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QuillBot: Homepage homerun

Executive Summary

To reposition QuillBot as the go-to AI Writing Platform, I led the development of a new homepage that showcased our full suite of writing tools, driving higher retention, extension installs, and product cross-pollination while maintaining SEO performance.

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I tackled key challenges, from aligning stakeholders and mitigating SEO risks to working within A/B testing constraints. I facilitated a content strategy workshop to bring together cross-functional teams, ensuring the homepage reflected our broader vision. Through A/B testing, Variant 1.1 emerged as the top performer, balancing engagement, retention, and conversions—whereas Variant 2.1, despite higher installs, saw more uninstalls.

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The project successfully shifted user perception beyond paraphrasing, reinforced QuillBot’s leadership in AI writing, and set a strong foundation for continued growth. The CEO’s positive feedback and company-wide recognition underscored the impact of this work.

Starting point

QuillBot’s paraphrasing tool is the primary entry point for most users, creating a perception that we are solely a paraphrasing service. As the platform evolved, our goal was to reposition QuillBot as the best AI writing platform and educate users on the breadth of our products. Partnering with the brand team, we developed a dedicated homepage that showcased our full suite of AI-powered writing tools, positioning QuillBot as the go-to destination for all writing needs.

Responsibilities

  • Initiated project scope and goals​​

  • Facilitated graybox workshop

  • Drove the delivery of 1 of 2 homepage designs

  • Managed 2 product designers and 1 brand writer

Goals​​

  • Reposition QuillBot as an AI writing platform, rather than a random free paraphrase tool on the internet

  • Increase extension installs for better retention

  • Increase product cross-pollination to boost retention

  • Maintain top SEO ranking

 

Impact

  • Increased CTR to key retention-generating pages: Grammar Checker, AI Detector, and Paraphraser

  • Variant 1 improved retention over variant 2

  • Incremental increase in extension installations from both homepage variants

  • No change to SEO ranking

Challenges

I tackled multiple challenges head-on, from mitigating SEO risks and aligning stakeholder opinions to working around Instapages' constraints for A/B testing. With just a week to deliver the first high-fidelity homepage, I kept the team focused and moving fast. When the initial gray box exercise didn’t meet leadership’s expectations, I drove the refinement process to get us to a stronger solution. By staying strategic, collaborative, and execution-focused, I turned roadblocks into momentum, delivering a homepage that not only hit our goals but reinforced QuillBot as the go-to AI writing platform.

Solution

Project brief collaboration

I collaborated with the brand team and product managers to write the business case, ensuring it was aligned with our OKRs to drive adoption of apps and extensions, and to mature our growth and conversion efforts. Additionally, I worked closely with designers to set a realistic delivery date, balancing quality and timeline requirements.

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Content strategy workshop

Based on my manager's suggestion, I facilitated a workshop where department stakeholders from brand,  marketing, product management, AI research, and design created their own version of a homepage. These individual concepts were then consolidated into 4 layouts to present to product leadership.

 

In the workshop, we had a product manager, lead designer, marketing writer, brand director, and me. Each person created their version of the homepage. I intended to gather different perspectives from the team and aggregate them into one or two final pages, which I did—but friction soon followed. While the leadership presentation appreciated the variety of approaches, pages featuring hero videos and product options below the fold lacked focus. The primary goal was to guide users to their preferred tool immediately, and those designs fell short of that objective.

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One challenge we faced was the varying levels of familiarity with our paraphraser page and the key elements of a strong homepage design. However, this experimental approach provided valuable learnings that will be applied to future initiatives. By embracing collaboration and leveraging the team's expertise, we developed compelling homepage concepts that resonated with stakeholders and aligned with our strategic objectives after a few rounds of intense wireframing.

Two homepage variations

In pursuit of an optimal homepage design, two distinct variants were developed, both intentionally omitting the prominent canvas feature – the paraphrasing tool that typically engages users at the top of the page. Variant 1 showcased product tiles, the Chrome extension, and writing workflow benefits prominently, while Variant 2 highlighted extensions (a key retention driver) and product overview benefits in the hero position, followed by trust markers, with product tiles positioned near the bottom. 

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Combining the strengths of both designs, a third version emerged as a contender for further A/B testing. However, upon careful consideration, this iteration was deemed too cluttered. Ultimately, the decision was made to move forward with an enhanced version of Design 1.1 as the official new homepage. It consistently outperformed the alternatives in driving increased conversions – a testament to its user-centric and conversion-oriented approach.

Original

Variant 1.1 (Preferred)

Variant 2.1

3 landing pages.png

Variant 1 performs the best

Amplitude data confirms Variant 1.1 as the clear winner, driving higher post-visit engagement, increased paraphrasing and grammar checker usage, elevated login rates, and superior overall user retention. Conversely, while Variant 2.1 initially boosted higher installation rates, it experienced higher uninstallation rates, undermining long-term retention. Variant 1.1 balances engagement, feature adoption, and sustained user commitment, making it the clear winner. 

Variant 1 held retention for the longest period of time.

Heat map insights

User interaction patterns revealed clear behavioral differences between the two homepage designs.

 

In Variant 1.1, engagement concentrated heavily on the tool cards in the hero section, especially the Paraphraser, with meaningful clicks on other tools and the “Upgrade to Premium” button. This layout encouraged exploration of the tool suite and funneled users directly into product experiences.

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In Variant 2.1, clicks shifted toward the persistent left-hand navigation, drawing attention away from the hero content and reducing interaction with the primary CTA. While this structure benefited returning users seeking quick access, it limited new user exposure to the full tool offering and strategic messaging.

These findings informed the decision to prioritize a hero-first design that showcases the product suite while integrating quick-access navigation in a way that preserves focus on key conversion paths.

Outcomes

Through close collaboration and hands-on leadership, we aligned on the homepage strategy, prioritizing extensions while ensuring a smooth launch within our 30-day timeline. Daily check-ins with designers kept us on track, and the team’s efforts were recognized in our All Hands meeting.

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The transition from our old paraphrasing-focused homepage to a broader AI writing platform was smoother than expected. Both variants performed well—Variant 2.1 drove more product exploration and extension installs, but Variant 1.1 had the strongest impact on user retention, our primary KPI.

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Our CEO was pleased with the results, and SEO performance even saw a slight boost. This project reinforced our focus on innovation and user experience, strengthening QuillBot’s position in the AI writing space.

Reflection

In retrospect, I should have established clearer workshop objectives from the outset and ensured participation was limited to stakeholders with relevant business expertise, allowing the lead designer to focus on wireframe development rather than design by committee. Moving forward, I'll prioritize testing gray box concepts early to establish alignment on the optimal approach before executive presentations, supported by data-driven recommendations. Most critically, I need to avoid reinventing proven solutions and challenge processes that don't add value. I should have questioned the workshop's necessity given that we already had a successful tile pattern from previous landing page implementations—leveraging existing solutions would have been more efficient than starting from scratch.​

Strategic Design Leadership

Design Intrapreneur

Seized the opportunity to kick-start a keystone project that unified the entire organization behind a historical milestone, establishing QuillBot as a leader in the AI writing market through a new homepage design.

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Design visionary

Led strategic design leadership at the highest levels of QuillBot, collaborating with department leads to define their own vision for QuillBot’s first homepage while maintaining SEO positions.

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Strategic Unifier 

Promoted a cross-functional collaborative culture where strategic decisions involving multiple departments were made in a manner that encouraged open and honest communication, ensuring everyone's goals were heard and implemented.

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