Client
JAZZ.FM91
Industry
Media & Entertainment
Responsibilities
Design System, UI Design, Marketing Strategy
Improving the Jazz Streaming Experience
Falling Traffic and Profit at JAZZ.FM91
JAZZ.FM91 is Canada’s only 24/7 jazz radio station and a listener-supported charity. With traffic and revenue declining, they needed a new website that could help attract more listeners, promote Canadian musicians, and bring in more support. The goal was to boost engagement, introduce new revenue models, and highlight contests and events to strengthen their connection with the community.
Project Goal
Redesign JAZZ.FM91's website to better engage audiences, boost revenue, and support Canadian musicians.
Project Result
Boosted member engagement by 15%, leading to increased donations and ad revenue.
BACKGROUND
Losing Website Traffic
JazzFM had been experiencing a steady decline in website traffic, making it harder to reach new listeners and promote upcoming events and news.
No Clear Profit Strategy
The station’s existing donation-based model wasn’t bringing in enough revenue. They needed new ways to generate profit through the website — including event promotion, sponsorships, and listener engagement.
Weak Community Engagement
JazzFM needed a better way to connect with their community beyond just radio streaming. Their website didn’t effectively highlight events, contests, or local artists, making it difficult to foster stronger listener loyalty and participation.
RESEARCH
Users aged 40+
Desktop traffic
The client provided user traffic data, which revealed that over 70% of users were aged 40 and above — suggesting many may not be comfortable with complex digital interfaces. Additionally, more than 80% of traffic came from desktop users. Based on these insights, our primary focus was to create a desktop experience that felt simple, clear, and approachable for less tech-savvy users.
PAIN POINTS
Based on the user insights, the team spent time exploring the website, setting action goals to assess how easy (or difficult) it was for users to complete the most frequent tasks. These actions included:
- Playing the radio
- Finding the particular music title from the recent playlist
- Visiting a specific event page
- Checking the program schedule and details
This helped us pinpoint where users were facing challenges and areas that needed improvement.
PERSONAS & USER JOURNEY MAP
PROJECT DIRECTION
Embed a radio player on the homepage that keeps playing seamlessly while users browse the website, without requiring a new window.
Redesign the website's layout and sitemap to create a more user-friendly experience, making it easier to navigate and browse within the page.
New Profit Models
Present new profit models, including a tiered membership service based on donation amounts. Support live events featuring Canadian musicians, with users voting on which artists to showcase next. Add banner ads to boost revenue
IDEATION
An expandable radio player is now embedded at the bottom of the website, allowing users to continue listening while browsing. A live chat feature has been added to boost user engagement, enabling listeners to connect in real-time. Paid users can also join live video streams for certain programs and events, adding value and bringing in revenue.
The homepage is now organized into clear sections, each with shortcuts. The oversized banner image was scaled down, and ad spaces are added to help bring in sponsors and generate revenue.
Search and category filters are now available, making it easier for users to find what they’re looking for. Ad spaces are also added to generate additional revenue.
Next and Previous buttons now link to articles within the same category instead of random pages. Recommended and related articles are shown on the sidebar and bottom of the page. If an article is sponsored, the sponsor is featured at the top,, and additional ad spaces are added to boost revenue.
Users can now search and filter events by type or sponsor, making it easier to find what interests them. Ad spaces are also added to help generate additional revenue.
The podcast page now features a cleaner slideshow layout with an option to switch to list view. Each show includes a description and an embedded audio player for easier browsing and listening.
RESULT