EXCEL Awards Finalist - The Cook Political Report
Vardot is pleased to announce that it has been selected as a finalist in the Software & Information Industry Association's (SIIA) Excels Awards. Five of Vardot's projects have been nominated in three different categories, recognizing the company's excellence in software development and innovation.
The Excels Awards recognize the best software products and services in the education technology industry. As a finalist, Vardot is being recognized for its outstanding work in providing innovative solutions that meet the needs of its clients.
DIGITAL MEDIA - Website (Editorial Excellence) Finalist
Founded in 1984, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter is a highly-respected, non-partisan newsletter that provides an in-depth analysis of US political campaigns and trends.
To meet the expectations of its subscribers and the standard of its best-in-class editorial content, CPR partnered with Vardot to deliver a website that would showcase its valuable content in a user-friendly way. One of the main objectives was to bridge the gap between readers and subscriptions, allowing for direct access to paywalled content through CPR's weekly newsletters.
The Challenge
To achieve CPRs needs, the project focused on a variety of challenges, such as improving low conversion rates, reducing high customer service requests due to password issues and content access, and enhancing the browsing experience through SEO optimization and faster website speed. Additionally, the site was upgraded to Drupal 9, and a comprehensive audit was conducted to identify areas for improvement.
The Approach
The project's approach included a redesign of the subscription UX and paywall content, which helped to streamline conversion and reduce manual cancellation and refund requests.
The search function was revamped, and tight integration with third-party tools ensured improved site performance and search reliability.
Successes
As a result of these improvements, CPR witnessed an impressive 20% increase in individual subscribers, as well as a 14% increase in revenue due to streamlined conversion. The site also saw an 84% increase in unique page views and a 51% reduction in page load times. Impressions and clicks in organic search results doubled compared to the previous six months, contributing to expanded reach and engagement.
Overall, CPR and Vardot were able to successfully address the subscribers' needs and overcome various challenges, resulting in increased customer satisfaction rates, particularly with premium accounts.
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