OptAdEasy Redesign: Process and Reflections

OptAdEasy is an AI-driven Google Ads optimization platform that attracted around 3,000 small-to-medium businesses and agency users within six months of launch. Despite featuring 11 powerful advertising optimization functions, including automated bidding, keyword optimization, and AI ad copy generation, the complex interface design and unintuitive user flows severely prevented users from fully utilizing these capabilities.

Project Details

SECTOR

Web App

RESPONSIBILITIES

User research, information architecture, interaction design, visual design

DURATION

8 months

CLIENT

Asiapac

ROLE

Lead Designer

YEAR

2024

TEAM

Collaborated with development team and product manager

WEBSITE

www.optadeasy.com

OptAdEasy Dashboard Interface

Key Challenges

01

Low Feature Discovery

Powerful optimization tools were buried in complex navigation and information-overloaded interfaces

02

AI Decision Black Box

Users couldn't understand the reasoning behind AI optimization suggestions, leading to low trust in the system

03

Difficult-to-Interpret Reports

Despite data richness, the presentation was complex, making it hard for users to extract valuable insights

04

Cumbersome Workflows

Completing key tasks required too many steps, reducing work efficiency

Solution Highlights

1/

Visual Brand Evolution

Transformed to a professional blue color scheme while maintaining the original logo per client request, with unified typography and component systems.

OptAdEasy Visual Brand Evolution
2/

Landing Page Optimization

Reimagined landing page with clear platform benefits, compelling testimonials, and prominent FAQs that directly addressed conversion barriers.

OptAdEasy Landing Page Optimization
3/

Simplified Information Architecture

Implemented task-based organization that matched users' mental models, increasing feature discovery by 40%.

OptAdEasy Information Architecture
4/

"OptBot" Innovation:

Created wireframes for an AI assistant that builds user trust through transparent explanations of automated recommendations, giving the AI functionality a friendly, approachable identity.

OptAdEasy OptBot Innovation

Project Outcomes

Brand perception score

Brand perception score +47%

Feature navigation time

Feature navigation time -45%

NPS from -8 to +35
(good industry level)

NPS score 35

AI suggestion adoption rate

AI suggestion adoption rate +38%
DESIGN PROCESS

Research & Discovery

12 users
In-depth interviews (6 SMBs and 6 agency professionals)
150+
Online survey
User research data showing survey results and interview insights
5 leading ad optimization platforms
Competitive analysis + Analytics review
Competitive analysis of 5 leading ad optimization platforms
User Journey Map
Comprehensive analysis of the advertising optimization workflow
User Journey Map showing the experience of advertisers using OptAdEasy
DESIGN PROCESS

Key Insights

Key insights from user research showing pain points and opportunities
DESIGN PROCESS

Problem Definition & Strategy

Navigation and Information Architecture Issues

Onboarding Trust Issues

Trust Barriers with AI Recommendations

Two Distinct User Groups with Different Needs

Reorganize navigation hierarchy

Reorganize features based on user tasks

Move credit card requirements to later in the user journey (after trial period)

Add explicit security explanations and compliance badges

Design an AI explanation system (OptBot) that presents reasoning behind recommendations

Implement "Review mode" to show potential outcomes before changes are applied

Offer simplified interface options for SMBs and advanced tools for agencies

Create role-specific templates and presets for common optimization tasks

DESIGN PROCESS

Design Exploration

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Landing Page Redesign

The existing landing page suffered from unclear value proposition and low conversion rates. I redesigned the page to directly address key barriers to adoption while establishing a more professional brand impression.

#Value-First Hero Section #Simplified Value Journey #Clear Feature Benefits #Trust-Building Elements #Friction Reduction
OptAdEasy Landing Page Redesign
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Sign-up & Sign-in Flow

The original sign-up and sign-in flows created unnecessary friction and high abandonment rates. I simplified these critical entry points while adding strategic trust elements to address user concerns about commitment.

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Performance Grader Report

The Performance Grader Report is a critical first-value moment for new users after connecting their Google Ads account. I redesigned this experience to translate complex advertising data into clear, actionable insights that build immediate trust in the platform.

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Optimization Module

The optimization module is where users take concrete actions based on their account analysis. I restructured this critical section to transform complex Google Ads optimization processes into clear, accessible paths that users could confidently implement.

#Confidence-Building Explanations
OptBot AI assistant interface showing confidence-building explanations
#Intelligent Implementation Guidance
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Dashboard

The redesigned dashboard provides a streamlined overview of advertising performance. Users can easily track conversions, spending, and compare current and past performance. With enhanced visuals and intuitive navigation, the dashboard highlights top-performing campaigns, empowering advertisers to quickly identify successful strategies and optimize their efforts more efficiently.

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Report

The redesigned report feature offers comprehensive insights into advertising performance with enhanced usability. Users can generate on-demand or scheduled reports, providing detailed analysis and performance grading. This redesign simplifies tracking success metrics and optimizing strategies, enabling advertisers to make informed decisions with clear, actionable data.

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Tailoring a Scalable Design System

We developed OptAdEasy's initial design system to ensure consistency and scalability. Using our existing framework, I tailored a system that reflects its unique style. This involved defining reusable components, refining design tokens (colors, typography, spacing), and introducing new core components to enhance usability and cohesion.

OptAdEasy Design System showing components, typography, colors and layout

Takeaways

Testing OptAdEasy with 126 advertising accounts showed that our user-focused design improved business results significantly - ROI grew by 20%, conversion rates rose by 15%, and daily work time dropped from 2.3 hours to under 1 hour. User feedback guided our improvements throughout the process. Next, we'll personalize the experience further, add better analysis tools, expand to more advertising platforms, and enhance our AI recommendations with more comprehensive data.