Opul faced significant issues with their WordPress site, which was managed by an external agency. Content updates were slow, site performance was poor, and the digital sales journey lacked cohesion. With a considerable customer base and an approaching deadline, Opul required a prompt and effective solution.
Key limitations of the existing site included:
- Underutilized customer data
- Limited personalization capabilities
- Disjointed digital sales process
- Inefficient, manual onboarding procedures
The Solution
Opul engaged me as a contract developer to lead a comprehensive site migration from WordPress to Framer, with a tight two-month timeline for completion.
We chose Framer for several reasons:
- It provided a robust visual CMS accessible to non-technical staff
- It offered potential for improved site speed and responsiveness
- It allowed for greater internal control over the platform
While ambitious, this choice aligned well with Opul’s requirements for a unified digital platform.
The Process
The two-month development sprint was intensive. We rebuilt the site in Framer, ensuring all critical user paths were maintained. For pages that couldn’t be directly migrated, we implemented redirects.
Close collaboration with the VP of Design was crucial. We used Figma for design work, with regular feedback cycles to streamline the process. Framer’s user-friendly interface and React integration facilitated a smooth development process. By avoiding backend modifications, we were able to save considerable time.
Throughout the project, we conducted ongoing UX tests. Post-launch, we surveyed new customers to validate our approach and identify any areas for improvement.
Addressing the Risks
The project carried significant risks, primarily due to the tight timeline and the scope of the migration. Opul was facing a missed deadline before the project began. We acknowledged these challenges upfront and developed a strategic approach to mitigate risks while pushing for timely delivery.
The Outcome
Our focused efforts paid off. We successfully launched the new site on schedule, meeting Opul’s critical deadline. The internal team was pleased with the results, and more importantly, user feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Users reported faster load times and improved content accessibility, thanks to the streamlined design.
Key performance indicators showed notable improvements:
- New customer conversion rates to demos increased by 50% compared to projections
- Existing customer conversion to scheduled demos exceeded expectations by 14%
- We achieved a 93% migration rate of existing customers to the new platform
- Cross-selling capabilities improved, with 70% of customers ordering additional products
A significant achievement was the enhanced mobile experience. With over half of Opul’s traffic coming from mobile devices, the new responsive design markedly improved user satisfaction.
Key Insights
The project yielded several valuable insights:
- Strategic risk-taking can be necessary to meet critical deadlines
- Modern development tools like Framer can significantly streamline the development process
- Effective team collaboration is crucial for project success
- Prioritizing user experience yields tangible benefits in user satisfaction
- Comprehensive knowledge transfer is essential for long-term site management
Conclusion
In the span of two months, we successfully transformed Opul’s digital presence. The new site not only met the deadline but also provided a faster, more user-friendly experience that the internal team could manage independently. This project demonstrated that with proper planning and execution, even challenging website migrations can lead to significant improvements in digital performance and user satisfaction.