BloomLink – No More “DM to Book”: A Smarter Way to Connect & Collaborate

A mobile-first app that helps creatives showcase services, get discovered locally, and manage bookings in one place.

The Product

The Product

BloomLink is a mobile-first web app designed to streamline how creatives and entrepreneurs connect, collaborate, and book services. It expands on the original concept of a “link-in-bio” tool by adding a searchable local directory, customizable service pages, and a built-in booking workflow.

The goal is to eliminate “DM to book” friction by giving creatives and clients a professional, centralized way to connect, collaborate, and manage bookings—without relying on social media DMs.

BloomLink also empowers users to own their audience by offering personalized booking pages, email capture, and storefront integrations, helping them build sustainable client pipelines outside of algorithm-based platforms.

The Problem

The Problem

Across creative industries—from photography to music—service providers rely heavily on DMs and social media to gain visibility and secure bookings. But that system is fragile. It leads to missed messages, unpredictable communication, and inefficient workflows, leaving creatives at the mercy of algorithms that weren’t built for business.

On the flip side, clients often struggle to find all the talent they need in one place, especially when looking locally. They're forced to bounce between apps, dig through hashtags, and send multiple cold DMs—with no guarantee of response, availability, or trust.

BloomLink exists to close this gap—connecting providers and clients in a centralized, community-driven space designed for real creative work, not just social engagement.

The Goal

To design an intuitive platform where service providers can create a personalized digital storefront (BloomLink), and clients can easily search, book, and manage local creative services. The product aims to reduce booking friction, improve discoverability, create community and centralize communication and transactions.

Roles and Responsibility

UX Designer

Project Duration

April 2025-June 2025

Swot Analysis

Strengths

  • Combines multiple tools in one (link hub, booking, directory, community)

  • Supports both service providers and clients in one ecosystem

  • Easy to share via bio link (social media–friendly)

Weaknesses

  • Requires active community to be impactful

  • Content moderation needed to enforce community guidelines

  • Needs onboarding to reduce friction for non-tech-savvy users

Opportunities

  • Rise of solo creators and service-based entrepreneurs

  • Growing demand for booking tools and creator storefronts

  • Lack of multi-industry, community-first booking platforms

Threats

  • Competitors like StyleSeat or HoneyBook with more funding

  • Social platforms could roll out competing “booking” features

  • Hard to scale without early traction or local marketing push

Competitor Landscape

Platforms like Link.Me, Pop.store, Linktree, Beacons, and Bio Link have popularized the “link in bio” space, helping users consolidate their online presence. However, these tools focus solely on hosting links without fostering community or discoverability within their networks. BloomLink differentiates itself by integrating a community garden for discovery alongside a built-in booking system, allowing users to showcase, connect, and book clients—all within a single, cohesive platform.

User Research

To better understand the barriers holding people back from launching a site, I created a short, quiz-style survey framed as a fun educational tool:
“What kind of website are you?”

The goal was to explore three key questions:

  • What’s holding you back from getting a website?

  • What’s most important to you in a website?

  • What’s your #1 goal for your website?

  • (Bonus) Who are you building it for?

I originally assumed cost and lack of technical knowledge were the biggest blockers. But the responses challenged that.


What I Learned:

  • 50% of respondents were creative entrepreneurs or small business owners

  • The #1 goal across the board was getting more clients and leads

  • The biggest blocker wasn’t price—it was not knowing where to start

  • No one mentioned cost as a major concern

  • The top priority was a website that could actually help them make more money

These insights made it clear:
The issue wasn’t affordability—it was clarity and direction. People didn’t want another complex tool or generic builder. They needed a simple, guided experience that would turn their work into visibility—and visibility into bookings.

To better understand the barriers holding people back from launching a site, I created a short, quiz-style survey framed as a fun educational tool:
“What kind of website are you?”

The goal was to explore three key questions:

  • What’s holding you back from getting a website?

  • What’s most important to you in a website?

  • What’s your #1 goal for your website?

  • (Bonus) Who are you building it for?

