Webbed
Design Startup UX Design Graphic Design
Webbed is a startup that I co-founded, specializing in crafting websites for local businesses that prioritize UX design to enhance online presence and drive growth.
My Role
Growing up in Grapevine, Texas, where small businesses were prevalent in my family, I experienced firsthand the struggles of starting and maintaining a business. My expertise in UI/UX design and my co-founder's coding skills enabled us to create Webbed, aiming to make it easier for local businesses to attract and retain customers by building an online presence through tailored websites. As a result, we've expanded our reach to Austin and Dallas, Texas.
Many local business owners in the Grapevine area, predominantly immigrants, lack knowledge about utilizing social media or website platforms to establish an online presence and promote their businesses. Without access to these platforms, they have limited means of staying connected with customers and informing them about daily updates or events.
Research and Insights
Our primary research focused on exploring strategies for building businesses in today's digital landscape. We discovered that establishing a presence on social media platforms and creating websites significantly impacted businesses.
Through interviews with several local business owners, we discovered a reluctance on their part to develop their own website or social media presence, primarily due to confusion with technology and a shortage of time. The two main obstacles hindering their efforts were the need for a mediator who could grasp both the business's and its customers' needs and create a platform tailored to those requirements.
Problem
26% of business owners say that they don’t have the money to build a website.
26% say that they don’t have anyone to manage the website.
24% say they don’t know how to create a website.
We used what was easiest to gauge the interest of each business — Google Forms. After having a one-on-one discussion, we would send out a form and ask business owners to fill out to describe the functions of their business as well as its needs. Along with this, we asked for client contacts so that we could start to understand their needs as well. Using feedback from the clients, we would create a unique website that would fit the brand of the business and meet the needs of the client.
Google Forms
Iterations
While Google Forms served as a useful tool for gathering information, it lacked effectiveness in promoting our own business. Consequently, we opted to develop our own website, providing business owners with easy access to essential details such as our identity, pricing, contact information, and a direct link to a Google Form for submitting their business information. This iteration proved highly effective, enabling us to efficiently manage consultations and engage in personalized interactions with each business, ensuring that their website was tailored to their unique needs and those of their clients.
We also decided to add a marketing element to the project and create graphics that would help users associate a duck with our business.
During the months of iterating our business model to ensure affordability and functionality for business owners, we observed significant increases in website traffic across various businesses. Additionally, business owners noted that their customers were more satisfied with the layout of information on websites compared to traditional, in-person methods.
Throughout this journey, I gained a profound appreciation for the significance of individuality. Recognizing that each business possesses a unique brand and purpose, I understood that their websites needed to reflect this distinctiveness. Moreover, I realized the diverse needs of clients beyond basic services, necessitating accommodations for convenience on the website to facilitate continued revenue generation and customer attraction in the long run. Looking back, I would emphasize increasing the number of interviews to understand the businesses’ needs over time.
This experience shaped my growth as a UX designer, emphasizing the importance of human-centered design principles and their impact on both online traffic and in-person interactions.