Why migrate from a custom platform to WordPress for a website redesign?

Custom platforms often have fundamental page speed limitations. WordPress, properly configured with the right theme, caching, and optimization plugins, provides full control over every performance variable and supports comprehensive schema markup architecture including Author, Book, and Article structured data.

What schema types should an author website implement?

Author websites benefit from three schema types: Person (Author) schema establishing identity and credentials; Book schema for each published title including ISBN, publisher, and description; and Article schema for blog content. Together these create a structured knowledge graph that search engines and AI engines can parse and cite when answering questions about the author or their books.

What newsletter capture approach increased signups by 22%?

The improvement came from multiple capture touchpoints: an exit-intent popup with value-focused copy, inline signup forms within blog content, and a dedicated newsletter section on the homepage. The key change was moving from generic subscribe messaging to specific value propositions about what subscribers receive. Timing and trigger calibration reduced friction without eliminating capture opportunities.

WEBSITE REDESIGN CASE STUDY

Website Redesign Case Study: 22% More Newsletter Signups, Dramatically Faster Load Times in 2 Months

Q: How long does a website redesign with schema and optimization take?

This website redesign project was completed in 2 months, including platform migration, full design and development, schema implementation, page speed optimization, and conversion system setup. Timeline varies based on site complexity, number of pages, and extent of technical optimization required.

Q: Does AI Advantage Agency do website redesigns for industries other than authors?

Yes. The combination of conversion optimization, technical SEO, schema markup, and page speed optimization applies to any business where the website needs to convert visitors into leads, subscribers, or customers — including consultants, service businesses, B2B companies, and e-commerce.

An established book author had a growing readership but a website that wasn’t converting visitors into subscribers. Built on a custom platform with poor page speed, no schema markup, and no strategic capture system, the site was leaving audience growth on the table. We rebuilt it from the ground up — and the results showed up within weeks.

22%
More newsletter signups

42→✓
Mobile PageSpeed dramatically improved

3x
Schema types implemented

2 mo.
Project duration

Industry: Publishing / Author Platform ·
Services: Website Redesign, CRO, Schema Markup, Page Speed Optimization ·
Duration: 2 Months

Website Redesign Case Study: The Challenge

The client was an established author with a genuine audience — dedicated readers, consistent traffic, and a growing reputation in their category. The website, however, wasn’t keeping pace. Built on a custom platform, it loaded slowly (42 on mobile, 77 on desktop in PageSpeed), looked dated, and had no strategic system for converting the visitors it was receiving into newsletter subscribers.

The technical picture was equally problematic. There was no schema markup — no Author schema, Book schema, or Article schema — which meant search engines and AI engines had no structured way to understand and surface the author’s content and credentials. Internal linking was weak, meta titles and descriptions were inconsistent, and mobile experience was poor at a time when the majority of the site’s traffic was coming from mobile devices.

The core opportunity was clear: a meaningful, engaged audience was already arriving at the site. The website just wasn’t built to do anything with them. A full redesign with conversion optimization and technical SEO built in from the start would change that.

Our Strategy: Redesign, Convert, Optimize

1. Full Website Redesign on WordPress

We migrated the site from the custom platform to WordPress and rebuilt it with a modern, professional design that matched the author’s brand and credibility. Clear visual hierarchy was established to guide visitors naturally toward newsletter signup. Navigation was streamlined so readers could easily find books, blog content, and resources without friction. Mobile responsiveness was built in from the ground up rather than retrofitted.

2. Strategic Newsletter Capture System

We implemented multiple newsletter capture touchpoints throughout the site — a high-converting exit-intent popup, inline signup forms within content, and a dedicated signup section on the homepage — each with copy focused on the specific value of subscribing rather than generic “join my list” messaging. Timing and triggers were calibrated to maximize conversions without disrupting the reading experience that keeps the author’s audience engaged.

3. Author, Book, and Article Schema Markup

We implemented three distinct schema markup types — Author (Person) schema establishing the author’s identity and credentials, Book schema for each published title with ISBN, publisher, and description data, and Article schema for blog content with publication dates and authorship signals. This structured data gives search engines and AI engines a machine-readable knowledge graph about the author, their works, and their content — which improves both search visibility and citation potential in AI-generated responses.

