Data-Driven Homepage Redesign for a Media Production Company
Overview
A media production company offering songwriting, recording, video production, and promotion services for aspiring artists. The business helped clients launch songs and build public visibility, with some tracks reaching top iTunes positions. The website served as the main entry point for exploring services, pricing, and purchase options.
The problem
The existing homepage relied heavily on a promotional video as the main sales tool.
However, according to collected metrics, only 15% of users watched the promo video, which did not meet business expectations.
At first glance, the task seemed straightforward: increase engagement with the video.
But after reviewing the page and business context, I questioned whether video views were actually the right success metric.
However, according to collected metrics, only 15% of users watched the promo video, which did not meet business expectations.
At first glance, the task seemed straightforward: increase engagement with the video.
But after reviewing the page and business context, I questioned whether video views were actually the right success metric.
The goal
The initial goal was to redesign the homepage in a way that would increase engagement with the promotional video.
As the work progressed, the goal evolved into a deeper product question: to understand whether users actually needed to watch the video before making a purchase, to identify which information had the strongest impact on conversion, and to define the right role of the video within the decision-making journey.
As the work progressed, the goal evolved into a deeper product question: to understand whether users actually needed to watch the video before making a purchase, to identify which information had the strongest impact on conversion, and to define the right role of the video within the decision-making journey.
My Role
I worked as a Product Designer, focusing on UX Research and Homepage Strategy.
I audited the existing homepage, explored and tested multiple homepage concepts, and conducted qualitative research supported by CJM analysis. Based on observed user behavior, I reframed the original task and ultimately recommended the final homepage direction.
I audited the existing homepage, explored and tested multiple homepage concepts, and conducted qualitative research supported by CJM analysis. Based on observed user behavior, I reframed the original task and ultimately recommended the final homepage direction.
Approach
01 Design Critique
I started with a critique of the existing homepage and some key issues I identified. This led to an important insight: the issue was not button visibility, but unclear user motivation and weak content hierarchy.
the play button was visible, but users lacked motivation to click it
users were given too little practical information upfront
the homepage looked visually bold, but not always purposeful in guiding action
the brand hierarchy felt inconsistent
the page emphasized the video without explaining its value
Process
02 Concept exploration
I developed multiple homepage directions and narrowed them down to two strategic concepts:
Concept 1 — Brand-first homepage
A visually memorable homepage that built trust, brand awareness, and curiosity, while keeping the video accessible but not dominant.
Concept 2 — Video-first homepage
A homepage that strongly pushed users to watch the promotional video as the first action.
At this stage, I could have stopped at visual exploration — but instead I proposed research to validate which direction actually matched user behavior.
Concept 1 — Brand-first homepage
A visually memorable homepage that built trust, brand awareness, and curiosity, while keeping the video accessible but not dominant.
Concept 2 — Video-first homepage
A homepage that strongly pushed users to watch the promotional video as the first action.
At this stage, I could have stopped at visual exploration — but instead I proposed research to validate which direction actually matched user behavior.
Process
Research
To evaluate the role of the promotional video in the conversion journey, I conducted qualitative research combining Customer Journey Mapping (CJM) and moderated interviews.
The research focused on understanding what motivates users to purchase, identifying when and why they engage with the promotional video, and evaluating whether the video actually influences decision-making. It also helped uncover key friction points in the user journey and compare the effectiveness of two different homepage concepts.
The research focused on understanding what motivates users to purchase, identifying when and why they engage with the promotional video, and evaluating whether the video actually influences decision-making. It also helped uncover key friction points in the user journey and compare the effectiveness of two different homepage concepts.
12
participants total
4
existing customers
8
potential customers matching the target audience profile
Each session had two parts
1. Participants explored the website and verbalized their thoughts.
2. I asked follow-up questions to clarify motivations, doubts, and decision-making patterns.
1. Participants explored the website and verbalized their thoughts.
2. I asked follow-up questions to clarify motivations, doubts, and decision-making patterns.
Research
User persona
To synthesize the audience mindset, I created a persona based on existing company data and research patterns. The core segment included people who wanted to enter the music industry, build visibility, and explore creative opportunities — but needed clarity, trust, and practical guidance before purchasing.
Research
Key findings
-
Users were not forced to watch the video
Participants described the homepage as memorable, visually engaging, and professional. While the video was clearly noticeable, most users chose to continue exploring the site first instead of watching it immediately.
Their attention was primarily focused on pricing, available services, and understanding how the recording process works.
Many users later returned to the homepage and watched the video only after they had already built initial trust and gained a clearer understanding of the offer.
-
Users were pushed to watch the video first
Most participants clicked the play button immediately, as the interface strongly suggested it was the expected next step. However, many did not finish watching the video and perceived it as more of an advertisement than a helpful explanation.
Even after watching, users still needed to browse the site to find practical and relevant information, and the video alone did not provide enough confidence to make a decision.
Research
Results in numbers
4/12
33%
Watched the promotional video at the top of the page
2/12
16%
Watched full promotional video
10/12
83%
Said they would still make a purchase
2/12
16%
Felt the video significantly influenced the purchase
9/12
74%
Trusted self-guided exploration more than watching a video
8/12
66%
Preferred not to spend time on a video at the beginning
7/12
58%
Considered the homepage placement of the video inappropriate
Research
Decision
The research revealed that the promotional video does provide value — but not as the primary or first interaction on the homepage.
Users preferred to explore the service at their own pace, starting with pricing and workflow, and wanted to feel a sense of control before engaging with brand storytelling.
As a result, we chose a brand-first homepage direction and moved the promotional video to a different section of the website, where it could better support trust-building and emotional engagement without interrupting the decision-making flow.
Additionally, the main-page play button was later repurposed into a background audio trigger, giving it a more natural and contextually appropriate role within the interface.
Users preferred to explore the service at their own pace, starting with pricing and workflow, and wanted to feel a sense of control before engaging with brand storytelling.
As a result, we chose a brand-first homepage direction and moved the promotional video to a different section of the website, where it could better support trust-building and emotional engagement without interrupting the decision-making flow.
Additionally, the main-page play button was later repurposed into a background audio trigger, giving it a more natural and contextually appropriate role within the interface.
impact
This project helped shift the conversation from “how do we get more video views?” to
“what actually helps users make a confident purchase?”
It resulted in a clearer homepage strategy, stronger alignment between UX and business goals, a validated content hierarchy, a more trust-driven entry experience.
“what actually helps users make a confident purchase?”
It resulted in a clearer homepage strategy, stronger alignment between UX and business goals, a validated content hierarchy, a more trust-driven entry experience.
Key takeaway
Not every visible problem is the real problem. Sometimes the strongest design decision is not to optimize the obvious element, but to step back, question the premise, and understand what truly drives user behavior.
Thank
you!
you!
