Improved visibility of Invite a friend feature by 67% for heyroom - a C2C startup in Berlin
Improved visibility of Invite a friend feature by 67% for heyroom - a C2C startup in Berlin
heyroom.app
heyroom.app
Overview
Overview
heyroom is an early-stage C2C startup with over 30,000 active users. It provides rooms and roommates to people in Germany by matching their vibes (similar to dating apps but for finding roommates).
heyroom is an early-stage C2C startup with over 30,000 active users. It provides rooms and roommates to people in Germany by matching their vibes (similar to dating apps but for finding roommates).
My Role
My Role
Sole Product Designer handling e2e design process
Sole Product Designer handling e2e design process
Team
Team
1 Product Designer (Me)
1 Founder/CEO
1 CTO
1 Front-end Developer
1 Back-end Developer
1 Product Designer (Me)
1 Founder/CEO
1 CTO
1 Front-end Developer
1 Back-end Developer
Timeline
Timeline
Jan - Feb’25
Jan - Feb’25
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
How might we redesign our "Invite a Friend" feature to increase its visibility within 6 weeks for searchers who are looking for rooms on the app so that they feel motivated to invite their friends and family, considering there's no extra incentive for them to send invites?
How might we redesign our "Invite a Friend" feature to increase its visibility within 6 weeks for searchers who are looking for rooms on the app so that they feel motivated to invite their friends and family, considering there's no extra incentive for them to send invites?
Impact
Impact
On February 24th, 2025, heyroom rolled out its invite feature aimed at increasing number of invite sent by a user on the platform.
On February 24th, 2025, heyroom rolled out its invite feature aimed at increasing number of invite sent by a user on the platform.
Invite sent
Invite sent
67% uplift in invites sent in just 2 weeks. Avg. 2.27 invites sent per user
67% uplift in invites sent in just 2 weeks. Avg. 2.27 invites sent per user
Drop-off
Drop-off
No spike in onboarding drop-off
No spike in onboarding drop-off
Process
Process
Problem structuring with the founder
Problem structuring with the founder
The founder wanted to make the feature critical in a way that users (searchers) invite their friends to make them part of heyroom community and thereby increase user base for the business as well.
The founder wanted to make the feature critical in a way that users (searchers) invite their friends to make them part of heyroom community and thereby increase user base for the business as well.
Hypothetical Solution
Hypothetical Solution
Creating an engaging invite sent modal in a way which enforces users to sent invite even without any extra incentive.
Creating an engaging invite sent modal in a way which enforces users to sent invite even without any extra incentive.
Most critical step - Where & When to Show the Feature aka Placement?
Most critical step - Where & When to Show the Feature aka Placement?
There was lots of confusion regarding entry point for the feature so I mapped the entire user journey and evaluated the most intuitive moments to insert this interaction.
There was lots of confusion regarding entry point for the feature so I mapped the entire user journey and evaluated the most intuitive moments to insert this interaction.
After checking out many apps (dating, food, etc.) and analysing heyroom’s user flow, I proposed 3 primary entry points for the modal and reminder message placement.
After checking out many apps (dating, food, etc.) and analysing heyroom’s user flow, I proposed 3 primary entry points for the modal and reminder message placement.
This led to below user insights -
This led to below user insights -
Final Decision (Backed by Poll)
Final Decision (Backed by Poll)
After running a quick poll within the team (founder, devs), 100% of us voted for this solution:
After running a quick poll within the team (founder, devs), 100% of us voted for this solution:
✅ Show the invite modal just after onboarding (with a 5-sec skippable timer)
✅ Show the invite modal just after onboarding (with a 5-sec skippable timer)
✅ Place a persistent reminder banner on the home screen - the most visited screen on the app
✅ Place a persistent reminder banner on the home screen - the most visited screen on the app
A set back - Conflict resolution
A set back - Conflict resolution
The founder wanted to make invite step mandatory during onboarding.
The founder wanted to make invite step mandatory during onboarding.
But I was not convinced by this idea.
But I was not convinced by this idea.
So I did further research on industry benchmarks (Snapchat, Bumble, Reddit). I presented a data-backed counter-argument: “Making invite mandatory in onboarding can increase drop-off by 30-50% due to forced friction and low trust.”
So I did further research on industry benchmarks (Snapchat, Bumble, Reddit). I presented a data-backed counter-argument: “Making invite mandatory in onboarding can increase drop-off by 30-50% due to forced friction and low trust.”
To better evaluate whether to make the invite step mandatory, I requested the founder to connect me with an investor whose product had a similar feature. In the meeting, I learned that their decision to mandate invites was rooted in a fundamentally different product model. Their core experience revolved around setting shared calendars with friends. This insight helped us avoid a flawed comparison and make a more informed decision aligned with heyroom’s use case.
To better evaluate whether to make the invite step mandatory, I requested the founder to connect me with an investor whose product had a similar feature. In the meeting, I learned that their decision to mandate invites was rooted in a fundamentally different product model. Their core experience revolved around setting shared calendars with friends. This insight helped us avoid a flawed comparison and make a more informed decision aligned with heyroom’s use case.
Finally I conducted a meeting with the founder and gave him all the insights. This research and my meeting with the investor helped me to convince the founder to make the feature as a skippable step.
This led to below decisions -
This led to below decisions -
✅ Let it be skippable after a few seconds (5 secs)
✅ Let it be skippable after a few seconds (5 secs)
✅ Create an emotional nudge instead of a push
✅ Create an emotional nudge instead of a push
Gathering insights from observing invite feature of other apps
Gathering insights from observing invite feature of other apps
Since users didn't receive any incentive, I focused on making the interaction visually irresistible.
I drew inspiration from:
Snapchat's Quick Add UI
Blindmate’s interactive invite
Gamified cues from social apps
Since users didn't receive any incentive, I focused on making the interaction visually irresistible.
I drew inspiration from:
Snapchat's Quick Add UI
Blindmate’s interactive invite
Gamified cues from social apps
This led to an idea of images which will be revealed when invite is sent.
This led to an idea of images which will be revealed when invite is sent.
Design ideas using Cursor AI
Design ideas using Cursor AI
This led to further enhance my design idea from creating images to creating gifs.
This led to further enhance my design idea from creating images to creating gifs.
Using insights from research & brainstorming to create Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
Using insights from research & brainstorming to create Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
After creating moodboards by analysing other apps & getting ideas from Cursor AI, I made Mid-fidelity designs.
After creating moodboards by analysing other apps & getting ideas from Cursor AI, I made Mid-fidelity designs.
Key design decisions:
🎞️ Used F.R.I.E.N.D.S. gifs - nostalgic, familiar, and perfectly on-theme for roommate-finding
🎯 Limited to 3 invites for focused action
🔒 Verification tie-in: “Get verified by inviting friends”
For the users, this would have created a feeling of:
🟣 “Oh, this is fun”
🔐 “It helps me get verified”
🧩 “It makes sense in this app”
Key design decisions:
🎞️ Used F.R.I.E.N.D.S. gifs - nostalgic, familiar, and perfectly on-theme for roommate-finding
🎯 Limited to 3 invites for focused action
🔒 Verification tie-in: “Get verified by inviting friends”
For the users, this would have created a feeling of:
🟣 “Oh, this is fun”
🔐 “It helps me get verified”
🧩 “It makes sense in this app”
Final Design Output
Final Design Output
Before & After : A Strategic Repositioning
Before & After : A Strategic Repositioning
Handoff and Prototype
Handoff and Prototype
I used these tools to collaborate, design and handoff
I used these tools to collaborate, design and handoff
Challenges & Learnings
Challenges & Learnings
