Instagram
Shop
Mobile App Redesign
ABOUT
This project was completed for a data driven, product design course, in which I worked alongside a team of 4 to redesign Instagram’s shop page. We aimed to increase the discoverability of small businesses through updating the page layout and improving search and filter features.
MY ROLE
User research, wireframing, prototyping, interactions, visual design
Motivation
THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented challenges across a variety of aspects, but one area that has faced significant impact is small businesses. Due to the lack of cash flow and store traffic, many have been forced to reduce hours or lay off employees, some even shutting down indefinitely. With the transition to internet tools as a primary means of generating capital, we wanted to explore how we can use technological ways to help sustain small businesses throughout and beyond the pandemic.
From the Perspective of Small Business Owners
SURVEYS & INTERVIEWS
To better understand the implications of the pandemic on small businesses, we asked small business owners to express:
How the pandemic as affected their business
Challenges they faced when it came to using online methods for operation
Gaps in current products that were preventing them recovering from the pandemic
EARLY INSIGHTS
We surveyed 14 small businesses owners across a variety of industries, including food/beverage (21.4%), retail (28.6%), services (21.4%), and other handmade items. We also interviewed 4 owners to further uncover how their businesses have evolved as a direct result of the pandemic and the measures they are taking to adjust and survive.
Our data revealed that a majority of small business owners have needed to pivot and or implement new strategies to accommodate for changes, including cutting costs, expanding to new markets, bringing in-person events online, and collaborating with other creators to gain more exposure.
A Transition to Online
Of business owners we surveyed who operated solely in-person before COVID-19, have now switched to online methods, or a mix of in-person and online. This transition to online operations demonstrates one of the major shifts businesses are currently taking in order to stay relevant and sustain themselves given pandemic restrictions.
46.2%
Use Instagram to operate or advertise their businesses, making this app the most popular option and the app we targeted for our project. Respondents noted that the platform’s large user base, as well as visual appeal supports marketing and easy communication with customers through product posts, direct messages, comments, or replies on Stories.
64.3%
Challenges with Instagram
Since Instagram was the most used application for operating and advertising their shops, we wanted to further determine how we could redefine Instagram for small businesses to better aid in their work.
Instagram algorithm makes it difficult for reach broader audiences
The algorithm helps expose their businesses to relevant audiences, but makes it hard to be featured on the Explore Page for further exposure. One interviewee explained that the algorithm is based on post engagement, such as viewers saving or sharing a post, in order for it to reach potential customers. Small businesses who don’t have many followers yet may face the difficulty of getting their account noticed in the first place.
Competition on Instagram creates difficulty in reaching relevant local viewers
Owners wanted to actively engage with clients on a more personal level, but find it difficult to reach specific local viewers since Instagram is such an open ended platform with a broad range of audiences and types of content.
Difficulty informing customers about business updates
With constantly evolving business strategies, business owners desire an easier way to update clients about hours, product drops, or sales.
Personas
Building off of the insights gained from our interviews and surveys, we built two user personas to reflect the common challenges, needs, and goals of small business owners.
Problem Statement
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced small business owners to transform their business strategies in order to increase sales in a safe way. Some are establishing an online presence to reach a larger audience of potential customers, but face the competition of other businesses moving online.
HOW MIGHT WE INCREASE THE EXPOSURE OF SMALL BUSINESSES ON INSTAGRAM TO REACH TARGET AUDIENCES AND BETTER ENGAGE WITH POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS?
Analyzing Competitors
CURRENT INSTAGRAM DESIGN
The shop homepage consists of a continuous long feed of products based on previously viewed items or posts.
The search function requires users to type in the exact product or brand name they are looking for, meaning there are no predetermined categories for browsing.
Shop directory displays three images from each brand. The businesses commonly displayed are usually well known name brands, such as Marc Jacobs.
YELP
Search page displays promoted updates from local businesses regarding business hours or current specials. The autoplay format allows users to quickly view information about local spots and determine if there’s anything interesting before clicking onto the businesses’ actual page.
“Picks for you” section suggests businesses based on the user’s search history or curated from preferences that users can manually input.
ETSY
“More like this favorite” and “Recommended shop” sections display items and shops that are similar to ones that the user has interacted with before.
Search contains a list of categories that makes it easier to narrow down the specific items the user wants to browse through.
REDBUBBLE
Artist spotlights provide an area for different artists to advertise for a limited amount of time, but doesn’t allow the user to directly visit the shop profile from these spotlights.
“Picks for You” displays products more catered to user’s taste after they continue to favorite products or sellers.
The search page allows customers to find products by categories.
TAKEAWAYS
While looking at other applications, we were able to find details and features that helped inform the designs of our project.
