Oh yes @Helen3 , I use Spare Room for my LTR and for lodgers in my own house. But I've had NO lodgers thru Spare Room in over a year; all my lodgers in the last year booked a couple of days on Airbnb - that's how they found me, & asked if they could stay as lodgers 2-4 days a week, 5 months & 7 months.
I've had a lot of Spare Room interest in the last few weeks, including folk trying to beat the lockdown byusing Spare Room for holiday bookings! So I've just got a 6 weeker & a 3 monther in my LTR doing the latest thing of working from home & hill walking! And a couple & a single are thinking about 2, 8,10 weeks in my spare rooms whilst furloughed! If they come, I'll not be needing Airbnb for the summer...
The reason I would not set up my own marketing is cos 1) No one would see it, unlike Airbnb where I'm top of the listings in our area. 2) People might expect a'proper BnB,i not a junk filled battered old house! -With shared bathroom.
Airbnb is the ONLY way I can market what I offer, cos it's the only platform on which you can market places as 'lived in' as mine.
Plus there are regulations to consider. The Council know what Airbnb is - 'It's only Airbnb, so who cares? Just like having lodgers really', said the man from the council, when the xenophobic nasty neighbour complained I was running an illegal business...
No I LOVE Airbnb & the bottom of the market ethos it started with, which is MY M.O.. I 've hosted 50 nationalities; never would have done that privately. And loads of YOUNG people, who are the easiest to work with, - 'It's like Hogwarts!', said one; the older ones are more likely to turn their noses up!
I may not agree with the means to an end of BLM, but I don't feel strongly enough to leave the platform. I love Airbnb, & the political sideline (marketing) is for me a minor issue.