Homepage Content Design – Messaging & Positioning
Copywriter // Content Designer // User Researcher
MODSY, 2018
As the copywriter and content lead at high-growth startup Modsy, I was a key player in a major website overhaul that established the brand’s foundational messaging strategy and positioned it in the (at the time) emerging online interior design industry.
I collaborated with the interim CMO and visual designer, conducting extensive user testing sessions and customer interviews to understand who the Modsy customer was and what they found most valuable about our service. We then translated these core insights into content and copy for the homepage, conducting additional tests to refine the content and developed the core messaging and positioning strategy.
The result of the project was a solidified positioning statement (internal) with corresponding messages (external) that clearly communicated the service, its value, and doubled homepage conversion from 1% to 2%.
Outside of this homepage update, the messaging playbook became the foundation of our marketing strategy and spawned a myriad of top-performing content/collateral including the brand’s all-time best performing Facebook ad, a revamped welcome series which increased conversion by 35%, and an improved checkout page that reduced bounce rates by 30%.
Content Overview: Key Insights & Strategic Solutions
MODULE #1 – HERO
Key Insight: Customers consistently stated that seeing interior design concepts in their exact room was the best part of Modsy’s service.
Solution: We crafted intriguing hero copy that teased this core differentiator and paired with an explanatory sub copy. The diorama, “bird’s eye view” image further helped communicate the idea that our designs were 3D, a concept that had previously been foggy/hard to grasp for prospective customers pre-purchase.
MODULE #2 – Brands
Key Insight: Because of the brand’s focus on 3D designs, customers struggled to differentiate it from online room planning tools.
Solution: We included a logo wall of the brands that were in our catalog, underscoring that our service was more than just visualizing where to put a couch but a design service that showed you how real furniture that you could actually buy would look in your room.
MODULE #3 – How It Works
Key Insight: Customers struggled to understand how we could show them designs in their exact room, but explaining the process from start to finish clarified and excited them.
Solution: We tested multiple iterations of a ‘How It Works’ section including shorter versions, but the 5-step consistently outperformed in tests. This more complete overview gave customers a clear understanding of our core value prop (designs in their exact room), and handled many of the “objections” that arose during this part of the prospect journey.
MODULE #4 – Unlimited Revisions
Key Insight: Once customers understood the value of our service, their greatest concern was “what if I don’t like my designs?”
Solution: We implemented an ‘Unlimited Revisions’ policy, letting customers know we’d work with them on their designs until they were satisfied. Including the visual of fictional customer Angela’s various living room designs, further clarified this message and helped customers feel more confident in our service.
MODULE #6 – See Your Options
In user testing, this module was another top performer which, in tandem with the Unlimited Revisions module, satisfied customers that they would be able to explore furniture options until they landed on a design they loved.
This module also helped to reinforce the points around real furniture (here we showcased a sampling of sofas from popular brands) and teased at the UI of the Modsy design experience.
MODULE #7 – Before & Afters
Showing examples of projects from real Modsy customers was a huge piece of the puzzle in terms of driving conversion. We integrated a robust module showing a healthy number of matching before photos with 3D Modsy designs along with the client’s headshot and a quote about their experience. Each story linked out to a long-form blog post that chronicled the customer’s journey, starting with their initial design struggle and ending with their solution.
MODULE #8 – Our Designers
Key Insight: In user interviews, we discovered that there was confusion around who was producing the Modsy designs. Some people thought it was a tool that they used while others thought it was AI.
Solution: Along with considered language sprinkled throughout the homepage, we added a final module specifically spotlighting our designers. This helped clarify that Modsy was a service, not a tool, and the happy smiling faces gave prospective customers a boost of confidence that a real human was waiting to help them bring their dream room to life.