mention—against all odds—it went ahead and filed for its initial public offering.
So what contributed to the brand’s comeback? A deep dive into its social activity over the past few months gives us several clues.
Analysis
As I scrolled through Airbnb’s Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube feeds, a few things became clear:
1. They act fast
Their team has launched several large-scale initiatives since the outset of the pandemic. The first was #FrontlineStays, in which they partnered with hosts to extend free housing for 100,000 doctors, nurses, and other frontline responders. What’s most impressive was how quickly the brand stood this campaign up. #FrontlineStays launched March 26th—a mere 13 days after COVID-19 was declared a national emergency in the United States.
Takeaways: Acting fast enabled Airbnb to make a tangible impact on the global crisis at a crucial point in time. Plus, instead of just donating money, they donated their offering. It’s a good exercise for your brand to consider how your unique product, offering or service could make a difference in a time of need.
To increase the speed of your own creative and strategic output, work to develop an agile process for creative work that includes an abbreviated review workflow. Planning and scheduling your content in advance also frees you up to create more timely posts on the fly.
2. They understand their audience’s needs on a deeper level
Shortly after #FrontlineStays, the brand unveiled “Online Experiences,” the digital equivalent of their preexisting “Experiences” offering. Experiences are one-of-a-kind activities that offer a deep-dive into the local host’s world and passions. Since Experiences could no longer take place in physical spaces, Airbnb recognized that their audience’s need for adventure and connection was stronger than ever.
