As screens get bigger, technology gets better and networks get faster, we’ve seen online booking patterns continue to evolve at a rapid pace. And according to Google, more than one-third of global traveler participants who use smartphones to research and book travel said they view a brand negatively if the mobile experience is slow.
That being said, consumer confidence won’t help you much if your website booking experience isn’t responsive and streamlined on mobile. You still have to earn the guest’s trust by creating an intuitive user experience, simple navigation and, ultimately, a quick and seamless reservation process. My hospitality technology agency has created custom booking engines for over 50-plus global hotel brands. We have honed in on the most important attributes of conversion and how to optimize the e-commerce path. Here are 23 of them:
1. Minimize the number of clicks required to make a booking.
Given that mobile e-commerce design is all about simplicity, speed and convenience, challenge yourself to condense your booking process into as few pages and steps as possible. Every unnecessary click will lower your conversion rate.
2. Tailor your design to each smartphone’s screen layout.
For example, the iPhone X has its command functionality at the bottom of the screen, so don’t place your “Check Availability” button in an area that will be difficult for customers to click.
3. Leave breadcrumbs.
Time-crunched consumers want to know how long it will take them to complete the booking process. Make sure you list each step along the top of the screen, showing how many pages remain before confirmation.
4. Show a progress widget for load time.
If consumers click a call-to-action button and don’t notice your website loading, chances are they’ll abandon ship, thinking the website is frozen. Fix this problem with a loading widget that populates between steps.
5. Limit your color palette to three colors or less.
More than that will overcomplicate your design, plus make your user experience less intuitive.
6. Invest in high-quality photography.
Nowhere is photography more important than on a mobile e-commerce website. Great imagery can increase the credibility and quality of your site and can help to engage your customers.
7. Remove any distractions.
If any link or content within your booking process could potentially distract the customer from continuing their reservation, don’t think twice: Remove it.
8. Let customers click to expand content.
In the interest of simplicity, try to default your mobile e-commerce experience to be as minimalist as possible. Meaning, if a customer wants to read more about a product or enlarge photos, give them the option to do so instead of automatically loading it.
9. Add click-to-call or message links.
It may seem obvious, but make sure all your phone number and email address links (i.e., “Call Us” or “Contact Us”) lead to direct action.
10. Avoid pop-ups at all costs.
Already annoying on desktop, pop-ups on mobile can be difficult to click out of and thus lead to higher dropoff rates.
11. Link your ‘back’ button to the previous page.
Nothing is more frustrating on mobile than clicking the “back” button and being directed to the main website, not the previous step of the booking process.
12. Take scrolling inspiration from social media.
Consumers are accustomed to scrolling down a page to view posts and swiping through a carousel to view products. Use the same approach to display your main products (scroll) and add-ons (carousel).
13. Use descriptive call-to-action buttons.
Instead of simple messages like “Next,” “Continue” or “Go,” give customers a clear description of exactly where a link will take them (i.e., “Check Room Availability,” “Proceed to Secure Checkout,” or “Select Upgrade”).
14. Avoid tiny clickable links.
Keep in mind that mobile users are clicking on links with their thumbs. Make the links too small and they won’t be able to easily navigate through your website, which can translate to a high dropoff rate.
15. Serve up a hamburger menu.
There’s a reason most modern mobile sites use the hamburger button as the navigation bar. It’s simple, intuitive and drops down with large, easy-to-click items.
16. Optimize for thumb accessibility.
Think about it: The top-third of the screen is the hardest for the thumb to reach when holding the phone with one hand. Try to avoid placing important links along the top (especially in the top left, which is most difficult for right-handed users).
17. Keep your information fields, filled out by customers, to a minimum.
This will also minimize the amount of data your platform processes, which subsequently improves your site speed.
18. Configure your booking platform to accept alternative forms of payment, like Apple Pay, WeChat Pay or Alipay.
Anything that makes it easier and more convenient for customers to pay on mobile will increase your conversion rate.
19. Emphasize the security of your booking process.
Consumers book on mobile if they feel confident in the brand and its platform. Build your credibility by prominently displaying any security badges throughout your booking engine.
20. Make your ‘edit’ button prominent.
Tracing your steps is inherently more difficult on mobile than on desktop. Place your “edit” button front and center to allow customers to seamlessly adjust specifics of their booking.
21. Bigger is better for text fields.
Same concept here: Make sure your text fields are big enough for thumbs to easily be able to click into.
22. Trigger numeric keyboards for number fields.
When consumers fill out a field that requires digits, save them a step by defaulting to their number keyboard.
23. Autocomplete fields.
Save the customer further time by auto-filling fields like addresses (address finders), credit card type (recognizing the credit card number type) and city/state/country (based on zip code).
Think “faster, easier, simpler” and you’ll likely be able to add dozens of more items to the above list. The bottom line is, anything you can do to make the mobile booking process more seamless will instantly help you capitalize on the increasing mobile shopping confidence consumers are showing across all industries.
