Case Study
ChasingBetter247
Project Overview
Background
ChasingBetter247 (CB247) began as a small CrossFit gym in Cockburn and has since grown into a thriving fitness community with two locations in Malaga and Ellenbrook. As the gym expanded post-COVID, offering top-tier equipment, diverse classes, and a family-friendly atmosphere, it became evident that the existing website was not aligned with the company’s growth and brand vision. The outdated site suffered from slow load times, poor functionality, and limited flexibility for updates, creating friction for both members and the business.
Project Overview
The primary goal of the project was to redesign and rebuild the ChasingBetter247 website, focusing on enhancing the user interface (UI), improving site speed, and optimising the site for search engines (SEO).
The new website needed to reflect the gym’s commitment to innovation and family-friendly approachability while incorporating valuable functionalities for members, such as class timetables and streamlined form submissions. Additionally, it was crucial to ensure that the site was fully responsive, particularly on mobile devices, to cater to the needs of the gym’s diverse and tech-savvy audience.
My Role
UI/UX Designer (Research, Interaction Design, Visual).
Graphic Design (Website assets).
SEO Maintenance (Working with a SEO specialist, Performance Optimisation).
Empathize
To create a website that effectively serves both potential new customers and recurring members, it was essential to first gain an understanding of their goals, needs, motivations, and the common frustrations associated with selecting a gym —particularly in the context of group fitness.
Research
I conducted a focused research phase aimed at gathering valuable insights to inform the redesign. My approach included interviewing staff and gym members, as well as distributing surveys to capture their experiences with both the website and the gym itself. By integrating UI/UX and Customer Experience research methods, I was able to identify key insights and patterns to craft the most effective digital experience.
Additionally, I analyzed the websites and offerings of local competitors to uncover potential advantages that could help ChasingBetter247’s website stand out in a competitive market.
To build a distinctive and effective site for ChasingBetter247, I conducted an in-depth analysis of local and online fitness competitors. The aim was to pinpoint both the strengths and weaknesses in their digital presence to help ChasingBetter247’s site stand out and better serve its community.
Through this research, we identified several essential features that elevate user experience, including interactive class schedules, seamless membership sign-up processes, and community engagement tools—all of which became focal points in our redesign. Many competitor sites were mobile-friendly, visually appealing, and designed to streamline membership processes. By incorporating these insights, we aimed to position ChasingBetter247’s site as a top choice in terms of both functionality and accessibility.
Because our customer journey often begins on the website, where potential members sign up and seek relevant information, it was crucial to make the sign-up process and essential details highly accessible and intuitive. This approach not only supports new sign-ups but also enhances the experience for returning members, ultimately reflecting CB247’s commitment to convenience and community.
Competitor Analysis
I created a board, listing the strengths, weaknesses of each local competitor's websites and applied my findings to best fit our own website design.
SEO, GTM, and Tracking Considerations
To ensure the new ChasingBetter247 website was fully optimized for visibility and data-driven improvements, I collaborated closely with an SEO and Google Ads expert. Together, we established a robust SEO strategy focused on targeted keywords relevant to our audience and optimized the site structure to enhance search engine ranking.
For tracking and analytics, we implemented Google Tag Manager (GTM) to streamline and manage all tracking tags in one place. This setup enabled us to efficiently track key user actions, such as form submissions and membership sign-ups, while maintaining site speed and performance. Additionally, we installed Microsoft Clarity to gather detailed insights into user behavior, including heatmaps and session recordings, which allow us to monitor engagement and identify areas for ongoing improvement.
This combination of SEO optimization and advanced tracking tools equips the site to drive traffic, retain users, and adapt based on real-time data, aligning with ChasingBetter247’s growth goals and commitment to delivering an exceptional digital experience.
Old Site
Core Web Vitals Assessment: Failed
Platform: Built on WordPress
Challenges: The site relied heavily on multiple plugins, many of which required separate subscriptions and presented compatibility issues. Frequent conflicts, particularly with Elementor, caused significant slowdowns and hampered site functionality. This dependency on third-party plugins not only affected load times but also made routine edits cumbersome and inefficient.
Performance Issues: Slow load times and poor mobile optimisation resulted in a subpar user experience, negatively impacting both engagement and SEO. The overall rigidity of the site structure made updates and customisation challenging for the team, often requiring technical support for changes that should have been routine.
Core Web Vitals Assessment: Passed
Platform: Designed in Figma, built on Webflow
Improvements: The move to Webflow enabled a streamlined and stable build that is plugin-free, which eliminated compatibility issues and made the site both faster and more reliable. The Webflow platform allows team members to make quick, on-the-go edits directly from the front end without requiring coding knowledge. This has improved workflow efficiency, allowing the team to keep content current with ease.
Performance Benefits: The site now boasts consistent load times, seamless mobile responsiveness, and a cleaner, more intuitive interface. Optimising images, minimising code, and reducing dependency on external elements have improved load speeds and Core Web Vitals scores, which contributes positively to SEO.
User Experience: The new site’s design was built with mobile-first responsiveness in mind, ensuring a smooth, high-quality experience across all devices. The improved structure, responsiveness, and speed align with ChasingBetter247’s commitment to quality and user accessibility.
By transitioning to a modern platform like Webflow, we created a faster, more flexible, and user-friendly site that better serves ChasingBetter247’s growing community and brand vision.
Launch & Future Direction
The launch of the new ChasingBetter247 website was smooth and met with positive feedback from both staff and members, who noted the significant improvements in speed, ease of navigation, and mobile functionality. Since going live, the site has performed reliably, with Core Web Vitals metrics showing marked improvements, underscoring the success of the redesign in enhancing user experience and supporting SEO goals.
Moving forward, I plan to continue adding relevant content and features that will support users at each stage of their fitness journey. This will include resources like FAQs, workout guides, and updates on class schedules and events. Additionally, as user feedback and data from tracking tools like Microsoft Clarity and Google Analytics reveal further insights, I’ll identify and implement enhancements to further refine the site experience.
By keeping the website dynamic and closely aligned with user needs, ChasingBetter247 can continue to grow its community, helping both new and returning members easily access the resources they need to stay engaged. The site’s modular build also allows for future scalability, ensuring it can evolve seamlessly alongside ChasingBetter247’s brand and community goals.
Visit: chasingbetter247.com.au