Elite Ecosystem Experiences

Discovery

Awareness depended on manual outreach; most valuable reviewers never heard of Elite. The Elite Squad page was deeply buried in the Me Tab, making organic discovery rare. Occasionally users would spot the Elite badge on another reviewer's profile, but the badge alone offered little context about the program, leaving most readers unsure what it meant or how to get involved.

Consideration

The Elite landing page was text-heavy and didn't convert; it lacked clarity and appeal. Several sections repeated the same information: “how to join” and “eligibility” covered the same ground but were split into two, causing confusion. The hero section and video weren't visually engaging or meaningful, missing the opportunity to inspire users. The call-to-action (CTA) was inconsistent and easy to miss, never standing out enough to drive action.

Conversion

80%+ of nominations were auto-rejected, with generic feedback and no next step. The rejection was delivered via a plain system feedback modal with just text, which created several problems: it felt less like a real decision and more like a system error, left users unsure if their nomination had even gone through, and made it hard to understand the outcome at a glance. The instant, text-heavy message also signaled that the nomination hadn't been thoughtfully reviewed, further undermining user trust.

Awareness

Right People, Right Moment

Interest wasn't lacking; visibility was. The challenge was surfacing Elite at the right time, without interruptive tactics.

Eligibility Criteria

• 2+ reviews in last 30 days
• 6+ lifetime reviews
• Not already Elite, ineligible, or recently nominated

Touch point: Post-Review Modal

A modal appears to eligible contributors immediately after submitting a review, right when users feel accomplished and open to next steps. The modal simply introduces Elite and links to the landing page, intentionally avoiding a pushy call-to-action at this early stage.

Key Design Decision

The copy was intentionally crafted to celebrate the user's recent achievements, specifically the number and quality of reviews they've contributed. This approach anchors the entire experience in their tangible accomplishments, ensuring the message feels genuine and meaningful, rather than vague or empty.

Impact

~880K eligible users per year, projecting 1K–5.8K incremental Elites and 10K–58K more reviews annually.

Consideration

A Page That Converts

Curious but uncommitted users hit a wall with the old landing page: it was wordy, dated, and hard to act on. Without new assets, I focused on three principles.

• Engaging: Added bold visuals; reduced text.
• Clear Narrative: Eight sections, each with a focused purpose: from community value to events to support.
• Convenient: Persistent sticky CTA for seamless nomination; one tap from anywhere on the page.

Copy Choices

The “how to join” section stayed non-specific by design. Legal and community reasons require keeping eligibility mysterious, emphasizing effort and character over numbers.

Results Target

A 2% bump in nominations: 175 more Elites and about 3,500 extra reviews each month.

Conversion

Turning Rejection into Re-engagement

Fixing the funnel top wasn't enough. Rejection was the biggest drop-off.

Key Challenge

Generic, instant rejection wasn't just unhelpful; it hurt motivation.

Design Solutions

1. Small Fix, Big Win

Adding the ability for users to confirm or correct their primary location removed an entire category of preventable rejections caused by outdated location data. This simple tweak significantly improved nomination accuracy and reduced user frustration.

2. Loading and Rejection Screens

Introducing a loading state (“Analyzing your profile...”) signaled that each nomination was being seriously reviewed, not instantly dismissed. If rejected, users received clear, specific reasons and actionable feedback tied directly to their eligibility gap, along with a contextual prompt to write another review. This approach ensured the process felt authentic, transparent, and constructive.

3. A Narrative of Progress on the Result Screen

The result screen was thoughtfully structured: the top half conveyed the rejection message, providing a specific reason and clear guidance for what to do next. The bottom half used a contextualized, motivational prompt, seamlessly carrying the narrative forward and encouraging users to keep contributing and work towards Elite status.

Impact

Raising valid nominations from 20% to 25% = ~5K more Elites and 65K additional reviews annually.