I originally assumed cost and lack of technical knowledge were the biggest blockers. But the responses challenged that.


What I Learned:

  • 50% of respondents were creative entrepreneurs or small business owners

  • The #1 goal across the board was getting more clients and leads

  • The biggest blocker wasn’t price—it was not knowing where to start

  • No one mentioned cost as a major concern

  • The top priority was a website that could actually help them make more money

These insights made it clear:
The issue wasn’t affordability—it was clarity and direction. People didn’t want another complex tool or generic builder. They needed a simple, guided experience that would turn their work into visibility—and visibility into bookings.

To better understand the barriers holding people back from launching a site, I created a short, quiz-style survey framed as a fun educational tool:
“What kind of website are you?”

The goal was to explore three key questions:

  • What’s holding you back from getting a website?

  • What’s most important to you in a website?

  • What’s your #1 goal for your website?

  • (Bonus) Who are you building it for?

I originally assumed cost and lack of technical knowledge were the biggest blockers. But the responses challenged that.


What I Learned:

  • 50% of respondents were creative entrepreneurs or small business owners

  • The #1 goal across the board was getting more clients and leads

  • The biggest blocker wasn’t price—it was not knowing where to start

  • No one mentioned cost as a major concern

  • The top priority was a website that could actually help them make more money

These insights made it clear:
The issue wasn’t affordability—it was clarity and direction. People didn’t want another complex tool or generic builder. They needed a simple, guided experience that would turn their work into visibility—and visibility into bookings.

User Pain Points & Design Responses

"I don’t have time to be a content creator too."

Small business owners don’t always have time to self-promote or rely on the algorithm for visibility. To reach clients, they’re forced to act as part-time content creators.

Design Response: Give providers a local feed to share updates with their community. Users see posts filtered by their preferences and service needs, without pressure of algorithms.

“Social media isn’t enough, and I can't juggle all the DMs"

Many relied on platforms like Instagram to promote services, leading to missed messages and disorganized bookings.

Design Response: Offer a shareable BloomLink profile that users can place in social bios, replacing the need for “DM to book.” Build in a local community feed to increase visibility beyond the algorithm.

“I want more clients, but I don’t have time to figure this out.”

Users were focused on growing their business but lacked time to learn and set up new platforms or booking systems.

Design Response: Keep the setup quick and frictionless. Centralize tools (bookings, galleries, links, and contact forms) into one place so users don’t need to juggle multiple platforms or apps.

“I need something, but I don’t know what that something is.”

Users knew they needed a digital presence but weren’t sure if they needed a website, portfolio, or booking page.

Design Response: Position BloomLink as the “just right” solution—easier than building a full website, more powerful than a static link-in-bio, and designed for real-world conversion and discoverability.

User Personas

Marcus

Independent Artist

“I’m finally ready to take my music seriously, but I don’t even know who to hire first.”

About

Age: 25

Education: Some college

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Family: Single, lives with roommates

Occupation: Retail worker / Independent artist

Problem Statement

Marcus is an up-and-coming rapper and producer who needs an easy way to find and book local creatives because he’s overwhelmed by having to piece everything together through social media.

Goals

  • Build a creative team (videographer, stylist, photographer)

  • Book services quickly without endless back-and-forth

  • Discover professionals outside his personal network

Frustrations

  • Wasting time scrolling through social media to find talent

  • No clear way to compare service providers

  • Getting ghosted or overcharged due to lack of structure

Scenerio

Marcus is ready to kick off his EP but is tired of scrolling through hashtags to find reliable videographers, producers, and stylists. He needs one place to discover, compare, and book a full creative team.

Marcus

Independent Artist

“I’m finally ready to take my music seriously, but I don’t even know who to hire first.”

About

Age: 25

Education: Some college

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Family: Single, lives with roommates

Occupation: Retail worker / Independent artist

Problem Statement

Marcus is an up-and-coming rapper and producer who needs an easy way to find and book local creatives because he’s overwhelmed by having to piece everything together through social media.