4. Page Speed Overhaul

The custom platform’s 42/77 PageSpeed scores were a significant barrier — both to user experience and to search and AI engine authority signals. On the new WordPress build we implemented image optimization and lazy loading, CSS and JavaScript minification, browser caching, compression, and a CDN configuration. Page speed is a direct ranking signal for Google and an indirect authority signal for AI citation systems — a slow site communicates low technical credibility regardless of content quality.

The Results: More Subscribers, Faster Site, Better Visibility

Within 2 months of launching the redesigned site, every key metric showed clear improvement — and the compounding effects continued building after the project completed.

📧 22% Increase in Newsletter Signups

The optimized capture system and improved user experience converted significantly more visitors into subscribers — growing the author’s direct audience and most valuable marketing channel.

⚡ Dramatically Improved Page Speed

From 42/77 on the custom platform to significantly higher scores on the optimized WordPress build — reducing bounce rates, improving session depth, and strengthening authority signals for search and AI engines.

🔍 Enhanced Search and AI Visibility

Author, Book, and Article schema markup gave search engines and AI engines a structured knowledge graph about the author’s identity, published works, and content — improving both organic rankings and citation potential.

📱 Professional Brand Presentation

The modern, polished design matched the author’s credibility and expertise — making a strong first impression on new visitors and improving time-on-site across all devices.

“The website redesign completely transformed my online presence. Not only does it look professional and load instantly, but I’m capturing 22% more newsletter subscribers. My email list is now my most valuable marketing asset, and it’s growing consistently thanks to the optimization work.”

— Published Author

What This Website Redesign Case Study Means for Your Business

If your website is getting traffic but not converting visitors into subscribers, customers, or leads, the problem is rarely the audience — it’s the infrastructure. An outdated design, slow load times, missing schema markup, and no strategic conversion system will underperform regardless of how good your content is or how loyal your existing audience is.

This website redesign case study demonstrates that the combination of conversion optimization, technical SEO, and schema markup compounds over time — each element reinforces the others. Better page speed improves user engagement, which strengthens authority signals. Schema markup improves search and AI visibility, which drives more qualified traffic. A better capture system converts more of that traffic into subscribers. The result is a website that works continuously as a growth asset rather than just a digital brochure.

A free strategy call is the fastest way to assess what your current website is leaving on the table. We’ll review your design, technical performance, and conversion system and give you an honest picture of what a rebuilt site could deliver.

Common Questions

Website Redesign Case Study FAQ

Why did you migrate from the custom platform to WordPress?

The custom platform had fundamental page speed limitations — 42 on mobile and 77 on desktop — that were difficult to resolve at the infrastructure level. WordPress, properly configured with the right theme, caching, and optimization plugins, gives us full control over every performance variable. It also gives the client a maintainable, extensible platform they can manage independently and that supports the full schema markup architecture we needed to implement for Author, Book, and Article structured data.

What schema types did you implement and why do they matter for an author website?

We implemented three schema types: Person (Author) schema establishing the author's identity, credentials, and social profiles; Book schema for each published title including ISBN, publisher, genre, and description data; and Article schema for blog content with publication dates and authorship attribution. Together these create a structured knowledge graph that search engines and AI engines can parse and cite. When someone asks ChatGPT or Google AI Overviews about the author or their books, this schema gives the AI system the structured data it needs to include them accurately in a response.

What newsletter capture tools drove the 22% signup increase?

The improvement came from a combination of multiple capture touchpoints rather than a single tool. An exit-intent popup with compelling value-focused copy, inline signup forms embedded within blog content, and a dedicated newsletter section on the homepage all contributed. The key improvement was the copy — moving from generic "subscribe to my newsletter" messaging to specific value propositions about what subscribers receive and why it matters to them. The timing and trigger calibration also reduced friction without eliminating the capture opportunities.

How long does a website redesign project like this take?

This project was completed in 2 months, which included platform migration, full design and development, schema implementation, page speed optimization, and conversion system setup. Timeline varies based on site complexity, number of pages, content migration requirements, and the extent of the technical optimization work. We'll give you a clear project timeline during the strategy call based on your specific situation.

Do you only do website redesigns for authors, or other industries too?

We work across industries — the combination of conversion optimization, technical SEO, schema markup, and page speed optimization in this website redesign case study applies to any business where the website needs to convert visitors into leads, subscribers, or customers. Authors, consultants, service businesses, B2B companies, and e-commerce all benefit from the same underlying approach. Book a free strategy call to discuss your specific situation.