Simplifying Travel: Integrating a Booking Feature in Atmosfy

Atmosfy

Enhancing traveler experience by providing accommodation booking feature in Atmosfy

Is finding accommodation easy for travelers?

CONTEXT

Atmosfy helps users discover restaurants, explore nightlife, and share travel videos. However, a common pain point for many travelers is the hassle of finding suitable places to stay during their trips.

Users often spend considerable time and effort searching for accommodations, which can detract from the overall travel experience.

In this case study, I aim to create a booking feature within Atmosfy to enhance user satisfaction and streamline the travel planning process.

If Atmosfy integrates a seamless accommodation booking feature within its app, travelers will experience greater satisfaction and a more streamlined travel planning process, leading to increased app usage, booking conversions and increase local businesses.

HYPOTHESIS

Where is the Atmosfy market headed?

THE MARKET

Atmosfy, fueled by $12 million in seed funding, is rapidly expanding its global reach, celebrating its 2M+ local business across more than 10,000 cities in over 150 countries. This fuels their mission to empower even more local businesses through the power of video sharing.

Sources: PR Newswire

What are the competitors doing?

Who are the users driving this growth?

THE AUDIENCE

Atmosfy traffic has increased by 28.23% compared to last month. Audience composition can reveal a site's current market share across various audiences.

Atmosfy audience is 48.99% male and 51.01% female. The largest age group of visitors are 25 - 34 years old.

Local Business People:

Usage: They use Atmosfy to promote their establishments through engaging videos showcasing their venues and offerings.

Contribution: Their content enriches the platform, attracting customers and providing a diverse database of local businesses.

Content Creators:

Usage: They share short, engaging videos of their visits to local spots, offering insights and recommendations.

Contribution: Their creative and authentic content drives user engagement and enhances the platform's credibility.

Audience:

Usage: They explore and discover new places by browsing videos, saving favorites, and sharing their own experiences.

Contribution: Their interactions and feedback ensure the content remains relevant and engaging, fostering a dynamic community.

Sources: Similarweb

What are the pain points that these users need addressed?

USER INSIGHTS


Users Face Challenges with Lack of Booking Integration

Atmosfy doesn't help with booking accommodation itself. Travelers would still need to use separate apps or websites to search for and book hotels or rentals, adding an extra step to their already stressful process.

Atmosfy's lack of booking functionality and focus on experience over logistics might add to user frustration.

Users struggle with lack of Logistical support in the App

Users discover new and exciting places to eat, drink, and explore. They use short, engaging videos to showcase the vibe and atmosphere of a location, giving viewers a sense of the experience they can expect.

But it lacks to provide the practical details needed to plan and book a stay at a particular accommodation. This includes information like:

Price range: How much does it cost to stay per night?

Amenities: Does it have Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a pool, etc.?

Availability: Are there rooms available for the traveler's desired dates?

Suitability: Does it meet the traveler's specific needs? For example, is it budget-friendly, family-friendly, or accessible for those with disabilities?

Users Encounter Challenges in Finding Nearby Accommodations

While Atmosfy can give a sense of a neighborhood, it might not be perfect for pinpointing accommodation. Travelers might find a great restaurant in a video but struggle to find a nearby hotel that fits their needs.

Seeing a cool restaurant or bar in a trendy neighborhood on Atmosfy might set an expectation that there's a wide variety of accommodation options available in that area.

This could lead to frustration if, in reality, there are limited hotels or only very expensive options.

How do users find and book an accomodation?

USER JOURNEY

BIG TAKEAWAYS

BIG TAKEAWAYS

From this research, we can conclude the following:

  • Atmosfy is the fastest-growing platform globally for live video of dining, nightlife, & travel. 

  • Finding a great restaurant or bar on Atmosfy might raise expectations for a wide variety of accommodation options. Atmosfy users need to switch to other platforms to book lodging, disrupting their planning flow.

  • Currently, searching for good accommodation near the places we want to explore is travelers’ core problem.

TLDR: Atmosfy excels at finding restaurants, but travellers struggle to book nearby accommodation, forcing them to switch apps and disrupting their travel planning flow.

To design and implement an accommodation booking feature. This aims to improve user satisfaction and streamline the travel planning process, resulting in increased app usage, booking conversions, and growth for local businesses on the platform.

THE GOAL

What should be included in the MVP?

FEATURE PRIORITIZATION & MVP DEFINITION

For a successful pilot to be run, the following user stories are required to build.

    • We’ll integrate a location search bar, allowing users to specify their desired destination (city, landmark, etc.).