Goals

  • Build a creative team (videographer, stylist, photographer)

  • Book services quickly without endless back-and-forth

  • Discover professionals outside his personal network

Frustrations

  • Wasting time scrolling through social media to find talent

  • No clear way to compare service providers

  • Getting ghosted or overcharged due to lack of structure

Scenerio

Marcus is ready to kick off his EP but is tired of scrolling through hashtags to find reliable videographers, producers, and stylists. He needs one place to discover, compare, and book a full creative team.

Marcus

Independent Artist

“I’m finally ready to take my music seriously, but I don’t even know who to hire first.”

About

Age: 25

Education: Some college

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Family: Single, lives with roommates

Occupation: Retail worker / Independent artist

Problem Statement

Marcus is an up-and-coming rapper and producer who needs an easy way to find and book local creatives because he’s overwhelmed by having to piece everything together through social media.

Goals

  • Build a creative team (videographer, stylist, photographer)

  • Book services quickly without endless back-and-forth

  • Discover professionals outside his personal network

Frustrations

  • Wasting time scrolling through social media to find talent

  • No clear way to compare service providers

  • Getting ghosted or overcharged due to lack of structure

Scenerio

Marcus is ready to kick off his EP but is tired of scrolling through hashtags to find reliable videographers, producers, and stylists. He needs one place to discover, compare, and book a full creative team.

Jade

Freelance Makeup Artist

“I don’t have time to reply to every DM—and I know I’m missing clients because of it.”

About

Age: 28

Education: Cosmetology License

Hometown: Charlotte, NC

Family: Single parent

Occupation: Freelance Makeup Artist

Problem Statement

Jade is a full-time bridal makeup artist and single mom who needs a simple, centralized way to manage inquiries and answer common client questions—because her time is limited, her workload is heavy, and she’s losing bookings due to DM overload and lack of structure.

Goals

  • Streamline and manage bookings more easily

  • Answer common questions without needing to reply manually

  • Increase client trust by displaying reviews and past work in one place

Frustrations

  • Repeating herself in DMs daily

  • Missing bookings because she can’t respond fast enough

  • No easy way to show her work, pricing, and reviews all in one place

Scenerio

Jade juggles bridal clients and parenting while drowning in DMs. She needs a simple way to show her services, answer FAQs, and stop missing bookings due to overload.

Jade

Freelance Makeup Artist

“I don’t have time to reply to every DM—and I know I’m missing clients because of it.”

About

Age: 28

Education: Cosmetology License

Hometown: Charlotte, NC

Family: Single parent

Occupation: Freelance Makeup Artist

Problem Statement

Jade is a full-time bridal makeup artist and single mom who needs a simple, centralized way to manage inquiries and answer common client questions—because her time is limited, her workload is heavy, and she’s losing bookings due to DM overload and lack of structure.

Goals

  • Streamline and manage bookings more easily

  • Answer common questions without needing to reply manually

  • Increase client trust by displaying reviews and past work in one place

Frustrations

  • Repeating herself in DMs daily

  • Missing bookings because she can’t respond fast enough

  • No easy way to show her work, pricing, and reviews all in one place

Scenerio

Jade juggles bridal clients and parenting while drowning in DMs. She needs a simple way to show her services, answer FAQs, and stop missing bookings due to overload.

Jade

Freelance Makeup Artist

“I don’t have time to reply to every DM—and I know I’m missing clients because of it.”

About

Age: 28

Education: Cosmetology License

Hometown: Charlotte, NC

Family: Single parent

Occupation: Freelance Makeup Artist

Problem Statement

Jade is a full-time bridal makeup artist and single mom who needs a simple, centralized way to manage inquiries and answer common client questions—because her time is limited, her workload is heavy, and she’s losing bookings due to DM overload and lack of structure.

Goals

  • Streamline and manage bookings more easily

  • Answer common questions without needing to reply manually

  • Increase client trust by displaying reviews and past work in one place

Frustrations

  • Repeating herself in DMs daily

  • Missing bookings because she can’t respond fast enough

  • No easy way to show her work, pricing, and reviews all in one place

Scenerio

Jade juggles bridal clients and parenting while drowning in DMs. She needs a simple way to show her services, answer FAQs, and stop missing bookings due to overload.

