Summary
Led discovery (user research + testing, workshops, goal setting) and redesigned the Shutterstock home page. Objective: convert qualified traffic to monthly paying customers. KR's: increase qualified traffic + web order rate.
Hypotheses
Users will convert better with a greater awareness of Shutterstock’s breadth and quality of content (video, music, SFX and 3D), design tools and generative AI.
Outcome
Refreshed visuals and copy in hero, design tools and content library sections, yielding +700k combined incremental 12-month bookings projection.

The opportunity
Shutterstock’s recent investments in design tools, templates, generative AI, 3D and SFX were not represented on the homepage. The full brand value proposition was missing. Further, the homepage was not delivering on it’s promise: fresh high-quality content. The hero and content library images had not been updated in over a year.

OKRs
Increase total qualified traffic with a high intent to buy, learn, and engage who will ultimately convert into paying, monthly value-finding customers. Increase web order rate.
Hypothesis
We expect: 1.) introducing design tools in the hero with a free trial offer and 2.) creating a new design tools component on the home page to result in: a.) attracting qualified traffic and b.) improving discoverability of our Creative Flow design tools
Discovery
I gathered persona information from JTBD methodology and brand tracker profiles established by our research and marketing teams and compiled it into a spreadsheet of persona definitions, needs, opportunities and top performing messages.

Discovery
We learned we weren’t getting many clicks on our homepage apart from our search bar. This meant a huge opportunity to experiment with the entire page, giving us more chances to test into product improvements to increase qualified traffic and web order rate.

Competitive analysis
After studying Baymard* homepage best practices and researching competitors + horizontal markets,it was clear we needed to pair our full brand value proposition with an offer + improve content structuring.
*Baymard is an Independent Web UX Research Institute. Shutterstock subscribed to Baymard’s best practices articles, benchmarks and design examples.


Exploration
How might we elevate the entire Solopreneur journey by delivering incremental value (design tools on marketplace) without an upfront user purchase commitment? First, I sketched out the Solopreneur journey in the future vision of content + creation merged into one experience. This required partnering with the Search & Discovery team to simplify our navigation and minimize search to make room for design tools. We also worked with the Logged In team to deliver on value.

Wireframes
I partnered with PMMs to access high-performing copy to write placeholder copy and create 2 concept wireframes for general content + directional approval from upper management in Product + Marketing. Improved content structuring: full brand value proposition + free trial offer, simplified navigation, minimized search. Start 2nd section well above fold.
Concept A: Features & tools
Concept B: Persona-based outcomes


Initial designs
I partnered with our Principal Product Designer from PicMonkey to curate placeholder key visuals to demonstrate creative tools in preparation to test both concepts with user research.
Concept A: Features & tools
Concept B: Persona-based outcomes


User research
I wrote a test plan and built a randomized UserZoom study with the purpose of finding out what content and features each of our 4 different personas would use.

User research
I created a script that asked, Which features would you use first to help you tackle your biggest creative challenges?

Key insights
After I synthesized our test results it was clear: 1.) Users cared more about features + tools than persona-based outcomes and 2.) demand prioritized design tools first, then content, then pricing. I created this full report and presented to Product, Design and Engineering teams.

Direction
Users were drawn to actionable CTAs like, “Create” (main nav) and “Start designing” as opposed to CTAs not directly tied to a specific action like “Try for free.” This research also helped the Search & Discovery team navigation redesign.

Hero experiment #1: Flip search + headline
Hypothesis: We expect no change in search events if we move the search bar up to the top of the hero component in order to enable future experimentation to introduce the full value proposition messaging and visuals.
Results: Flipping search up didn’t positively or negatively impact search.
We learned: We can move forward with Variant A.
Control
Variant A




Hero experiment #2: Introduce design tools messaging + move free trial to hero
Hypothesis: We expect no change in search, increased free trial sign ups (10 credit Subscription with Creative Flow) and lead order rate if we introduce new messaging that speaks to our full value proposition (content and design tools) including a CTA in the hero instead of the top black banner.
Results: No statistical significance.
We learned: Bookings did not materialize without a clear offer behind our CTAs.
Control
Variant A




Design tools experiment #1: New design tools component
Hypothesis: We expect reduced bounce rate, increased sign up, total qualified traffic + web orders when we introduce a new design tools component with 2 different CTA lists that will deep link users into specific features in Create.
Results: Increased sign up + web orders.
We learned: Users prefer Var A (Smart resize, remove background)
Variant A
Variant B




Hero experiment #3: Introduce full value proposition
Hypothesis: We expected higher engagement with all page CTAs: top free trial banner, content types in search and design tools CTAs further down the page. We also expected reduced bounce rate, increased sign up, total qualified traffic + web orders.
Results: Higher engagement with top right free trial button (desktop only: needed better communication with marketing team + consistency with mobile), increased sign up and engagement with design tools CTAs.
We learned: Users prefer the “Everything you need” messaging.

Hero experiment #4: Free browse account vs. free trial
Hypothesis: We expect higher engagement when we introduce more explicit CTAs: a free browse account OR a free trial. Reduced bounce rate, increased sign up, total qualified traffic + web orders.
Results: Reduced bounce rate, increased sign up + total qualified traffic.
We learned: Users prefer FBA over free trial.

Results
Increased total qualified traffic, sign up rate + web orders.
Incremental 12-month bookings projections:
Hero refresh: $650,500
Design tools refresh: $51,465
Hero refresh: $650,500
Design tools refresh: $51,465

Next steps
After growing our top of funnel, next steps included optimizing down-funnel experiences for further monetization for example customized logged in ux, cross-sell, loyalty, learning, freebies, etc.
Proprietary + confidential