Freespoke

How a research-driven redesign improved engagement by 45% and reduced bounce rate by 58%.

Role

Product Design
UX Research

company

Freespoke

Stakeholders

CEO & COO
Engineering
Product
Analytics
Marketing
Revenue

Platforms

iOS
Android

Tools

UserInterviews.com
HotJar
Mailchimp
Figma

PROJECT SUMMARY

Context

Freespoke is a privacy-first search engine and news aggregator that helps users understand media bias by labeling sources across the political spectrum.

Over time, the product expanded to include an Election Portal and ShopUSA, an American shopping marketplace. While each feature aligned with the company's mission, they significantly increased the product's surface area and complexity.

Freespoke is a privacy-first search engine and news aggregator that helps users understand media bias by labeling sources across the political spectrum.

Election Portal

News

ShopUSA

News

Election Portal

ShopUSA

The Problem

After launching a redesigned mobile app, previously dormant issues surfaced. As Freespoke’s scope had expanded over time, the redesign amplified existing complexity and made the product’s core value harder to access.

This resulted in three key issues:

After launching a redesigned mobile app, previously dormant issues surfaced. As Freespoke’s scope had expanded over time, the redesign amplified existing complexity and made the product’s core value harder to access.

This resulted in three key issues:

Loyal users experienced new friction

Long-time users found the app harder to navigate, reducing efficiency and disrupting familiar workflows.

The homepage lost clarity

The redesign drifted from engagement-driving patterns, making Freespoke’s purpose less immediately clear.

New users didn't return

Strong downloads didn’t translate to retention, revealing a gap between expectations and in-app experience.

The Solution

problem addressed

Loyal users experienced increased friction
Low retention of new users

Insight

The homepage had become cluttered, muddying the app's core value as a search engine.

solution

Remove superfluous features. Highlight search feature while giving users what they want–the news!

The Solution

Remove superfluous features. Highlight search feature while giving users what they want—the news!

Home Page

Before

Painpoints

2 search bars present (home page & nav bar)

Redundant pathways to features

Hierarchy of Bookmarks

Limited News coverage

Hierarchy of Recently Viewed

Confusion what ShopUSA is

After

Solutions

Combine search and endless Newsfeed scroll to streamline features

Add reader mode for integrated accessibility

Pull out share button to propel growth

Abbreviated URL to clean up UI

Home Page - Nav Bar

Before

Painpoints

News + Election tabs turn into navigation arrows

Android UI elements across all OS and devices

Long, messy URL

After

Solutions

Add reader mode for integrated accessibility

Pull out share button to propel growth

Abbreviated URL to clean up UI

Web Page - Nav Bar

Before

Painpoints

News + Election tabs turn into navigation arrows

Android UI elements across all OS and devices

Long, messy URL

After

Solutions

Add reader mode for integrated accessibility

Pull out share button to propel growth

Abbreviated URL to clean up UI

My Impact

2.1x

in app home page searches within the first 4 months

home page searches within 4 months

+93%

actions per visit on app

actions per visit

-58%

in new user bounce rate

+45%

in 1st time visit duration

Product Ecosystem

Available across web and mobile platforms, Freespoke's mobile app presented unique design challenges with its hybrid architecture of native screens and web wrapper functionality. I designed the complete experience for both iOS and Android platforms, with iOS screens shown throughout this case study.

Hillary Soletic

Freespoke

Freespoke

How a research-driven redesign improved engagement by 45% and reduced bounce rate by 58%.

How a research-driven redesign improved engagement by 45% and reduced bounce rate by 58%.

PROJECT SUMMARY

PROJECT SUMMARY

Context

Context

Freespoke is a privacy-first search engine and news aggregator that helps users understand media bias by labeling sources across the political spectrum.

Freespoke is a privacy-first search engine and news aggregator that helps users understand media bias by labeling sources across the political spectrum.

The Problem

The Problem

After launching a redesigned mobile app, previously dormant issues surfaced. As Freespoke’s scope had expanded over time, the redesign amplified existing complexity and made the product’s core value harder to access.

After launching a redesigned mobile app, previously dormant issues surfaced. As Freespoke’s scope had expanded over time, the redesign amplified existing complexity and made the product’s core value harder to access.

Loyal users experienced new friction

Loyal users experienced new friction

The homepage lost clarity

The homepage lost clarity

New users didn't return

New users didn't return

The Solution

problem addressed

Loyal users experienced increased friction

Low retention of new users

Insight

solution

Remove superfluous features. Highlight search feature while giving users what they want–the news!

The Solution

Remove superfluous features. Highlight search feature while giving users what they want—the news!

Home Page

Home Page

Before

Before

After

After

Home Page - Nav Bar

Home Page - Nav Bar

Web Page - Nav Bar

Web Page - Nav Bar

My Impact

My Impact

Product Ecosystem

Product Ecosystem

To be continued…

To be continued…