Amanda

Freelance Photographer

“I just moved here and don’t know anyone yet—I’m looking for ways to get my work seen and meet other creatives.”

About

Age: 31

Education: BFA in Photography

Hometown: Moved from Seattle to Atlanta

Family: Lives alone

Occupation: Freelance Event & Portrait Photographer

Problem Statement

Amanda is a freelance photographer who recently relocated to a new city. She’s struggling to get her name out there and build local connections. She needs a platform that helps her showcase her work, connect with other creatives, and attract potential clients—without having to rebuild her social presence from scratch.

Goals

  • Build and collab with a local client base in a new city

  • Get discovered through tags or feed posts

  • Establish credibility through social proof and shared community

Frustrations

  • Starting over with no local network

  • Social media algorithms bury her posts

  • Doesn’t know where to look for like-minded creatives

Scenerio

Amanda moved to Atlanta to grow her photography brand but is struggling to connect locally. Social posts aren’t getting traction, and she doesn’t know where to find collaborators or clients in her new city.

Amanda

Freelance Photographer

“I just moved here and don’t know anyone yet—I’m looking for ways to get my work seen and meet other creatives.”

About

Age: 31

Education: BFA in Photography

Hometown: Moved from Seattle to Atlanta

Family: Lives alone

Occupation: Freelance Event & Portrait Photographer

Problem Statement

Amanda is a freelance photographer who recently relocated to a new city. She’s struggling to get her name out there and build local connections. She needs a platform that helps her showcase her work, connect with other creatives, and attract potential clients—without having to rebuild her social presence from scratch.

Goals

  • Build and collab with a local client base in a new city

  • Get discovered through tags or feed posts

  • Establish credibility through social proof and shared community

Frustrations

  • Starting over with no local network

  • Social media algorithms bury her posts

  • Doesn’t know where to look for like-minded creatives

Scenerio

Amanda moved to Atlanta to grow her photography brand but is struggling to connect locally. Social posts aren’t getting traction, and she doesn’t know where to find collaborators or clients in her new city.

Amanda

Freelance Photographer

“I just moved here and don’t know anyone yet—I’m looking for ways to get my work seen and meet other creatives.”

About

Age: 31

Education: BFA in Photography

Hometown: Moved from Seattle to Atlanta

Family: Lives alone

Occupation: Freelance Event & Portrait Photographer

Problem Statement

Amanda is a freelance photographer who recently relocated to a new city. She’s struggling to get her name out there and build local connections. She needs a platform that helps her showcase her work, connect with other creatives, and attract potential clients—without having to rebuild her social presence from scratch.

Goals

  • Build and collab with a local client base in a new city

  • Get discovered through tags or feed posts

  • Establish credibility through social proof and shared community

Frustrations

  • Starting over with no local network

  • Social media algorithms bury her posts

  • Doesn’t know where to look for like-minded creatives

Scenerio

Amanda moved to Atlanta to grow her photography brand but is struggling to connect locally. Social posts aren’t getting traction, and she doesn’t know where to find collaborators or clients in her new city.

User Journey Maps

Marcus

Goal: Find and book a local music producer

Discover & Download App

The Task:

Decides he needs a team for his upcoming EP (photo, video)

The Feeling

Curious

Curious

The Improvements

Add onboarding screen about key features (search vs profile creation)

Set Up Profile Type

The Task:

  • Follows onboarding prompts

  • Unsure whether to set up a profile or just search

  • Chooses to search only

The Feeling

Confused

Hopeful

The Improvements

Let anyone create a basic profile, and offer “service provider mode” later if they choose

Search for a Music Producer

The Task:

  • Navigates to the search tab

  • Adds filters (location, tags)

  • Reviews top matches

The Feeling

Focused

Optimistic

The Improvements

Provide multiple filters: ratings, distance, price, tags

Review Results

The Task:

