The Challenge

In 2019, Ian’s Pizza, a national business with nine locations across multiple states launched a temporary website to serve basic needs but fell short in reflecting the brand’s quality and appeal.

Ianspizza.com needed to make a strong first impression, highlight their star products (pizza and salads), and provide a seamless user experience. Ian’s Pizza required a digital transformation to align with their high standards and growing business demands.

The Solution

Recognizing these needs, Ian’s Pizza partnered with Knock Knock Bang to rearchitect, design, and develop a website that would elevate their brand presence and improve customer interactions.

This strategic investment aimed to create a flexible, user-centric platform capable of evolving with the business’s future needs.

High-Level Content & Design Changes to Drive Engagement

Content Focus

The new website emphasizes food-centric content, with pizza taking center stage in about 75% of the first impression. This approach aligns with the core offerings of Ian’s Pizza and ensures that visitors immediately connect with what the brand is known for.

Design Elements

• High-impact visuals featuring professional photography and illustrations of pizza, salads, and people.
• A modern, visually appealing design that captures the essence of Ian’s Pizza.

Audience-Centric Improvements for Enhanced User Satisfaction

New Customers

Engaging and intuitive browsing experience designed to capture interest and encourage exploration.

Returning Customers

Streamlined ordering process and easy access to relevant information, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable user experience.

Enhanced User Experience for Greater Customer Satisfaction

Intuitive Navigation

The site is designed to provide a seamless browsing and ordering experience for both new and returning customers. Clear indicators help users quickly determine if they’re viewing the correct menu and location-specific information.

Operational Efficiency

The website makes it easier for customers to find operational details and other key information, improving overall user satisfaction.

Behind-the-Scenes Enhancements for Operational Excellence

CMS Optimization

• Improved backend tools for efficient updates by Ian’s Pizza staff.
• Detailed process documentation for internal training to ensure smooth operations.

Link Optimization

Streamlined user journeys, such as simplifying the “Order Now” process to enhance user experience.

SEO & Metadata

Basic SEO optimizations, including structured HTML, appropriately named images, and meta descriptions.

Content Carryover

Retained existing page links or set up redirects to maintain SEO rankings.

Google Analytics Review

Analyzed user flow to identify and rectify undesirable patterns, ensuring a better user experience.

Clean Development

Ensured performance optimization through clean coding practices, avoiding bloated plugins to maintain site speed and efficiency.

Responsive Design

Mobile-first design optimized for vertical orientation, ensuring a seamless experience across devices.

Progressive Enhancement

Included progressive enhancements to improve user experience wherever possible.

Single Transactions

Enabled one-off transactions (e.g., gift card purchases) without requiring user login.

Quantifiable Results

Projected Outcomes

• Increased Customer Retention: The improved user experience was expected to boost customer retention by 20%.
• Higher Online Orders: Streamlined ordering processes was projected to increase online orders by 25%.

Project Highlights

• Direct Collaboration: Worked closely with Ian’s Pizza’s CEO, board chairman, and franchise leaders.
• Comprehensive Branding: Conducted brand positioning audits and content development to ensure the website aligns with Ian’s Pizza’s values.
• E-commerce Integration: Added full e-commerce capabilities for merchandise, gift cards, and special classes.
• Balancing Interests: Navigated complex business ownership structures to balance corporate and franchisee needs.
• Modern Practices: Emphasized modern design and development best practices while maintaining a lightweight and agile system.
• Custom UX/UI Design: Developed a custom UX and UI architecture to manage multiple content types at scale, including menus, locations, pizzas, and salads.

Conclusion

Redesigning Ian’s Pizza website was a strategic move to enhance user engagement, streamline operations, and support the business’s growth.

By investing in a robust and flexible digital platform, Ian’s Pizza is well-positioned to adapt to future needs and continue delivering exceptional customer experiences.