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01

Case Study Overview

Design a website for a small podcasting start-up.

Salutations Media Company (SMC) is a start-up history and human interest based podcast company that did not have a web design/development team and was looking for a UX Designer to assist in forming their website and optimizing its function.

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02

Previous Site/ The Problem

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Biggest Problems:
  • Imagery misrepresents the purpose of the company

  • No clear CTA

  • Does not address "What we do" or "how we can help you" above the fold

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03

Research

  • Survey:

       Descriptions are influential in users' decisions;           therefore, we would need to add descriptions           to the two different podcasts, each individual             podcast episode, and to the home page to                 explain who SMC is.

       Reviews are also very important. I wanted to               add a comment section to each podcast                     episode page.

       A good chunk of people found their podcasts             through recommendations, so we would need           to add a "Share" button so others could easily           pass on the word 

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  • Competitive Analysis:

       Showed a gap in reviews, F.A.Qs, and live                     support. Reviews was indicated as the second           most important feature in the survey, thus this         is a feature need Five Volcanoes Coffee could             meet.

10

total participants

30%

said being able to directly access an episode from the home page was important

1/3

indicated brand recognition is a reason they would select one podcast site over another, thus we needed a "Share" button to be able increase brand recognition through users quickly sharing the site

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Podcast Description

Feature

Salutations Media Co.

YouTube

Spotify

Reviews

Relevant Imagery

Brand/Name Displayed

Episodes on home page

Sources

Search Function

Episode Player (Rewind, etc).

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04

 User Personas

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Name: Caitlin Jones 

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Age: 21

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Occupation: College Student

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Tech Savvy: High

Key Considerations
  • Needs to be user-friendly with easy navigation and recommendations to get her started

  • Clear instructions would be useful

  • Ability to subscribe to podcasts and save episodes for offline listening would be valuable to her

Motivations
  • Find an engaging and entertaining podcast that can accompany her during commutes and leisure time

  • Interested in exploring  a wide range of topics, including self-improvement, true crime, and psychology

Behavior
  • Very active on social media

  • Seeks recommendations from friends/family/colleagues

  • Values convenience

  • Appreciates curated lists or personalized recommendations

  • Likes hosts that have a conversational and relatable style

Pain Points
  • As a newcomer to podcasts, its overwhelming to navigate how many podcasts are out there

  • Struggles to understand how to subscribe to podcasts, save episodes for offline listening, or exploring different genres

  • May be concerned about the time commitment to listen to podcasts regularly

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Name: Sarah Smith

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Age: 45

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Occupation: History Teacher

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Tech Savvy: Moderate

Key Considerations
  • Wants a site that offers user friendly interface with clear navigation and search functionality

  • Site needs to provide well-researched, fact-checked, and academically sound content

  • Likes podcasts that recommend other podcasts or sources such as books and are transcribed

  • More likely to subscribe to a podcast that offers exclusive bonus episodes, in-depth on specific historical periods, interviews with professionals

Motivations
  • Primary goal is to expand knowledge and gain deeper understanding of historical events, cultures, and figures

  • Interested in podcasts that cover lesser-known history topics and fresh perspectives on well-known events

  • Wants a podcast that offers a vast collection of episodes across various periods and themes

Behavior
  • Engages in online history forums and discussion groups to both share knowledge and learn new perspectives

  • Likes opportunities to interact with hosts and other listeners through comments, forums, and live events

  • Recommends podcasts to others

Pain Points
  • Finds it challenging to keep up with the vast amount of historical content online

  • Spends too long looking for reliable and well-produced podcasts

  • Wants a podcast that categorizes episodes by era, regions, or themes so its easier to find relevant episodes

  • Frustrated by podcasts that lack factual accuracy or fail to provide proper citations

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Name: Jeff Green 

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Age: 34

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Occupation: Accountant

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Tech Savvy: High

Key Considerations
  • Needs to be user friendly, making it easier for her to explore and find podcasts that resonate with her

  • Clear categorization of themes, topics, and/or personal stories

  • Site should provide curated lists and recommendations

Motivations
  • Main goal is to discover captivating and inspiring biographies that provide personal insight, life lessons, and unique perspectives

  • Interested in exploring themes likes personal growth, career success, overcoming challenges, and self-reflection

Behavior
  • Seeks recommendations from trusted sources and values podcasts with engaging hosts who share personal anecdotes and thought provoking insights
    May engage in online communities to discuss her favorites as well as find more recommended, similar podcasts

Pain Points
  • Finds it challenging to navigate the vast range of podcasts in this genre

  • Unsure about which podcasts will provide compelling and authentic stories

  • Struggles to find podcasts that align with her specific interests

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SMC had recently won a Business Insider Award so I suggested adding it to either the home page or About page as social validation for new potential users

Descriptions were indicated to be important to users, so I added them with the imagery of the podcasts

SMC's original site had no call to action above the fold, so I added one

SMC's original imagery did not match the purpose of the site, so I recommended a change in imagery

A short quip to draw in new users and let them know what the site is about

Home page

05

Wireframes

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Individual Episode

Research indicated users find a good portion of their podcasts through recommendations, so an easy to find Share button was important to add as well as social media links

Descriptions were found to be very important so I wanted quick descriptions in a few places so users didn't have to search for it

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I wanted a close captions feature for accessibility

Reviews were one of the top reasons survey respondents chose a product/service, so a comment section was needed

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06

Final Product

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"I highly recommend Laura for your team. She is incredibly talented and will be a valuable addition to your team!"

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- Dawn-Michelle Lewis

CEO & Founder of Salutations Media Company

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Let's chat!

Looking for a designer? Send me a message, and let's get to work making your vision come to life!

© Laura Weisz

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