ATHENS ROAD RUNNERS

PROJECT:

WEBSITE, MEMBER-ONLY NEWSLETTER, AND DISCORD CHANNEL

ROLE:

UX DESIGNER

TOOLS:

SQUARESPACE, MAILCHIMP, PHOTOSHOP, AND DISCORD

TIMEFRAME:

AUGUST 2021 - OCTOBER 2024

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The mission of the Athens Road Runners is “to inspire and engage individuals to achieve health, fitness, and training goals through the sport of running.” While the original website was used to share information on community runs, the redesign allowed us to ask:

How can a website inspire someone to join a run club?

Using member surveys and market research, I redesigned the Athens Road Runners website and newsletter to give users a more tailored experience. The result was a year-over-year increase in membership enrollment and monthly growth in online engagement.

DEVELOPMENT

My first step in the redesign process was to research aspirational track clubs. I chose various geographic areas with a broad range of populations to understand how community-running groups serve their specific locations. From the research, several themes made a website stand out:

  • Use of unique branding

  • A clear statement of group purpose

  • Recent images and information

A screenshot of the spreadsheet used for collecting data on various run clubs.

PROBLEM SPACE

ONE SITE, TWO AUDIENCES

Throughout the process and through a survey, it was clear that two different audiences used the ARR website. Active members used the site to find information on yearly events and check the group run schedule. These users didn’t need to stay long on the site and could also ask other runners for supplemental information. A different audience, new users, experienced our website differently. These users had to learn several critical pieces of information quickly. I made a few design changes to alter the functionality of the site, specifically:

  • List group runs on the home page right under the hero image. This change allowed new and returning users to identify the schedule quickly.

  • Add a “New Here?” banner to the top of the site. This banner invites new runners to access a page dedicated to information on running in Athens.

  • Upload a variety of current photos, logos, and digital media. The inclusion of this content showed that the ARR community is a growing organization.

BRANDING

From the perspective of a user, it was important that the new website offer a more appealing experience while highlighting some key features of membership. Before addressing any feature changes to the website, I first revisited the ARR brand, which at the time consisted of one red, one yellow, and white color options. To help diversify the visuals across the website and use color as a tool for capturing attention, I expanded the branding to five colors.

After finalizing a color and font guide, I reviewed prior emails and direct messages across our platforms to better understand runners' questions when viewing our website. One consistent theme was learning what being a “member” means and why we charge a yearly fee. Because much of our traffic comes from mobile use, this information must be displayed concisely on the homepage. Using a drop-down menu and making this information the first section on the new homepage, we were able to provide many users with an appeal early in their site visit.

RESULTS

CONTINUED VISITOR GROWTH
Since the launch of the new website, monthly visitors grew month-over-month through most of 2024. Email and social traffic made up just 10% of this traffic - meaning a large amount of visitors came from outside of membership forums. Nearly 75% of all traffic are new visitors.

USERS NAVIGATE SITE BY GOALS
Through research, it was clear that the website provided a platform beyond times and places for group runs. The “Top Pageviews” graph highlights how the new design provides various information for members and newcomers alike.

NEW USER ENGAGEMENT ACTIONS
In the “Form Details” breakdown, you can see just a few of the areas of engagement growth. Users, who are new to running or new to the area, are using the form in “Resources” to connect with a board member and better prepare for their first run with the group.