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Wonder Media Network

INTRODUCTION

  • Year

    2024

  • Industry

    Entertainment, Professional Services

  • Awards

    Web Excellence Award

  • VIEW LIVE SITE

Redefining Media Excellence

Wonder Media Network (WMN), a women-owned and operated podcast production studio based in NYC, has grown exponentially since its inception six years ago. Originally focused on amplifying underrepresented voices through mission-driven storytelling, WMN has since evolved into a full-service creative agency specializing in audio. While they continue to produce original content, increasingly, these originals are sold to larger distributors. To reflect this strategic pivot, WMN sought to redesign their website to better represent their dual identity as both a mission-driven media company and a formidable production house powered by a talented team of over 20 brilliant young women.

Navigating Strategic Repositioning + Industry Challenges

The previous website no longer reflected WMN’s expanded capabilities or their strategic shift towards B2B services. The site needed to communicate their evolution from a brand studio to a comprehensive creative agency, emphasizing the unique blend of creativity, technical skill, and passion that defines their team. Beyond this, the website had to place the soul of the company—the people—at its heart, showcasing the incredible talent that drives their success. The challenge was clear: design a website that not only reflects WMN’s repositioned brand but also stands out in an industry where many competitors rely on templates and third-party audio players, offering little differentiation or impact.

Laying the Groundwork: Discovery + Strategic Planning

Our process began with extensive stakeholder interviews with WMN’s partners and select team members. These interviews were critical in understanding the content, UX, design, accessibility (AX), and functional requirements for the new website. We conducted a competitive analysis, which revealed that WMN was positioned in a sea of sameness—most competitor websites lacked originality, relying heavily on templates and offering limited functionality. This presented a unique opportunity to create an industry-defining website that truly reflected WMN’s pioneering spirit.

Further analytics and technical discovery, along with keyword research, highlighted opportunities to enhance user experience, improve site performance, and increase visibility across search engines. Armed with these insights, we set out to create a website that would not only meet WMN’s current needs but also position them for future growth.

Crafting the Experience: Design + Development Process

To ensure the website accurately reflected WMN’s brand and vision, we closely collaborated with their team throughout the design and development process. We decided to let WMN’s stellar team of writers tackle the website’s written content, which was crafted with careful consideration for the brand’s voice and messaging. Our team worked hand-in-hand with them during the information architecture (IA) and wireframing phases to ensure that the content was not only engaging but also well-organized and easy to navigate.

Annotated wireframes were created in Figma and tested internally to ensure usability and clarity. Meanwhile, our designers focused on developing creative concepts that would set the tone for the website. Rather than presenting traditional wireframes, we chose to present three distinct homepage concepts, each featuring fully fleshed-out animations and key interactions. This approach allowed us to showcase the potential of the website in a more immersive and impactful way.

Once the winning design concept was selected, we integrated it with the validated wireframes to develop key page designs. These were built into a working prototype, allowing the WMN team to walk through each page and experience the design as though it were live. This step was crucial in ensuring that the final design met all of WMN’s expectations and provided a seamless user experience.

DEVELOPMENT

Technical Innovations + Final Execution

A major focus of the project was rethinking how users engage with podcast audio on the website. Traditional podcast sites often rely on basic, third-party media players, which offer limited functionality and lack branding opportunities. We addressed this by developing a custom library of audio player modules for WMN. These modules are fully owned by WMN, allowing for a branded, immersive listening experience that enhances user engagement and storytelling.

The website’s design was further elevated by thoughtful, buttery-smooth animations that enhance the user experience without compromising accessibility, usability, or performance. The site is fully responsive, optimized for mobile users, and designed with audiophiles in mind, ensuring that every interaction feels intuitive and enjoyable.

Before launching, the website underwent thorough quality assurance (QA) testing to ensure it met all technical and functional requirements. This included rigorous testing for accessibility compliance, performance optimization, and user experience across different devices and browsers. Following QA, the site was handed over to WMN for client acceptance testing, where it passed with flying colors.

A gorgeous new site 🎨. So proud of our incomparable team: The genius art direction, creativity and diligence of Aria Goodman. The strategic might of Michele Dale and Jenny Kaplan. The tireless work from Madeline Goore and Emily Rudder. And our wonderful partners Takt.

Shira Atkins, CoFounder + CRO @ Wonder Media Network

RESULTS

A Digital Benchmark: The Final Results + Impact

The final product is a visually stunning, industry-defining website that captures the essence of Wonder Media Network. It not only reflects their evolution into a full-service creative agency but also places the spotlight on the incredible women who drive their success. The site is lightning-fast, fully accessible, and offers a uniquely branded audio experience that sets WMN apart from its competitors.

We couldn’t be prouder of the results and are thrilled to have been part of WMN’s journey as they continue to break new ground in the world of podcast production and creative storytelling.

The website also won three separate Web Excellence Awards for the following categories: Entertainment, Media & News and Podcasts.

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