It seems that every major web-based company is jumping on the social media bandwagon these days. Just a few days ago, Google added hearts and star icons to Google Photos. And today, Airbnb is launching Travel Stories, which pretty much like Instagram Stories made specifically for travelers.
You can now access the feature on the current Airbnb app for iPhone. If you’re not sure how to use it, you can go to their website for a quick tutorial. It shouldn’t be much different from Instagram Stories for the most part. All you have to do is upload video up to 10 seconds, add captions, tag your location and that’s pretty much it–at least for now. Perhaps someday they’ll include emojis and stickers as well, but I like the simplicity of this version.
The tutorial also teaches you how to capture travel stories properly. First, it tells you to hold your camera vertical and steady. Then it reminds you to focus on the destination, because “it works better than selfies.” Finally, it recommends that you share ten videos that are at least 10 seconds long. You can view other people’s stories under the app’s Travel Stories tab or at AirBnB.com.
I really like this concept, especially that it feels real and more immediate than looking at photos or carefully edited videos. The only issue I have with it right now is that you can’t share the content through other social media platforms. However, it’s still a new feature, and we can only expect it to get better in the coming weeks.
Airbnb quietly released this update and was first picked up by Tech Crunch.
[via Tech Crunch, AirBnB]
FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!