Accent on You (Through Digital Limelight Media)

Blog Redesign

Our client, Accent on You, had a blog that was severely outdated and difficult for users to navigate. The primary goals of the redesign were to create a modern aesthetic and improve user experience by making the blog easier to navigate. This redesign aimed to retain the essence of the client’s brand while updating the visual and functional aspects of the blog.

Overview

The Challenge:
The existing blog suffered from:

  • A 2010s-era cluttered layout
  • Mobile-unfriendly structure (40% bounce rate on phones)
  • Content buried under poor navigation

My Role:
Lead designer tasked with modernizing the blog while aligning with the client's full website overhaul.

Process & Solutions:

  1. Competitive Benchmarking
    • Analyzed 25+ top-performing blogs (Medium, Smashing Magazine, niche leaders)
    • Identified 3 key trends:
      ✓ Card-based layouts for scannability
      ✓ Sticky table of contents for long reads
      ✓ "Trending/Related" modules to boost engagement
  2. Cohesive Brand Integration
    • Collaborated with web team to:
      • Mirror the site’s new color variables
      • Adapt the updated type scale (now using system fonts)
      • Implement shared UI patterns (buttons, form styles)
  3. UX Overhaul
    • Navigation:
      • Replaced chaotic category list with mega-menu dropdowns
      • Added breadcrumbs and "Up Next" suggestions
    • Mobile-First:
      • Designed touch-friendly tap targets

Result

In summary, the blog redesign on the staging website has already demonstrated substantial improvements over the previous version. The combination of modern design elements, improved navigation, and enhanced functionality makes this redesign a success.