Explore How to Refine Social Media Marketing Strategies and Shape Consumer Travel Preferences: An In-depth Study on Airbnb

Abstract

In a post-COVID-19 era of digital transformation and a gradually recovering tourism economy, the travel industry must continually seek innovative ways to enhance social media marketing strategies and better understand consumer behaviour. This paper provides insights into how social media marketing strategy optimisation can shape consumer travel preferences. Using Airbnb as a case study, this paper analyses the social media comments of Airbnb users to reveal consumers' overall positive attitudes towards Airbnb's services through sentiment analysis and explore how methods such as predictive analytics can be used to tailor social media marketing campaigns to provide a more personalised and effective service to potential travellers. The results show that consumers are very concerned about whether the service experience differs from what is advertised on social media, such as quality of accommodation, customer service and pricing strategies. Therefore, Airbnb should prioritise consumer feedback, improve social media content quality, and use predictive analytics to identify its target audience. Future research should incorporate diverse data sources and advanced analytics techniques to understand consumer needs better, establish stronger customer connections, and influence travel choices.