Neighborhood News Blog and Mobile Web App

The Challenge

West Seattle Blog is a nationally recognized, award-winning platform and the go-to source for hyper-local news and updates in the Seattle area. With over 100,000 unique weekly visitors, the site has a deeply loyal readership that relies on it as a primary connection to their community.

The goal of this project was to modernize the site’s visual design, implement technical upgrades, and ensure a responsive, mobile-first experience — all while maintaining reader trust, advertising revenue, and the integrity of a massive archive of over 200,000 records. The platform’s ad-supported business model required careful balance: enhance monetization without compromising the content-first reading experience that built audience loyalty.

Research & Discovery

Analytics & Behavioral Data

Google Analytics revealed critical usage patterns and pain points:

• Mobile traffic was significant but the experience was inconsistent across devices
• Readers relied heavily on the site as their primary local news source
• Long-time users had established navigation patterns that couldn’t be disrupted
• Ad placements needed optimization without sacrificing user experience

Stakeholder Interviews

Conducted interviews with site owners and key stakeholders to align the redesign with both business objectives and audience expectations.

“Our readers trust us. We can’t break that trust with a redesign that feels unfamiliar or prioritizes ads over content.” — Site owner

Key Insights

1. Mobile-first is essential — A responsive solution was critical, but it had to work seamlessly across all screen sizes
2. Preserve familiarity — Visual updates needed to modernize without alienating the loyal readership
3. Technical integrity — With 200,000+ archived posts, SEO preservation and data migration were non-negotiable
4. Non-intrusive monetization — Ad placements had to enhance, not interrupt, the reading experience

Design Process

Information Architecture

Mapped user flows and reorganized the site’s content structure to improve clarity and discoverability. The new IA prioritized:

• Intuitive navigation — Clear pathways to breaking news, community updates, and archives
• Content hierarchy — Visual emphasis on the most relevant and timely stories
• Findability — Improved search and category organization for deep archive access

Wireframes & Prototypes

Created wireframes and interactive prototypes to validate layout options and content hierarchy. Iterative refinements were informed by stakeholder feedback and usability considerations, ensuring the design balanced business needs with reader expectations.

Visual Design

The refreshed UI emphasized readability, accessibility, and familiarity:

• Preserved recognizable branding while introducing updated typography
• Refined layout spacing and subtle color updates to modernize the aesthetic
• Maintained visual continuity to avoid alienating long-time users

Mobile Solution

Selected WPTouch, a Google-recommended WordPress plugin, to ensure:

• Responsive theming across all devices
• SEO compatibility and mobile-friendliness
• Minimal performance trade-offs while maximizing usability

Development & Implementation

Worked closely with an offshore development team, providing:

• Detailed design documentation and responsive specifications
• Interactive prototypes to guide the build
• Direct HTML/CSS contributions to ensure pixel-level consistency

Executed a zero-downtime deployment plan to migrate 200,000+ records seamlessly, preserving SEO value and site integrity throughout the transition.

Training & Handoff

Conducted comprehensive client training covering:

• WordPress CMS management
• SEO best practices
• Issue resolution and troubleshooting
• Long-term site ownership without reliance on external teams

Delivered detailed documentation to support ongoing maintenance and content management.

Results

After launch and ongoing monitoring:

• Fully responsive experience across mobile, tablet, and desktop devices
• Streamlined content structure improved readability and discoverability
• Seamless migration of 200,000+ posts with nearly zero downtime
• Improved ad visibility without compromising user trust or engagement
• Client independence through comprehensive training and documentation

Reflection

This project demonstrated the power of user-centered design paired with technical strategy. The biggest challenge wasn’t the visual refresh — it was executing a complex migration and modernization while protecting what made the platform valuable: reader trust, content integrity, and community connection.

Close collaboration with stakeholders was essential. They understood their audience in ways analytics couldn’t fully capture, and that partnership ensured the redesign honored the site’s legacy while positioning it for future growth. By balancing modern design standards, technical requirements, and business goals, we delivered a scalable platform that continues to serve its loyal community as the neighborhood’s most trusted news source.