The Ultimate Gaming Haven

Re:Turn Zero Games is a blog that aims to establish a unique identity, gain a competitive edge, and offer valuable insights about Turn Zero Game, a local Los Angeles-based small business.

In this project, I provided comprehensive UX/UI and content strategy, crafted a distinct branding approach, and designed the blog layout. Additionally, I devised a future plan to ensure the continuous evolution and success of the strategy moving forward.

Overview

Turn Zero Game, a hidden gem in LA K-Town, thrives in the world of trading card games and board games. Beyond a store, it's a thriving in-person gaming hub, hosting weekly events, and nurturing a competitive yet welcoming atmosphere.

However, their digital presence needed a spark to match their offline success.

The design process unfolds through the following stages:

• Discover
• Define
• Develop
• Deliver

My mission thus was to equip Turn Zero Games to boost online engagement and amplify brand loyalty

Uncovering the Digital Landscape

I began by meticulously examining Turn Zero Games' existing website. My goal? A comprehensive understanding of their current content landscape to identify opportunities for improvement. The audit served as the foundation for our content strategy, revealing content gaps and areas needing updates.

The competitor analysis delved deep into direct and indirect competitors. It revealed that several competitors shared similar value propositions and faced comparable challenges in terms of engagement and brand loyalty.

During the benchmark analysis, I thoroughly examined the websites and online presence of similar businesses in the TCG and board game niche. By scrutinizing strategies, content quality, and engagement levels, I aimed to identify key areas for improvement and potential opportunities for Turn Zero Games.

Through the competitive benchmark, I gained a comprehensive understanding of the gaming market's competitive landscape.

In store interviews

To better understand the business and users, interviews were conducted with five customers at the store. The findings revealed that most users rely on word-of-mouth for news updates. The customers have been collecting games for several years, play competitively for destressing, and often come to the store and ask staff for information. Three out of five would read the blog if it were available, while one user does not use the internet and another gets content from platforms like YouTube.

Based on the user research, a user persona was created. The persona represents someone living in LA, aged 25-40, who has been collecting games for several years. They play competitively for stress relief and seek a challenging yet safe environment to find local friends and strong players.

• Establish a competitive edge.
• Surge website and social media traffic.
• Cultivate a thriving online gaming community.

• Access real-time gaming updates.
• Simplify online topic exploration.

The business recommendation proposed was:

• Short term: Set up a subdomain blog with categorized articles to enhance marketing content and SEO efforts.
• Long term: Introduce a forum section on the blog for user-generated threads and discussions, complementing the existing Discord channel for community engagement.

Given the painpoints of the users a feature list and content was created.

The feature set encompasses organized headers spanning games, events, reviews, and FAQs. The homepage offers intuitive navigation and personalized product suggestions.

In terms of content, the blog promises interviews with avid players, detailed tournament reports, comprehensive game instructions, breaking release and pre-release news, explorations of rare cards, and enthralling histories specific to individual games and cards.

Key Performance Indicators provide the compass for success, covering metrics like website traffic, conversion rates, social media engagement, newsletter sign-ups, and consultations scheduled.

Name and tagline

"Re:turn" symbolizes a digital return for gaming enthusiasts.

The tagline, "The place to recharge your health points," echoes its destressing and rejuvenating essence.

Tone

A warm, welcoming tone mimicking offline camaraderie with captivating and transparent content.

Typography and palette

The chosen design maintains congruency with the website colors. Fonts like Open Sans and Ruda convey cleanliness, readability, and friendliness.

The road ahead

• Implement a closed-loop system for continuous user feedback.
• Leverage KPI reports to refine strategies.
• Develop a content calendar for blog and social media.
• Bolster website SEO through strategic keywords and tags.

In the future it would be interesting to collaborate with competitors to see which store rules LA. This would to foster a healthy competitive spirit while building a sense of camaraderie within the local gaming community.

Homepage

User are welcomed with a dynamic interface offers seamless navigation, popular articles, and personalized product recommendations. Eye-catching banners keep visitors intrigued.

Article page

Upon entering an article, users will find social media sharing integrated and vibrant comment sections foster a strong online community.

An Holistic Approach

In this project, the success lies in its holistic approach, addressing not only the website's design and functionality but also the broader ecosystem, including social media presence and community engagement.

Reflection

Overall, this project highlights the importance of deep research, strategic thinking, and a user-centered approach in creating a website that not only meets the business's objectives but also resonates with its target audience.

By addressing user needs and pain points while aligning with business goals, I tried to set the foundation for a successful online platform that can drive engagement, loyalty, and growth.