4 ms·

Airbnb's Global Growth

59 points by kurtvarner 15y ago

pg 15y ago
Wow, an infographic with actual info. I want a larger size version of the graph of the Airbnb traveller network.
- fvryan 15y ago
  impressive info to boot. the airbnbees have been busy.
- lsb 15y ago
  The traveler network looks awesome, but tough to use. What cities does Boston attract vastly more than it draws Bostonians there? What cities do San Franciscans go to significantly more than any other urbanites? I tried a similar thing at TripAdvisor, using data from the Cities I've Visited(tm) FB app. One of the interesting results was that folks who visited Yellowstone disproportionately visited Zanzibar, compared to everyone else. Both off-the-beaten-path parks, but still, it was fascinating to see data backing up the hunch.
kurtvarner 15y ago
I've been hearing a lot about design focused startups lately. It seems to be the trendy thing to talk and debate about. I'm not going to side with design over engineering, but I just want to point how well Airbnb has focused on design. From every detail of their UI to their offline user experience, it all has been designed beautifully. I don't think anyone can argue against the fact that great design helped Airbnb become the success they are today.
- thomasgerbe 15y ago
  "I'm not going to side with design over engineering" It shouldn't be one or the other, it should work in unison. Design includes aesthetics and user interaction. Airbnb wouldn't successful if the user flow wasn't well crafted and a far superior experience than using Craigslist.
  - kurtvarner 15y ago
    It shouldn't be one or the other, it should work in unison. I completely agree. That's why I prefaced my comment by saying that I wasn't siding. Most people talking about the subject will be strongly supporting one particular side.
    - stefantalpalaru 15y ago
      So where should we put the lack of newline to <br> conversion inside place reviews - design or engineering?
richardburton 15y ago
What an incredible story. Think back 4 years to 2008. Where were you? What were you doing? Imagine going on the journey that the founders of AirBnB have had in the next 4 years. Some people out there are starting something that will grow as fast or faster. I wonder what is going through their minds.
- startupfounder 15y ago
  Love this thought process, most likely they are saying to each other something along the lines of, "Let's raise money by selling Obama Os 2.0 cereal".
anrope 15y ago
It's funny, I was just thinking yesterday how I hadn't heard much about Airbnb since all the attention from the robbery in SF this past summer. There was a lot of negative press, and some serious concerns. It's great to see that they've overcome that hurdle, and are growing like crazy.
- tyrelb 15y ago
  I'm waiting for an announcement from RideJoy - it's like AirBnB, but through cars. I couldn't imagine the potential liability of strangers hooking up online only to drive together...
haydenchambers 15y ago
can we have a version where the 'design' doesn’t get in the way of the information?
nupark2 15y ago
An AirBNB unit was rented out in our building, and was a semi-regular source of noise and trouble. So, we took the listing to the landlord and they shut it down: it's illegal here now, and it's specifically forbidden in the lease. The more popular AirBNB gets, the more likely it seems that this sort of reaction will become the defacto one in popular areas. This is already the case with large developments like Stuytown in NYC: http://www.betabeat.com/2011/05/31/airbnb-takes-manhattan-with-2k-bookings-a-night-but-many-listings-may-be-illegal/ http://www.betabeat.com/2011/05/31/airbnb-takes-manhattan-wi...
- timr 15y ago
  You know what? I'm fine with that. The idea of using someone's apartment oogs me out anyway. AirBNB is rapidly turning into the best market for small, independent, professional hoteliers. There are a lot of them, and Craigslist used to be the only option for these folks.
  - nupark2 15y ago
    Actually, I believe many vacation home rentals were (and are?) done via VRBO. Renting out an individual apartment -- even 'professionally' -- is not necessarily unusual, but increasingly difficult due to the spotlight AirBNB has brought to the process.
jonmc12 15y ago
This is awesome, but why does compete.com think their traffic is going down since raising funding in July? http://siteanalytics.compete.com/airbnb.com/ http://siteanalytics.compete.com/airbnb.com/
- tyrelb 15y ago
  I assume their traffic is likely cyclical - students finishing semesters and taking off to remote places for the summer. I would expect it to come up a bit in December, again in March, then peak up again June through July.... then coast back down.
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]

