4 UX Best Practices to Optimize Travel Deals Ahead of The Holidays

During the holidays, hundreds of retailers are vying for consumers’ attention, bombarding them with a myriad of discount sale information. During the peak holiday shopping season, up to 50% of content goes unseen compared to 41% for the rest of the year. It has never been more important for companies to ensure users can easily navigate your promotions. Here are some quick tips and ideas to help optimize travel deals for the upcoming season.

 

1. Improve text readability

Although images do a great job of elevating content, it can also negatively impact your users' experience, especially if they are being used as clickable blocks and tiles for your deals. Using cluttered images can greatly decrease the readability and legibility of the text that is meant to draw your users’ attention to deals. 

Our advice: carefully curate and choose your images so that text is placed on a clean, uncluttered area. Alternatively, allow for each block to hold white space for text. When in doubt, less is more.

Clean, easily legible text on Airbnb's homepage helps you optimize travel deals

Here, on Airbnb's homepage in September 2020, you can see that the text is always easily legible, whether on an image or illustration. On the hero image, the text is strategically placed on an uncluttered area of the image so it's easy to read and stands out. For the image blocks below the main hero, Airbnb decided to place the text on white space below the images instead. That way the text doesn't compete with the images, stands out to viewers, and provides a clear CTA for customers to navigate to a specific category page. 

2. Allow users to filter deals

Rather than throw a slew of deals at your users, surface them in different and dynamic ways that allow the user to choose deals from narrower categories. Carousels can be an effective way to surface content, but isn’t always an effective way to navigate and find specific deals. 

More likely than not, users have done a lot of research (or have had a lot of practice) booking travel and have a rough idea of what they are looking for. Users may also have sketched out a booking window or destination. If users are destination-agnostic, they are likely to be spontaneous based on their budget or what they consider steep discounts and best value.

On United's Deals and Offers page, users can select a variety of parameters to help them easily narrow down packages and deals based on their specific criteria. Each deal clearly states the booking window, origin, destination, and price, helping users quickly scan results and find the most relevant offers for their needs.

3. Progressively guide users down a booking flow made for deals and destinations

Don’t expect users to jump on a deal right away. Progressively disclose information about a specific deal or destination, rather than expect users to book instantly. 

Although the booking engine should be available at all times through any journey, give users a chance to research valuable information on the site, or browse their options. Don’t forget to clearly and succinctly state the terms of the deal to avoid a high dropoff during checkout due to unexpected fees or booking windows.

On Airbnb's website, rather than highlighting a small handful of generic ‘popular destinations,’ the brand enables offers users a no-frill destinations chart on the homepage that tabulates a list of popular destinations with different characteristics. Users can easily pick a destination that meets their specific criteria and needs. Once a user chooses a location, they are brought to the destination page that is pre-filled for their convenience. Underneath, they are provided a variety of suggestions for top rentals in that location.

4. Use industry knowledge to bring value to your users and increase brand credibility

The travel industry can be daunting, and your site may encounter many new users during the peak shopping season as it did during the pandemic (75% of consumers have tried new shopping behaviors, methods, brands, and places during the pandemic). 

As users typically expend high effort to research the best offers and booking windows—from travel blogs, influencers, to friends and family—there is a unique opportunity to help consumers with already-existing knowledge about travel trends. Make it easier for your users to make decisions by providing valuable travel and booking tips, based on historical data. Helping to inform users may potentially reduce exits and speed up the decision-making process.

On Kayak's website, when users choose a destination deal to explore, they are brought to a page that provides them travel tips and historical information based on the specific flight that is being viewed. For example, users can find the off-peak month, peak month, average prices, price estimations, tips, and FAQs for flights and airports of the chosen destination.

Although booking travel can be hectic during the holidays, travel companies have a clear opportunity to optimize travel deals and easily guide users to find and book the best vacation packages. Carefully curating deals and creating a smooth browsing experience will help create a stickiness that has users come back again.

How The Amtrak App Got On Board The Good UX Train

In the UX Spotlight series, we post about UX features that impressed us online, and are great examples and inspiration for anyone looking to enhance their digital user experience.