Large, captivating visuals of products
Personalized discovery experience through feeds that are catered towards users’ preferences, based on their user history
“Promoted” or sponsored posts featuring local businesses or individual artists
Ability to search through and narrow down categories of products
Mapping Out User Flows
WHAT FEATURES COULD EXTEND INSTAGRAM’S SHOP EXPERIENCE?
We mapped out the flow that demonstrates the user interaction from the Explore page to the Shop tab, and further into the Instagram shop experience. Based our previous insights, we proposed several key features that focused on making small business accounts more discoverable, as well as created a more personalized shopping experience.
Incorporating a separate “Stories” feature into the Shop page to highlight business updates/promos
Curated feed of products and shops (highlighting small businesses on the main feed)
Better browsing experience through stores
Improved search experience to prioritize recognition over recall
LOFI WIREFRAMES
Testing Iterations
In order to better hone in on our design decisions, we performed user tests on the main features of our redesign to gather feedback to inform further iterations. To get feedback from different perspectives, we interviewed 2 small businesses owners and 1 Instagram user.
SHOP PAGE
The original Shop Page (left) we designed uses a single large image corresponding to each shop, with the aim of motivating users to scroll horizontally through and check out the recommended businesses. The updated screen (right) follows the same interaction, with an adjustment made to the amount of images displayed for each shop.
All participants agreed the updated version of the Shops page was more effective because it provides businesses the opportunity to showcase their product selection, especially those with a wide range of products that would appeal to different types of interests. Also, the follow button creates a call to action, whereas the previous use of follower count may diminish small businesses who don’t have a large following.
SHOP DIRECTORY
In the original Shop Directory page (left), users are provided with an overview of the products or services from each shop through four images. With this interaction, users scroll vertically down to browse shops that they may be interested in, before clicking on the “View Shop” to go to the businesses’ Instagram page. The updated screen (right) displays images under each shop in a horizontal scroll, along with the name of the products, pricing, and ability to save the item.
Through our user testing, we discovered that users appreciated the additional information without having the click onto the product or leave the page.
BROWSE CATEGORIES
With the Browse Categories feature in the search function, we aimed to address the usability heuristic of recognition over recall by providing users with predetermined categories that they can browse through. In the original screen (left), these categories are presented with large images corresponding to the theme. In the alternate version (right), the top of the screen displays curated categories or collections based on the season or the users’ interests. Below that, users can also browse or select categories that interest them before searching for specific items with the search bar.
Users enjoyed the large images of the original redesign (left) that brought a more visual appeal to the page, which in turn encouraged exploring different categories. But, they also liked the highlighted categories at the top updated redesign (right). In order to incorporate the advantages that both redesigns offer, we decided to add the highlighted categories to the top of the page, while evening out the size and shape of the general category images so that the information is easier to skim.
THE FINAL SOLUTION
BUSINESS STORIES
Brands can post promotions or inform customers about new products through the Stories feature on the Shop page. Since business stories often get lost on the main feed amongst the user’s other follows, we decided to implement this feature directly into the shopping experience to provide a dedicated area for business updates.
PRODUCTS FOR YOU
Users are presented with products curated from their search and browsing history. They are able to view the name of the product, its price, as well as save the item while browsing through options, without having to click away from the page.
SMALL BUSINESSES & SHOPS FOR YOU
The main page highlights small businesses that also align with the user’s preferences. This exposes consumers to small businesses they normally would not have heard of, while allowing these small businesses to target their relevant audience.
BROWSE CATEGORIES
To address the usability heuristic of recognition over recall, users can browse through predetermined categories if they do not have a specific item in mind. The top of the screen also displays curated categories or collections based on the season or the users’ interests.
FILTER OPTIONS
The Distance filter allows users to view stores around their area, especially if they are using Instagram to browse products but want to check out the store in person. This was inspired by interviews with small business owners who want to reach out to audiences in their surrounding area, as well consumers who want to support their local businesses. In the Categories filter, users can select specific topics they are interested in.
FEEDBACK &
FINAL THOUGHTS
From our last rounds of testing we learned that our attempt of highlighting small businesses on the main shop page was also appreciated by not only the business owners, but also the consumer we interviewed. Since many users are more conscious about supporting small businesses, especially now during the pandemic, the small business section would provide easy access to these shops. One business owner noted that her shop would benefit from this redesign because the discover or shop pages are usually overtaken by paid content or bigger brands, so this would provide a platform for promoting businesses that do not receive as much attention.
Working with my team on this project has definitely taught me the importance of designing based on deliberate decisions and insights gained from user testing. Redesigning an established and well known platform such as Instagram was definitely a challenge, but I enjoyed iterating and growing my design skills.