  • Clicks into Bloom profile

  • Plays audio samples

  • Checks reviews and pricing

The Feeling

Excited

Cautious

The Improvements

Offer save/favorite feature and sort by “Most Booked” or “Best Reviewed”

Book Producer

The Task:

  • Fills out producer’s booking form

  • Sends request

  • Receives in-app confirmation

The Feeling

Relieved

Confident

The Improvements

Send confirmation via email and update Pending Bookings tab with status

Marcus

Goal: Find and book a local music producer

Discover & Download App

The Task:

Decides he needs a team for his upcoming EP (photo, video)

The Feeling

Curious

Curious

The Improvements

Add onboarding screen about key features (search vs profile creation)

Set Up Profile Type

The Task:

  • Follows onboarding prompts

  • Unsure whether to set up a profile or just search

  • Chooses to search only

The Feeling

Confused

Hopeful

The Improvements

Let anyone create a basic profile, and offer “service provider mode” later if they choose

Search for a Music Producer

The Task:

  • Navigates to the search tab

  • Adds filters (location, tags)

  • Reviews top matches

The Feeling

Focused

Optimistic

The Improvements

Provide multiple filters: ratings, distance, price, tags

Review Results

The Task:

  • Clicks into Bloom profile

  • Plays audio samples

  • Checks reviews and pricing

The Feeling

Excited

Cautious

The Improvements

Offer save/favorite feature and sort by “Most Booked” or “Best Reviewed”

Book Producer

The Task:

  • Fills out producer’s booking form

  • Sends request

  • Receives in-app confirmation

The Feeling

Relieved

Confident

The Improvements

Send confirmation via email and update Pending Bookings tab with status

Marcus

Goal: Find and book a local music producer

Discover & Download App

The Task:

Decides he needs a team for his upcoming EP (photo, video)

The Feeling

Curious

Curious

The Improvements

Add onboarding screen about key features (search vs profile creation)

Set Up Profile Type

The Task:

  • Follows onboarding prompts

  • Unsure whether to set up a profile or just search

  • Chooses to search only

The Feeling

Confused

Hopeful

The Improvements

Let anyone create a basic profile, and offer “service provider mode” later if they choose

Search for a Music Producer

The Task:

  • Navigates to the search tab

  • Adds filters (location, tags)

  • Reviews top matches

The Feeling

Focused

Optimistic

The Improvements

Provide multiple filters: ratings, distance, price, tags

Review Results

The Task:

  • Clicks into Bloom profile

  • Plays audio samples

  • Checks reviews and pricing

The Feeling

Excited

Cautious

The Improvements

Offer save/favorite feature and sort by “Most Booked” or “Best Reviewed”

Book Producer

The Task:

  • Fills out producer’s booking form

  • Sends request

  • Receives in-app confirmation

The Feeling

Relieved

Confident

The Improvements

Send confirmation via email and update Pending Bookings tab with status

Jade

Goal: Streamline bookings and reduce manual work

Discover & Download App

The Task:

  • A client recommends BloomLink

  • Searches for the app and checks reviews

  • Downloads it

The Feeling

Cautious

Curious

The Improvements

Make App Store description clearer, include short demo video

Set Up / Decide Profile Type

The Task:

  • Follows onboarding prompts

  • Selects “Provider Mode”

The Feeling

Unsure

Overwhelmed

The Improvements

Add a progress bar to show onboarding steps remaining

Complete Profile

The Task:

  • Follows setup prompts

  • Adds services, bio, images, pricing

  • Publishes profile

The Feeling

Hopeful

Accomplished

The Improvements

Offer industry-specific templates (e.g., MUA, stylist, photographer)

Inform Network

The Task:

  • Posts on social media about new booking link

  • Responds to DMs directing to Bloom Link profile

The Feeling

Motivated

Cautious

The Improvements

Include a built-in share button with prewritten post copy

Receive First In-App Booking

The Task:

  • Gets booking notification

  • Confirms request

  • Opens message portal to communicate

The Feeling

Relieved

Encouraged

The Improvements

Allow SMS or email booking notifications + cross-device chat sync

Jade

Goal: Find and book a local music producer

Discover & Download App

The Task:

