Rebrand and Web Development

An audit revealed users rarely engage with the website resulting in low bookings and a misguided marketing approach.

The brand needs to identify the target user and what their goals are on the website to create a user-guided approach to branding, the website, and marketing.

Identify the goals of users and obstacles in the UI to these goals on the pages.

Increase return visits to the website.

Use research to improve the user experience across the brand including the website.

New brand colors emphasize simplicity and luxury like high-end brands. It emphasizes the artist which is key for a fine art portrait brand.

Updated Core Values and Strategy

These are the initial solutions that were implemented as a first prototype.

Shifted to artist focus from service focus by emphasizing how unique skills create unique value.

Focused on 3 values that communicate the brand.

Specialized and narrowed down the offer.

Shifted language to communicate value.

Create additional value through newsletters and podcasts.

Shows direct email marketing and social media are the biggest drivers of users to the website. With a strong interest in the home, contact, and blog page.

Increase in Instagram following since launching on February 17th

Currently in a 6 month testing period

Watching inquiries, email subscriptions, and social media metrics to see a 50% increase in activity

Collecting qualitative data

First I conducted a SWOT analysis of the current brand values and image through UI to identify what was currently communicated across the photography and experience based on data from social media, email, and website analytics.

Colorful and playful

Clients come back

Strong relationship investment in my life

The reputation of consistent high-quality work

Working with families

Prompt responses

No limit problem solving

Flexibility

Relatable

10 years of photography

Flooded market- MD has a ton of family/ portrait photographers

Indoor studio costs

Limited time

Having to handle marketing, booking CRM, and products by myself

The ceiling of spending within $200-$300

Money for advertising

Lower cost competitors

Peers are currently having kids, getting married, and doing big first

My peers will most likely recommend me to other people I went to highschool with

Untapped email list

as long as social media is a thing people will want portraits

Specialization would maximize my time and quality

Referrals are still a strong

High competition

Recession (less luxury money)

Customers from small social circle

Lower priced photographers

Competition

Bigger clients

studios/ physical locations

Stylists

The Original Brand

The original brand was broad. Users experienced frequent delays with communication, file delivery, and schedule as I attempted to address many different types of work. The website was rarely used. Users preferred to contact me directly. The business reputation was friendly and low costs. This didn’t fit the reality of the cost of operation on my end and profit was affected.

Users experienced frequent delays with communication, file delivery, and scheduling.

The website was rarely used. Users preferred to contact me directly.

The business reputation was friendly and low costs. This didn’t fit the reality of the cost of operation on my end and profit was affected.

The user had expectations for quick service and provision of a wide variety of services.

The users were not familiar with the website and wanted a streamlined way to book a session.

The user wants flexibility with final product delivery.

The user wants thought put into the final product timeline in relation to the session completion.

interviewed a current user who was in the target demographic I wanted to increase in the business.

The user had expectations for quick service and provision of a wide variety of services.

The users were not familiar with the website and wanted a streamlined way to book a session.

The user wants flexibility with final product delivery.

The user wants thought put into the final product timeline in relation to the session completion.

Nikki

is a business owner and family woman who loves her community. She appreciates customized art and a tailored photography experience. She is not technically savvy and prefers a call over an online sign-up form.

Goals:

To fill her home with art

To support the black community

To have custom art made of her and her family

Frustrations:

Confusion on how to sign up for a session and limited options for delivery.

Relies on mobile phone for communication

Age: 38 Education: Masters Hometown: White Marsh MD Family: Married with 1 child Occupation: Experienced Nurse

Nikki

is a business owner and family woman who loves her community. She appreciates customized art and a tailored photography experience. She is not technically savvy and prefers a call over an online sign up form.

Goals:

Frustrations:

Confusion on how to sign up for a session and limited options for delivery.

Relies on mobile phone for communication

Age: 38 Education: Masters Hometown: White Marsh MD Family: Married with 1 child Occupation: Experienced Nurse

I used context maps, defined the value stream, and created a business case to thoroughly understand the problems and the solutions.

Interactive Prototype Design

Organic, Vibrant, Casual Location

Spontaneous poses with a lot of experimentation

Quick planning by confirming location and clothing

Family portraits, events, weddings, and more. (Spreads my focus thin)

30-1 hour session

Candid photos

Luxury, Vibrant, Custom,

Curated, Historic Mansion or Studio

Collaborative poses with professional guidance

Celebrate accomplishments or milestones with a one-of-a-kind portrait. (I focus more on you!)

Unlimited session time depending on your needs

Composed photos

Figma

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Premiere Pro

Final Cut Pro

Adobe Lightroom

Adobe InDesign

Google Suite

The Home Screen immediately identifies the purpose of the website through high-contrast text and a large image.

