Netflix
In the past, when I (and most users) open Netflix to stream a movie or show, the landing page immediately opens up to recommended movies/shows. Rather than taking the user straight to the search page, Netflix suggests personalized options for the user based on their previously streamed movies/shows. This essentially ensures that the typical work flow of a viewer using Netflix does not necessitate that the user comes in with a specific show/movie to watch. Rather, the platform is conducive to both users who have a movie/show in mind that they will specifically search for and, more importantly, users who want to browse options—ensuring that Netflix is accommodating the most users and increasing engagement time.
Youtube
YouTube is similar to Netflix in terms of accommodating to both types of users (those who know what they would like to watch versus those who need further inspiration). However, YouTube is especially good at also recommending YouTube videos after the first video in a user workflow has been opened. YouTube can expect that in one session, a user will likely go through more than one video (as opposed to Netflix, where a user will likely only stick to one movie or one show in one session). So the recommendation algorithm to continue the stream of videos is crucial to YouTube, especially in prioritizing their ad revenue and inventory—the more YouTube videos watched, the more ads and greater variety of ads are consumed.
Airbnb
For Airbnb, the most important aspect is that they help their users find an accommodation that they deem worth booking. Unlike YouTube and Netflix, the likelihood that a user comes in knowing the exact property that they want to book is very low. Usually, folks have a concept of the general area, amenities, and size of accommodation, but do not have a specific property in mind. So, in order to find the best property, Airbnb allows guests to filter properties by these exact critical aspects and recommends a list of the best fit for the user. The closer Airbnb can accommodate to the users’ needs, the better their booking conversion.
