About The Client
Social Needia is a woman-owned marketing agency that specializes in supporting non-profits, small businesses, and community organizations. The agency has built a strong local reputation through word-of-mouth referrals but recognized the need to expand their reach through an optimized online presence. To support these goals, Social Needia engaged me to conduct an audit of their current website and propose a new design flow to enhance usability and scalability for future growth.
Decline in New Client Engagement
Problem
The existing Social Needia website lacked a clear structure and dedicated navigation, relying solely on a single homepage with sections for different content. This limited navigation made it challenging for users to find specific information about services, past client work, and contact options, reducing the agency’s credibility and hindering their ability to attract new clients through their online presence.
Client’s Current Website
Provide a Structure that Communicates Credibility
Solution
The goal of this project was to reimagine Social Needia’s website structure to create a seamless navigation system, allowing users to easily access key information about the agency’s services, client work, and contact options.
Audit Improved Information Architecture
Impact
After testing the new information architecture and navigation structure with five users, Social Needia saw measurable improvements in usability and navigation clarity:
Improved Navigation Ease: 100% of users successfully navigated to the “Services” and “Clients” sections, compared to only 40% in the previous structure.
Higher User Engagement: Users spent 30% more time exploring specific service and client sections, indicating increased interest and usability.
Increased Trust: Testers reported a 50% positive increase in their perception of Social Needia’s credibility.
Interviewing Potential Clients
User Research
For a service-based business, a website can serve as a virtual handshake. It was important to uncover how potential clients perceive an agency’s website to be trustworthy, and, of course, what would convince them to convert into active clients.
I interviewed 5 participants who have used or considered using marketing services in the past to begin understanding their perspective. The questions asked were centered around their previous experiences searching for marketing services and what factors would convince them to work with an agency. These insights provided direction on where to focus the audit, underscoring the need for dedicated, easily accessible sections to improve user experience.
Researching Industry Standards
Competitive Research
To get a sense of what potential clients expect when visiting a marketing agency’s website, I analyzed competitors in the non-profit and small business space. This research was crucial because it helped reveal what builds trust and credibility for agencies like Social Needia. I noticed that effective sites had structured navigation, clear service pages, and showcased client success stories. They also used well-placed calls to action, making it easy for users to engage with the agency right from the site. These insights informed my approach for Social Needia, helping us create a site structure that meets user expectations and sets the agency up for growth.
Decisions Based on Competitive Analysis:
Client Case Studies: Include a dedicated page to highlight success stories, building credibility through demonstrated results.
Definition of Services: Create individual service pages for clarity, allowing users to quickly understand Social Needia’s offerings.
Clear Call to Action: Add CTAs on each main page to guide users toward next steps, enhancing user engagement and conversion potential.
Defining Information Architecture
Site Map
The audit revealed that Social Needia’s current single-page structure lacked the foundational organization needed to scale. Based on research and competitive analysis, I developed a new site map that restructured content into distinct pages, each dedicated to a specific area of interest for potential clients.
Wireframes
Visualizing Solutions
After conducting user research and competitive analysis, I developed wireframes to outline key improvements for Social Needia’s website. These wireframes served as a roadmap for enhancing user experience and showcasing the agency’s services more effectively. The audit provided a high-level blueprint for restructuring the site’s information architecture, setting the stage for future development.
Landing Page
Original: Social Needia’s navigation bar was limited to sections within a single homepage, requiring extensive scrolling and causing user confusion.
Recommendation: Implement a structured navigation bar with dedicated links to core pages like “Home,” “About Us,” and “Services,” prompting users to explore the site. This organization aligns with user expectations, making key content easy to find and enhancing overall usability.
Original
Original: The website only briefly listed services on the homepage without descriptions, leaving users without a clear understanding of Social Needia’s offerings.
Recommendation: Create a dedicated Services page with detailed explanations for each service, allowing users to understand the full scope and impact of Social Needia’s work and increasing their interest in reaching out.
Services Page
Original
Reccomendation
Client Page
Original: The website displayed only client logos and brief testimonials, offering little context on Social Needia’s impact or credibility.
Recommendation: Introduce a “Clients” page with detailed case studies, testimonials, and results to showcase Social Needia’s successes. This addition builds credibility by providing real examples of the agency’s impact, fostering trust and confidence among prospective clients.
Original
Reccomendation
Usability Testing
Testing and Validation
To ensure the recommended structure would meet user needs and effectively communicate Social Needia’s offerings, I conducted usability testing with five participants on the wireframes. The testing focused on key areas, including navigation clarity, content understanding, and perceived credibility.
Testing confirmed that the redesigned information architecture and layout effectively addressed user needs. Participants were able to understand Social Needia’s services, navigate the structure easily, and view the site as credible and trustworthy. These results validated the audit’s recommendations, giving confidence in delivering an actionable and user-focused site structure to Social Needia.
Takeaways and Considerations
Future Implementation
This audit provided Social Needia with a user-centered, strategic roadmap for enhancing their website’s structure and usability. By restructuring the information architecture to include clear navigation, dedicated service pages, client case studies, and a streamlined contact flow, the new design positions Social Needia to better communicate their expertise and build trust with potential clients. Testing validated the effectiveness of these wireframes, with users finding the proposed structure intuitive, credible, and easy to navigate. With this solid foundation, Social Needia is well-prepared to implement the audit recommendations in their 2025 website roadmap, paving the way for stronger client engagement and growth.