  • A client recommends BloomLink

  • Searches for the app and checks reviews

  • Downloads it

The Feeling

Cautious

Curious

The Improvements

Make App Store description clearer, include demo video

Set Up / Decide Profile Type

The Task:

  • Follows onboarding prompts

  • Selects “Provider Mode”

The Feeling

Unsure

Overwhelmed

The Improvements

Add a progress bar to show onboarding steps remaining

Complete Profile

The Task:

  • Follows setup prompts

  • Adds services, bio, images, pricing

  • Publishes profile

The Feeling

Hopeful

Accomplished

The Improvements

Offer industry-specific templates (e.g., MUA, stylist, photographer)

Inform Network

The Task:

  • Posts on social media about new booking link

  • Responds to DMs directing to Bloom Link profile

The Feeling

Motivated

Cautious

The Improvements

Include a built-in share button with prewritten post copy

Receive First In-App Booking

The Task:

  • Gets booking notification

  • Confirms request

  • Opens message portal to communicate

The Feeling

Relieved

Encouraged

The Improvements

Allow SMS or email booking notifications + cross-device chat sync

Jade

Goal: Find and book a local music producer

Discover & Download App

The Task:

  • A client recommends BloomLink

  • Searches for the app and checks reviews

  • Downloads it

The Feeling

Cautious

Curious

The Improvements

Make App Store description clearer, include demo video

Set Up / Decide Profile Type

The Task:

  • Follows onboarding prompts

  • Selects “Provider Mode”

The Feeling

Unsure

Overwhelmed

The Improvements

Add a progress bar to show onboarding steps remaining

Complete Profile

The Task:

  • Follows setup prompts

  • Adds services, bio, images, pricing

  • Publishes profile

The Feeling

Hopeful

Accomplished

The Improvements

Offer industry-specific templates (e.g., MUA, stylist, photographer)

Inform Network

The Task:

  • Posts on social media about new booking link

  • Responds to DMs directing to Bloom Link profile

The Feeling

Motivated

Cautious

The Improvements

Include a built-in share button with prewritten post copy

Receive First In-App Booking

The Task:

  • Gets booking notification

  • Confirms request

  • Opens message portal to communicate

The Feeling

Relieved

Encouraged

The Improvements

Allow SMS or email booking notifications + cross-device chat sync

Amanda

Goal: Build a new client base and community in a new city

Discover & Download App

The Task:

  • Finds out about app through TikTok

  • Searches for the app

  • Downloads

The Feeling

Hopeful

Excited

The Improvements

None

Set Up Provider Mode

The Task:

  • Follows prompts

  • Activates provider mode

  • Adds in work

The Feeling

Accomplished

Hopeful

The Improvements

Add a “newly joined” badge for users so the lack of reviews makes sense

Explore rest of app

The Task:

  • Searches for other creatives

  • Scrolls community update feed

The Feeling

Excited

The Improvements

Add a ‘Goal’ section to profiles—options like ‘Build community,’ ‘Book clients,’ or ‘Find collaborators’ help clarify intent.

Post on Community Feed

The Task:

  • Clicks on post button

  • Lets community know she’s new, open to work, and available for creative collabs

The Feeling

Hopeful

The Improvements

Privacy settings on who can message you. Flexibilty if users want to network from the community board

Receives request for a paid collab

The Task:

  • A local model reaches out on app messages looking for photographer

  • Amanda approves and books deal with model

The Feeling

Accomplished

The Improvements

None

Amanda

Goal: Find and book a local music producer

Discover & Download App

The Task:

  • Finds out about app through TikTok

  • Searches for the app

  • Downloads

The Feeling

Hopeful

Excited

The Improvements

None

Set Up Provider Mode

The Task:

  • Follows prompts

  • Activates provider mode

  • Adds in work

The Feeling

Accomplished

Hopeful

The Improvements

Add a “newly joined” badge for users so the lack of reviews makes sense

Explore rest of app

The Task:

  • Searches for other creatives

  • Scrolls community update feed

The Feeling

Excited

The Improvements

Add a ‘Goal’ section to profiles—options like ‘Build community,’ ‘Book clients,’ or ‘Find collaborators’ help clarify intent.

