Yahoo Loyalty Rewards Program
Yahoo Loyalty Rewards Program
Yahoo Loyalty Rewards Program
When
2018 - 2020
Role
Lead Designer
- Interaction Design
- Visual Design
- Prototype
Team
1 Researcher
3+ Product managers
10+ Engineers
Business Operation Team
Transform everyday app usage into a meaningful and playful habit.
Transform everyday app usage into a meaningful and playful habit.
I led the design of Yahoo’s first loyalty rewards program that drove a 1.75× increase in login rates, transforming the pioneering project into a scalable framework adopted across the Yahoo ecosystem.
I led the design of Yahoo’s first loyalty rewards program that drove a 1.75× increase in login rates, transforming the pioneering project into a scalable framework adopted across the Yahoo ecosystem.
1.75x
1.75x
Login rate
Login rate
Yahoo App daily login rate increased by 1.75 times
(November 2018 to June 2019)
Yahoo App daily login rate increased by 1.75 times (November 2018 to June 2019)
5
5
Days/week revisit
Days/week revisit
Loyalty users revisit the app 5 days every week on average
Loyalty users revisit the app 5 days every week on average
2x
2x
Time-spend
Time-spend
Loyalty users’ time-spend increased doubled in 6 months after the program launched
Loyalty users’ time-spend increased doubled in 6 months after the program launched
Celebrating product launch
Celebrating product launch
I co-presented the project at Yahoo Global Conference
I co-presented the project at Yahoo Global Conference
The product team and I were discussing the user journey.
The product team and I were discussing the user journey.
Background
Background
In 2018, Yahoo Taiwan reached millions of daily users, but only 1/3 logged in. Our research revealed that many “lightweight” users saw Yahoo as just another news source, making it hard for them to differentiate us from competitors or feel a strong connection to our services.
In 2018, Yahoo Taiwan reached millions of daily users, but only 1/3 logged in. Our research revealed that many “lightweight” users saw Yahoo as just another news source, making it hard for them to differentiate us from competitors or feel a strong connection to our services.
With the launch of a new Yahoo app, we saw an opportunity to address this gap.
We believed that everyday usage like reading content or checking daily updates are meaningful, and each interaction should be counted toward an achievement.
With the launch of a new Yahoo app, we saw an opportunity to address this gap.
We believed that everyday usage like reading content or checking daily updates are meaningful, and each interaction should be counted toward an achievement.
Cross-functional Collaboration
Cross-functional Collaboration
From 2018 to 2020, I led design initiatives in a 20+ member cross-functional team for Yahoo Loyalty Reward Program, directly reporting to executive stakeholders and supporting diverse teams across the company.
From 2018 to 2020, I led design initiatives in a 20+ member cross-functional team for Yahoo Loyalty Reward Program, directly reporting to executive stakeholders and supporting diverse teams across the company.
Design Process
Design Process
Explore
Explore
Competitor Analysis
Focus group study
User interviews
Competitor Analysis
Focus group study
User interviews
Define
Define
Data & Insight Sharing
Concept Proposal
Stakeholder Alignment
Data & Insight Sharing
Concept Proposal
Stakeholder Alignment
Design
Design
Wireframing
Prototyping
Cross-platform UX Design
Wireframing
Prototyping
Cross-platform UX Design
Evaluate
Evaluate
Usability Study
Design Iteration
Design QA
Usability Study
Design Iteration
Design QA
Explore
Explore
Focus group studies and user interviews.
I collaborated with marketing and research teams, revealing 2 clear user insights:
Focus group studies and user interviews.
I collaborated with marketing and research teams, revealing 2 clear user insights:
Users enjoy participating in loyalty programs across various businesses and will spend spare time earning rewards, driving higher engagement and usage.
Users enjoy participating in loyalty programs across various businesses and will spend spare time earning rewards, driving higher engagement and usage.
Users prioritize services that reward their with small but practical perks, such as a free coffee or meal.
Users prioritize services that reward their with small but practical perks, such as a free coffee or meal.
We invited six Yahoo News users to our focus group study.
Competitor Analysis: To understanding the design of loyalty reward program, the design team audited 11 competitors and identified 3 major loyalty reward mechanisms:
Competitor Analysis: To understanding the design of loyalty reward program, the design team audited 11 competitors and identified 3 major loyalty reward mechanisms:
Points
Points
Earn points by completing tasks before the deadline.
Earn points by completing tasks before the deadline.
Badges
Badges
Earn badges for achieving milestones within the period.
Earn badges for achieving milestones within the period.
Leveling
Leveling
Level up by reaching thresholds within a cycle.
Level up by reaching thresholds within a cycle.
3 major loyalty reward mechanisms.
Competitor Analysis
Define
Define
Drive stakeholder alignment. I partnered with the product manager to define a streamlined “point-to-reward” framework.