I recently moved to New York from the other side of the country. Knowing nothing and nobody in this city, everything is exciting and new. With that, I occasionally need two things – love and fresh air. For this, I have the occasional weekend with my sister and her family in Boston, where I can get a reminder of what the world looks like outside of the wonderful mutation I have made my home.

Booking my trip up north is always a happy occasion – I love having a family weekend to look forward to, and with the easy-to-use Amtrak app, all it takes is a few clicks to reserve my tickets. (By the way, I should mention here that Amtrak is not a client of ours…)

On a rainy Monday morning, with a long gray week ahead, I open up the Amtrak app and begin planning my next trip.

WHEN BOOKING A TRIP LEADS TO A GOOD DIGITAL JOURNEY

From the moment I begin, they’ve already made me happy. I get a fleeting vision of the journey I’m about to take – I see a picturesque landscape with train tracks disappearing into the horizon. This is the image that will stay with me throughout my online experience, and for the rest of the week. (1)

I click ‘Book’ in the lower menu bar. The overall look of the app is clean and simple, and the train icon has a charming, old-school feel to it. All this makes me feel more comfortable about booking online. Even the prompt to enter my departure and arrival stations – ‘Where can we take you?’ – is engaging. (2)

Because the system remembers my main stations from previous journeys, this process takes seconds. (3)

 

The next screen is the best. It just makes me happy. It’s showing me every type of train, whether regional or express, as well as travel class. Not only does it give me only the information I care about, it also just looks good. Notice the color difference between Coach tickets and Business Class Tickets. (4)

Once I pick a train, all the additional details are displayed above the fold. Another menu of pleasing icons – all clickable – lists the amenities on the train I’ve selected. A clickable yellow triangle allows me to consult the service alerts. In a weird way, the honesty of this feature actually outweighs the inconvenience I might feel about a potential disruption. (5)

Next I must enter my details. For many, this is the least favorite part of any digital journey. But instead of making me click to reach payment, the system takes me there in one smooth transition. Right after I’ve picked my train, I am immediately directed to the personal information section, so I don’t have time for that unhappy hesitation. (6)

Each time I reach this page I am reminded that I still haven’t set up a Guest Rewards Number. I do find it slightly annoying that the system hasn’t remembered my personal info. ‘Of course,’ my inner voice says, ‘had you registered and logged into the system, then it would remember you. And now you’re complaining about the system, when you were too lazy to do it – as usual!’

I tell my inner voice that it’s right, of course, but that if I’m too lazy to register, others probably are too. A link next to the Guest Rewards Number box encouraging me to sign up for an account could do the trick.

I like the inline form validation – nothing super advanced or high-tech, but elegantly done. I also like that there are no extraneous questions. Every single thing that needs to be there is there – no optional info.

CLEARLY A LOT OF THOUGHT HAS BEEN PUT INTO WHAT TYPE OF DIGITAL EXPERIENCE A PROSPECTIVE TRAVELER EXPECTS.

Throughout this whole process I can go forward and back to any screen without losing any info. This level of continuity also adds to comfort – it’s always nicer to continue in a process when you feel you aren’t being locked in. ‘That’s why you live in New York – you’re so afraid of commitment it’s even hard for you to commit to a few screens in an app,’ inner voice says. I murder inner voice.

Aside from that opening shot of a sunset, there’s nothing glamorous about this app. It doesn’t use advanced date pickers, video, or animations. It does however make every step of the digital journey simple and painless, and clearly a lot of thought has been put into what type of digital experience a prospective traveler expects.

I also like that, as well as enabling me to complete my booking task, the app connects me to the experience of physically riding a train with the splash screen and cute little icons. I wouldn’t mind even more of that, by the way.

Compared to what’s out there today, this is great UX. Inner voice and I can get this whole booking done in about a minute, and merrily go on with our happy, schizophrenic day.

I think we are not so far from the day that I’ll step into a virtual world and already be there with my sister… I’ll see the New England foliage in front of me and hear the birds sing, even if my body is in a New York high-rise. For now, letting me easily book my trip while giving me small glimpses of a train ride on a gorgeous day is all the experience this user needs.

