The Client

Catsby is a fictional e-commerce brand that offers a subscription box of cat toys and treats based on cats’ personalities/toy preferences. Owners tailor their subscription boxes based on a personality quiz they take about their cats.

My Role

This was my final project for UX Writing Hub’s 6-month UX Writing Academy certificate course. I was the primary UX writer, content designer, and researcher, and I built the Catsby brand from scratch. Here’s a little snippet of what I did:

• Conducted all necessary research prior to design

• Developed Catsby’s brand voice and tone

• Created user journeys

• Designed Catsby’s quiz and checkout flow

• Wrote all UX copy within the product

• A/B tested Catsby’s copy and design and implemented necessary changes

Research

Goals:

• Understand the current market for cat toys/subscription boxes in the U.S.

• Identify pain points for cat owners when purchasing toys for their cats (quality vs. price, customer service, ease of use, safe disposal/recycling of toys, etc.)

• Understand the best voice, tone, and attitude to embody on Catsby to connect with users

• Know which questions to ask users in the quiz

Research methods used: competitor analysis, expert interview, user surveys, user persona, and more.

Competitor Analysis

Competitor analysis of competing cat toy/cat toy subscription brands (Chewy, Petsmart, Meowbox, BoxCat) revealed that Catsby’s quiz sets it apart from other merchants, while analysis of subscription services in different industries (Blue Apron, StitchFix) emphasized the importance of direct questions and a progress bar within the design.

Meowbox was the only cat toy subscription service that asked users for info about their cats — their name(s).

Expert Interview

An interview with Max Emanuel, VMD, a Veterinarian and diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, revealed that the bond between cats and their owners is deep and powerful, and cat toys provide mental stimulation and exercise for cats (which is important to cat owners).

“For the most part, people are absolutely obsessed with their cats and would do anything for them.”
—Max Emanuel, MVD

“People don't realize that cats, just like humans, just like dogs, need exercise and even regiments. They need environmental stimulation.”
—Max Emanuel, MVD

User Survey

I shared a user survey with our target audience and received 31 responses that provided a bigger picture of people’s attitudes towards cat toys for their cats.

Key takeaways:

• Cat owners generally identify as female

• 32.3% of people surveyed said they “rarely” buy cat toys, and 25.8% said that they purchase cat toys “bi-monthly.”

• Mental stimulation ranked second as the most important thing to cat owners when considering cat toys (76.7%), behind price (86.7%).

• Cat owners are concerned about whether their cats will actually play with the toys they buy.

“My biggest frustration is that I can’t always tell what my cat will like, and what she won’t. I already have a box of toys she finds boring for whatever reason.”
—Survey response

he biggest frustration comes from my cat changing his mind about a toy, but then rediscovering it 6 months later and loving it again.”
—Survey response

User Persona

All of the information above provided a deeper understanding of Catsby’s users, which allowed me to create a user persona to help inform Catsby’s design, copy, and branding. Meet Andrea:

Age: 31 | Gender: Female | Nationality: American | Occupation: Senior Copywriter
Needs:

• To buy quality products for her two kitties

• To feel confident in her purchases

• To avoid overbuying/producing waste

• To make sure her cats have the very best life

Pain Points:

• Purchasing cat toys that are low quality/wear out and break easily

• Purchasing toys that her kitties aren’t interested in, leading to an overflow of unused toys

• Anxiety that she’s not providing enough exercise/mental stimulation for her cats

Desires:

• To find toys that are cute, functional, AND appeal to her two (very different!) cats

• To automatically have new toys arrive at her doorstep when old ones wear out

• To enrich playtime between her and her kitties

See Catsby’s full research report.

Brand Voice

Research showed that Catsby should lean into users’ love for their cats and use language they can relate to. Following these guidelines, I developed a mini content style guide for Catsby:

UX Writing and DesigN

Homepage

Scenario: The user landed at Catsby.com and wants to know if it’s worth it to take their quiz.
Problem: The user is skeptical about Catsby and whether it will meet their needs.
User goal: Understand what Catsby offers.
Business goal: Introduce the user to Catsby and convince them of its value.
Style notes: Use clear, concise, conversational language.

Quiz Flow

Scenario: The user decided to take Catsby’s quiz.
The problem: The user is still skeptical as to whether the quiz is engaging/worth it.
User goal: To finish the quiz and see results as quickly as possible.
Business goal: To avoid user dropout and save the user’s profile.
Style notes: Make the quiz simple, short, and sweet. Ask direct questions, but make it fun!

Quiz Results and Sign Up CTA

Scenario: User finished the quiz and is ready to see the results for them and their kitty!
Problem: User is eager and we don’t want them to feel duped.
User goal: See their cat toy matches.
Business goal: Make sure they sign up for a Catsby subscription or buy a single box.
Style notes: Highlight the benefits of signing up but also provide an option for a one-time purchase.

Sign up and Checkout

Scenario: User has chosen to sign up for a Catsby subscription and wants the process to be as smooth and painless as possible.
Problem: User might drop out of signing up if the process is lengthy or unclear.
User goal: Sign up for the subscription quickly and easily.
Business goal: Sell the subscription.
Style notes: Provide a progress bar and use clean copy to drive action.

Order Confirmation

Scenario: User has completed their order and is excited to receive their first Catsby box!
Problem: User wants to know when they can expect their box to arrive.
User goal: Gain info about order number, shipping, etc.
Business goal: Retain user as a returning customer
Style notes: Provide relevant info while celebrating their purchase.

testing

To gauge the effectiveness of Catsbys’s copy and design, I A/B tested the mockups and implemented necessary changes. See Catsby’s full testing report.

Final Mockups

See Catsby’s full flow and final screen mockups on Figma.