A streamlined storage experience that enhances usability, showcases brand personality, and drives conversions.
Website
Overview
In 2024, US Storage embarked on a rebranding initiative to position itself as a leader in the self-storage industry. Building on insights from a previous redesign and long-term analytics, the goal was to modernize the website, integrate the refreshed brand identity, and deliver a seamless, mobile-first experience that emphasized a "stress-free storage experience."
As the Lead UX Designer and Strategist, I developed the website’s strategy, created wireframes and templates, and collaborated closely with design and development teams to ensure the site balanced functionality with brand storytelling. The redesign aimed to attract new customers while retaining existing ones through a user-centric, streamlined experience.
Enhanced mobile usability with a seamless, responsive design for improved navigation and user experience.
Increased organic traffic through newly implemented city and state pages, capturing previously missed searches.
Boosted user satisfaction with streamlined rental functionality and modernized facility detail pages.
The US Storage website needed to reflect its new brand identity while addressing usability gaps and missed opportunities in search traffic. Key challenges included:
Outdated Visual Design: The site looked dated compared to competitors and didn’t align with the refreshed brand.
Missed Search Opportunities: City- and state-based searches were not being captured, leading to lost traffic.
Mobile Limitations: The site lacked a mobile-first approach to meet evolving user expectations.
Limited Brand Personality: Pages didn’t fully convey the company’s stress-free storage experience.
Map and Filters Issues: Users highlighted inefficiencies with the map and filters during testing.
To inform the redesign, we combined previous insights with new user testing and competitor analysis. Our findings revealed:
Competitor Analysis: Conducted user tests comparing US Storage and competitors to identify usability and design gaps.
User Testing: Observed participants searching for locations and renting units, noting areas of friction and opportunities for improvement.
Behavioral Analytics: Analyzed user flows and search data, identifying missed opportunities for city/state-based pages.
Cross-Industry Insights: Studied platforms like Zillow and Redfin for inspiration on optimizing search and filtering functionality.
The redesign focused on enhancing usability, modernizing the design, and aligning the site with US Storage’s rebranded identity. Major updates included:
Mobile-First Design: Implemented a fully responsive design with intuitive navigation, switchable list/map views, enhanced filtering options, and clear calls-to-action to ensure a seamless mobile experience across all pages.
Enhanced Search Experience: Simplified the "Find Storage" page with streamlined filters, meaningful city/state pages, and a focus on average pricing to reduce user confusion.
Facility Detail Page Enhancements: Enhanced facility pages with Google 3D Tours, detailed location information, and expandable unit listings that showcased dimensions, features, and pricing, enabling seamless reservations or rentals directly on the page.
Brand Integration: Combined storytelling elements like scrolling animations and the company motto with functional design to create a cohesive user experience.
Component-Driven Development: Created UX components with detailed annotations, forming the foundation for the design system and ensuring consistent implementation across the website.
The redesigned website delivered impactful results by addressing key usability and brand identity gaps:
Improved User Engagement: Enhanced search filters and interactive elements improved the user experience, particularly on mobile devices.
Captured SEO Value: New city and state pages increased search engine visibility, capturing untapped search traffic.
Streamlined Decision-Making: Simplified pricing and filtering options reduced user confusion, leading to higher satisfaction and conversions.
Positive Internal Feedback: The new website was well-received by US Storage leadership and staff, with significant praise during its internal launch presentation.
This project reinforced the importance of blending brand identity with user-centric design. Key takeaways include:
Leveraging Brand Identity: Successfully incorporating branding into functional pages enhances user trust and creates a cohesive experience.
Actionable User Testing: Observing users perform tasks on competitor sites provided valuable insights for functional improvements.
Cross-Industry Inspiration: Applying best practices from real estate and e-commerce sites optimized search and filtering functionality.