Weston Imhoff
A website created with Webflow to increase the online presence of an emerging Bay Area tattoo artist. Research, design, and development process detailed, including use of tools and techniques to create visually appealing and functional platform. Result: a successful showcase of artist's portfolio, style, and brand in the tattoo industry.
OVERVIEW
This project is a manifestation of my passion for design and technology. Through dedicated research and execution, I meticulously crafted every aspect of this project. Throughout the development process, I actively sought feedback from experienced design professionals, while also utilizing the Webflow subreddit community as a resource for technical support. I embarked on this journey with the objective of expanding my knowledge of Webflow, while creating a visually appealing and functional solution.
Design Process
User research - Market research - Client Research (2 weeks)
Design site and set up Webflow - Test site (2 weeks)
Revisions and updates have been made weekly based on feedback as well as new content.
Tools used
Figma - Webflow - Photoshop - Chat GPT
Introducing the tattooer
Last year, Weston proposed the idea of developing a portfolio website. Although I was busy with work and initially skeptical since many artists prefer using Instagram to promote their work, I eventually agreed after conducting some research. I also saw the project as an opportunity to familiarize myself with Webflow and enhance my knowledge of SEO and accessibility.
Right from the beginning, we determined that Webflow was the ideal platform for this project, using a pre-designed template. I made this choice due to the platform's comprehensive features, especially its precise control over design elements and its ability to personalize templates to ensure optimum responsiveness.
USER RESEARCH
According to a YouGov survey, half of people with tattoos in America and Britain got their first by the age of 21. A closer look at the US data shows that 39% got their first tattoo between 15 and 19, and one in four went under the needle after they turned 30.
10 interviewees. Age range 22-45, 5 males, 5 females
70% mentioned using Instagram to look for an artist or a style that they liked
40% mentioned that they were referred to a tattooer by friends or knew somebody already
80% mentioned that they googled or looked up tattoo studios or artists online
Market Research
8% of tattoo artists on Instagram have a link to a personal website
15% of tattoo artists on Instagram have a link to a tattoo shop that they are affiliated with
85% of tattoo artists on Instagram encourage users to reach out to them on direct message for potential bookings
60% of the tattoo artist who I reached out to mentioned that they had considered getting a personal site (Wix, Squarespace being mentioned as potential solutions)
How might we?
…offer a reason for potential clients to use a website
…create a seamless experience where the client can book an appointment, purchase merchandise and admire the artwork
… incorporate the other supporting information
How might we offer something beyond the typical Instagram experience
Making the most of limitations
The utilization of the full-screen display on the landing page to showcase Weston's work was a natural decision, considering both the pre-designed template and the findings of the market research phase. During this stage, I extensively reviewed comparable websites, and it was evident that utilizing the full screen would provide the optimal presentation of Weston's work.
After careful consideration, I selected the image for the landing page with the intention of ensuring that it would be effectively presented across both desktop and mobile devices. The chosen image was deemed the most suitable, as it would seamlessly adapt to different screen sizes and provide an impactful first impression to visitors.
Usability test
Upon completing the site I ran a test on 10 potential clients who are considering getting a tattoo in within the next year. I tested 5 users on the phone and 5 on the desktop.
I began by asking the users to
search for Weston Imhoff on Google
Observation
• 60% of users begin scrolling down from the landing page while 40% click on the menu icon in the top right
• 70% of users check out the merchandise which was a big surprise.
This is great, it justifies the need to work more on this section as well as develop more merchandise that we can create revenue from
When using desktop users look at the artwork and tattoo pages, positive comments come from the lightbox experience
show me what you would do to learn more about Weston
Observation
100% of the users looked on the about page and began reading the bio, but did not read it completely, so it might be a good idea to shorten it or change the format so it is more digestible. However, I was more interested in what they did after looking at the about page:
• 70% of users began looking through the tattoo pages. They spent an average of 4 minutes scrolling through the different tattoo pages
• 30% of users ( all of which were desktop users) looked at the articles and spent more time reading and clicking around
This was a really interesting observation and I'm keen to learn more from Google Analytics over the next few months.
if you want to buy some artwork by Weston, show me how you might do that
Observation
100% of all users quickly found the merchandise page. The only feedback received was that they wish there was more to choose from. I'm hoping Weston can offer more based on the success of the site.
what is the meaning of a scorpion tattoo, show me how you might find that out
Observation
At this point in the test the majority of the users had already explored the site enough to know where everything was however
• 1 user left the site and decided to Google it rather than look on the site
• 1 phone user didn't know where it was and kept looking on the tattoo pages and clicking on the actual scorpion tattoo image, when it didn't work they just gave up
This was really interesting, it tells me that I can improve the usability of the site by linking the images of the tattoos to the articles that correspond with them
Feedback
One of the users alerted us to how much there is to know about traditional tattoos including the history, the benefits of the bold style as well as the familiar meanings behind the various images.
Changes made
I was really excited after receiving the feedback and immediately started researching the meanings behind the tattoos. I used Chat GPT to create new written content and also re-write Weston’s bio.
Praise
Instant responses from client and other tattoo artists as well as Reddit
Introducing "the writer"
The feedback from showing the site to people was really helpful in finalizing the end product. Once presented with the site, I received lots of great suggestions as to what people would like to see in the articles section. It also gave me an opportunity to use Chat GPT which arrived right on time to help me carve out some original content.
Impact
Great responses from the other tattooers in the shop, potential opportunity to design another site for the Tattoo shop Spider Murphy’s. At the moment Google Analytics is showing positive results, Weston has been posting regularly on his Instagram which is also growing steadily in popularity.
This is just the beginning
During the course of this project, I gained a deeper appreciation for the rich history and cultural significance of traditional tattoos. The exploration of various tattoo styles and meanings was a fascinating experience, and one that added valuable insight to my understanding of the art form.
Despite our excellent decision to use Webflow, I recognize that there were limitations preventing us from fully achieving our goals. These limitations may have been due to my technical abilities, as well as our constrained budget and time frame.
However, the most impactful event for this project was the emergence of ChatGPT. As this technology received widespread media attention, I was faced with the challenge of producing high-quality written content to enhance the website's overall appeal. To this end, I cautiously employed ChatGPT to generate written materials, and the results were overwhelmingly positive.
While ChatGPT consistently produces excellent output, it can sometimes seem impersonal or miss the intended tone. Nevertheless, the tool has provided valuable vocabulary and solutions that I may not have considered, which have proven to be perfectly suited to specific situations. Overall, I am grateful for the contributions that ChatGPT has made to this project and its continued use as a valuable resource.
KEY LEARNINGS
Further use of Webflow and templates
How to improve SEO
How to ensure accessibility
Implementation of Chat GPT for writing
Next steps
Improve the Merchandise section by:
- Collaborating with a fashion merchandiser to develop a clothing line
- Create a series of prints and market them
- Improve the merchandise section using Zapier or Webflow’s E-Commerce feature
Develop a site for Pavel Brodsky
- Bold, colorful and futuristic style
- Red and blue palette
- Swedish heritage
Develop a site for Spider Murphy’s
- Larger site with different architecture
- Higher profile with more artists and more events
I’m excited to take this further and offer my services to other tattooers in Weston’s network. The merchandise section still needs work. Webflow charges a pretty penny to upgrade the current site to an E-Commerce one and since Weston does not have the sales volume to support it, we will continue with the Big Cartel free offering until I can sort out a more efficient solution.
tired of reading, or would you like to learn more? click
JAMES DAVIS
