2023
Designing a versatile site that engages multiple audiences.
Steel City FC emerged from the merger of two clubs in 2021, and their website initially reflected the chaos of that merger—a cluttered, confusing set of pages that, while necessary for seizing early momentum, failed to enhance the user experience. As the club sought to solidify its presence and build on its initial success, the challenge was to transform this disjointed site into a cohesive, versatile resource.
With my deep involvement in soccer as a coach, player, and fan, I was uniquely positioned to understand and address the diverse needs of the club’s audiences. This insight guided me in creating a website that not only supported lead generation, ticket sales, and player recruitment but also streamlined navigation to ensure a seamless and engaging user experience for all visitors.
Copy
Web
Design
Brand
Strategy
When Steel City FC burst onto Pittsburgh’s soccer scene in 2021, it was clear they were taking bold steps to establish themselves. The initial website, while functional, mirrored the club's growing pains—an overcomplicated maze that made it tough for users to find what they needed.
Given Steel City FC's unique position as one of the few local clubs offering teams for both youth and adults, the website needed to serve a diverse range of needs. It had to handle lead generation, ticket sales, player recruitment, and more—far beyond what a typical youth club site requires.
To address these challenges, I embarked on a collaborative journey with the club’s leadership. We started by mapping out a user journey that prioritized clarity and ease of navigation. My goal was to guide each visitor smoothly from the homepage to their destination—whether they were looking for information about youth programs, adult tryouts, or fan ticketing.
For youth players and their families, the site needed to highlight the club's development philosophy and program details. Adult players required straightforward access to tryout information, while fans needed quick links to purchase tickets and shop for merchandise. I drew inspiration from the sleek, professional websites of major soccer clubs, aiming to elevate Steel City FC’s online presence to a similar standard.
With a clear strategy in place, I turned my attention to the design. Consistency was key, so I ensured that every section of the site, regardless of its target audience, had a cohesive look and feel. This meant using consistent hero designs, layouts, and call-to-action buttons, so users would always recognize they were in Steel City FC’s digital space.
To enhance navigation, I chose a side menu design. This allowed for a more expansive menu compared to a traditional horizontal one and kept the navigation visible at all times. This design choice helped users easily explore the site while maintaining a strong brand presence.
Attention to detail was another focus. I ensured that small elements, such as article titles and social media share images, were consistently styled. This attention to detail created the impression of a well-resourced marketing team behind the scenes. Additionally, I utilized global elements throughout the site to streamline future updates, making it as painless as possible for the club to maintain consistency over time.
In true “build the plane while we fly it” fashion, we launched the redesigned site in phases. The results were gratifying. In its first full year, the site achieved a 56% engagement rate, with an 80% increase in both pageviews and new users. The redesigned website not only met but exceeded expectations, reflecting the club’s growth and potential.
When Steel City FC burst onto Pittsburgh’s soccer scene in 2021, it was clear they were taking bold steps to establish themselves. The initial website, while functional, mirrored the club's growing pains—an overcomplicated maze that made it tough for users to find what they needed.
Given Steel City FC's unique position as one of the few local clubs offering teams for both youth and adults, the website needed to serve a diverse range of needs. It had to handle lead generation, ticket sales, player recruitment, and more—far beyond what a typical youth club site requires.
To address these challenges, I embarked on a collaborative journey with the club’s leadership. We started by mapping out a user journey that prioritized clarity and ease of navigation. My goal was to guide each visitor smoothly from the homepage to their destination—whether they were looking for information about youth programs, adult tryouts, or fan ticketing.
For youth players and their families, the site needed to highlight the club's development philosophy and program details. Adult players required straightforward access to tryout information, while fans needed quick links to purchase tickets and shop for merchandise. I drew inspiration from the sleek, professional websites of major soccer clubs, aiming to elevate Steel City FC’s online presence to a similar standard.
With a clear strategy in place, I turned my attention to the design. Consistency was key, so I ensured that every section of the site, regardless of its target audience, had a cohesive look and feel. This meant using consistent hero designs, layouts, and call-to-action buttons, so users would always recognize they were in Steel City FC’s digital space.
To enhance navigation, I chose a side menu design. This allowed for a more expansive menu compared to a traditional horizontal one and kept the navigation visible at all times. This design choice helped users easily explore the site while maintaining a strong brand presence.
Attention to detail was another focus. I ensured that small elements, such as article titles and social media share images, were consistently styled. This attention to detail created the impression of a well-resourced marketing team behind the scenes. Additionally, I utilized global elements throughout the site to streamline future updates, making it as painless as possible for the club to maintain consistency over time.
In true “build the plane while we fly it” fashion, we launched the redesigned site in phases. The results were gratifying. In its first full year, the site achieved a 56% engagement rate, with an 80% increase in both pageviews and new users. The redesigned website not only met but exceeded expectations, reflecting the club’s growth and potential.