Airbnb is working to attract more property owners to list their homes on the platform through a brand campaign that has been growing for the past two years. To support this effort, Airbnb launched an internal “co-host” market that aims to make hosting easier by offering access to services like property management and cleaning. The company believes simplifying the hosting process will encourage more people to list their properties, particularly in key markets like the U.S., U.K., and Australia.
Hiroki Asai, Airbnb’s global chief marketing officer, acknowledged that hosting can seem overwhelming, especially for new users. To address this, the company is shifting from its previous focus on performance marketing to larger, brand-centered campaigns. Since Asai’s arrival in 2020, Airbnb has increased its marketing investment, with spending reaching $1.08 billion in the first half of this year, a 13.9% increase from the same period in 2023.
Airbnb Expands Efforts to Attract Property Owners with New Hosting Tools and Brand Campaign
Airbnb’s messaging to potential hosts is embedded in its “Airbnb It” brand campaign, which has been running since 2022. The latest campaign installment, called “Rodeo,” highlights the new internal market designed to assist hosts. Airbnb’s in-house creative team developed this campaign to communicate these new tools and improvements to the hosting experience.
The campaign’s media strategy is focused on paid social channels, such as YouTube and Instagram, with some limited paid TV spots in certain markets. Asai did not provide details on the budget or exact media allocation, but emphasized that social platforms are the primary focus of the campaign, aiming to reach a wide audience of potential hosts.
In addition to the host-focused changes, Airbnb has updated its platform’s search functionality. These improvements include personalized destination recommendations based on users’ previous bookings and suggested filters. This is part of the company’s broader effort to create a more user-friendly and intuitive experience for travelers booking their stays through the app.
