Case Study
TechCrunch
Building a smarter news experience
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techcrunch.comThe leading website for startup and investment news hadn’t been updated since 2013. User behavior had evolved. So TechCrunch tapped Work & Co to lead a website overhaul.
We delivered a completely new design framework that modernized the reading experience, drove engagement, and increased revenue.
To make sure the redesign was embraced by the site’s 15 million unique monthly readers, we focused on a cross-section of entrepreneurs, developers, venture capitalists, and other tech industry professionals who tend to read TechCrunch on their mobile devices. Optimized for recirculation and simple scanning, the new site lets readers jump in and out of articles without ever leaving the homepage.
What We Did
- Site redesign
- Art direction, product photography, digital rebranding
- User testing
- Technical planning
“It was a highly collaborative process. They took the time to become well-versed in the intricacies of our business, and instead of big reveals at set milestones, we were in constant communication throughout the process. That enabled us to experiment with a wide variety of ideas and to incorporate findings quickly.”
Outcomes
“An experience that aligns perfectly with what we cover as well as how we cover it.”
3 Big Takeaways
New & now content models
Focus on Fresh Content
Most other news sites use a right rail to push stale, irrelevant articles on readers. We prioritize breaking news to emphasize current stories in the feed.
Designed for Mobile
With so many readers consuming content on mobile, we kept the design minimal to optimize for viewing across all channels. We included vertical navigation on the left instead of the typical horizontal navigation seen on most other news sites. Extensive testing validated our approach.
A Flexible System
Each news day is different. Our design system can adjust for breaking or developing stories that have multiple updates.
Invisible recirculation mechanics
Content Flow
Traditional news sites use related-article modules or hyperlinks. Instead of making users choose what to read next, we let them scroll seamlessly into the next relevant article.
Progress Indicator
While scrolling through an article, a simple indicator icon tracks progress. At the end, the article auto-closes and gets marked as “read,” placing the user right back in the main news feed.
Designing for monetization
Integrated Advertising
The new site pairs a clean, simple design with a variety of advertising formats that fit naturally within a scannable reading experience. The formats all support key metrics and viewability, so TechCrunch can reach revenue goals without compromising their core product.
Events
Our design emphasizes TechCrunch’s growing calendar of popular live industry events. It’s another way the company can meaningfully connect with its audience.
For More Information
Interested in learning more about TechCrunch or any other projects? Reach out to newbiz@work.co.