Wave’s blog has been a valuable source of free and inspirational content for entrepreneurs since 2010. There was an opportunity to improve its performance so that we could better reach audiences, and to continue maintaing domain authority.
I looked at competitors’ blogs, like Shopify and Gusto HR, and built wireframes and prototypes to test multiple solutions. My focus was to help users get to their desired content more quickly, and to bring some personality to sometimes uninteresting content. Check out Wave's blog here →
Encourage readers to self-educate with helpful content on diverse topics and share with their networks.
Create a recognizable, scalable design system that allows for testing and performance iteration.
Support SEO campaigns and initiatives through link building, keyword placement and appropriate cross-posting.
2x
social sharing
⬆
keyword ranking
4+
mins on page
❤
mobile experience
I started by taking a deep dive into Wave's previous articulation of corporate and community values, and broke them down into digestible bits.
Once I had a clear idea of what would be most impactful for our audiences, I built a story and created wireframes that concisely explained the key aspects of Wave's internal culture.
Content verticals are displayed prominently on scroll, and transition nicely to mobile.
Font sizes are digestibile and legible, making chapters in longer posts easier to identify.
We’ve removed sign up banners or other CTAs, so the reader can focus on the content.
A/B testing has shown that removing the sign-up sidebar does not impact conversions.
Engage with a social post
Read the article
Sign up
-$1
cost per promoted post
4.5
mins on article
⬆
conversions
35%
CTR on average per email
Emails are the primary way Wave talks to its users—we present product changes, new features, and a very helpful onboarding experience via email.
I led the marketing department’s transition to a universal email deployment platform, designing a flexible and mobile-first experience that delivers content in a legible and attractive way. In creating this sytem and working with a developer to build out the templates any non-designer could use, I helped turn a very manual and costly process into a seamless and hyper-successful one.
Building community and increasing organic traffic
Building trust through shared values and honest culture
A family-friendly deli in Toronto
Sharing events with friends to create memories
Say hi!
dina.smithhayes@gmail.com →