A single-column layout is used to reduce cognitive load as users interacting with the website are most likely using a mobile web app.

The mobile version features a Hamburger menu to reduce page density while the desktop page features a sticky header that is always accessible.

The responsive design accounts for the haptics of scrolling with a finger on a mobile versus scrolling with a mouse on a desktop.

Consolidated sections and removed repeat information.

This new logo is simple and classic and serious. I sought to emphasize my professionalism to every person who visits my website. This logo communicates luxury and trustworthiness values important to users seeking to hire a photographer.

Currently examining week by week what users are responding to with plans to review the methods after 3 months.

Users like the artist-centered brand approach and are excited about a new approach.

May need to find new ways to fine-tune where the target demographic is with branding.

Updated Core Values and Strategy

These are the initial solutions that were implemented as a first prototype.

Shifted to artist focus by emphasizing how unique skills create unique value

Focused on 3 values that communicate brand

Specialized and narrowed down offer

Shifted language to communicate value

Create additional value through newsletters and podcasts

These are the initial solutions that were implemented as a first prototype.

Shifted to artist focus by emphasizing how unique skills create unique value.

Focused on 3 values that communicate brand.

Specialized and narrowed down offer.

Shifted language to communicate value.

Create additional value through newsletters and podcasts.

These are the initial solutions that were implemented as a first prototype.

Shifted to artist focus by emphasizing how unique skills create unique value.

Focused on 3 values that communicate brand.

Specialized and narrowed down offer.

Shifted language to communicate value.

Create additional value through newsletters and podcasts.

The Home Screen immediately identifies the purpose of the website through high-contrast text and a large image.

A single-column layout is used to reduce cognitive load as users interacting with the website are most likely using a mobile web app.

The mobile version features a Hamburger menu to reduce page density while the desktop page features a sticky header that is always accessible.

The responsive design accounts for the haptics of scrolling with a finger on a mobile versus scrolling with a mouse on a desktop.

Consolidated sections and removed repeat information.

Users can see recent videos, links to podcast host websites, and a detailed description of what the podcast is about.

This page serves to offer value immediately to the user regardless of if they decide to book with the company or not. It allows the user to have a reason to continually visit and further engage with content.

The design is slightly different than the other pages because podcast listeners will engage initially with this page and it serves as a second entry point into the art practice.

These are the initial solutions that were implemented as a first prototype.

Shifted to artist focus by emphasizing how unique skills create unique value.

Focused on 3 values that communicate brand.

Specialized and narrowed down offer.

Shifted language to communicate value.

Create additional value through newsletters and podcasts.

Users can learn more about my personality and preferences and understand the values of the business as they scroll the page.

Photography is a personal service and can be uncomfortable. Here users are getting a feel for who I am as an artist creating familiarity for the user while delivering important information.

The reviews page allows users to verify my qualifications via others’ experiences.

Users can also visit links to published works and a link to the google my business page to build trust in my reputation via third-party sites.

I use columns to continue the experience of skimmable content that is easy to navigate by reducing page density and eye strain with the simple color palette.

Users can see recent videos, links to podcast host websites, and a detailed description of what the podcast is about.

This page serves to offer value immediately to the user regardless of if they decide to book with the company or not. It allows the user to have a reason to continually visit and further engage with content.

The design is slightly different than the other pages because podcast listeners will engage initially with this page and it serves as a second entry point into the art practice.

New brand colors emphasize simplicity and luxury like high-end brands. It emphasizes the artist which is key for a fine art portrait brand.

These are the initial solutions that were implemented as a first prototype.

Shifted to artist focus from service focus by emphasizing how unique skills create unique value.

Focused on 3 values that communicate the brand.

Specialized and narrowed down the offer.

Shifted language to communicate value.

Create additional value through newsletters and podcasts.

Shows direct email marketing and social media are the biggest drivers of users to the website. With a strong interest in the home, contact, and blog page.

Increase in Instagram following since launching on February 17th

Currently in a 6-month testing period.

Watching inquiries, email subscriptions, and social media metrics to see a 50% increase in activity

Have had several users comment on how they enjoy the website and content.

My next updates will include fine-tuning the user interface in terms of animation, text legibility and looking at user behaviour based on analytics. Will review the results in August.

Users like the artist-centered brand approach and are excited about a new approach.

What I learned: Users spend the most time on the home page and blog page. This indicates they visit the web page to explore more of the brand and are interested in the storytelling that takes place through the blog.

My next updates will include fine-tuning the user interface in terms of animation, and text legibility, and looking at user behavior based on analytics. Will review the results in August.

What I learned: Users spend the most time on the home page and blog page. This indicates they visit the web page to explore more of the brand and are interested in the storytelling that takes place through the blog.