Contentware
Contentware is a SaaS startup where I was the primary designer. Even though my role was as the Marketing Designer, I contributed to everything related to design. I was the only designer at Contentware, so my duties ranged from designing marketing collateral, to redesigning the website.
Website Redesign
Contentware is a software that uses artificial intelligence to generate content for marketing campaigns. When I started at Contentware, I noticed that the aesthetics of the website didn't align with the innovative nature of artificial intelligence. In my opinion, the original website reflected graphic design trends from the 2010s era with sharp corners, too many colors, and no visual hierarchy. My goal was not only to bring the website into 2023, but also increase its accessibility and refine its branding.
Original Site
Below are two images from the original website. As you can see, there's little consistency in terms of font, colors, and call to action buttons. The site also doesn't incorporate any of the current graphic design trends like rounded corners, use of iconography, and user-focused copy.
Top of Original Home Page
As you can see, there is a lack of visual hierarchy besides the large text. There's no emphasis on a specific element that would allow the viewer to discern what is being advertised. Along with that, there is too much dead space flanking the content. Last, the first CTA button's color is too saturated, and hurts to look at against the turquoise background.
Second Half of Original Home Page
In my opinion, the infographic is doing too much for too little. Infographics should have illustrations that speak for themeselves, and text as a supplement. I think this infographic is a victim of information overload. Also, the yellow used for this section is not a brand color and has extremely poor contrast against the grey right below. Last, the CTA is not consistent with the other two that appear on the page.
My Redesign
For the redesign, I wanted to focus on a few aspects, the first being simplifying the site. I took the less is more approach to avoid overwhelming visitors with information. Second, I remade the promotional video featured on the site. The first video was filled with faceless characters (a pet peeve of mine), and an AI voice over. The promotional video I made will be featured below. Last, I established consistent brand colors and font.
Top of Redesigned Home Page
Now, there is a clear distinction in what the viewer should look at first. The new image on the right provides examples of what features of the software look like in an organized manner. I reduced the amount of accent colors featured on the site from four to one, that being orange on the CTA. Last, the new promotional video is concise and informative. Contentware's website is hosted on Wordpress, so everything was designed within the constraints of what WordPress can do without code.
New Promotional Video
This video was created in After Effects, and all the graphics were made in Illustrator. As the only designer on the team, I was responsible for every aspect of this video. I was really excited to dip into motion design, and would love more projects within this realm.
Second Half of Redesigned Home Page
As mentioned, I simplification was a top priority of mine, which is why I introduced iconography to the site. Having a visual aid, like an icon, also makes the site more universally accessible. I researched commonly used icons for each category, and created my own in illustrator using brand colors. To boost the company's legitimacy, I added its current customers to the home page. I maintained the visual hierarchy I established at the top of the page ensure consistency and visual appeal.