FBOOK
In-depth analysis and expert insight into the world’s most popular online social network and its value to marketers.AirBNB’s Drastic Crisis Response
Hot on the heels of VC Charlie O’Donnell’s rousing defense of AirBNB, the company announced a new, dramatic policy: $50,000 in de facto insurance for all hosts. This opens AirBNB up to significant fraud risk; they may impose some pretty strict hurdles, or end up paying the $50,000 mostly to people who…
Most popular web-based businesses are deflationary. They substitute expensive forms of content consumption for cheap ones, they make it logistically easier to deliver discounts to people who will respond to them, and they create numerous financially cheap forms of social status. As more activity moves on to the web, the main effect on the economy…
Quarterly Earnings Update
A few search- and social-driven companies have reported their earnings this quarter. An update:
Overstock.com had weak sales growth and lower gross margins, with a drop in sales and marketing expenses and an increase in technology spending. The press release has details. Early in the quarter, they were penalized by Google, which may be…
AirBNB’s First Big Crisis
AirBNB takes a commission for letting strangers pay to sleep in one another’s houses. Anyone who hears about this business model immediately brings up the question of what happens when you rent to, or from, a psycho. (Note that Psycho took place in a standard-issue hotel.) This is a case study in what…
A Social Media ETF
ETF issuer Global X has announced a new social media ETF. This network is based on a third-party index that includes mostly non-US companies (there are very few pure-play SEO companies, other than the rather mangy ones trading over the counter). Since overseas social media companies tend to be…
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