The Irrational Mind | With Kristen Berman What a former Booking.com product leader says about testing | Kristina Gibson (Director of Product, Booking.com)
Jan 19, 2025
Kristina Gibson, an accomplished product leader with experience at Booking.com, Lyft, and Eventbrite, shares her insights on user growth strategies and A/B testing. She discusses when to rely on experimentation versus making bold strategic decisions. Kristina reveals the psychology behind last-minute purchases and how showing unavailable options can paradoxically drive conversions. The conversation dives into the power of micro-details in product listings and the delicate balance between user preferences and innovation risks. A treasure trove of strategies for shaping user behavior!
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Emojis vs. Images
- Booking.com tested emojis in hostel listings, targeting a younger audience.
- The test failed, revealing that visual imagery of the hostel experience resonated more.
Failure Rate at Booking.com
- Booking.com has a culture of celebrating failure and learning from it.
- Approximately 90% of their tests fail, but the learnings lead to improvement.
Mobile Search Filters
- Hostel bookers on mobile devices needed better search filters than hotel bookers.
- Booking.com simplified search by offering pre-filtered options like shared, private, or female-only rooms.