Lilu Homepage: Day 0 to Post-Launch

When we began developing Lilu's portable breast massager, one of our initial steps was to set up a website. Feedback from numerous interviews and surveys, indicated a strong desire for more information and updates about the product. Recognizing the need to gauge product interest quantitatively and prepare for a direct-to-consumer online launch, we focused on determining the most effective e-commerce messaging strategies.

Below a chronological selection of iterations of the Lilu (wearlilu.com) website, a project I spearheaded from inception to post-launch. My role encompassed a wide array of responsibilities, including branding, messaging, directing marketing campaigns, photoshoots and video shoots, A/B Testing to optimize Calls to Action (CTAs), hero images and more.

The first website

Call for Beta Testers 📣

While developing and fine-tuning the massage bra prototypes, it was crucial to involve a varied group of mothers for testing. With our first landing page, we gathered a list of ~1000 mothers near Philadelphia and New York that wanted to test the product.
Here we used the very first Lilu logo, with the original Lilu purple and the first hint of the Lilu teal that would come to strongly represent the brand.
**Truly hands-free pumping** also became a foundational slogan for the brand, a reference that any new mom who has had to express milk would instantly understand as a better value proposition than existing alternatives.

Creating Hype:
Clear CTAs, Captivating Headers, Trust

As we began to shift focus to **pre-orders,** we kept iterating on messaging. Headlines like **MORE MILK, LESS STRESS** aimed to draw in the user to want to learn more. We had heard numerous times in interviews, that one of the leading reasons for moms to quit pumping was their **fear of not producing enough milk.** Quotes from moms like 'you are the sole provider of food,’ really emphasized to us the pressure moms felt. We wanted to provide a soothing solution - not only because of how practical breast massage is in increasing milk - but also because of the calming properties of massage that help to release **oxitocyn.**
Lilu faced the challenge of being a category maker: **Auto-massage pumping bra.** There was nothing like that in the market, and the category of **lactation massagers** hadn’t been created yet. So we continued to lean into the value prop: more milk, every session and hands-free pumping.
We also knew **TRUST** was going to be key - so we started to incorporate into our messaging quotes from our trusted medical advisors such as key opinion leaders and IBCLCs (lactation consultants).
In the ever-evolving digital landscape, effective website engagement hinges on meticulously crafted Calls to Action (CTAs) and captivating hero images. My approach involved rigorous A/B testing to determine the most impactful combinations.

Branding: Voice and Colors

Early on we anchored the Lilu voice as empowering, science-driven and compassionate. Everything we did and any messaging we put out was viewed through those lenses - but it was important for us to establish that as a core principle and value for the company. Our brand book was born - the tagline, mission, etc. continued to be refined, but those principles remain to this day.

With these clear brand guidelines in mind and our first 2 photoshoots, we proceeded to update our website, continuously testing messaging and imagery with google optimize (now extinct) to see which variants performed best. Below 2 examples.

Redesigning for Enhanced Conversions

Recognizing the need for continuous improvement, I initiated a rigorous redesign of the wearlilu.com website, with a laser focus on boosting conversion rates. This involved a holistic approach, reevaluating everything from the site's layout to its content, assets and hierarchy. First we began, with intern Alanna Conway, to analyze other websites of succesful products and re-evaluate our websites home page and product page content layout and information hierarchy.

I detail below some of the specific changes implemented, the rationale behind each decision, and how these alterations led to a significant uplift in conversions.

One of the main insights was recognizing the need to emphasize certain aspects of our website that we previously assumed users would easily discover on their own.

• Examples such as FSA and HSA eligibility, FDA Clearance and even free shipping were key points that would help a user decide to buy or not to buy the product. Through interviews, user FAQs, and comparison to other consumer medical products, we realized these elements required more prominent visibility

We enriched the value proposition sections, with more in-depth pages mothers could read in detail if they chose to, but kept the main page messaging direct, clean and organized. Mothers could then read in detail in a separate page what they wanted to know more about e.g. the science of how massage works, or the health benefits of breast massage.

Similarly to the value proposition, for the product features, we aimed to really distill them to the most essential blocks, in our case, 4 main components that made up the core product: the hands-free bra, the massage cushion, and the portable massage controller.

Added a more robust testimonials section → moms were constantly going back and forth the testimonial sections, and looking for video recommendations online. Giving them the ability to find them directly on the website helped decrease days to transaction. We had multiple areas where we incorporated user feedback & quotes from happy customers.

Lilu speaks (the Lilu Blog). We showcased original Lilu content with science-backed articles on lactation and new motherhood → boosted our SEO traffic, as well as gave customers a reason to return to our website often and share our content

We also added videos and GIFs to our website to clearly demonstrate how the product functions, responding to frequent inquiries about its operation. Considering the complex technology of massage and pneumatic compression within the bra, we realized that video was the most effective way to convey this information. This enhancement significantly boosted our add-to-cart and checkout rates.

Creativity and Analytical Insights to Drive Business Outcomes

We used LuckyOrange, Google Optimize and Google Analytics to continue to gather insights into how people were navigating around the Lilu website. We would test various CTAs and hero images on the website as well as through our social media marketing, and use the results to optimize crucial website elements. The results were a marked increase in click-through rates to the product page, add to cart sessions and consequently orders.

Some of the elements that came into bigger focus was further emphasis on user reviews and testimonials, a more clear separation of the specific benefits as well as the research and science behind the product, and usability features such as a find my size tool.

Mobile-First Approach

With a growing trend towards mobile browsing, prioritizing a mobile-friendly design was paramount. This move involved rethinking the user experience from a mobile perspective, ensuring seamless navigation, faster load times, and responsive design elements. We also worked with an agency that specialized in Conversion Rate Optimization, embedding elements for an easy add-to-cart experience, as well as appealing yet non-intrusive product feature boxes.

Conclusion

The journey with wearlilu.com was more than just a website development project; it was a comprehensive exercise in brand building, user experience enhancement, and digital marketing.