WHISTLE CLEAN AUSTRALIA
Elevating a cleaning company’s website through SEO and human-centred design.
| Client: | Project Duration: | Role & Team: | Year: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whistle Clean | 2.5 weeks | UX UI Designer & Researcher A team of 11 UX Designers | 2024 |
CHALLENGE
Their current inconsistent branding and outdated website design overwhelmed users with information and failed to demonstrate clear company missions that connect with clients with the same values.
Whistle Clean Australia (WCA) approached our team seeking to improve their website with a clear goal: consistently attract 2-3 new long-term clients each month.
WCA prides itself on a unique brand identity and values that prioritise its people and sustainability but the current website isn’t able to communicate these key differentiators. Combining this with the website’s low ranking on Google searches, the acquisition of new clients each month has been inconsistent and less than ideal.
Recognising these limitations, the new WCA website needs to be not only discoverable on Google searches but also able to convert website visitors into clients.
APPROACH
Strategic workflow to deliver optimal user experience
50% Research
Drafted and executed various research methodologies, ensuring all aspects of the brief were met, whilst managing various deadlines.
25% Design
Collaborated with lead designers in creating alternative rebrand options including colours, logos, and copy that convey the company’s values.
25% Presentation
Presented and demonstrated our work to the client through a professional mixture of verbal and visual communication.
We divided our team of 11 designers into working groups based on strengths, focusing on research, branding, and design. Weekly goals and close collaboration with the client (through regular updates) ensured the project remained on track.
To understand user behaviour and preferences, we conducted 4 user interviews, a competitive analysis with 12 direct and indirect competitors, an overall heuristic evaluation (using Jakob Nielsen’s 10 heuristics) on the current website as well as update ourselves on the latest SEO trends and techniques..
The research revealed 3 major areas of concern:
- Outdated SEO Strategies
- User Experience Shortcomings
Inadequate - Representation of Brand and Values
It was evident that the website needed a fresh modern look to stand out in the market, with better navigation, and a more intuitive information architecture. These insights informed our ‘How Might We’ questions and design decisions which helped us ideate low/mid-fidelity prototypes for testing.
Refining the design
User research data was synthesised immediately after each usability test. This rapid iteration process allowed us to finalise the design and develop high-fidelity prototypes within just 2 days of completing the research.
The “Our Services” section was moved higher on the page to improve service discoverability. 3 out of 4 participants expressed frustration when they couldn’t find service offerings immediately.
Based on 2 out of 4 testers mentioning trust concerns, a Google logo was added to the review section to enhance credibility.
The Office Cleaning page was reorganised and simplified based on user feedback. 75% of users reported difficulty finding service pricing and details about office cleaning-specific services such as window cleaning.
OUTCOME
Over the span of 2-and-a-half weeks, we re-imagined the online presence of Whistle Clean in the cleaning industry. We elevated its design to a sleek, sophisticated standard, providing increased confidence in attracting new clients consistently.
Overall, the comprehensive redesign delivered:
- SEO and conversion-optimised website that received positive feedback during the usability tests. 100% of participants wanted to book the discovery call when testing the new designs.
- New branding highlights WCA’s commitment to sustainability, making the brand stand out in the crowded market.
- Prototypes and design systems streamlined the handover and development process for the client and developers.
“Hannie played a pivotal role in conducting user research, creating wireframes, and developing user flows, ensuring our design remained user- centric and effectively met the needs of our target audience. Her contribution was vital with our recent project.”
— Ivan, Founder & CEO, Whistle Clean Australia
WCA was excited to implement the proposed solutions into the development process within the next few months.
The project’s success lays the groundwork for future improvements. High-fidelity prototypes will be further refined for optimal user experience, with a focus on mobile responsiveness to enhance SEO and user engagement. Post-launch conversion rates will be tracked using Google Analytics, informing data-driven decisions for ongoing website optimisation.
Reflection