Post on Community Feed

The Task:

  • Clicks on post button

  • Lets community know she’s new, open to work, and available for creative collabs

The Feeling

Hopeful

The Improvements

Privacy settings on who can message you. Flexibilty if users want to network from the community board

Receives request for a paid collab

The Task:

  • A local model reaches out on app messages looking for photographer

  • Amanda approves and books deal with model

The Feeling

Accomplished

The Improvements

None

Amanda

Goal: Find and book a local music producer

Discover & Download App

The Task:

  • Finds out about app through TikTok

  • Searches for the app

  • Downloads

The Feeling

Hopeful

Excited

The Improvements

None

Set Up Provider Mode

The Task:

  • Follows prompts

  • Activates provider mode

  • Adds in work

The Feeling

Accomplished

Hopeful

The Improvements

Add a “newly joined” badge for users so the lack of reviews makes sense

Explore rest of app

The Task:

  • Searches for other creatives

  • Scrolls community update feed

The Feeling

Excited

The Improvements

Add a ‘Goal’ section to profiles—options like ‘Build community,’ ‘Book clients,’ or ‘Find collaborators’ help clarify intent.

Post on Community Feed

The Task:

  • Clicks on post button

  • Lets community know she’s new, open to work, and available for creative collabs

The Feeling

Hopeful

The Improvements

Privacy settings on who can message you. Flexibilty if users want to network from the community board

Receives request for a paid collab

The Task:

  • A local model reaches out on app messages looking for photographer

  • Amanda approves and books deal with model

The Feeling

Accomplished

The Improvements

None

User Flow

This user flow maps how guests, clients, and providers move through BloomLink, aligning each pathway with their goals while keeping the experience seamless. Guests can explore and book with providers they know without friction, clients can search, message, and manage bookings, and providers can gradually build their storefronts and manage their services. Structuring these flows visually ensured that the interface respects each user’s journey while keeping all core actions easily accessible through the bottom navigation, eliminating the need for a separate dashboard.

Understanding the User Types and Flows

Guests (No Account)

Guests arrive on BloomLink with curiosity but without commitment. I designed the guest flow to ensure that visitors can continue engaging with service providers they already know, even if they aren’t ready to create an account. Guests can view a provider’s public BloomLink page and book services without needing to sign up, allowing providers to transition clients smoothly to the BloomLink system without adding friction. However, guests cannot browse or search for other Bloomers in the community until they create an account, ensuring that deeper platform exploration and discovery are tied to sign-up while respecting the guest’s immediate goals.

Clients (Account Holders)

Clients are users who have signed up to find and book providers. Their profile screens are structured to highlight active bookings, saved favorites, and exploration pathways like search and the community garden. Empty states are used intentionally to guide clients toward action, such as searching for a Bloomer or discovering new services, creating a welcoming yet goal-oriented experience.

Providers (Service Providers)

Providers are at the heart of BloomLink, offering services to the community. I focused on making the provider setup clear and gradual. With a provider mode toggle, users can control their visibility while setting up their profiles, adjusting booking settings, and posting to the community garden. Prompting providers to complete their profiles in stages reduces overwhelm and encourages steady progress toward full activation.

Other Key Flows

Editing the BloomLink Page - Provider Mode

The Edit Bloom Page flow allows providers to gradually build and refine their storefronts without overwhelm. Using a modular structure, providers can customize their colors, fonts, header details, bio, gallery, shop, and service offerings in stages. This reduces friction during setup while encouraging profile completeness. The toggle-based visibility for sections like Shop and Services gives providers control over what they display, and a live preview ensures they see changes in real time. This structured yet flexible editing flow supports providers in creating a BloomLink page that feels personal, on-brand, and ready to share.

