Writing recently about "the pageview race", I mentioned in passing Amanda Fayer's post, "Content marketing close-up: Airbnb's content strategy". It appeared earlier this month on The Huffington Post.
Fayer evaluates Airbnb's use of content to uncover five strategic strengths:
- Extended engagement (neighborhood guides)
- Information and education (Airbnb TV)
- Testimonials to drive leads (Airbnb Life)
- Social media to promote engagement
- Customer loyalty and trust (Social Connections)
As Fayer notes:
Now both an e-commerce, community marketplace and content provider in one, Airbnb has established their brand as a powerhouse of on and off-line ingenuity. But it doesn't stop there; AirbnbTV features a series of original videos that include: a series on "living local," guided tours, host stories and promotional videos. All of which contribute to the site's burgeoning content marketing efforts to increase engagement, assist with sales and draw in users through yet another avenue of inbound marketing- content.
Not all media entities can couple content and commerce as seamlessly as Airbnb has managed, but they should all be thinking about doing so. A great deal of content is a means to an end. Focusing on those ends can bring new life to those means.