    • We’ll implement a price filter slider or menu allowing users to define their budget range for accommodation.

  • We’ll partner with accommodation providers to access and display property information like:

    • High-quality photos showcasing the property's exterior, interior, and amenities.

    • Detailed descriptions highlighting key features, room types, and guest services.

    • A list of amenities offered (WiFi, parking, gym, etc.)

  • We’ll integrate a secure booking engine that allows users to:

    • Select their desired dates and room type.

    • View the total cost, including taxes and fees.

    • Enter their payment information securely using a trusted payment processor.

    • Receive confirmation of their reservation upon successful booking.

What solutions can we offer?

SOLUTIONS EXPLORED

1. Atmosfy Builds the Feature In-House

Atmosfy would need to build a new team or assign existing staff to develop the booking functionality. This includes:

Develop:

  • Creating a search interface for accommodation options (hotels, rentals etc.)

  • Integrating with accommodation providers or a booking platform like Booking.com

  • Developing a secure payment system

  • Implementing a user management system for reservations and cancellations

Launch:

After development and testing, Atmosfy would launch the "Book" feature within its app. Users would be able to search for accommodations, compare prices and amenities, and book directly through Atmosfy.

Challenges:

Time: It might be difficult to develop and launch a robust booking feature with a high-quality user experience within short time.

Cost: Developing everything in-house can be expensive, including hiring new staff, infrastructure, and ongoing maintenance.

Limited Inventory: Building connections with accommodation providers can be time-consuming, leading to a limited selection initially.

2. Partner with Booking Companies like Expedia, Booking.com

How it would work:

Partnership:

Atmosfy would partner with Expedia through a Merger & Acquisition (M&A) development idea. This doesn't necessarily mean a full acquisition, but rather a collaboration where Expedia provides the booking functionality within the Atmosfy app.

Integration:

Expedia's booking system (including search, booking, and payment) would be integrated into the Atmosfy app. Users would interact with Atmosfy's interface, but the booking would be handled by Expedia's platform.

Benefits:

  • Faster Launch: By leveraging Expedia's existing infrastructure, Atmosfy could launch the "Book" feature much faster, potentially within the desired timeframe.

  • Wider Inventory: Users would have access to Expedia's vast inventory of accommodation options.

  • Reduced Costs: Atmosfy wouldn't need to invest heavily in development and maintenance.

Considerations:

Commission Fees: Atmosfy would likely pay Expedia a commission for each booking made through the app.

Limited Control: Atmosfy would have less control over the booking experience and user interface compared to building it in-house.

Data Sharing: A clear agreement on data sharing between Atmosfy and Expedia would be necessary.

FINAL SOLUTION

Partner with Booking Companies like Expedia, Booking.com

Faster Launch:

  • Leverage Expedia's existing system to quickly offer bookings within Atmosfy.

Wider Selection:

  • Instantly grant users access to Expedia's massive accommodation inventory.

Reduced Costs:

  • Skip building a booking system, saving Atmosfy significant resources.

Trusted Experience:

  • Benefit from Expedia's reputation for secure and familiar booking.

Seamless Booking:

  • Book accommodations directly within Atmosfy, keeping users engaged.

What would the User Experience look like?

On the Homepage, we introduce the “Book” option.

Once the user clicks the Book option it takes the user to the login page of “Expedia”.

To identify it as Atmosfy user, on the login page create a login option as “Sign in with Atmosfy”.

Since the user’s location is known from Atmosfy, Expedia shows Hotels near the user’s location.

Finally, the user can Book the Hotels of their preference.

A/B Testing the Booking Feature

LAUNCH & GTM STRATEGY

To evaluate the effectiveness of integrating Expedia's booking functionality within the Atmosfy app, we will conduct a controlled A/B test. This test aims to determine if the "Book" feature improves user engagement with travel planning and booking on Atmosfy.

Versions:

Control (90% of target audience): Users will experience the existing Atmosfy app without the booking feature.

Variant (10% of target audience): Users will have access to the new "Book" feature powered by Expedia. This includes functionalities like searching for accommodations, browsing options, and initiating bookings directly within Atmosfy.

Target Audience:

This A/B test will target a subset of Atmosfy users who:

Actively use the app for travel discovery: This could be indicated by frequent searches for venues, restaurants, or travel-related content.

Fit within Atmosfy's target demographic: Consider factors like age, location, and travel interests to ensure the test audience is relevant.

Primary Metric:

Number of users who initiate a booking process through the "Book" feature.