The Community Garden

The Community Garden is the heart of BloomLink’s discovery experience, replacing the need for a traditional home screen. Clients can browse featured Bloomers, explore service categories, and engage with provider content in a familiar, scrollable feed. Providers use the Community Garden to increase visibility by posting updates, images, and offers directly to the community, encouraging discovery and booking. This flow was designed to drive organic exploration while respecting user intent, with clear calls to action guiding clients to book services or message providers seamlessly.

Guests do not have access to the Community Garden until they create an account, ensuring that deeper exploration and discovery align with user sign-up while maintaining immediate frictionless engagement for direct booking.

This user flow maps how guests, clients, and providers move through BloomLink, aligning each pathway with their goals while keeping the experience seamless. Guests can explore and book with providers they know without friction, clients can search, message, and manage bookings, and providers can gradually build their storefronts and manage their services. Structuring these flows visually ensured that the interface respects each user’s journey while keeping all core actions easily accessible through the bottom navigation, eliminating the need for a separate dashboard.

Understanding the User Types and Flows

To align BloomLink’s structure with user needs, I broke down the three core user types and mapped their journeys through the platform.

Guests (No Account)

Guests arrive on BloomLink with curiosity but without commitment. I designed the guest flow to ensure that visitors can continue engaging with service providers they already know, even if they aren’t ready to create an account. Guests can view a provider’s public BloomLink page and book services without needing to sign up, allowing providers to transition clients smoothly to the BloomLink system without adding friction. However, guests cannot browse or search for other Bloomers in the community until they create an account, ensuring that deeper platform exploration and discovery are tied to sign-up while respecting the guest’s immediate goals.

Clients (Account Holders)

Clients are users who have signed up to find and book providers. Their profile screens are structured to highlight active bookings, saved favorites, and exploration pathways like search and the community garden. Empty states are used intentionally to guide clients toward action, such as searching for a Bloomer or discovering new services, creating a welcoming yet goal-oriented experience.

Providers (Service Providers)

Providers are at the heart of BloomLink, offering services to the community. I focused on making the provider setup clear and gradual. With a provider mode toggle, users can control their visibility while setting up their profiles, adjusting booking settings, and posting to the community garden. Prompting providers to complete their profiles in stages reduces overwhelm and encourages steady progress toward full activation.

Click here to view the user flow in Figma

Lo-fi Mockups

Hi-fi Mockups

Splash Screen

Welcome Screen 1

Welcome Screen 2

Profile Setup Start

Profile Setup Name

Profile Setup Location

Profile Setup Manual Locate

Profile Setup Interest

Profile Setup Bio

Profile Setup Avatar

Profile Setup Done

Profile - Guest

Profile - Client

Profile - Bloomer

Profile - Bloomer Live View

Profile - Bloomer Edit

Bookings - Upcoming

Active Messages

Search For Bloomers

Community Garden - Client View

Community Garden Client View

Community Garden - Bloomer View

What I learned

This project taught me just how much of a lift it is to think through every single piece of logic in a product. It’s one thing to imagine a flow at a high level — it’s another to break it down screen by screen and anticipate what happens next, how roles shift, and where potential friction might exist.

I underestimated the sheer time and detail it takes to build out a system that feels complete. Things like onboarding, settings, and user permissions seem small until you’re mapping them. I had to make tough calls about scope in order to hit my timeline, but if I revisited this, I’d love to expand on the settings and customization options, especially for BloomLink’s flexibility as a tool.

Another big learning was the importance of hierarchy and mobile patterns. Designing for tap targets, readability, and clarity at a mobile scale is different from web. It forced me to slow down and think more intentionally about spacing, priority, and simplicity.

Building with modularity in mind was also key. I wanted to ensure the experience could shift smoothly between guest, client, or Bloomer without needing completely separate systems. That scalability influenced a lot of my decisions.

Finally, this was my first time not just following but creating a design system from scratch — establishing type, spacing (8pt grid), and repeatable components to ensure consistency across all screens. As someone who comes from a dev background, it was interesting to be on the other side, setting the rules instead of just building them.