Shaping Yelp’s Home Services
Role
Design Lead / PM
Timeline
Dec 2023 - May 2024
Team
Cal UMA Design Team
Yelp Creative Marketing PMs
Yelp Director of Brand
Skills
Visual Design
Graphic Design
Creative Strategy
Advertising
Tools
Figma
Photoshop
Illustrator
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Yelp seeks to increase awareness for its home services offerings.
PROJECT SCOPE
Increase user engagement and app downloads for Yelp’s home services by revamping the brand’s visual identity and creating targeted video advertisements for the next generation of homeowners.
BACKGROUND
Yelp Home Services connects users to trusted providers for every home project.
Yelp, known for its reviews and recommendations, now emphasizes its Home Services section, connecting users with top-rated professionals and providers for home projects while leveraging its trusted review system.
PROBLEM
Yelp seeks to boost engagement with home services + expand its brand systems.
1. VISIBILITY FOR HOME SERVICES
Yelp is renowned for restaurant reviews, but its home services are underutilized, especially by younger audiences like Gen Z and millennials.
2. MEANINGFUL BRANDING
Yelp's new brand elements, which feature round shapes to create a fun and refreshing look, struggle to effectively meet the needs of its key audiences—consumers, local businesses, and brands.
THEREFORE, WE ASK
HMW increase Yelp app downloads and boost visibility for a wide audience base?
PROJECT STRUCTURE
We addressed this question through two projects
VIDEO ADVERTISEMENTS
HMW we leverage video ads to attract younger audiences to Yelp's home services?
GRAPHIC DESIGN SYSTEMS
HMW tailor Yelp's new brand system to meet the diverse needs of audiences?
SECONDARY RESEARCH
Leverage Yelp’s strong brand and large user base to boost engagement.
SWOT ANALYSIS
To inform our creative strategy for engaging younger audiences and unifying Yelp's brand, we conducted a SWOT analysis to identify key opportunities and challenges to target during later phases of the project.
Yelp can leverage its strong brand and user base to boost engagement, especially among younger audiences. A creative strategy focusing on engaging content for Gen Z and millennials, along with a modernized graphic design system, will enhance brand consistency and competitiveness in a crowded market.
Balancing fun and function for Yelp’s target audiences.
B2C VS B2B CASE STUDY
Analyzing existing graphic design systems to suit the target audience—engaging for B2C and professional for B2B—to strengthen brand identity, build trust, and add a touch of fun.
In Adobe's B2B ads, the layout is strategically designed with a balanced image and text ratio, minimal color, and visuals to maintain a professional appearance and minimize distractions.
VS
Adobe's B2C advertisements are characterized by vibrant colors, attention-grabbing visuals, and a dramatic flair, creating a captivating and engaging experience for viewers.
USER RESEARCH
What’s the word on the street?
USER SURVEYS
To gather insights into Gen-Z’s values and feelings toward Yelp Home Services and video advertising, we conducted 244 user surveys to consider:
YELP HOME SERVICES
89.5% of respondents are unaware of Yelp's home services, highlighting key opportunity for growth.
BRAND ASSOCIATION
Yelp's reputation for reliability, convenience, and trustworthiness aligns with its brand, offering a strong foundation to boost user engagement and retention.
What do you identify Yelp with?
SERVICE SELECTION FACTORS
94.4% of respondents prioritize reputation and reviews, with many also valuing pricing and promotions.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YELP
People primarily find home services through Google and word-of-mouth, underscoring the need for online visibility. Yelp can attract quality-focused users by leveraging its trusted reviews and convenient access.
How do you currently find home services?
AD CONTENT PREFERENCES
Preferences indicate a desire for engaging, entertaining, and authentic content that resonates with viewers.
Humorous
Humor related to home services for eye-catching memorable content
Storytelling
Real customer experiences, success stories, and challenges overcome.
Demonstrations
Before-and-afters and step-by-step guides to educate and build trust.
User-Generated
Authentic customer testimonials and reviews to build credibility and trust.
What type of video content appeals the most to you?
Which ad builds appeal for Yelp’s home services?
3 TARGET USERS
We narrowed down three key target audiences—Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X—likely to use Yelp’s home services.
A/B TESTING
We conducted A/B testing with 21 participants to evaluate the effectiveness of video ad variations. We gathered insights on ad performance through viewer feedback, which guided us in refining our strategies and enhancing the effectiveness of our video content.
Gen Z
Prefers unconventional and creative content.
Values content that sparks curiosity leaving room for exploration.
Shows a tendency to skip ads quickly if the initial 2 seconds fail to engage.
Likes relatable content that speaks to their experiences.
Millennial
Dislike overwhelming or aggressive content that feels too pushy.
