Website Redesign: Feeding San Diego

Overview

Feeding San Diego’s website was a confusing labyrinth of landing pages, frustrating users and hindering our ability to serve the community. Internal and external stakeholders reported navigation difficulties, while Google Analytics revealed high drop-off rates and low conversions. Our “Get Help” page, a cornerstone for those seeking food assistance, was buried deep within the site.

Objective

Design a user-friendly, accessible website that caters to Feeding San Diego’s diverse audience and increases conversions for donations, volunteerism, and food assistance programs.

My Role & Responsibilities

I orchestrated our 70+ page website revamp from concept to completion.

Research: Conduct competitive analysis, gain specific feedback from internal and external stakeholders, dig into site behavior and performance.

Develop: Draft wireframes and build out page tables.

Collaborate & Manage: Work cross-departmentally and with our external partners to bring pages to life. Manage timelines and track progress.

Implement & Monitor: Build out pages in the sandbox and test for usability. Push site live.

Process

1. User Research & Information Gathering:

   • Collaborated with colleague, Vedika on a competitive analysis to understand best practices in the food bank website space.
   • Analyzed Google Analytics data to identify user behavior, high-traffic pages, and drop-off points.
   • Conducted interviews with department heads and front desk staff to understand user needs and pain points.

2. Information Architecture & Wireframing:

   • Leveraging user research, utilized Conceptboard to design a user-centric navigation menu, homepage layout, and footer.
   • Focused on clear hierarchy and ease of use for all audiences.

3. Content Strategy & Management:

   • Recognized the need for clear and concise messaging.
   • Developed detailed page tables outlining goals, target audiences, calls to action, and other content elements to guide copywriters.
   • Implemented a master matrix to track page progress, ownership, and action items throughout the writing phase. Utilized Basecamp for collaborative feedback and approvals.

4. Design & Development:

   • Partnered with Matt and Mika of Common People Co. for website copywriting.
   • Sourced and added relevant visuals in collaboration with Vedika.
   • Ensured brand consistency and mobile optimization, especially for users seeking food assistance.

5. Launch & Iteration:

   • Worked with the Feeding America tech team to launch the redesigned website.
   • Monitored website analytics closely after launch to identify areas for further improvement.

Result

Since the launch of our site in April 2021, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive:

• 154% increase in users
• 190% increase in sessions
• 21.41% increase in conversion rate
• 70.98% decrease in bounce rate

Platform + Technology Used

• Google Analytics: research
• WordPress: website build
• Concept Board: wire framing
• Basecamp: project management

Lessons Learned

• Prioritization in a Fast-Paced Environment: Successfully navigated competing priorities while managing a branding refresh alongside the website redesign.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Leveraged user research and analytics data to inform design decisions and ensure user needs were met.

• Clear Communication Strategies: Developed processes for clear and concise communication with stakeholders, fostering project buy-in and smooth collaboration.

• Proactive Project Management: Recognized the need for more refined timelines and implemented plans to improve stakeholder visibility throughout the project lifecycle.