Challenges
Scroll supplied a content designer to support the digital team in improving the user journeys for a key section of membership content, focusing on continuing professional development (CPD). The Institution had just relaunched the website, and the digital team were wanting to further improve the user journeys to some of the more detailed guidance as well as migrate content from PDFs into HTML pages.
In the membership area of the site, the structure needed simplifying and some of the information architecture required improvement. For example, some guidance was overly formal and used complicated jargon. In other places, there was duplicated guidance.
The Institution wanted to strike a better chord with its target audience, which included potential members from around the globe, and explain complicated processes and eligibility criteria with more clarity.
Scroll also needed to apply the new style guide to the content, and to persuade stakeholders to stop using internal language that was not meaningful to users.
The solution
Scroll’s starting point was to understand the audiences and identify user needs. This meant liaising closely with internal membership marketing professionals, busy heads of service and subject matter experts.
We worked with subject matter experts to check and challenge every single item of content in the sub-section. This process helped us see where we could implement a more rational information architecture, simplify the navigation and deliver a more intuitive flow of information.
We were then able to craft content based on a thorough understanding of the organisation’s audiences, processes and functions. All the copy was structured for target audiences, and written to meet the requirements of the style guide, the IMechE tone of voice and search engine optimisation.
We discussed each page in detail with a subject matter expert to make sure the content was accurate and up to date. Everything went through a stringent approval process. The Scroll content designer managed the scheduling and workflow of this approval process.
Results
Online membership applications grew by 54% in the first 6 months after launch.
- By making it clearer and faster for users to find information and understand the various routes to membership, IMechE could maintain its reputation among target audiences
- New content is more accessible and able to reach untapped audiences and potential members
- The new structure and content helped to create a more consistent, coherent user experience
The new site went live in January 2016. By the end of June 2016, IMechE’s online membership applications had reached 77% of the total number of applications it had received in 2015, despite only being half way through the year. Scroll’s work played a role in the achievement of this great result.
What the client says
Scroll’s content designer was able to work with stakeholders without a ripple to turn complex, offline-guidance and technical information into user-friendly easy-to-understand webpages. Scroll was also able to improve the structure and user journeys of business-critical content to improve users’ satisfaction levels and conversions.
Jean Sims, Content Marketing Editor, Institution of Mechanical Engineers
About the client
IMechE is a membership organisation with over 113,000 members in 140 countries worldwide. It has a variety of aims, including campaigning to influence government policy, inspiring the next generation of engineers and developing professional engineers. Target audiences range from students to qualified engineers.
