Hotels.com Apps
Hotels.com is an online travel agent that operates in 90 points of sale in 41 languages, and lists properties in over 200 countries and territories. Receiving around 165K bookings per day.
A Contextual Home
PLATFORMS: iOS & ANDROID • YEAR: 2016 (REFRESH - 2019)
The first project at Hotels.com to add personalistion and expose contextual content to the customer
Moved away from a dated static layout, towards a modular, scalable and coherent system
Introduced a consistent look and feel through brand language, across iOS and Android
Why?
To open up the opportunity to test better, enhance and understand the product, giving the customer the best experience.
RESULTS
Overall strong positive: +5% Conversion uplift / 25% uplift in Engagement rate / +20% sign in rates / +85% account creation
THE BIG UPDATE
To introduce the global product rebrand and brand language, ensuring parity across all platforms and channels
Push previous learnings and focus on personalisation, introduce a conversational UI, be a concierge for the customer, inspire to drive engagement
Add machine learning to certain modules such as recommended destinations, travel guides etc.
Create excitement, before, during and after the trip
BEYOND A CONTEXTUAL HOME
Create a space for the customer
Make planning easier, introduce a social element, add properties, create a timeline, build anticipation
Expose Travel Guides, recommend and inspire the customer
Leverage advertising space / sponsored listings in a non aggressive contextual manner
Search Experience
PLATFORMS: iOS • YEAR: 2018/19
Provided the customer with an improved way to see their search results
Tested three different adaptive layouts
Allowed for more content, gaining further insights
Why?
Refactor the legacy SRP, removing the static card based framework, moving towards dynamic cards, allowing for more content for testing purposes
To enhance Conversion and Engagement metrics
Results
Overall strong positive: results driven by US POS / increased returning customers within 30 days / increased behavior in shortlisting
Hotels.com Lite
PLATFORMS: iOS • YEAR: 2019
An innovation project focusing on speed - ‘the fastest way to book’
Considered for POS’s with low bandwidth, reduced API calls
Experimented with brand language, introduced one tap payment - Apple Pay
Dark mode test - iOS13 and Android Q ready
The iOS developers demoed the initial build below, which enabled the UX/UI of the Lite app
App Store Optimisation
PLATFORMS: iOS & ANDROID • YEAR: ONGOING
Enhance and test various styles of app store screenshots to gain maximum visibility
Work with Mobile Marketing and guide an external agency (ASO CO) with creative direction, to maintain the brand
Why?
Increase download potential and get in-depth insights for ultimate app growth
Results
50% increase of installs Apr 17 - Apr 18 / rating score and reviews above industry standard / regularly featured on iOS across all regions
Additional
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/hotels-com-hotel-room-booking/id284971959?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hcom.android&hl=en_GB
Small Enhancements - Big Wins
PLATFORMS: iOS & ANDROID • ONGOING
Ongoing MVT programme that involves Product, Design, Developers and Analytics
To create a strong test and learn environment, to fail fast, and iterate quick
Why?
Create hypothesis to give us an opportunity to learn, not to predict
To enhance Conversion and Engagement metrics
EXAMPLE TEST Results
1 - Image gallery (Android): Positive impact on CVR / customers interacted with the gallery more / sent more qualified shoppers to the booking form
2 - Search recap (iOS): Negative impact on CVR / retest without check in details
3 - Sign in module (iOS and Android): Ongoing test