Project Brief
RSPCA Australia, as the federation’s national body, is a leading source of animal welfare science, and works with governments and industries to progress animal welfare across a range of issues.
Research topics:
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Audience understanding: Better understanding of the user behaviors and preferences.
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Enhancing email user engagement: Understand what the audience is seeking in email communication and how to increase engagement.
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Subscriber growth: Explore strategies for expanding the subscriber base (including via RSPCA Australia’s owned channels) and maintaining high engagement.
Time Period
9 Weeks, May - Jul 2024
Responsibilities
Quantitive Research, Qualitative Research, User Flows, Prototype, Usability Testing.
Tools used
Figma, Canva, Zoom
UX Research Process
Stakeholder Interview
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We started by conducting a stakeholder interview.
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Reviewed the RSPCA project brief.
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Outlined the key goals and expectations for the project.
Research Planning
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Developed a detailed research plan.
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Wrote scripts for user interviews.
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Approached potential participants.
Research Methodology
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One-on-one interviews offered qualitative customer perspectives.
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Broad surveys enabled wider participation for numerical data.
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Usability testing found out the email layout and content issues.
Analysis
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Synthesised data, defined insights and found solutions.
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Created User Persona to define target audiences’ needs.
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Developed email template prototype.
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Conducted A/B test between original and new email version for mobile.
Quantitative Research -
Survey
A survey was conducted as part of this project, consisting of 28 questions and gathering a total of 70 responses. The feedback provided valuable insights into participants’ demographics, engagement with social causes, and communication preferences.
Qualitative Research -
User Interviews
Interviews were conducted online via Zoom, with each session lasting approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Participants were asked to answer questions and review the RSPCA website and newsletter emails using their mobile phones. All participants are pet owners.
User Interviews Participants
A total of five participants took part in the user interviews, all of whom are pet owners, aligning closely with RSPCA’s target audience.
User personas
Persona: Based on the survey and interview results, I created two personas to represent the different user types that might engage with RSPCA. Personas are fictional characters that help us better understand our target audience' needs, experiences, behaviors, goals and pain points..
Survey Participants
Our survey targeted animal lovers and pet owners as participants. A total of 70 individuals took part, with 74% identifying as female. The largest age group represented was 25-34 years old, aligning closely with RSPCA’s core target audience.
Insights and Solutions
Following the data collection, I synthesized the information to define key insights and develop solutions. I created user personas, built prototype for email template, and conducted A/B testing between the original and new email versions, particularly focusing on mobile optimization.
Insight 1: Email Overload and Relevance
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The survey results indicate that most participants don’t want to receive emails more than once a month.
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5 out of 5 interviewees recommended that they prefer to receive emails once a month for any updates or newsletters from the charity organization.
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4 out of 5 interviewees are more interested in receiving educational information on pet care.
Insight 2: Incentives for Engagement
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During my user interviews, 3 interviewees expressed a willingness to open RSPCA emails if they included tangible benefits, such as discounts on pet food. This suggests that offering exclusive discounts or promotions related to pet care could significantly increase email open rates and engagement.
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1 interviewee suggested that RSPCA could collaborate with local communities or pet-friendly cafés. She emphasized her own strong connection with her local community and believes this would be an effective way to boost subscriptions.
Solution for Incentives for Engagement
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Partnerships with Pet Food Companies: Establish partnerships with pet food brands to offer exclusive discounts or promotions that can be included in your emails.
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Exclusive Offers: Promote these discounts as exclusive benefits for RSPCA subscribers to increase the perceived value of opening and engaging with your emails.
Email content example:
Insight 3:Mobile Optimization
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The survey reveals that the majority of participants prefer using mobile devices to access their emails.
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All five interviewees suggested utilizing mobile devices for checking emails.
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In user interviews, I requested participants to evaluate the RSPCA website and emails on their mobile phones. They pointed out several areas for improvement, including a cluttered email layout, excessive text, small font sizes, and unappealing email titles.
Solution for Mobile Optimization
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Responsive Design: Ensure that all email templates are fully responsive and optimized for mobile devices. This includes using larger fonts, concise text, and easily clickable buttons.
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Simplified Layout: Use a simple and clean layout that loads quickly on mobile devices.
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Visual-Centric Design: Use attractive images paired with brief, clear messaging to convey information. Ensure that any text included is essential and easy to read, making the email more appealing to users who prefer visual content over lengthy text.
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Concise, Engaging Titles: Create succinct yet compelling subject lines that captivate subscribers, encouraging them to open the email. Employ straightforward and impactful language to engage the audience effectively.
Solution for Email Overload and Relevance
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Personalized Content: Segment the email list based on user interests and pet ownership (e.g., dog owners, cat owners). Send tailored content that focuses specifically on pet care tips, health advice, and related topics.
Email content example:
For the main content, I utilized a large image alongside a brief paragraph of text. I adjusted the font to a larger size, ensuring that the content is easy to read, while maintaining a simple and clean layout.
To subscribe to RSPCA newsletters via mobile, you have to scroll all the way down to the bottom of a lengthy page, which can be quite frustrating. I suggest adding a subscribe button in the top right corner for easier access. Alternatively, placing a subscribe button within the hamburger menu would also provide a simple solution for users to find it.
Initially, I revised the title, emphasise the main theme of this month's email. Additionally, I incorporated clickable buttons to enhance responsiveness.
Limitation
Sample Size
With only 70 survey responses and a limited number of interview participants, the sample may not be large enough to fully represent the broader population of RSPCA supporters and potential subscribers.
Limited Scope
The focus on reviewing the website and newsletter through mobile devices excludes how users may interact with RSPCA content on other platforms, such as desktops or tablets.
Self-Selection Bias
Participants were pet owners, which means the feedback might be skewed towards individuals already interested in pets, potentially limiting insights from non-pet owners who may still support RSPCA's broader mission.
Online Format
Conducting interviews via Zoom may have impacted participants' comfort levels, potentially leading to less candid feedback. Additionally, participants needed to use mobile phones, which may have influenced how they interacted with the RSPCA website and emails compared to other devices.