Drive stakeholder alignment. I partnered with the product manager to define a streamlined “point-to-reward” framework.
By synthesizing user insights and competitor analysis, we aligned on a simple approach that balanced business goals while minimizing user cognitive load.
By synthesizing user insights and competitor analysis, we aligned on a simple approach that balanced business goals while minimizing user cognitive load.
Our team sharing insights with stakeholder.
Design
Design
Form user habit with the “Hook”. To design the user journey, I applied Nir Eyal’s Hook Model and mapped its four key steps to our product framework.
Form user habit with the “Hook”. To design the user journey, I applied Nir Eyal’s Hook Model and mapped its four key steps to our product framework.
Trigger: A message appears when users first encounter an actionable task.
Action: A set of simple, repeatable actions are defined across the app.
Variable Rewards: Users receive reward points after completion of a task.
Investment: Tasks reset daily, encouraging user interact with the product.
Trigger: A message appears when users first encounter an actionable task.
Action: A set of simple, repeatable actions are defined across the app.
Variable Rewards: Users receive reward points after completion of a task.
Investment: Tasks reset daily, encouraging user interact with the product.
Mapping the user journey to the Hook Model.
Make users feel rewarded. I designed the in-app redemption experience, enabling users to convert points into real perks.
Make users feel rewarded. I designed the in-app redemption experience, enabling users to convert points into real perks.
The redemption flow in Yahoo App: from selecting a reward to accessing the e-voucher.
I partnered with product and business teams to define reward offerings, created flows for both physical and digital rewards, and collaborated with engineers to deliver a seamless experience across native apps, webviews, and third-party services.
I partnered with product and business teams to define reward offerings, created flows for both physical and digital rewards, and collaborated with engineers to deliver a seamless experience across native apps, webviews, and third-party services.
I collaborated with 3 development teams to define end-to-end user flows across native app, webviews, and third-party services.
Connects users with our core value.
I design the Tasks page as an entry point for users to discover features beyond their daily routines.
Connects users with our core value.
I design the Tasks page as an entry point for users to discover features beyond their daily routines.
Within three months of launch, the task page achieved the highest click-through rate in the Member tab, showing that users adopted it as the starting point for exploration.
Within three months of launch, the task page achieved the highest click-through rate in the Member tab, showing that users adopted it as the starting point for exploration.
The Task page under the Member Tab acts as the starting point to discover features across the app.
Evaluation
Evaluation
Quantitative data revealed that user engagement stimulated by loyalty rewards program.
Quantitative data revealed that user engagement stimulated by loyalty rewards program.
1.75x
1.75x
Login rate
Login rate
Yahoo App daily login rate increased by 1.75 times
(November 2018 to June 2019)
Yahoo App daily login rate increased by 1.75 times (November 2018 to June 2019)
5
5
Days/week revisit
Days/week revisit
Loyalty users revisit the app 5 days every week on average
Loyalty users revisit the app 5 days every week on average
2x
2x
Time-spend
Time-spend
Loyalty users’ time-spend increased doubled in 6 months after the program launched
Loyalty users’ time-spend increased doubled in 6 months after the program launched
User Interviews revealed two positive feedback:
User Interviews revealed two positive feedback:
Users are happy to discover new features through the tasks.
Users are happy to discover new features through the tasks.
“I will do the 'Complete an online poll' task because it allows me to know the majority's opinion. I can get loyalty reward points and useful information at the same time.“
“I will do the 'Complete an online poll' task because it allows me to know the majority's opinion. I can get loyalty reward points and useful information at the same time.“
Users appreciate the rewards that benefit their daily life.
Users appreciate the rewards that benefit their daily life.
“The points are huge motivation! I drink a coffee and read the news every morning while commute. The tasks encourage me to read more and express my own opinion on Yahoo, and I can get a free coffee.”
“The points are huge motivation! I drink a coffee and read the news every morning while commute. The tasks encourage me to read more and express my own opinion on Yahoo, and I can get a free coffee.”
Impact
Impact
“Best in User Experience” showcase with global recognition. Yahoo Loyalty Program was selected from global submissions at 2019 Yahoo tech conference for its measurable impact and scalability.
“Best in User Experience” showcase with global recognition. Yahoo Loyalty Program was selected from global submissions at 2019 Yahoo tech conference for its measurable impact and scalability.
I co-presented a 20-minute talk at Yahoo’s headquarters in Sunnyvale, CA.
From pioneer to scalable framework. Loyalty Rewards Program demonstrated the success of a task-reward system in driving user engagement. Building on it, we expanded the program across multiple Yahoo services to boost cross-platform traffic.
From pioneer to scalable framework. Loyalty Rewards Program demonstrated the success of a task-reward system in driving user engagement. Building on it, we expanded the program across multiple Yahoo services to boost cross-platform traffic.
Loyalty Rewards Program in Yahoo Mail Desktop
In Yahoo Shopping App