Strategy
SEO Strategy
While working for agencies, I learned the ins and outs of SEO to the extent that best practices became my default writing mode.
While at Mendix, my first priority was rejuvenating the blog. In addition to leading a full blog redesign, I implemented a content update strategy that involved optimizing old blog posts with some SEO potential.
In my first year at Mendix, my efforts led to a 90% increase in organic blog traffic.
This involved:
Performance research using SEMRush and Google Analytics
Topical research to add more relevant information, links, and images
Redesigning blog post structure for better readability
Continuous performance tracking and routine updates
Web Strategy
Mendix
mendix.com
As the lead SEO and website writer for Mendix, I rewrote and SEO-optimized hundreds of webpages and blog posts.
For each webpage, I was involved on a copy, SEO, and UX level. This involved tons of research and interviews to understand the user/buyer journey with both our product and our website.
At Mendix, I was a crucial part of the web team and contributed to strategies for information architecture, navigation, and design.
AgaMatrix
agamatrix.com
AgaMatrix manufactures diabetes testing supplies. This website was challenging because of its need to appeal to both B2C eCommerce shoppers and B2B companies looking to partner with a manufacturer.
During the discovery period, AgaMatrix sent us products for a photoshoot, which I used to test my own blood sugar to put myself in the shoes of their target audience. I also interviewed people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, medical professionals, and AgaMatrix stakeholders.
Along with the website, we helped design a mobile app that connected to their products. I was involved in the layout strategy and UX writing.
Nothing But The Fruit
Nothing But the Fruit (NBTF) was a subsidiary of Welch’s. They created delicious, healthy, bite-sized fruit snacks.
Although the company no longer exists, this was one of my favorite web projects because of the creative freedom.
To write the web copy, I focused on two tasks:
A blind taste-testing to gather feedback (quantitative and qualitative)
Researching and learning about the ingredients
Stanley Elevator
stanleyelevator.com
Stanley Elevator does elevator installations and maintenance. There was a lot of technical information involved in the copy, like specs and repair processes.
I spent a lot of time interviewing Stanley employees across sales, customer service, design, and maintenance to understand the inner workings of elevators and why they need servicing.
Massage Chair Store
massagechairstore.com
Massage Chair Store needed to add value to their website by way of more informative web pages and eCommerce capabilities.
I used a method writing technique for all of Massage Chair Store’s copy. It took hours and hours of testing massage chairs to compare settings and features. It was grueling work but someone had to do it. I also researched and interviewed pros about the benefits of massages and why having one at home is such a luxury.
Homepage Redesign
When I started working at Mendix, their homepage made no sense. “Where become thinkers makers?” It took precious seconds of scrolling before I understood WTF a Mendix was.
One of the first projects I collaborated with the web team on was restructuring and rewriting the homepage. This involved SME and stakeholder interviews, competitor research, wireframing, SEO, and writing. In my 4.5 years at Mendix, we used heat mapping and feedback to continously optimize the UX of the page, especially the above the fold experience.
Before
After
Blog Redesign
As editor-in-chief of the Mendix blog, I led the efforts for a full redesign. The old blog was crowded and outdated. Below the fold, there was an endless page scroll and no option to browse by topic. It was definitely not up to UX and SEO best practices.
For this project, I was involved in project management, research, wireframing, UX writing, feedback, and informational architecture. These are the main updates we made:
Created a blog sub navigation for clarity and easier access to different topics.
Audited more than 2,000 blog posts and created a tagging strategy for better navigation.
Removed the carousel of featured blog posts to highlight just one post (analysis paralysis avoided).
Custom-designed images for every blog post for consistency and added author images for more human-ness.
Removed clunky post summaries and optimized blog post titles to be more direct.
With the blog redesign came a new approach to our content strategy. I started a blog audit and made plans for redirecting, deleting, optimizing, and tagging every post (2,000+). Condensing the blog and updating posts with link equity led to a 90% increase in organic blog traffic in my first year at Mendix.
Before
After
Contact Us Page Redesign
Part of my role on the web team was to optimize the UX of every page. The Contact Us page was a mess. Feedback from users told us that it was hard to know who to call and that it was unclear what the form was for. Feedback from our sales and customer accounts teams told us that users were not contacting the appropriate people for their needs.
The page needed to be explicit in its directions so users could quickly find what they need. The redesign of the page involved more visual sections with helpful links to appropriate pages, a more detailed form with directions, and an easier-to-read locations section. As soon as you land on the page, you see how to contact sales or technical support, which we learned were the two top reasons people visited the page.
Social & Email
Texture Plus manufactures faux wall panels for interior design. We went all in on DIY-focused content for their social media accounts, email campaigns, web updates, and blog posts to show how easy it was to use their product. We also recruited real customers to share their before and after photos.
This was their most successful campaign for that year. Their social media followers increased, the blog saw higher traffic, and the email campaign had above-average open and clickthrough rates.