Website Design and Copy

I looked at my favorite coffee shop's website and proposed redesigns to better reflect the company's brand and core values.

Blackbird Coffee is my favorite coffee shop. Despite all of the cities I have lived in, no coffeehouse compares to the atmosphere, the artwork, or the smell of their roasting coffee that sticks to your clothes for the rest of the day. Imagine my surprise to find that when I visit Blackbird Coffee on the web, the website lacks none of the warm, inviting, confident tone that permeates this shop in the heart of downtown Milledgeville. On my own, I set out to create copywriting for their landing page to better communicate their brand.

The first thing I notice when I enter the website is that the page automatically loads to their merchandise.

While they have some unique offerings, this workflow does not communicate anything about this company or what it stands for. It is also jarring to the customer; it makes the user believe that the company only values its customers for their ability to spend. Instead, we want to ease the customer into the interface with a more welcoming landing page.

Their actual landing page (strangely buried in clickable filters and pages) is simply titled Info. I would change this title to something more warm and welcoming such as Our Story, or more quirky and creative such as Behind the Beans. This would be the page the website would open to instead of the merchandise.

Blackbird Coffee's Info page, it's quasi-homepage is currently very simple. It contains a stock image of coffee beans, a simple Arial-style font, map directions, and another hyperlink to the shopping tab. I would change the cover image to something with more character such as a photo of the hanging art gracing the coffee bar or the coffee bean roaster in the atrium hard at work. This sets Blackbird Coffee apart from other shops, showcasing what makes it unique.

I would also change the font from a generic Arial. The brand, as seen in the logo and its merchandise, leans towards straightforward and classic as opposed to kitschy or busy. I would opt for something like Korolev Heavy (Adobe Fonts). This font for the title would adhere to the confident brand voice, but make more of an impact for a title.

The title card currently states "Roasted in Milledgeville." Though this emphasizes Blackbird Coffee's in-house roastery, this subtitle feels passive and subdued. I suggest rewriting this title to "Your New Favorite Cup of Coffee." This is much more active and engages the viewer. It makes the user feel as if the company is speaking directly to them, inviting them into their home. At the same time, the voice of the brand is self-assured and strong; they are not concerned the guest won't like their coffee. They know they will love every drop! I would include a small set of copywriting explaining who the company is and what makes it stand out from other coffee shops. Following that would be a hyperlink to the merchandise page. Instead of the current "Shop now," I would hyperlink the text, "Take us home!" This tone is much more inviting and interesting to guests, making them more likely to click and shop.

Blackbird Coffee brings the freshness of a real coffee roastery to your backdoor. Nestled in the crook of historic downtown Georgia, this small coffeehouse and cafe has a big heart. Featuring creative brews, local artwork, and a warm seating area to gather, this coffee isn't just for us. It's for you.

Although our ethically sourced beans are roasted in-house weekly, coffee is not all we do! Blackbird Coffee offers sips for everyone. We have everything: smoothies, lattes, bites, even a full ice cream counter. Not thirsty? Our community events and shows are perfect for a night along the Milledgeville area. We hope to see you there!

With our new Info page at the ready, the other tabs on the website also need work. Right now, the listed pages are Gift Card, Shop All, and Info. The emphasis on shopping and merchandise is apparent here, and leaves much to be desired for how people can become involved in the restaurant. I propose to change all of these tabs and tab names. First, I would delete the Gift Card page and instead offer gift cards on the merchandising page. Shop All will change to Shop. This is much more straightforward, in keeping with the brand. Our Info page, as already discussed, will evolve into Behind the Beans, emphasizing the bean roastery more subtly. It is here that the history of Blackbird Coffee and its owners can be explained. This is an important feature for a hometown roastery as it connects the business with the faces in the community.

I would also include a Meet Your Baristas tab. Blackbird thrives because of the personalities behind the counter. Blackbird Coffee emphasizes this on their social media feeds, posting a series of the same name and shouting out their staff. Each barista could write a small blurb about themselves, what drinks they are currently enjoying, and what makes Blackbird Coffee special to them. From a brand perspective, this welcomes new patrons and users, making these baristas seem like they are their friends.

A third tab would be titled Feature Me. Here, artists could submit their artwork to be on the walls of the coffee shop or even posted on the brand's social media. It makes the visitor feel welcomed and involved in the process of building this coffee shop. It's not just anyone's home, it's their home.

Lastly and most importantly, I would add an Events tab. Blackbird Coffee has a small black box stage they call the Birdhouse Theater. This theater has events on an almost weekly basis ranging from improv comedy shows and open mike nights to full creative stage productions. This is a fantastic way to connect Blackbird Coffee further with its patrons and the larger city of Milledgeville. A full interactive calendar of events for the month will be available on this tab, as well as descriptions of future productions.