51Lex Records Fanlinks

https://fanlink.51lexapps.com/

Fanlink by 51Lex is a digital marketing platform designed to help musicians promote their songs and albums across multiple streaming services. The platform allows artists to create “smart links” — single URLs that automatically direct fans to their preferred streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, or Deezer.

The project goal was to improve usability, navigation clarity, and user engagement for both new and experienced artists using Fanlink to manage their promotions.

Lead UI/UX Designer Duration: 8 weeks Responsibilities: User research, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing, and visual redesign. Tools: Figma, Miro, Google Analytics, Maze

While Fanlink offered a powerful set of marketing tools, user feedback showed that new artists struggled to understand how to create, customize, and share smart links effectively. The interface felt text-heavy, and the process lacked visual feedback or guidance.

Complex setup flow for generating smart links.

Unclear navigation hierarchy between campaign types (pre-save, pre-order, or contest).

Low mobile usability, especially during link editing.

Limited analytics visibility, which reduced perceived value for users.

Simplify the campaign creation process.

Improve mobile accessibility and visual hierarchy.

Increase user confidence through clearer feedback and progress indicators.

Enhance engagement with visual dashboards and performance tracking.

I interviewed 10 independent artists and 3 music marketers who actively promote their releases online.

Artists want a quick, guided setup without reading long instructions.

They value link customization and branding consistency.

Many are overwhelmed by data dashboards and prefer simple visual insights (e.g., total clicks, top streaming platforms).

Mobile access is critical because many artists manage promotions on their phones.

I reviewed platforms like ToneDen, Linkfire, and Feature.fm. Findings showed that while these platforms are feature-rich, many overwhelm users with too many setup steps. Simplicity and visual clarity were the main competitive advantages missing from Fanlink.

I restructured the platform into three core sections:

Dashboard – Overview of campaigns and analytics.

Create Campaign – Step-by-step guided flow.

Smart Link Page – Preview and customization area.

This new hierarchy helped reduce cognitive load and improved orientation.

Low-fidelity wireframes focused on a wizard-like creation flow, using progress bars and inline help tips. Users could create a link in under 3 minutes — down from the original 8–10 minutes.

I adopted a modern, clean interface with a focus on white space and contrast.

Introduced color cues for campaign types (blue for pre-save, orange for contests, green for pre-orders).

Used rounded components and minimal typography for a friendly, creative feel.

Added visual previews of smart links during customization, allowing real-time edits.

An interactive Figma prototype was tested with 8 users.

Task completion rate: 94% (previously 68%)

Average setup time: 3.2 minutes (down from 8.5 minutes)

User satisfaction: 4.7/5 average feedback rating

Users especially appreciated the “Live Preview” and simplified “Copy & Share” options.

Simplified onboarding: Step-by-step creation process with visual guidance.

Mobile-first layout: Responsive pages and larger touch targets.

Analytics dashboard: Visual summaries of total clicks, traffic sources, and top platforms.

Custom branding: Artists can upload cover art, choose colors, and personalize URLs.

Quick share: Instant copy-to-clipboard and social media integration.

Increased engagement: 40% rise in campaign creation after redesign.

Reduced support tickets: 60% fewer “how-to” inquiries from new users.

Improved retention: 35% increase in users returning to create multiple campaigns.

This project emphasized the power of simplification and visual storytelling in UX design. Musicians are often creators, not marketers so the interface had to inspire confidence without requiring technical knowledge.

If revisited, I’d explore AI-driven recommendations (like best posting times or platform targeting) and deeper integration analytics to give artists actionable insights.

The Fanlink redesign transformed a complex tool into a friendly, intuitive platform that empowers musicians to manage and promote their music effortlessly. By prioritizing clarity, speed, and accessibility, the new experience aligns with the creative energy of its users while driving measurable engagement growth for 51Lex.