top of page
Enhancing the User Experience for the Airbnb website for customer retention
Create Your First Project
Start adding your projects to your portfolio. Click on "Manage Projects" to get started
Airbnb
OVERVIEW
Airbnb is a platform that connects travelers with hosts who rent out their homes or properties for short-term or long-term stays.
This project was part of a research work on User empathy. A course under the UX design graduate program.
ROLE
TIMELINE
Team
User research, User interviews, User testing, A/B testing, Pitching, Journey mapping, Persona creation, Design, and Research methods.
UX Researcher
14 weeks
Methods Used
5 UX Reseacher
People don't use Airbnb to trust people more. They use it because they want to get a better sense of the culture and save money. A by-product was that they live in someone else's house.
-Brian Chesky
Understanding the problem
We conducted user research on the Airbnb website to identify recurring challenges that users encounter during their booking process. We aimed to elevate the user experience for Airbnb users by addressing these issues and creating a more streamlined and seamless platform. We also wanted to understand why Airbnb users lacked motivation to revisit the platform for future bookings.
We approached this problem with the users as our priority. The goal was to unravel the needs, preferences and pain points of the users and implement those insights into a user centered solution to better the user experience for everyone
Swot Analysis
Competitors
Strengths
Weakness
Observations
Airbnb
Booking.com
Vrbo
Diverse accommodation options, including unique and local experiences.
Robust user review system for increased transparency and trust.
Service fees can be perceived as relatively high.
Limited hotel options compared to traditional booking platforms.
Extensive global inventory, including hotels, apartments, and unique stays.
Aggressive pricing strategies and loyalty programs.
Emphasizes traditional accommodations, with fewer unique or local experiences.
Some users find the review system less community-oriented compared to Airbnb.
Booking.com stands out for its vast inventory, competitive pricing, and ease of use.
Specializes in vacation rentals, catering to larger groups and families.
Offers discounts and money-back policy for users.
Smaller inventory compared to Airbnb.
May have fewer urban or unique accommodation options.
Vrbo specializes in vacation rentals, targeting families and larger groups.
Airbnb differentiates with a community-driven platform and unique stays.
Target Audience
The primary target market for our research were young adults, typically students and users of booking sites. We considered their demographic, locations and behavioral characteristics. Airbnb typically has a diverse user base, which can be broken down into two primary segments - Guests and Host, this segmentation helped us to better understand our users even better.
Recommendations
Our top priority was recommending to users to return to Airbnb by implementing a rewards system. When users book accommodations, offer them points that they can redeem as discounts on their future bookings.
Provide users with a comprehensive explanation of the advantages and objectives associated with joining the loyalty program. Ensure clarity and transparency to foster confidence in the program.
Based on the outcome from the usability testing, we recommend minimizing the cognitive load of the user which will help with easier navigation and reduce mindless scrolling, so that users can focus on their goal.
Also offer clear feedback to users when they click on buttons to ensure they feel comfortable moving forward.
Key Findings
After thorough analysis of the competitive analysis for all 3 of the platforms, we determined that Airbnb lacks incentives to retain existing customers.
We were able to access how much weight users place on reviews and ratings when making decisions for accommodation bookings.
We evaluated what features we wanted to implement that aligned more with the business goal and user needs, we developed a road map for implementing a loyalty program feature.
We used the feedbacks we got from the interviews and we were able to determine how to incorporate a rewards systems based on the user’s experiences and paint points.
That's a wrap! Or is it?
Next Steps
Our next steps entail incorporating these changes into wireframes and low-fidelity prototypes. Then we will assess how these alterations impact user behaviors, specifically focusing on whether they enhance the booking process.
What I Learned
The Airbnb user research revealed key insights into user behavior and preferences, what they prioritized and what they thought wasn't as important. I also learnt about how crucial reviews and ratings greatly influenced users decision making.
User Interviews and insights
Before conducting the interviews we had to consider what the business goals are: User Acquisition, Generate Revenue, Global expansion. With this in mind, it was time to speak to the users to know what their pain points were and their goals while using the Airbnb website.
Insight #1
Users do not like multiple spam notifications, such as excessive emails updates after signing up for a loyalty program.
Implement a more user-friendly notification strategy to reduce the perception of spam and improve user satisfaction. Also allow users to customize their notification preferences, choosing the frequency and type of updates they receive.
Users don't like when it takes too long to receive the benefits after signing up for loyalty subscriptions. Causing demotivation to continue.
Insight #2
Offer instant or short-term rewards upon signing up to provide immediate value and positive reinforcement. Communicating clear timelines for when additional benefits will be available, reducing uncertainty and frustration.
Users want up-to-date information and contract regulations regarding any loyalty programs so that they feel comfortable with the subscription.
Insight #3
Provide comprehensive and up-to-date information about the loyalty program’s terms, conditions, and benefits to build user trust and comfort. Create educational content, such as FAQs and help articles, to assist users in understanding the program and maximizing their benefits.
Usability Testing
Even though creating a journey map gives us an idea of what our users go through using the platform, we wanted to go a step further to analyze their behaviors and pain points in real time.
We engaged with a diverse group of over 10 participants to give more insights and observe their patterns and common trends closely.
Usability Methodology
User Goal: Book an accommodation for 3 days.
Consent Forms
Screener Questions
Usability Testing
Analyze Data
Usability Testing Findings
Inoperable buttons: During the checkout process, the button with the option to edit details such as date preferences, room numbers etc. was inactive at times.
Heuristics violated: Error Prevention
Excessive Categories: A large number of accommodation options made it challenging for the participant to decide on one type, delaying the booking process and increasing mindless scrolling.
Heuristics violated: Aesthetic and Minimalist Design
Heuristics violated: Visibility of Systems Status
Non-functional 3-Days Option: Selecting the "3-Day" option produced no outcomes which implies that this feature has no purpose.
bottom of page