Prefer video content with smooth transitions and a steady pace, avoiding abrupt changes.
Appreciate direct and straightforward messaging that gets to the point efficiently.
Values content showcasing real user experiences.
Gen X
Prefer content that provides a behind-the-scenes look or step-by-step guides.
Dislikes intense transitions or flashy camera movements.
Value simplicity and directness in content delivery.
Show interest in content that focuses on practical aspects and offers tips related to their interests or needs.
RESEARCH SUMMARY
A little breakdown of our target users’ values and preferences...
TARGET DEMOGRAPHICS
We narrowed down 3 target audiences of Yelp - Gen Z, millennial, and Gen X/homeowners - to gather insights into their values, video content preferences, and graphic design preferences.
FINDINGS
KEY INSIGHT 1
TARGET GEN Z ENGAGEMENT
Gen Z may not seek home services now, but highlighting long-term benefits and offering incentives can build brand loyalty, positioning Yelp as the convenient choice as they transition to homeownership in the future.
KEY INSIGHT 2
EMPOWER LOCAL FOCUS
Friends’ and communities’ reviews are highly influential. By encouraging and incentivizing reviews, Yelp can amplify word-of-mouth impact and strengthen users’ familiarity and trust.
KEY INSIGHT 3
AUTHENTIC & RELATABLE CONTENT
Users prefer genuine, personable content. By using humor and storytelling, Yelp can create authentic videos that showcase real memorable experiences.
HYPOTHESIS
Drive app downloads and long-term user commitment by building trust and loyalty with Yelp through highlighting local-empowered, authentic, and relatable content targeting Gen Z.
IDEATION
Four initial storyboard sketches
VIDEO AD LOW FIDELITIES
Each representing the top three advertisement genres. demonstration, storytelling, humorous, geared toward all target audiences (gen Z, millennial, and gen X), and one geared specifically toward Gen Z.
SOLUTIONS
Four video concept storyboards
Each representing the top three advertisement genres. demonstration, storytelling, humorous, geared toward all target audiences (gen Z, millennial, and gen X), and one geared specifically toward Gen Z.
CONCEPT 1
Yelp for Help
Leverage bold use of a text-only style to grab users’ attention.
Establish “Yelp” as a verb and position Yelp as the go-to resource in everyday situations through bold messaging and typography.
CONCEPT 2
Grow with Yelp
Build long-term loyalty and connect Yelp’s services through storytelling.
Leverage Yelp’s diverse platform for different use cases in different stages of life. From finding cafes in college, to finding a nights out, and later finding movers for a first home.
CONCEPT 3
Yelp AR Demo
Implement augmented reality to convey the convenience of Yelp.
Showcase the reliable, efficient, and diverse offerings of Yelp through a fun AR style, working similarly to Pokemon Go.
CONCEPT 4
Yelp the Plumber
Establish Yelp as the go-to source in everyday situations.
Showcase funny and relatable situations like toilet flushing troubles to build authentic and memorable connections with users.
Three graphic design systems
PALETTES, GUIDELINES, and MOCKUPS
For three target users: Yelp for Consumers, Yelp for Businesses, Yelp for Brands
fun
Yelp for Consumers
Guidelines
COLORS
Bold and vibrant colors reflect a fun and engaging vibe.
SHAPES
Innovative and whimsical, leveraging techniques like layering, stacking, merging, and contrast.
RATIO
70% graphics to 30% images to maintain focus on abstract elements.
FOCUS
Emphasize the "unboring" aspect of Yelp, leaning towards abstract interpretations rather than literal depictions.
professional
Yelp for Business
Guidelines
COLORS
Limited color palette while retaining a sense of boldness.
SHAPES
Maintain a lighthearted tone without excessive complexity.
RATIO
50% graphics to 50% images ratio for a balanced yet professional look.
FOCUS
Highlight the lighthearted side of Yelp.
fun & professional
Yelp for Brand
Guidelines
COLORS
Mainly limited to the darker brand colors for a fun yet sophisticated appearance.
SHAPES
Singular formal moves, serving as key elements to enhance messaging and imagery.
RATIO
25% graphics to 25% images to 50% white space ratio for emphasis on bold messaging.
FOCUS
Prioritize shapes and color to reinforce brand message and identity, while making the images, products, and text pop.
REFLECTION
Thank you Yelp for shaping my design journey!
Creating video ads and graphic design systems was an exciting experience that highlighted how consumer preferences shape narratives and designs that really resonate with audiences.
The graphic design systems project pushed us to find the right balance between professionalism and creativity while designing for consumers, businesses, and brands.
I’m so grateful for the chance to lead such a talented design team and collaborate with Yelp’s amazing creative directors and managers, who brought such fresh perspectives and emphasized the power of user-centered design!