DataSnack: Only 30% of users visiting a travel site on their mobile device log in – gb

So what exactly is stopping the remaining 70% of travel consumers from logging in during their visit? It could be that many users are unwilling to log in until they are ready to enter their credit card details. In fact, the login rate for converting visitors across devices is much higher, with 84% of buyers logging into their account.

It seems natural then that improving conversion on mobile should result in a higher number of logins. Many prospective travelers who browse for hotels and flights on mobile will switch to desktop when it comes to purchasing, which not only explains the low number of logins but supports the argument for a more intuitive, user-friendly mobile experience.

Simplifying the sign-up process and allowing members to unlock exclusive deals could also encourage more logins further up the funnel. A lengthy or off-putting password retrieval process on mobile could also be a factor – providing users with a simple password reset option won’t hurt!

UX Spotlight: Hotels.com creates a sense of urgency by heightening friendly customer competition

In the UX Spotlight series, I post weekly on UX features that impressed me online, and are great examples and inspiration for anyone looking to enhance their digital user experience.

For booking/travel sites like car rentals or flights, it can be difficult to set your brand apart from the others. Many offer the exact same services at similar or identical price points, and do not own the products or properties themselves, so the only way to set their site apart is through a superior and unique user experience.

This week I highlight the way hotels.com creates a strong sense of urgency by pitting customers against one another in competition for a limited supply of rooms. This friendly race to the finish line (or booking confirmation) creates a powerful fear of loss and coinciding conversion lift.

The UX Element: Once a date and location are input, the category page has multiple pieces of messaging that subtly (and not-so-subtly) create a sense of urgency. First, there’s a banner at the top of the page that informs shopper that 30% of the city’s (in this case, Paris) hotels are booked for the chosen dates. Next, a popup in the lower right tells the customer that there are 347 other people browsing Paris hotels at that very same moment, which leverages both natural envy for what others have and fear-of-loss to light a fire under shoppers. Finally, individual property listings boldly display the limited number of rooms left.

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The Impact: The evolution of internet shopping has hurt sense of urgency overall, because shoppers can’t physically see that inventory is running low, nor can they see other customers in the store walking around with an item that suddenly seems desirable due to its popularity. Thus shoppers often dawdle, comparison-shopping or delaying booking for extended periods because they feel they have all the time in the world. Hotels.com creates urgency online by pulling back the curtain and showing who else is in the store. The race begins in the first phase of a search, and increases in intensity as shoppers get closer to product pages. This both makes products more compelling because others are interested in them, and gives customers a reason to book quickly and with their service: if they don’t, the deal could be gone. 88 prospective buyers with only 1 room at the lowest price is a stressful situation for a shopper, but an advantageous one for a seller. It creates an intense sense that if the customer doesn’t book at that moment, 88 other people are ready and willing to do so, and that if they wait and return later, the room they wanted will no longer be available.

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There could even be a multiplier effect when it comes to customers looking to book high-end properties. A ContentSquare focus group of luxury brand shoppers found that 13% of luxury customers had in-depth shopping experiences on their first visit, visiting 6 or more product pages, compared to only 5% of non-luxury shoppers. Furthermore, high-end shoppers are more likely to convert on their first visit then conventional customers. Tapping into this “compulsive” tendency of luxury shoppers by fanning their sense of urgency to book an exclusive and sought-after property could have explosive sales results.

TAPPING INTO THIS “COMPULSIVE” TENDENCY OF LUXURY SHOPPERS BY FANNING THEIR SENSE OF URGENCY TO BOOK AN EXCLUSIVE AND SOUGHT-AFTER PROPERTY COULD HAVE EXPLOSIVE SALES RESULTS.

The Takeaway: UX opens many doors to differentiating your brand. Where you might not be able to change a product or price, you can always optimize the way you present the transaction to achieve a powerful effect. By carefully tracking your customer journey, you can see exactly which types of messaging shorten the time between entering a site and check-out or increase conversion overall. You can also see if showing a lower number of other shoppers for a less popular destination has an effect opposite of the one desired. It could be that selective and personalized application of tools like these is a superior strategy.

I am always on the lookout for UX innovation. If you come across a digital experience that stands out, please send it over to pola.zen@contentsquare.com

10 Common UX Problems on Travel Sites

When gathering information and booking travel, brands leverage UX to impart a positive brand experience. With UX as the new brand, we compiled the most common UX problems for travel websites.

