The Challenge

Following the product launch, I was responsible for identifying opportunities to enhance the conversion rate for users setting their first ad live. In collaboration with a project manager and user researcher, the initial phase involved gathering data through Indicative and conducting user interviews with our beta participants. Our focus was to pinpoint the stages where users were encountering obstacles in the process of launching their first ad.

My responsibilities:
- Conduct user interviews
- Run user flow reports in Indicative
- Product design
- User testing

Identifying Opportunities with User Interviews

Our primary user base for Tailwind Ads consists of "very small business owners"—solopreneurs who manage all aspects of their business. These individuals typically have limited experience building an online presence, either through organic strategies or paid marketing channels.

After conducting interviews, analyzing data, and consulting with the team, three key opportunities emerged:
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Problem 1
Users lacked confidence or general knowledge on how to run an ad campaign.

By asking users their overall marketing strategy, a leading majority did not know where to start, had little prior experience, or have never ran a paid ad campaign before.

Takeaways:
- Provide clear requirements for running an ad campaign
- Communicate what is / has happened every step of the way

Problem 2
Users wanted ads tailored specific to their business.

Ad campaigns are only valuable to users if they effectively promote their business and reach the right audience.
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Takeaways:
- The ad content we generate is accurate to the user's business
- Ads should be easy to edit before setting live

Problem 3
Beta users hesitated starting an ad campaign due to confusion on how they'd be charged.

Feedback received during user calls indicated charges were confusing to decipher. What charges would come from Tailwind and what charges would come from Facebook?
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Takeaways:
- Provide further and more direct communication on charges

Improvements

Looking at Indicative reports, and taking in existing feedback allowed the team to prioritize product features that mattered the most.

These improvements included:

- Communication devices to inform users about what to do before, during, and after completing the onboarding process.
- Provide users the appropriate controls when reviewing the ads we've created for them.
- Rework the Service Feed modal to be clear and concise.

Reworking the Service Fee Modal

The last step before setting an ad live is to approve service fees. During continuous discovery calls ample amounts of feedback came up during this step including questions and confusion around the modal.

How much will I be charged? What if I change my mind? What's my budget? What can I expect afterward?

By introducing a better visual hierarchy, calling attention to certain elements, and subduing others, users are quickly able to identify the core aspects of their ad summary before being set live.

Thinking Beyond

There are plenty more incremental improvements to make to the product. More notably, in my opinion, is expanding the reach of Tailwind ads to other sections of the app to capture a larger percentage of the user base, increase engagement, and ultimately conversion rate.

What I Learned

Collaboration is essential at every stage of the process
I value every opinion, point of feedback, and insight when working on a project. Regardless of team or department, fostering an environment where open questions are encouraged and discussions are collaborative allows for a clearer understanding of the problem space. This ultimately leads to a more thoughtfully developed product in the long run.

Strong research leads to great designs
Interfacing directly with our customers was invaluable throughout the series of improvements. Our customers were thrilled to know that someone was genuinely interested in listening to their needs, which enabled me to design solutions that were closely aligned with their goals. Every design iteration was shaped by customer feedback, ensuring that each update addressed their specific needs and preferences. This input played a crucial role in guiding the team's decisions and experiments leading up to the release of the improvements.