Study Case
Improving House Rent Search Experience
Product Designer
2024
Hypothesis:
Many house rental advertisements are scattered across platforms like Instagram, OLX, and Facebook. These platforms are not specifically designed for rental property listings, leading to a lack of structured and detailed information.
Additionally, these platforms often feature more affordable rental ads compared to property-focused platforms like Rumah123.com and Pinhome, which attracts users but exacerbates the inefficiencies.
This causes users to frequently contact advertisers for basic details that should ideally be included in the advertisement.
Research and Findings:
Pain Points Identified:
Information is unstructured, making it hard for users to compare options.
Users often need to ask follow-up questions to understand basic details such as price, facilities, or location.
Lack of a centralized platform leads to wasted time and effort.
User Quotes:
"I always have to DM advertisers on Instagram just to ask about the rent price or location."
"Facebook groups are messy; I can't easily filter for my budget or preferred area."
Competitor Analysis (SWOT):
Facebook Groups (House Rent Info Groups):
Strengths: Large user base; easy to create and join groups.
Weaknesses: Poor search/filtering functionality; unverified listings.
Opportunities: Strong community engagement; potential for targeted ads.
Threats: Competing platforms with better structure may reduce relevance.
OLX:
Strengths: Established platform; basic filters available; high traffic.
Weaknesses: Listings often lack important details; generic interface not optimized for house rentals.
Opportunities: Can integrate more rental-specific features.
Threats: Specialized platforms offering better experiences.
Instagram (House Rent Info Accounts):
Strengths: High engagement; visually appealing.
Weaknesses: No filtering or search options; dependent on manual communication.
Opportunities: Ads and sponsored posts can increase visibility.
Threats: Not designed for property listings; cluttered user experience.
Problem Statement:
Users face challenges in finding house rental information due to scattered, unstructured advertisements on non-specialized platforms. They need a centralized solution that provides structured, detailed, and easily accessible rental property information.
Key Insight:
High traffic on existing platforms like Facebook, OLX, and Instagram indicates a strong demand for house rental listings. The challenge is to create a dedicated platform that captures this traffic while addressing the pain points of unstructured information.
Solution Proposal:
A centralized website specifically designed for house rental advertisements with the following solutions:
Better Structured Listings:
Filter Property
Structured Detailed Property
Traffic Generation Strategies:
SEO Optimization: Use relevant keywords to rank high on search engines.
Social Media Integration: Share listings on platforms like Facebook and Instagram with direct links.
Partnerships: Collaborate with local real estate agents and property owners.
Referral Programs: Encourage users to share the website for rewards.
Prototype:
A centralized website specifically designed for house rental advertisements with the following features:
The design was implemented using Framer, leveraging its dynamic and interactive capabilities to create an intuitive and visually impactful user experience.
Traffic Generation Strategies:
SEO Optimization: Use relevant keywords to rank high on search engines.
Social Media Integration: Share listings on platforms like Facebook and Instagram with direct links.
Partnerships: Collaborate with local real estate agents and property owners.
Referral Programs: Encourage users to share the website for rewards.
Leverage Existing Platforms:
Share links to the website in Facebook groups and Instagram posts related to house rentals.
Run targeted ads on social media to attract users looking for rental properties.
Content Marketing:
Create blog posts and guides on topics like "How to Find the Perfect Rental House" to drive organic traffic.
Use video content showcasing featured properties.
SEO and Local Optimization:
Optimize for keywords like "rental houses in [city]," "affordable housing," and "house rental listings."
Register the website on Google My Business for local searches.
Community Engagement:
Partner with local influencers to promote the platform.
Host webinars or live Q&A sessions on renting tips.
Referral Programs:
Offer rewards for users who refer new users to the website.
Incentivize landlords to list their properties by waiving initial fees.
By addressing the core challenges of unstructured and scattered information, this centralized platform aims to improve the house rental search experience significantly. Leveraging traffic generation strategies ensures that the platform can compete with existing platforms and build a sustainable user base.