Overview
Role: Creative Director / UX Strategist
Duration: 6 Weeks
Team: PM, UI Designer, Content Strategist
The Challenge
How might we help busy parents find the exact literacy resources they need while establishing Maya as a premier author and expert?
Maya Smart’s website needed to evolve from a simple blog into a multi-faceted platform. The goal was to launch her new book, promote her speaking engagements, and declutter a massive archive of resources for overwhelmed parents.
Goals
Drive Book Sales: Optimize the path to purchase for Maya’s upcoming book launch.
Grow the "VIP" Community: Increase signups for the resource vault and email list.
Enhance Resource Discoverability: Improve site architecture to increase session duration and resource downloads.
Research & Insights
We began with a Design Thinking workshop to align on the core user: The Time-Poor Parent.
Key Findings:
Age Filter: Parents don't search by "topic" first; they search by their child's age group.
Representation Matters: Research indicated a need for inclusive content for children with differing abilities and community-centric literacy goals.
Keep it Short, Silly: Guerrilla interviews with parents revealed a preference for engaging, video-based content over dense academic articles.
The Solution: A Modern, Multi-Path Architecture
We moved away from a "one-size-fits-all" blog feed to a sophisticated, filtered ecosystem.
1. Strategic Resource Filtering
To solve the "choice overload" problem, we implemented a three-tier exploration strategy:
By Age: Direct entry points for Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Early Readers.
By Collection: Curated bundles merging content types (e.g., "Phonics Fun").
The Archive: A clean, searchable database for power users.
2. Author Authority
Taking inspiration from industry leaders like James Clear, we stripped away visual noise. We used bold, celebratory typography and sophisticated layouts to position Maya as a high-end expert rather than just another "mommy blogger."
3. Optimized Conversion Funnels
We designed a dynamic global footer and a high-converting landing page specifically for the book launch, ensuring the "Buy" button was always a focal point. .
Addition by Subtraction
The biggest challenge was the Resources Landing Page. We went through three major iterations:
V1: Text-heavy and cluttered. The archive and featured posts competed for attention.
V2: Introduced icons and age-based blocks, but the background images limited readability.
V3 (Final): We moved the archive and search to a dedicated page. This "cleared the deck," allowing parents to focus on curated age-groups and topic collections without distraction.
Results & Impact
Post-launch metrics exceeded all targets, proving that a streamlined UX directly impacts the bottom line:
Metric | Result | Impact |
Referral Traffic | +408.9% | Massive increase in site authority and shareability. |
Visit Duration | +3.1% | Users are engaging deeper with the curated resources. |
Conversion Rate | +2.75% | Higher pre-orders and VIP signups. |
Lessons Learned
As Creative Director, I shifted from "doing" to "guiding." Working with a junior designer required me to articulate the why behind UI choices—especially regarding WCAG accessibility standards for button contrasts and font sizes.
Looking ahead, I recommend a Phase 2 that includes short-form video integration and specific "inclusive learning" categories to reach families with differing abilities and media preferences.
