My design process and user experience considerations of creating Bikehaven Vacation Home's Airbnb listing. This project aimed to provide an optimal user experience for potential guests, enticing them to choose Bikehaven as their preferred vacation home in Tucson.
Project Overview:
Client: Bikehaven Vacation Home in Tucson, Arizona
Platform: Airbnb
Project Duration: August 1, 2022 - Present
Project Goals:
Attractiveness:
Design an Airbnb listing that visually captures the essence of the Bikehaven vacation home, amenities, and surroundings.
Design an Airbnb listing that visually captures the essence of the Bikehaven vacation home, amenities, and surroundings.
Bikehaven:
• Hosts groups of up to 10 people
• Located in central Tucson, next to The Loop
• Desert murals painted in the home by local artist
• Includes bicycles to ride throughout the city
• Located in central Tucson, next to The Loop
• Desert murals painted in the home by local artist
• Includes bicycles to ride throughout the city
Usability:
Create an intuitive and user-friendly listing that lets potential guests quickly find essential property information.
Create an intuitive and user-friendly listing that lets potential guests quickly find essential property information.
Conversion:
Optimize the listing to convert browsing users into actual bookings through compelling visuals and persuasive content.
Optimize the listing to convert browsing users into actual bookings through compelling visuals and persuasive content.
Authenticity:
Reflect the unique character and offerings of Bikehaven Vacation Home accurately.
Reflect the unique character and offerings of Bikehaven Vacation Home accurately.
UX Process:
1. Research:
Competitor Analysis:
I explored other vacation rental listings on Airbnb to understand best practices and identify opportunities for differentiation.
I explored other vacation rental listings on Airbnb to understand best practices and identify opportunities for differentiation.
User Persona Development:
Created personas of potential guests to understand their needs, preferences, and pain points.
Created personas of potential guests to understand their needs, preferences, and pain points.
Families:
Visiting for reunions, weddings, funerals, and holidays; want to be under one roof. Appreciate the bikes to ride.
Visiting for reunions, weddings, funerals, and holidays; want to be under one roof. Appreciate the bikes to ride.
University of Arizona Visitors: Have a child attending the UA and want to stay near the campus.
Business Travelers:
Need a clean place with multiple rooms and fast Wi-Fi located centrally in Tucson.
Need a clean place with multiple rooms and fast Wi-Fi located centrally in Tucson.
Active Lifestyle:
Appreciate proximity to The Loop (137-mile bike path) and hiking.
Appreciate proximity to The Loop (137-mile bike path) and hiking.
2. Information Architecture:
Content Hierarchy: Structured the listing's content to ensure vital information (e.g., amenities, pricing, location) is easily accessible
3. Wireframing:
Visual Hierarchy:
Focusing the viewer's attention on crucial details such as property photos, reviews, and booking information.
Focusing the viewer's attention on crucial details such as property photos, reviews, and booking information.
4. Visual Design:
Branding Elements: Incorporated Bikehaven Vacation Home's branding elements (logo, color palette) to maintain brand consistency. The color palette of the home is consistent throughout.
High-Quality Imagery:
Photographed and curated high-resolution images of the property's interior, exterior, and nearby attractions to showcase its beauty.
Photographed and curated high-resolution images of the property's interior, exterior, and nearby attractions to showcase its beauty.
5. Interaction Design:
Responsive Design:
Airbnb ensured the listing was optimized for various devices, including desktop, tablet, and mobile, to provide a seamless experience. I checked that the information made sense for each device.
Airbnb ensured the listing was optimized for various devices, including desktop, tablet, and mobile, to provide a seamless experience. I checked that the information made sense for each device.
6. Testing and Iteration:
Usability Testing:
We conducted usability tests with potential users to identify pain points and gather feedback for improvements in content and imagery.
We conducted usability tests with potential users to identify pain points and gather feedback for improvements in content and imagery.
Iteration:
Incorporated user feedback to refine the design and enhance overall user satisfaction.
Incorporated user feedback to refine the design and enhance overall user satisfaction.
7. Launch and Monitoring:
Performance Tracking:
Monitored listing performance through Airbnb's analytics tools to gauge user engagement and conversion rates.
Monitored listing performance through Airbnb's analytics tools to gauge user engagement and conversion rates.
Project Outcome:
The Bikehaven Vacation Home Airbnb listing now represents a successful collaboration of UX design principles and strategic thinking. The listing boasts a visually captivating design and intuitive layout, providing a seamless booking experience.
The Bikehaven Vacation Home Airbnb listing now represents a successful collaboration of UX design principles and strategic thinking. The listing boasts a visually captivating design and intuitive layout, providing a seamless booking experience.
Through careful research, thoughtful design decisions, and iterative testing, the project achieved its goals of attracting, engaging, and converting potential guests into satisfied visitors.
Superhosts on Airbnb with Over 20, 5.0-star Reviews
Lessons Learned:
Guests:
I initially thought the home would attract athletes who wanted to train in Tucson. So far, most bookings have been from families looking to stay together in a beautiful, clean house.
Guests:
I initially thought the home would attract athletes who wanted to train in Tucson. So far, most bookings have been from families looking to stay together in a beautiful, clean house.
Amenities:
I thought that most guests would use the bikes. About half the guests currently request bikes. This understanding has focused our attention on highlighting the proximity to the University of Arizona versus having the remaining focus on the bikes. We hope to boost the SEO for visitors with students at the UA by editing our content in the listing.
I thought that most guests would use the bikes. About half the guests currently request bikes. This understanding has focused our attention on highlighting the proximity to the University of Arizona versus having the remaining focus on the bikes. We hope to boost the SEO for visitors with students at the UA by editing our content in the listing.
Promotion:
I created a Bikehaven Instagram account to build the brand and drive traffic to the Airbnb listing. Creating reels has undoubtedly helped gain more Instagram followers and increase the number of inquiries to book.
I created a Bikehaven Instagram account to build the brand and drive traffic to the Airbnb listing. Creating reels has undoubtedly helped gain more Instagram followers and increase the number of inquiries to book.
Lifestyle Photos:
I art-directed a photoshoot of women staying at Bikehaven. The goal was to have fresh images to post on social media.
I art-directed a photoshoot of women staying at Bikehaven. The goal was to have fresh images to post on social media.
What's coming next:
Repeat guests:
We have contacted previous guests about returning to stay. A few guests have rebooked with us for the winter.
We have contacted previous guests about returning to stay. A few guests have rebooked with us for the winter.
Optimizing listing:
Based on quantitative and qualitative feedback, I will continue refining the listing to attract more guests to Bikehaven. I recently updated the listing to include more mentions of the proximity to the University of Arizona.
Based on quantitative and qualitative feedback, I will continue refining the listing to attract more guests to Bikehaven. I recently updated the listing to include more mentions of the proximity to the University of Arizona.
Video Content:
I am creating Instagram reels @mybikehaven to encourage visitors to book on the site. I plan to hire a drone photographer soon to highlight the proximity to the nearby bike path.
I am creating Instagram reels @mybikehaven to encourage visitors to book on the site. I plan to hire a drone photographer soon to highlight the proximity to the nearby bike path.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with me.