Leading Brands in US Accommodations & Lodging: Q3 2023 Insights

Introduction

In the dynamic landscape of accommodations and lodging, several brands have emerged as leaders in the US market for Q3 2023. This article delves into the performance of VRBO, Airbnb, Inc., and Hilton Honors, analyzing their audience trends, app engagement, and advertising strategies. Sensor Tower's comprehensive data provides a unique cross-platform perspective, essential for understanding the evolving user behavior.

VRBO

VRBO's digital presence extends across its website, vrbo.com, and the Vrbo Vacation Rentals app.

• Audience Trends: From Q2 to Q3 2023, VRBO's website experienced a decline in visits, dropping from over 220M in June to approximately 160M in September. The monthly deduplicated audience showed a similar trend, decreasing from above 30M in June to around 21M by September. The web market consistently outperformed the app in terms of audience size.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active users decreased steadily, starting at roughly 8M in April and falling to just under 7M in September, indicating a shift in user preference towards the website.

• Ad Spend & Channels: VRBO's monthly advertising expenditure saw a downward trend, from nearly $20M in April to under $9M in September. Desktop display and Facebook were the dominant channels, with significant impressions driven by strategic placements.

Airbnb, Inc.

Airbnb maintains a strong presence with its website, airbnb.com, and the Airbnb app.

• Audience Trends: The website's unique visits remained relatively stable, hovering around 12M monthly, with a slight dip observed in September. The monthly deduplicated audience was consistently above 18M, showcasing a balanced distribution between web and app users.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active user base peaked in July at over 10M before decreasing to approximately 8.9M in September, reflecting seasonal user behavior.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Airbnb's monthly ad spend was robust, reaching around $24M in June. Instagram and OTT (Over-the-top media service) were key channels, delivering substantial impressions and engagement.

Hilton Honors: Book Hotels Mobile App

Hilton's digital footprint encompasses hilton.com and the Hilton Honors: Book Hotels app.

• Audience Trends: Website visits peaked in July at close to 97M before declining to about 62M in September. The monthly deduplicated audience remained stable around 12M throughout the quarter.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active users saw a slight increase, from roughly 1.25M in April to about 1.29M in September, indicating a steady interest in mobile booking.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Hilton's monthly ad spend was minimal compared to competitors, with a peak of around $52K in July. The focus was primarily on Instagram, which generated the majority of impressions.

Conclusion

Q3 2023 showcased diverse strategies and engagement levels across leading brands in the US accommodations and lodging category. VRBO, Airbnb, and Hilton Honors each demonstrated unique strengths and challenges, with Sensor Tower's unparalleled data providing critical insights into their cross-platform performance. This analysis underscores the importance of adapting to user trends and optimizing advertising channels to maintain competitive advantage.

For more detailed insights, Sensor Tower's offerings, including Web Insights, App Performance Insights, and Pathmatics, provide comprehensive data crucial for strategic decision-making.