Context

When I joined The Seattle Public Library as a Content Strategist, the library system’s website had been running on the same design and backend architecture for over a decade. Over that time, the site experienced predictable information-architecture sprawl as library programs were added. The site’s content had been produced ad hoc by various teams, with little consistency and no oversight or governance plan.

The Problem

The result was a website limping along on outdated technology with sprawling content that was difficult to find or navigate. Despite the high daily traffic, thousands of pages were underused or stale. Messaging was inconsistent, and content submitted by librarians and program managers lacked a consistent tone and style. The site was not responsive and became unusable on mobile devices.

The library website was a heavily used site by library patrons, but many relied on bookmarks to find the resources they used regularly. Patrons complained that it was difficult to find information about programs and events, and they relied on email newsletters to find out about highlights. This left many library programs underused.

Voters approved improvements to the website as part of a tax levy renewal, and the position of Content Strategist was designated as a key role in this digital renewal.

What I did

The redesign project was approved as part of the 2012 Library Levy, and the project kicked off in 2016 after a rigorous RFP process to engage an external design agency. This large-scale, multi-year project ultimately launched in 2018.

As part of the team tasked with redesigning and updating the website, I started with a comprehensive content audit of more than 2,000 live, public-facing pages. Working with subject matter experts, I determined priorities for a content refresh, identified pages to archive, and determined the scope of work required for the site redesign.

Our design agency led user research across multiple phases, including surveys, card sorts, and Treejack studies with thousands of participants. I worked closely with the research team to shape the questions, interpret findings through a content lens, and translate insights into content decisions.

Before we could engage writers to update the content, the library needed guidelines for tone and style, and a glossary of terms to ensure consistency. Working with internal stakeholders and the City of Seattle’s existing guidelines, I developed a comprehensive style guide to inform all of the library’s patron-facing content. The style guide addressed readability, accessibility, inclusive language, deviations from AP style, and writing in compliance with the city’s Race and Social Justice initiative. I partnered with the library’s Communications team to plan and implement a systemic rollout and staff training across all 27 library locations.

Once the site structure was finalized, we had a significant amount of content that needed to be written, edited, or rewritten according to our new tone and style guidelines. I managed a team of three contract copywriters to deliver hundreds of pages of refreshed web copy within a few months, including content templates for calendar events, program descriptions, instructional content for using library resources, and legal documentation required for a public institution.

Outcomes

When the new website launched, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The site saw an immediate +5% uptick in traffic due to improved SEO, responsive design, and structured content, offering more residents easy access to valuable programs and services.

The library was able to sunset its outdated mobile app and saw a surge in mobile web traffic after the new site launched with easy access to the library’s catalog and digital resources.

According to the SPL 2019 Annual Levy Report, the library saw a steady increase in system-wide active users, reaching nearly 273,000 active digital and physical cardholders by the end of 2019—a 3.4% increase over 2018

Total system engagement grew to 17,223,417 combined visits, representing a 1% year-over-year increase.

Patron quotes:

• "I really like the new website! I think it is laid out well and it is easy to find the information that I was looking for and I learned some other ways to use the library as a resource that I hadn't realized before."

• "I think the new website is visually appealing and much easier to navigate. Thank you."

• "Wonderful!! So much information packed into the site and I can use my phone to browse."