Booking.com
Improving the cross-sell experience for travellers
Project Overview
Base CTA copy in cross-sell section
Role: Content Designer/UX Writer
Tools: Figma, Usertesting.com, In-house experimentation tool, In-house localisation tool
Collaborated with: 44 localisation specialists, 1 developer, 1 UX researcher
Industry: Technology (Travel Tech)
Problem / Goals:
During user interviews, 7 out of 10 participants shared that they felt anxious when seeing the "Book Now" call-to-action (CTA) in the cross-sell recommendation section immediately after completing their accommodation booking.
Users expressed concern about feeling pressured to make additional purchases, which contributed to their hesitation to explore other offerings.
To address this, we needed to optimise the CTA to reduce this anxiety and encourage users to confidently explore further options.
How I helped:
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User research
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Optimised existing CTA copy
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A/B testing
My Process
An overview of how I worked on this task - from ideation to implementation
What I Did
Hypothesis Generation
First, I came up with the hypothesis that would guide the optimisation process. Based on user feedback, I hypothesised that replacing the "Book Now" CTA with a less transactional and less committal alternative would reduce users' anxiety and encourage more of them to confidently explore additional services without fear of committing more money.
By optimising the cross-sell recommendation section's CTA language from a direct "Book now" to a more inviting, low-pressure alternative, we will:
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Decrease user anxiety
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Increase user confidence in exploring additional verticals
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Improve overall user experience
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Increase click-through and conversion rates
Expected Outcomes:
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More users will explore cross-sell recommendations
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Increased funnel exploration without perceived financial pressure
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Enhanced user trust and perception of the platform
Business Impact:
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Increased share of wallet
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Improved customer experience
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More business opportunities for partners
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Potential uplift in overall conversion metrics
Copy Exploration
Building on this hypothesis, I brainstormed a set of less transactional and more exploratory CTA alternatives:
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Option 1: Explore
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Option 2: See options
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Option 3: Search now
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Option 4: Check options
Usetesting in 3, 2, 1...
To validate which CTA would resonate best with users, I ran a short test on UserTesting.com. The results were:
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"Search now" was the most popular, with 8 out of 20 users selecting it. Users appreciated that this CTA invited them to take a more casual, exploratory action without feeling pressured.
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"Check options" was the second most preferred, with 7 out of 20 users voting for it. Those who preferred this option shared similar feedback, feeling it offered a sense of exploration without the push to commit immediately.
This early feedback helped confirm that a softer, more inviting CTA would likely perform better in reducing anxiety and driving higher engagement.
Results from Usertesting.com
....And then
Iteration 1: "Search Now" vs. "Book Now"
Localisation
I worked with the localisation teams across 44 languages to translate the top two CTA alternatives, "Search now" and "Check options," in preparation for A/B testing.
A/B Testing: Iteration 1
"Search Now" vs. "Book Now"
To validate my hypothesis, I ran an A/B test comparing the alternative CTA "Search now" against the base CTA "Book now."
Key Metrics Measured:
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Click-through rates
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Conversion rates
While "Search now" led to a significant increase in click-through rates (+11.57%), conversion rates did not show a corresponding improvement.
Hypothesis for the Outcome:
I believe the low conversion rates with "Search now" were due to the following factors:
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The CTA implied users needed to actively search and narrow down options themselves, which may have discouraged those ready to make a decision.
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The more exploratory tone of "Search now" likely attracted users earlier in their decision-making process (low-intent users), leading to higher engagement but not immediate conversions.
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It created awareness of additional options, increasing the likelihood of clicks, but not necessarily leading to final decisions.
A/B Testing: Iteration 2
"Check Options" vs. "Book Now"
Based on insights from the first test, I re-ran the A/B test using "Check options" (the second most voted alternative) against the base CTA "Book now."
Key Metrics Measured:
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Click-through rates
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Conversion rates
This time, "Check options" significantly outperformed "Book now," with click-through rates increasing by +19.41% and conversion rates improving by +4.64%.
Hypothesis for the Outcome:
I believe "Check options" performed better because it:
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Was more specific and action-driven than "Search now" while still feeling less aggressive than "Book now."
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Suggested that users would see curated, relevant options, which likely appealed to high-intent users who were closer to making a decision.
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Provided a clearer, more natural next step in the decision-making process, encouraging users to evaluate their best choices and increasing the likelihood of conversion.
Results
Optimising the Cross-sell CTA led to a +19.41% increase in overall clicks and +4.64% increase in conversion rates, positively impacting the team's North Star metric.
What I learned
After completing a major decision (like booking accommodation), users may feel a sense of relief and don't want to face another potential "commitment."
The word "book" can trigger feelings of stress or obligation, especially if users are not yet ready to make another purchase.
"Check options". on the other hand, is more neutral and open-ended, helping to relieve anxiety and inviting users to take a more casual, exploratory action without pressure.
Check live product here.
Love my work? Drop me a line.
Iteration 2: "Check Options" vs. "Book Now"