‘Madrid es Diferente’
Problem: New International Recruits (i.e. TEFL teachers from the US & Canada) felt disconnected from each other and were looking for a way to share classroom anecdotes, things to do, places to eat, cultural events, and travel experiences.
Solution: In addition to creating a Facebook group, I acted as editor-in-chief to redesign the current newsletter, collect and edit articles from the International Recruits, and write an article or two for the monthly publication.
Result: Published 4 newsletters involving 9 unique contributors excluding myself with articles including the Easter celebrations in Spain, the best American-style cupcakes in Madrid, and Hot Yoga.
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Two Bad Tourists
Problem: The original email newsletter for this travel blog provided a lot of information, but lacked a focus, organization, and optimization. For instance, part of the content was clipped meaning that the newsletter was too long for all of it to be viewed within most email clients. It also lacked clear call to action (CTA) buttons and the design was crowded, inconsistent, and without organization and efficient use of space.
Solution: In order to increase subscribers, overall appearance, and conversions, I reformatted the newsletter with a simple and streamlined single-column layout and larger photos. Implementing large CTA buttons adds a clear focus for readers’ attention and improves ease of use on mobile devices. By including a “forward to a friend” link in the header and colorful share buttons in the footer, readers are encouraged to spread the word. Behind the scenes, adding alt text and hyperlinks to photos and A/B testing the email subject line provide additional optimization.
Result: The new design has been in use since May 2015 and has been a key communications channel for Two Bad Tourists. After executing several online contests and give-aways that have increased the overall subscriber base, the optimized newsletter has increased readership and the click-through rate to the blog as well as promotes affiliate partnerships and the latest travel adventures.
