Next Step Home Buyer

Client Overview

NextStepHomeBuyers is a property investment company operating in the US market. They rely heavily on Google Ads to generate leads and acquire properties. However, their existing WordPress website, built with Divi, had outdated design aesthetics and poor performance, leading to high bounce rates and low conversion rates—a critical issue affecting their marketing ROI.

The Challenge

Despite investing in paid advertising, the client’s website had two major problems:

1. Poor Performance & Mobile Optimization:
   • Google Ads mobile score: 3/10
   • Lighthouse audit results:
     • Mobile performance score: 30-50
     • Desktop performance score: 60-70
   • Slow load times and poor user experience resulted in high bounce rates and wasted ad spend.
2. Outdated, Non-Minimalist Design:
   • The website lacked a modern, streamlined design that aligns with user expectations.
   • The UI was cluttered, making lead conversion more complicated than necessary.

The Solution

I implemented a comprehensive redesign and development strategy, focusing on modern aesthetics, intuitive user flow, and performance optimization to enhance conversions and ad effectiveness.

1. Modern UI/UX Redesign with Art Direction

• Conducted research and inspiration gathering using Figma to craft a sleek, minimalist, and conversion-driven design.
• Developed a modern visual identity with a clean layout and optimized spacing.
• Created an intuitive lead-generation flow, allowing users to start with a single input field (Google API auto-completion for address entry) before completing the rest of the form, reducing friction and increasing conversion rates.
• Introduced a calm, friendly, and trustworthy color palette to enhance user confidence and engagement.
• Incorporated consistent typography and visual hierarchy, ensuring a seamless, professional look.

2. Custom WordPress Development for Peak Performance

• Rebuilt the website from scratch using HTML, CSS, PHP, and JavaScript, removing unnecessary plugins to maximize speed and reliability.
• Developed a custom lightweight WordPress theme, ensuring fast load times and better flexibility.
• Ensured full mobile responsiveness, providing a seamless experience across all devices.

3. Performance Optimization & Google Ads Enhancements

• Significantly improved website speed, achieving:
  • 98/100 on mobile (up from 30-50)
  • 100/100 on desktop (up from 60-70)
• Increased Google Ads mobile score to 9/10, ensuring better ad placement and lower cost-per-click.
• Reduced cost per lead by 20%, directly improving marketing ROI.
• Decreased bounce rate, leading to higher engagement and more conversions.
• Integrated the form submission system with a CRM to streamline lead management.
• Activated Enhanced Conversions in Google Ads for more accurate tracking and attribution.

The Impact

The transformation of NextStepHomeBuyers’ website delivered tangible business results:

• A modern, visually appealing design that aligns with current web trends.
• Faster load times led to better ad performance and lower bounce rates.
• A more intuitive lead-generation flow increased form submissions and conversions.
• Enhanced ad tracking and CRM integration improved marketing efficiency and lead follow-up processes.

Before & After Performance Comparison

Metric	Before	After
Mobile Lighthouse Score	30-50	98
Desktop Lighthouse Score	60-70	100
Google Ads Mobile Score	3/10	9/10
Cost Per Lead	Higher	-20%
Conversion Rate	Lower	Higher
Bounce Rate	High	Lower

Conclusion

By integrating modern aesthetics, optimized performance, and conversion-focused design, I transformed NextStepHomeBuyers’ website into a high-converting, ad-optimized platform. This case study demonstrates the power of strategic UI/UX improvements and technical optimizations in driving business growth and maximizing advertising investments.

If you’re looking to enhance your website’s design, speed, and conversion rates, let’s discuss how I can help your business achieve similar results.