DarcMoon

Jewelry for the Intention Seeker

At A Glance

Services

  • UX Research & Design

  • Website Design

  • SEO

  • Copywriting

  • Photography

  • Brand Development

Timeline

  • Sept-Oct, 2023

Tools

  • Figma

  • Shopify

  • SurveyMonkey

  • Google Analytics

DarcMoon is a gemstone jewelry company driven by the creative passion of artist, Lynnea Tai. Despite being based in Grand Junction, DarcMoon’s reach goes beyond Colorado, having sent her jewelry to every state and many worldwide destinations. DarcMoon’s jewelry is meticulously handmade, one-of-a-kind and intentionally designed. The artist came to me for help growing her online presence, adding a professional touch, and to articulate the brand’s story.

The Solution

I partnered with DarcMoon to reimagine the online store and improve the shopping experience so that the artist can reach her goal of doubling sales through her e-commerce store. We talked extensively about the artist’s vision and the origin story of DarcMoon in order to create a comprehensive Brand Style Guide and strengthen the storytelling behind the brand.

I employed my UX skills to do user research and usability tests to find areas of improvement on the outdated website and get a better understanding of DarcMoon’s target audience. We brought the new and improved vision of the brand to life with photography and thoughtful website copy.

The final product is a robust Shopify store, with improved SEO and search functions, and compelling storytelling that captures the beauty behind each DarcMoon work of art.

DarcMoon final website

how can we appeal to a broader audience?

strategy to win over new customers

In order to expand the reach of DarcMoon’s online presence, I needed to have a deeper understanding of the potential audience. A survey and usability tests revealed that DarcMoon’s specialty, Malas, are relatively unknown to the general public. Nonetheless, when these beautiful necklaces are seen by people unfamiliar with Malas, they fall in love with their beauty and the spiritual power of the gemstones. Other insights that influenced my design:

  • People want to support artists and small businesses

  • People are more likely to purchase art/jewelry knowing it is one-of-a-kind

  • The images are the most important feature of a product description when considering whether or not to buy a design

Usabilty test affinity mapping

Challenges with the former shopping experience

The old website had an online shop that was difficult to navigate due to an infinitely scrolling shop and lack of filters. It also gave users the impression that the jewelry was inexpensive and produced in large quantities. Not only was the art of the jewelry getting lost in washed-out, small photos, customers felt frustrated with the shopping process and were quick to abandon their searches.

Watch as a user navigates the old shop.

Website Before

Usability test quotes

“I feel overwhelmed.”

“The hover feature over the product is hard to use and then I forget what I’m looking at.”

“It would be useful to know how to choose a Mala or have that info more readily available.”

“I wish you could filter these products. It’s hard to find anything I want.”

“The product images are low-quality and unappealing.”

“The shopping experience is too much work.”

The plan

More than just words

Just as each piece of jewelry demands careful consideration, every word on the page had to be crafted with purpose. My goal was to weave a narrative across the website—one that not only explained the essence of DarcMoon but also showcased the brand's unique selling points.

Visual Storytelling

We knew we had to create a feast for the eyes in order to showcase the beauty and art of the jewelry. The number one comment from the usability testers was that the images were low quality, and unappealing, and this clearly did not reflect the quality of DarcMoon’s work.

With my background in photography, we were able to capture the jewelry in a more flattering light and also showcase the Malas being used for meditation. I worked with Lynnea to develop a more dynamic product photography style to move away from the stark and over-exposed photos from before. Finally, we took some beautiful portraits of the artist herself, to convey the passionate, loving, and adventurous spirit behind the brand.

Product Photography

Before:

After:

Editorial Photography

Words at work

  • eye-catching landing page

    We created the tagline “Jewelry for the intention seeker” to describe the DarcMoon shop and introduce the website’s visitors to the brand.

  • Featured product

    The spotlight template can be used to drive users to a particular product the artist wishes to promote.

  • supportive information

    DarcMoon aims to support the customer in their shopping journey. Whether they are familiar with Malas or not, the new site provides just enough information to help them find the piece that speaks to them.

  • Engaging content

    With new eye-catching product photography, the jewelry is now the star of the show. Photo animations and scrolls get the user interacting with the site.

  • From the artist

    At times, Lynnea speaks directly to her community, creating a connection between her and them and adding a personal touch to her website.

  • value forward descriptions

    The new product templates showcases the benefits of the gemstones in each piece, and also invites the wearer to try an intention.

  • brand story

    The new about page captures the warm and friendly essence of the artist. We wanted to make sure to tell the story of the brand, and bring the user along for the journey.

Defining the Brand’s style

To truly elevate a brand, a deep understanding of its core values and mission is paramount. While Lynnea's vision inherently embodied these principles, they hadn't been explicitly articulated.

Along with the fresh visual and communication styles introduced for DarcMoon, the Brand Style Guide outlines the brand's narrative and values. This initiative establishes a strong foundation for the ongoing growth of the artist’s brand.

Included in the guidelines are the product templates I designed with the objective of maintaining consistency and leaving a lasting impression on customers to boost sales. Plus, it streamlined the process, allowing the artist to create new products with ease.

How we worked together to bring the brand vision to life

Collaboration: From the very beginning, I considered Lynnea a partner in the process of creation. We started by asking questions; “how did you start DarcMoon”, “what do you excel at?”, “where do you see the brand in two years?” Lynnea’s vision is strong and defined in her own head, but she needed help articulating that vision to her audience.

Process: With our short time frame, prioritization and time management were essential in the design process to bring the new website to fruition before the holiday season. We had weekly check-ins and occasional in-depth meetings to discuss major findings and deliverables.

Workflow: Once we had product templates made, Lynnea was able to plug in the necessary facts while still having the ability to add her creative touch. Now she can efficiently create new products for her store and maintain a consistent style with ease.

What the client had to say:

Making the decision to work with Tess was one of the best investments I could have ever made in my business and my brand.

Everything about working with Tess was truly amazing! She took the time to learn about every aspect of my business, myself & my goals. A full on therapy session for DarcMoon!

She conveyed the special story of DarcMoon and each piece of jewelry through the new website. I am so happy with the journey to the new website and I am blown away by the end result. She also helped me understand my brand and my customers better, in order to grow with a solid foundation.

I will be eternally grateful for having the opportunity to work with Tess. She is passionate about small businesses, knowledgeable, creative and professional. Tess is the bridge from the creative mind to the customer. 

— Lynnea Tai

Follow DarcMoon’s adventures @darcmoon_