Project goal:
Redesign of the Best Buys homepage to enhance user experience and overall increase engagement and conversions.
Process
Research and findings
Research and findings
I started the project with analysis of the research findings, that consisted of usability tests conducted on the live page, accompanied by interviews to gather valuable user feedback.
The following findings provided crucial insights into the existing pain points and usability issues:
1. User interviews revealed that readers do not trust the content and perceive it as sponsored.
2. The visual organisation of the page was confusing and overwhelming.
3. Readers were unsure about what to expect from the page.
1. User interviews revealed that readers do not trust the content and perceive it as sponsored.
2. The visual organisation of the page was confusing and overwhelming.
3. Readers were unsure about what to expect from the page.
From the research findings, I formulated the problem we aimed to solve: the website lacks reader engagement, resulting in low conversion rates (clicks), and from the problem, I formulated hypothesis of what could be causing the issues found about readers perception, and that was affecting the page performance:
1. The lack of identity as a subdomain of a news website may cause a lack of trust among readers.
2. The homepage, as the first viewed page, is not engaging enough.
3. Readers do not see or notice upfront content available on the page.
4. The lack of organisation and unclear structure demands more cognitive effort from readers.
5. Readers do not notice the introduction of Best Buys and is not very clear what is the page's value proposition, and this may impact engagement negatively.
2. The homepage, as the first viewed page, is not engaging enough.
3. Readers do not see or notice upfront content available on the page.
4. The lack of organisation and unclear structure demands more cognitive effort from readers.
5. Readers do not notice the introduction of Best Buys and is not very clear what is the page's value proposition, and this may impact engagement negatively.
Then I generated ideas to address the identified issues that would guide the work on proposals of solutions for the hypothesis:
1. Establish trust by showcasing real people behind the articles and recommendations.
2. Provide social proof and enhance expertise, authority, and trust (EAT) content that would also help us with SEO.
3. Increase engagement by incorporating interactive and engaging content.
4. Improve the structure and organisation of content to reduce cognitive effort.
5. Set users expectations about available content inside the website by showing what they can find from the Homepage and not only rely on the menu navigation.
6. Introduce Best Buys properly to strengthen the value proposition.
7. Enhance conversion by highlighting relevant content and providing internal links for navigation.
1. Establish trust by showcasing real people behind the articles and recommendations.
2. Provide social proof and enhance expertise, authority, and trust (EAT) content that would also help us with SEO.
3. Increase engagement by incorporating interactive and engaging content.
4. Improve the structure and organisation of content to reduce cognitive effort.
5. Set users expectations about available content inside the website by showing what they can find from the Homepage and not only rely on the menu navigation.
6. Introduce Best Buys properly to strengthen the value proposition.
7. Enhance conversion by highlighting relevant content and providing internal links for navigation.
In order to explore the ideas for the proposals I did a competitor's analysis to understand how others portals used for people as source of information that support purchase decision, and analysed how they approached similar issues.
Based on that it was possible to clearly define solutions of how to tackle the issues, and the redesigned structure and organisation was defined to address user needs and preferences. The key modifications included:
- Create a "Meet the team section" to establish trust and authority showing real people behind the content
- Create sections for Social proof indicators (e.g., number of readers) to support with trust
- Have the most read/popular articles as a carousel as interactive element
- Sections dedicated to seasonal/limited offers and deals to highlight relevant content
- Categorised content sections according to shopping categories to better present what is available
- Clear value proposition for Best Buys upfront and with higher contrast on the page, to be easily noticed
- Navigation links using chips based on shopping subcategories to better present content and support navigation
Once the design concept was done, I engaged stakeholders in the validation process. Through collaborative discussions and feedback sessions, we sought to understand the feasibility of the proposed solutions and gather insights into the roadmap for future iterations. Stakeholder involvement was crucial to ensure that the designs aligned with technical constraints and business objectives.
Additionally, I conducted a design critique session with other designers from GSG using a framework and template in Figma created by me, and this session provided an opportunity to receive constructive feedback and refine the design concepts further.
After all collaborative discussions and careful planning, we determined that the implementation of the changes would occur in two steps, with a 1st and then a 2nd iteration to achieve the final version we wanted, and in between the iterations we would track performance to understand if we were going into the right direction before investing a lot of engineering efforts for the final and optimal solution.
1ST ITERATION
In the first phase, we focused on adapting the existing components to accommodate the new content and necessary modifications. This involved:
- Revamping the "Meet the team" section to provide readers with a glimpse into the people behind the articles and recommendations.
- We also introduced the carousel feature that showcased the most read and popular articles, ensuring that engaging content was prominently displayed.
- Additionally, we organised the content into sections based on shopping categories, enabling users to easily navigate and discover relevant information.
- To enhance the user experience further, we integrated navigation links in the form of chips, allowing users to explore specific subcategories within the shopping domain.
The page is live now here.
2ND ITERATION
The second phase of the project aimed to introduce additional enhancements and finalise all the defined solutions. This phase would further elevate the user experience and strengthen Best Buy's online presence by incorporating the following elements:
1. Showcasing Social Proof elements - such as displaying the number of readers. By highlighting the popularity and reach of the platform, users would be reassured that the content resonates with a wide audience, further motivating them to engage with the articles and recommendations.
2. Demonstrating Authority: In order to establish Best Buy as a reputable source of information, we suggested showcasing the number of articles available. This would emphasize the platform's authority and expertise, assuring users that they have access to a comprehensive range of relevant content.
3. Seasonal/Limited Offers and Deals: To capture users' attention and leverage opportunities for increased engagement and also conversion, we would have a a dedicated section for seasonal or limited-time offers and deals. This would provide users with exclusive discounts or promotions, creating a sense of urgency and driving conversions.
4. Value Proposition Section: To clearly communicate Best Buy's unique selling points and value proposition, we proposed the creation of a distinct section that prominently highlights the essence of what Best Buy is and the benefits it provides to its users.
Results & Takeways
The result of the project was a release in 2 phases to achieve an enhanced reader engagement and improved conversion rates through a more user-friendly platform that was only possible due team efforts and a close collaboration, particularly with the involvement of Faisal Ahmed, and validation with refinement to ensure a successful outcome.
With the first iteration live and the second iteration planned, the project achieved positive outcomes for the company.
Note:
Unfortunately I lack pictures of the ongoing process using Miro to organise analysis and research and other tools however I tried to showcase the process in the best possible way.
Unfortunately I lack pictures of the ongoing process using Miro to organise analysis and research and other tools however I tried to showcase the process in the best possible way.
