Adding Virtual Tour
Objective
To enhance the property search experience by integrating 3D virtual tour technology, allowing users to view inside buildings.
Problem Statement
Real estate investors and tenants often struggle to visualize space through traditional listings. Static images and basic descriptions fail to convey the actual layout and flow of properties, leading to increased time in decision-making and potential missed opportunities.
To enhance the user experience on LoopNet, we propose three key changes. These improvements aim to create a more efficient, user-friendly experience on LoopNet, ultimately driving user satisfaction and increasing engagement with the platform.
Key improvements:
Provide an immersive experience to visualize properties.
Reduce inquiry time and increase user engagement on LoopNet.
Enhance the decision-making process for users by offering detailed property insights
To define the problem and audience, I conducted user interviews and a competitive analysis. During the remote
interviews with real estate brokers, owners and renters, I asked about their challenges, how they find information, and what features they would find helpful. One user mentioned, “I often feel overwhelmed by the number of listings and the lack of detailed visuals. It's hard to get a sense of the space just from photos, and I wish there was a way to virtually walk through properties before I even consider visiting them.”
CoStar is strong in market analytics and search filters, catering to professional brokers and investors, but lacks user-friendly features like personalized recommendations and communication tools.
Zillow shines with extensive virtual tours, personalized recommendations, and a robust mobile app, making it highly engaging.
Crexi offers solid features for commercial real estate, including virtual tours and advanced filters, but lacks user reviews and communication tools.
Property Shark provides valuable neighborhood insights and property history, but misses out on modern features like virtual tours and a strong mobile experience.
Finding: Competitors with immersive experiences, particularly Zillow, show significantly higher user engagement, indicating that LoopNet could benefit from enhanced virtual tour capabilities.
Understanding the User
I adopted an iterative approach, continuously creating, testing, and refining based on user feedback. I developed personas representing property owners and investors, focusing on their need to virtually walk through properties.
I collaborated closely with stakeholders to ensure the consistent use of primary colors and typography throughout the site. I maintained uniformity in heading sizes, line heights, and spacing to create a cohesive user experience. This collaboration was crucial for aligning the design with the brand's vision and goals, resulting in a professional and unified visual identity.
This site map provides an organized view of LoopNet's main sections and features, focusing on enhancing user navigation and accessibility. Each category is designed to facilitate users in searching for properties, managing their accounts, and accessing valuable resources.
I conducted testing sessions with 10 users to gather feedback on the virtual tour experience.
Objective: To evaluate how easily users can upload images to property listings in order to create a virtual tour, focusing on the overall ease of use, clarity of the process, and user satisfaction.