Who is involved?
Launching the booking feature on Atmosfy through the Expedia partnership will involve various teams across the organization—with deep involvement from the Product Management, Business Development, Engineering, UX/UI Design, Legal and Compliance, Marketing and Communications, Data Analytics, Customer Support, Finance and Accounting, and Project Management teams.

Secondary Metrics:

Clicks on the "Book" button.

Time spent browsing accommodation options, including new users in the test helps us understand if the "Book" feature creates any barriers for those unfamiliar with the app. We want to ensure a seamless experience for both existing and new users who might benefit from booking functionalities.

We will start with a limited rollout (10%) to minimize potential disruptions and allow for controlled iteration if needed. If the A/B test with the initial group shows positive results (increased booking initiations without negative impact on other app functions), we will gradually expand the rollout to a larger portion of the target audience. Upon successful results with the wider audience, we can confidently launch the booking feature to all Atmosfy users.

Based on the A/B test results, we may need to:

Refine the "Book" feature for improved usability based on user feedback. Consider additional A/B tests to optimize specific aspects of the booking experience. Following a successful launch, we can explore further integration with Expedia and potentially introduce additional travel features within Atmosfy.

Note:

If the A/B test results are negative, we will analyze the data to identify potential issues and iterate on the "Book" feature before re-running the test.

MEASURING SUCCESS

Pilot Metrics

NORTH STAR METRIC

Creating a Book feature in the Atmosfy app -> Reduce the usage of third party apps

If Atmosfy users successfully book hotels, expect happier users (completed trips, positive reviews, content creation) and a healthier business (increased revenue, user retention, valuable booking data). This suggests the booking feature is meeting a user need and adding value to Atmosfy.

Booking Conversion Rate: Percentage of users who initiate a booking process compared to those who only browse accommodations.

Engagement with Booking Feature: Clicks on the "Book" button and time spent browsing accommodation options.

Booking Process Completion: Tracks how many users initiate but do not finalize the booking process.

User Feedback: Surveys and in-app prompts collect user opinions on the booking feature's usability and experience.

Number of Bookings Completed: Reflects the actual number of successful hotel bookings made through Atmosfy.

Average Booking Value (ABV): Calculates the average revenue generated per booking.

User Retention: Monitors if users who book hotels return to Atmosfy for future travel planning.

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): Analyzes the cost to acquire a user who completes a booking.

SECONDARY METRICS

COUNTER METRICS

Decreased Engagement with Other Atmosfy Features: Decreased usage of features like restaurant recommendations or activity discovery tools, with users focusing more on the booking feature.

Reduced Content Creation: Decreased number of videos, posts, or reviews created by users after utilizing the booking feature, potentially leading to reduced organic sharing of travel experiences.

Focus Primarily on Travel Discovery and Exploration: A shift in user behavior towards solely searching and booking hotels, which may result in neglecting broader travel discovery within the app.

User Acquisition Cost (CAC) for Booking Users: Analyzing whether acquiring users who utilize the booking feature is more expensive than acquiring general Atmosfy users.

Customer Support Volume for Booking Issues: Monitoring the volume of support inquiries to identify any confusing aspects of the booking process or technical issues that need resolution.

FUTURE ITERATIONS

What will the future hold?

Personalization: Atmosfy could personalize hotel & travel recommendations based on user booking history.

Loyalty Program: Booking integration with a loyalty program could reward users for bookings, incentivizing repeat stays.

Package Deals: Atmosfy could partner with businesses to offer bundled hotel stays with activities, creating a complete travel package.

User Reviews & Ratings: Enabling user reviews & ratings could foster a travel community within Atmosfy and provide valuable insights.

Alternative Accommodation Types: Exploring vacation rentals & hostels could offer users a broader range of lodging choices.

Activity & Attraction Booking: Integration with activity providers could allow seamless booking within Atmosfy for a one-stop shop.

Partnerships & Integrations: Partnering with airlines, transportation & travel insurance could create an all-in-one booking platform.

Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts

SUMMARY
In this case study, the primary objective was to address the challenge travelers face in finding suitable accommodations within the Atmosfy app. My hypothesis suggested that integrating a seamless accommodation booking feature would enhance user satisfaction and streamline the travel planning process.

As a Product Manager, I recommend A/B testing a booking feature powered by Expedia in the Atmosfy app to allow users to search for and book accommodations directly within the app. This MVP aims to solve the core pain points that users in our target segment face, including frequent travelers, foodies, and digital nomads. The impact of the functionality will be evaluated using metrics such as booking conversion rates, engagement with the booking feature, and user retention. If the test returns positive, I recommend Atmosfy roll out the booking feature globally to all users.

Thank you for checking out the case study.