UX/UI Breakdown: Airbnb landing page (August 2017)

Daniel Mendez
Aug 8, 2017 · 4 min read
Airbnb’s landing page

Which apps on your phone have nailed the user experience?

I ask that question every time I interview another designer, and inevitably one app is always mentioned. Airbnb.

There are 5 million apps on iOS and Android and Airbnb have achieved something remarkable. They stand out. I’ve chosen the very first screen you see when you launch the app for the first time and chosen 7 areas to discuss.

1. The close icon (X)

Despite the fact that all OSs (Operating Systems) have a dedicated home button which will close the app you have open, Airbnb still went ahead and included an icon which performs the same task. I was hesitant to include this icon as one of the 7 topics because it isn’t obvious why they have decided to include it and the only conclusion I can come to is that they’re being extra courteous. It’s an additional detail on this screen which in my opinion could be removed without any impact on the overall UX.

2. The login button

Over the last 18 months there has been a growing trend on app landing pages. The option for existing customers to log in is given far less importance than the option for new customers to register. This may seem counter-intuitive at first but in reality can make perfect sense. All new customers will see this screen, whilst only a percentage of existing ones will land here (those who have logged out or are for whatever reason reinstalling the app). With this being the case, the minimal extra effort in searching for the log in CTA (call to action) is outweighed by the prioritisation of new customers wishing to register.

3. Welcome copy

Airbnb are a confident company and ‘Welcome to Airbnb’ reinforces that opinion. There are no additional marketing messages on this page, just a clear, short message which indicates the confidence Airbnb has in it’s visitors knowing exactly what type of service they offer.

4. The Facebook option

There are numerous ways to register for apps and Airbnb make it very clear how they want you to register for theirs. It’s with Facebook, and they make this obvious in 3 ways. Firstly, the ‘Continue with Facebook’ CTA is visually the strongest on the screen. The strong white background ensures that the users eyes will be drawn to it ahead of anything else. Secondly, Airbnb subtly use copy to encourage this option. Users are aware that registering for an account will require some effort. However, using ‘Continue with Facebook’ hints to the user that the next few steps will be painless and easier to proceed with. They’re continuing a journey they’ve already started as opposed to starting a new one. Thirdly, is placement. Not only have they placed it in the centre of the screen, but by positioning it next to ‘Create Account’ the user is given an easy option, and a difficult one helping the user with their decision.

The reason behind Airbnb’s insistence on the user registering with Facebook is data. By selecting this option Airbnb can collect a significant amount of it without having to specifically request it. Data is extremely valuable to understand their user base and can help then target their users and potential users far more effectively.

5. Create an account from scratch

If the user decides not to choose Facebook to register, Airbnb has chosen registering directly with them as the second option (ahead of any other third party). It’s a clear second preference for them but one which will still permit them to collect the data they require.

6. More options CTA

If either of the registration options don’t suit the users needs then Airbnb has an additional two ways for you to log in behind this subtle CTA. They are Google and Weibo. Weibo isn’t as large in the UK but the choice to push Facebook ahead of Google is interesting. I would guess that firstly, a higher % of their users have a Facebook account and this may better suit most of them, and/or secondly that the amount of data Airbnb can collect from Facebook is greater than that from Google. The size and prominence of this CTA gives the impression it’s a reluctant nod to those users who aren’t satisfied with the main registration options.

7. Terms and Conditions

Welcome to legal and compliance departments! Terms and Conditions are legally required to be present on certain pages and Airbnb will be no different in having to compromise deal with this. Having said that, the paragraph hasn’t been styled as cleanly as it may have been. Whilst the links have been underlined, glancing over the paragraph and identifying where the links start and finish (there are four of them) isn’t an easy job as the entire paragraph is bold. Making the copy regular could help solve this problem.

In Summary

Airbnb focus on detail. They’ve made decisions based on research and data and this login screen reflects that. Removing all colours and distractions except a primary colour and white, leaves the user in no doubt what Airbnb wants them to do.

The other thing to take away from the screen is the clear hierarchy of the content. They want to welcome you to the app and then they want you to log in with Facebook. Anything else is less important.

Daniel Mendez

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