Airbnb introduced a redesign for its website and mobile apps Wednesday as a way to market itself as a friendlier company while making information easier for its users to find.
A new logo, called the "Belo", was also announced by the company and takes the form of a curvy, upside-down heart or paperclip symbol (and stylized letter A), according to CNET. Airbnb wrote in an email that the symbol was created to represent "people, places, love, and what's distinctly Airbnb."
"Belongings has always been a fundamental driver of humankind. So to represent that feeling, we've created a symbol for us as a community," Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, wrote in a blog post. "It's an iconic mark for our windows, our doors, and our shared values. It's a symbol that, like us, can belong whenever it happens to be."
Several updates have been made to features on the company's site, such as the "Discover" section, which now displays more information about the user's location so they can get destinations and nearby listings, TechCrunch reported. The section acts as a replacement for information on cities and neighborhoods that were provided in the previous design. However, that information will still be available in other parts of the platform.
The listing page on the site has also been updated with large images that take up the top half of the screen in the users' browsers. Users are then provided with ratings, a photo of the host, and important information such as the type of listing and the amount of guests that can be accommodated. Types of amenities, the cancellation policy, and other information are provided, followed by a description of the host. Katie Fill, head of user experience at Airbnb, said the new design for the listing pages is meant to show the hierarchy of information that guests look for when making booking decisions.
Airbnb also updated its listings with a neighborhood feature to let hosts give users their knowledge on the best parts of the area, and so that guests can determine what part of town they'll stay in, CNET reported. Another new feature lets users create their own versions of the Belo symbol.
"It's a symbol for people who want to try a new tea they've never heard of from a village they couldn't find on the map," Chesky wrote. "It's a symbol for going where the locals go- the café that doesn't bother with a menu, the dance club hidden down a long alleyway, the art galleries that don't show up in the guidebooks. It's a symbol for people who want to welcome into their home new experiences, new cultures, and new conversations."
