responsive Website Redesign
Artesian Spas
Background
Artesian Spas is a leading hot tub manufacturer in the United States. Their goal is to transform the wellness of their consumers through the power of hydrotherapy.
My Role
I led the research, design, and development of this project from start to finish. I was mentored by our web developer (Phil) throughout the entire project. We also worked closely with 3 web support specialists from Synoptek during the last third of the project, as they were brought on in 2022 Q4.
Problem
How do we set their website up for success with pay-per-click?
Artesian Spas’s website suffered from a low conversion rate of 0.0033%, subpar SEO, and a frustrating user experience. As the hot tub market was facing a downtick, our leadership looked to boost lead generation through pay-per-click campaigns. However, the website was ill-equipped to support conversions.
Goals
We wanted to highlight our commitment to excellence. Each web page should convey product quality, production efficiency, and a heightened level of customer and dealer support. We aimed to convey these core values that set Artesian Spas apart in the market.
We aimed to strategically place call-to-action buttons. These should direct users to tailored inquiry forms instead of the previous one-size-fits-all approach.
We needed to structure the website as an informational hub that persuades users to convert by requesting a quote or downloading a brochure. These conversions are leads that get sent directly to a dealer. Modernizing our dealer locator tool was also key to driving users to dealer websites and showrooms.
Design Process
Competitor Research
Higher end competitors use single banners on homepages
Homepages took the users on a journey; a common format: attention grabber > product overview > proof points > social proof > resources > CTA
Product lines lived within their main website versus Artesian's old way of linking out to separate brand websites
Competitors had lots of lifestyle imagery and installation photos
Competitors have easy-to-digest technical information
Artesian's most visited pages are product lines according to Google Universal Analytics
Ideation
Improve navigation structure
Moved CTA’s out of menu and into top header bar
While call-to-action buttons are important, the navigation bar is meant to assist users in the consideration phase. By moving the CTA’s into a separate section that is still prioritized at the top of the website, it provides an easier user journey without sacrificing business goals.
Combined Features and Accessories into one menu category
Since the previous Accessories tab only had two items, it reminded me of “thin content” where it was taking up space and providing little value. Covers and steps are frequently asked items from our consumers, so it was important to keep the information. However, it was moved into a merged category.
Built out missing pages for About section (who we are, brand difference, history)
Artesian Spas has been a leading hot tub manufacturer for 30 years. However, the website had no mention of that. The History page was built out to signify how far the company has come, and its dedication to continuous improvement. These new pages are proof points for where the brand has been and where it plans to go.
Built out necessary pages into Support category
Built out FAQ, Become a Dealer, and Contact Us page
Combine external brand sites into main parent brand website
South Seas & Garden linked to external product line websites
TidalFit was not mentioned/included on main website
Restructure contact forms
As we rebuilt the website, it was just as important to open up a clearer line of communication with our users. We separated the catch-all contact form into separate forms:
Request a quote
Download a brochure
Become a dealer
General support request
Fields vary by inquiry. The most important information is requested depending on the inquiry.
ie. To assist our Customer Care team, there is a field on the general support form asking what the user is: owner, dealer, technician, electrician, or other. Depending on what they select, additional questions may be asked to help the Customer Care team have a better idea of their request. This benefits our team, and also the user as their inquiry can be addressed accurately at the first touchpoint.
From there, I collaborated with Phil, our web developer and SEO specialist, to see what was possible, pinpoint areas of improvement, set a timeline, and set up the foundation for me to design everything on.
User Testing
Format
Video Call
Structure
Testee shares screen
Proctor gives them tasks to complete on the staging site
Proctor observes behaviors and time taken for task completion
Testee fills out feedback survey
User Tasks
Find Our Brand page
Locate two ways to get to our Dealer Portal & Shopping Cart
Find a dealer near postal code 77287
View detailed page for Island Spas - Antigua model
View Optional Features on this model
View the shell for Antigua’s 45 Jet Dual Footblasters
Locate two ways to get to our Spa Owner website
Results: Responses here
Iterations
Adjusted naming conventions for Dealer Portal to "Dealer Login" for all instances
Adjusted naming conventions for menu categories: Changed "Our Brand" to "About"
Product imagery for Artesian Elite was golf courses in reference to their names; switched out to city skyline imagery to exemplify luxury and high-end
Jet configuration options are hard to navigate; changed the Jet count in technical information into an anchor hyperlink to bring them to the options
Final Design
Impact
Woohoo! We launched the website on May 5, 2023!
April 2023 vs May 2023
(leads/traffic)
What I've Learned
Leave a how-to record behind for every new tool or system
We met a lot of roadblocks with outdated tools and systems that didn’t have any explanations. As we implemented new ones, we made sure to leave behind a paper trail for each of those to prevent untrained personnel from having to waste time and investigate on their own.
The importance of cross-functional collaboration
As I was researching ways the website could be improved, our accountants, service technicians, sales team, and IT specialists, chimed in with their feedback. All of which was valuable in their own way. This is a practice worth continuing - inside and out of UI design!
Get in the thick of it
They say the best way to learn is to get your hands dirty. As part of post-research and guidance for iteration, I installed, monitored, and managed the Facebook Chat Plugin for 9 months. It gave me all inquiries and which page they were made on. Doing so helped me understand the users motivations, frustrations, and goals while browsing the website.
I also made sure to take every single inquiry into consideration. For how many users speak up, there are probably 50 more behind them having the same exact thought.