Creating a truly mobile, multilingual UX experience for popular summer camp.
Camp Echo is a YMCA overnight camp in Fremont, MI, that caters to a camper base of over 4,000 each summer. They provide camp experiences for people of all ages across the country and hire summer staff from around the world. The camp has been running for more than 100 years and is one of the oldest YMCA camps in the U.S.
The camp’s old website, created in 2010, needed a mobile-first refresh to attract more campers and seasonal staff, convert first-time visitors into customers, and provide crucial information to registered campers. Our goal for the project was to start from the ground up. I set the project’s goals and scope and analyzed websites of other YMCA camps to come up with a structure that would show Camp Echo’s competitive edge while fitting in with other camp experiences. The website design had to capture the nostalgia and love for camp and encourage users to sign up for camp sessions during the limited enrollment periods each year.
I collaborated with the camp team to determine user needs and developed the UX/UI strategy and webpage designs in line with YMCA brand standards and site templates. I engaged an external web development firm to establish a timeline and create custom page templates in the WordPress CMS, based on my design prototypes. Additionally, I oversaw content planning, site structure, and the creation of original content.
Deliverables:
- Project Management
- Stakeholder Engagement
- UX and UI Strategy & Design
- Creative Direction
- Site Content
- SEO/Conversion Tool Strategy
- Website Development & Management
- Communications Strategy
Results:
The new website launch exceeded expectations for all surveyed audiences, increasing visits and purchases on the Camp Echo website across all user groups. The site is mobile-first, providing users with a functional, accessible, and translatable experience in 32 languages to better connect with potential staff worldwide. Pop-up banners and floating bars were added to the site to help better capture conversions during enrollment periods. The website design is brand compliant, responsive, and provides improved ADA functionality.
Year-over-year data shows a significant increase in both user traffic and conversions following the site’s launch in October 2022, tripling visits and increasing total users by 64%.
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Sample pages:
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