1. Cluttered layouts

Some websites overload their user with too much information resulting in a heavy cognitive load. Sure, the landing page is prime real estate and it is tempting to squeeze special offers and product offerings on the landing page. Keeping it simple lets the user focus on the task at hand.

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On the landing page, the user is greeted simple layout that focusses on the search bar with a clear call-to-action. Once the user starts typing, the page changes to a more dynamic search page. Trivago understands their customers’ objectives and presents them with a clear and clutter-free search experience.

2. Unintuitive fields

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A drop-down menu for the destination, especially when most of the text is obscured, slows down the search tremendously. If input values or destinations are limited, a hybrid text box and drop down menu works best. During exploratory sessions, users may conduct several searches at a time and will be slowed down by drop down menus.

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Autocomplete search not only helps the user execute a search quickly but can also guide users who want to explore options in a specific country rather than a city.

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3. NO TRACKING OF PROGRESS

 

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Progress trackers can inform the user where they are in the buying process, what’s to come, and drives users to seek completion. This feature is a must-have for airlines and helps to logically structure the booking process.

4. NO MAP SEARCH TOOL

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An interactive map gives users a dynamic method of searching. Maps that refresh the search parameters based on geography or destination-based pricing can also be a source of inspiration for travelers.

5. Not personalised for the user

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TripAdvisor gives users the option to choose their currency and language. Unlinking the two offers a truly customisable user experience.

New visitors vs. returning visitors

When new visitors land on your page, recommendations and popular destinations are ideal for creating inspiration if they are not set on where to go.

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On the other hand, returning visitors should be greeted with recently viewed or recently searched offers that give them a more personalised experience. Returning users are 2x more likely to purchase during a session, hence the importance of personalising the page.

6. Choosing a date is tedious

Smart calendars

Finding the best deal on flights can be a long process and can be tough when the prices are so volatile. Skyscanner makes researching easy based on the certainty of the users.

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If a customer has specific travel dates, choosing the date is easy on the calendar. An important UX point is to include the days from the previous and following month.


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If dates are flexible, Skyscanner gives the option of choosing the month, even the cheapest month.

7. Neglecting Mobile UX

Optimising your content across all devices should be standard in 2016. Users are likely to conduct some portion of their research on mobile. Although the sessions may be shorter, users need to be able to find information quickly.

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HotelTonight is geared towards the spontaneity of booking last minute hotel deals. With this in mind, they optimised their mobile site with UX best practices such as larger buttons and ensuring that the credit card input field prompts the number pad.

8. Ignoring the power of copywriting

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Copywriting is often an afterthought in UX. Reassuring language can help ease anxiety about the booking. Also, giving customers contextual information, such as limited inventory or other customers, nudges them to purchase. A great example is seen on Booking.com:

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Customers often open multiple tabs or “page park” when trying to find the best deal. When a user switches back and forth between tabs, the title of the page changes to the price. A minute detail like this that transforms and expedites the discovery process helps the user to purchase faster.

9. Not including reviews

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In the search listings page, Hotels.com not only integrated TripAdvisor reviews with their own customer reviews but also highlighted listings that were favoured by other users. Social proof is an important driver to purchase.

10. User inspiration

In general, e-commerce websites with clean, efficient designs to promote professionalism and win the customer’s trust. However, the differentiating factor for getting your customer to purchase rests on the brand’s ability to inspire wanderlust.

High-impact images

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Onefinestay uses large, high-res images with a lot of light and makes the rooms look spacious and inviting. High-impact images evoke emotions with the user and draws the user in visually.

Wishlists

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When researching for an upcoming holiday, customers often gather as many options as possible. The wishlist function on AirBnB is easy to use and can be shared with traveling companions or your brand’s community-at-large.

Conclusion

Travellers’ needs are constantly evolving. Travel brands need to find the right combination of user-focussed functionality with inspirational content. The consumer purchase journey is a long process and the travel sector is highly competitive. By offering a pleasant and efficient user experience, travel brands can compete on other factors other than price and drive consumer loyalty.