59 points by kurtvarner 15y ago

pg 15y ago

Wow, an infographic with actual info. I want a larger size version of the graph of the Airbnb traveller network.

fvryan 15y ago
impressive info to boot. the airbnbees have been busy.
lsb 15y ago
The traveler network looks awesome, but tough to use. What cities does Boston attract vastly more than it draws Bostonians there? What cities do San Franciscans go to significantly more than any other urbanites? I tried a similar thing at TripAdvisor, using data from the Cities I've Visited(tm) FB app. One of the interesting results was that folks who visited Yellowstone disproportionately visited Zanzibar, compared to everyone else. Both off-the-beaten-path parks, but still, it was fascinating to see data backing up the hunch.

kurtvarner 15y ago

I've been hearing a lot about design focused startups lately. It seems to be the trendy thing to talk and debate about. I'm not going to side with design over engineering, but I just want to point how well Airbnb has focused on design. From every detail of their UI to their offline user experience, it all has been designed beautifully. I don't think anyone can argue against the fact that great design helped Airbnb become the success they are today.

thomasgerbe 15y ago
"I'm not going to side with design over engineering" It shouldn't be one or the other, it should work in unison. Design includes aesthetics and user interaction. Airbnb wouldn't successful if the user flow wasn't well crafted and a far superior experience than using Craigslist.
- kurtvarner 15y ago
  It shouldn't be one or the other, it should work in unison. I completely agree. That's why I prefaced my comment by saying that I wasn't siding. Most people talking about the subject will be strongly supporting one particular side.
  - stefantalpalaru 15y ago
    So where should we put the lack of newline to <br> conversion inside place reviews - design or engineering?

richardburton 15y ago

What an incredible story. Think back 4 years to 2008. Where were you? What were you doing? Imagine going on the journey that the founders of AirBnB have had in the next 4 years. Some people out there are starting something that will grow as fast or faster. I wonder what is going through their minds.

startupfounder 15y ago
Love this thought process, most likely they are saying to each other something along the lines of, "Let's raise money by selling Obama Os 2.0 cereal".

anrope 15y ago

It's funny, I was just thinking yesterday how I hadn't heard much about Airbnb since all the attention from the robbery in SF this past summer. There was a lot of negative press, and some serious concerns. It's great to see that they've overcome that hurdle, and are growing like crazy.

tyrelb 15y ago
I'm waiting for an announcement from RideJoy - it's like AirBnB, but through cars. I couldn't imagine the potential liability of strangers hooking up online only to drive together...

haydenchambers 15y ago

can we have a version where the 'design' doesn’t get in the way of the information?

nupark2 15y ago

An AirBNB unit was rented out in our building, and was a semi-regular source of noise and trouble. So, we took the listing to the landlord and they shut it down: it's illegal here now, and it's specifically forbidden in the lease. The more popular AirBNB gets, the more likely it seems that this sort of reaction will become the defacto one in popular areas. This is already the case with large developments like Stuytown in NYC: http://www.betabeat.com/2011/05/31/airbnb-takes-manhattan-with-2k-bookings-a-night-but-many-listings-may-be-illegal/ http://www.betabeat.com/2011/05/31/airbnb-takes-manhattan-wi...

timr 15y ago
You know what? I'm fine with that. The idea of using someone's apartment oogs me out anyway. AirBNB is rapidly turning into the best market for small, independent, professional hoteliers. There are a lot of them, and Craigslist used to be the only option for these folks.
- nupark2 15y ago
  Actually, I believe many vacation home rentals were (and are?) done via VRBO. Renting out an individual apartment -- even 'professionally' -- is not necessarily unusual, but increasingly difficult due to the spotlight AirBNB has brought to the process.

jonmc12 15y ago

This is awesome, but why does compete.com think their traffic is going down since raising funding in July? http://siteanalytics.compete.com/airbnb.com/ http://siteanalytics.compete.com/airbnb.com/

tyrelb 15y ago
I assume their traffic is likely cyclical - students finishing semesters and taking off to remote places for the summer. I would expect it to come up a bit in December, again in March, then peak up again June through July.... then coast back down.

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]