Airbnb’s tone of voice

This article was written by Oli West, founder of CopyStyleGuide.com. Oli is a senior copywriter and has been writing for startups for over a decade.

What is Airbnb’s tone of voice?

Airbnb maintains a casual and serious tone that’s respectful and enthusiastic. It emphasises creating a sense of community and belonging for its users. With a touch of storytelling, Airbnb's communications often transport readers to the diverse and unique places available through their platform.

Airbnb’s tone of voice matches the Earnest Ally (CSRE), which is:

Identify your tone of voice in 5 minutes!

1. Take the tone of voice test to identify your startup’s TOV.

2. Get your personalised copy style guide.

3. Connect more effectively with your customers.

How does Airbnb describe its tone of voice?

Airbnb’s tone of voice is mentioned in its content strategy article here.

It describes Airbnb’s tone of voice as:

  • Straightforward

  • Inclusive

  • Thoughtful

  • Spirited

This broadly matches our own assessment, where Casual is straightforward, Serious is thoughtful, Respectful is inclusive and Enthusiastic is spirited.

Airbnb’s tone of voice in practice

We examined https://www.airbnb.co.uk/host/homes on 16/06/2023.

Airbnb's tone of voice on the ‘Host your home on Airbnb’ page is friendly, approachable, and informative. The copy is written in a way that makes hosting on Airbnb seem like a fun and rewarding experience, and it appeals to people who are interested in sharing their homes with others.

Here are some specific examples of Airbnb's tone of voice on the ‘Host your home on Airbnb’ page:

  • "We'll match you with a Superhost in your area, who'll guide you from your first question to your first guest – by phone, video call or chat."

  • "For your first booking, you can choose to welcome an experienced guest who has at least three stays and a good track record on Airbnb."

  • "New Hosts get one-tap access to specially trained Community Support agents who can help with everything from account issues to billing support."

Airbnb's tone of voice on the ‘Host your home on Airbnb’ page is consistent with the company's overall brand voice, which is known for being friendly, welcoming, and helpful. This tone of voice helps Airbnb to connect with its target audience of people who are interested in sharing their homes with others.

The evolution of Airbnb’s tone of voice

Airbnb is a company that has revolutionised the way people travel. The company aims to "create a world where anyone can belong anywhere." Airbnb's tone of voice reflects this mission, and it has evolved over time to become more inclusive and welcoming.

Humble beginnings and the power of 'we'

Airbnb was founded in 2008 by Brian Chesky, Nathan Blecharczyk, and Joe Gebbia. The company's first product was a platform that allowed people to rent out their homes to travellers. Airbnb's early messaging was humble and enthusiastic. The company's tone reflected the founders' belief that anyone could rent out their home and make a little extra money.

The emergence of 'belong anywhere'

In 2012, Airbnb launched its "Belong Anywhere" campaign. This campaign was a major turning point for the company, and it helped to solidify Airbnb's tone of voice. The campaign's messaging was inclusive and welcoming, conveying the idea that anyone could feel at home anywhere in the world.

The language of connection

In recent years, Airbnb's tone of voice has become more focused on connection. The company's messaging now emphasises the importance of human connection and the power of travel to bring people together. Airbnb's tone is now one of warmth, empathy, and understanding.

The future of Airbnb

Airbnb is a company that’s constantly evolving. The company's tone of voice is likely to continue to evolve as well. However, one thing’s pretty certain: Airbnb's tone will always reflect the company's mission to create a world where anyone can belong anywhere.

Companies with a similar tone of voice

Airbnb’s communication style is most similar to the Earnest Ally (CSRE). Companies with a similar tone of voice include:

A picture of Oli West, the founder of CopyStyleGuide.com standing in front of camping tents on Kilimanjaro.

Hi, I’m Oli West

For over 10 years, I've written copy for some of the UK's most successful startups. I’ve led content teams and have developed multiple brand guidelines. I’ve grappled and dealt with the common thread that unites all startups: the challenge of building trust with a new audience.

A consistent tone of voice can help build trust, but many startups don’t have a style guide in place. So I created CopyStyleGuide.com to help.

Read the full story.

Discover your startup’s tone of voice

Empower your team to write consistent, compelling, on-brand copy by investing just 10 minutes of your time.