Republika, a private college dormitory with locations in Europe and Asia wanted to redesign their existing website. Some problems were that their current website’s bounce rate was extremely high, the site’s design was not very responsive, and the overall look was outdated. My role was to redesign their website while emphasizing the modernity, comfort, and luxury of Republika.
The older design was a bit antiquated and did not connect with the state of the art facilities Republika was equipped with and trying to promote. Another paint point was that a clear call to action was missing on the homepage. The goal was to have potential students either call or fill out a form on the website to book a tour. I discovered that, after taking a tour of the facilities, almost 80% of students decided to book for the whole upcoming academic year. Students would generally set up an appointment to visit one of the dormitories near their university, so online booking was not a priority. Due to the students’ parents being heavily involved in this process, calling was preferred as these older adults felt more comfortable speaking to someone on the phone rather than filling out an online form. Dining, social activities, and study areas were also points of interest that potential students & parents were concerned about.
We wanted to showcase a youthful and dynamic place for upcoming college students who will be on their own for the first time. Bright images and professionally edited videos were used instead of the text heavy older site. We wanted the colors to invoke a sense of modernity while also using crisp and professional photographs to reinforce this feeling. Typography was chosen based on legibility and modernity, with accessibility also being taken into account.
Two weeks after launch, bounce rates had reduced by over 50%. This was a big win and after working with content writers in order to improve SEO and Google rankings, conversions from the website (a conversion being a user contacting Republika by phone, contact form, or email via the website) increased by 60% within six months.