About VPNMentor
Established in 2014, VPNMentor is a top online resource for VPN reviews and comparisons. Owned by Webselenese, it helps users navigate online privacy through expert analysis, user feedback, and up-to-date provider data.
PPC advertising is key to VPNMentor’s traffic strategy. Its PPC Comparison Pages act as landing pages, offering side-by-side VPN evaluations to support informed decisions.
These PPC comparison pages are paid-traffic landing pages, so clarity and fast decisions directly affect conversions.”
TL;DR
Goal: Redesign VPNMentor’s PPC comparison pages to improve clarity, usability, and conversion performance.
Role: Role: UX/UI lead, conducted a CRO design audit, developed a new layout system, led visual revamp and rollout with product and SEO.
Issues: Cluttered layout, weak content hierarchy, outdated visuals, low brand consistency.
Solutions: Simplify design, improve card structure, define visual hierarchy, standardize branding.
Measured Outcome: –35% bounce rate, +50% conversions, +40% mobile engagement, +25% user satisfaction.
Window: 4-week A/B test across the PPC template.
Project Goal
I led the redesign of VPNMentor’s high-traffic PPC comparison template to modernize layout, strengthen hierarchy, and lift conversion.
The existing page had not been updated in several years and exhibited an outdated design lacking UX strategy, a coherent layout hierarchy, and effective call-to-action (CTA) elements.
My objective was to modernize the page's aesthetics, enhance key performance metrics, and align the visual identity with contemporary standards.
As Design Team Lead, I:
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Conducted a comprehensive audit of the existing design and performance metrics.
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Developed a new layout, updated the visual language, and redesigned brand assets.
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Collaborated with internal stakeholders on testing and rollout strategies.
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Delivered responsive layouts, new visual components, and a refreshed logo system.
Research Approach
To inform the redesign, I audited the live PPC template and its performance data. I reviewed Google Analytics to spot where visitors dropped off, where bounce was high, and where paths to conversion broke down.
I paired this with heatmaps to see attention patterns, click focus, and how users interacted with CTAs and the comparison table. These findings shaped clear design decisions aimed at faster scanning, clearer choices, and stronger conversion.
Identified UX/UI Pain Points
The project faced several challenges:
1. Outdated Visual Design: The existing design led to low conversion rates and high bounce rates.
Clutter, mixed type scales, and a flat hierarchy made scanning slow, which pushed bounce up and conversions down.
2. Weak UX Hierarchy: Vendor comparison cards lacked a clear hierarchy, making it difficult for users to differentiate between options. Heatmaps showed shallow card engagement and weak CTA focus.
3. Inconsistent Branding: Hero layouts and brand elements varied by page, which weakened trust and recognition.
Results
Post-launch results over a 4-week A/B test:
(Source, GA and heatmaps; sample, A/B on the PPC template across Google Ads traffic.)
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Bounce Rate Decreased by 35%, indicating higher user engagement.
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Conversion Rate* Increased by 50%, demonstrating more effective CTAs and user flow.
(Conversion here means a click to a vendor site from the PPC comparison page.)
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Mobile Engagement: Session duration on mobile devices increased by 40%, reflecting enhanced mobile UX.
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User Satisfaction: Surveys showed a 25% increase in user satisfaction scores related to page usability and clarity.
Conclusion
The redesign of VPNMentor’s PPC comparison pages addressed the core issues with a user-first layout and clear hierarchy.
The improvements led to enhanced user engagement, trust, and conversion rates, contributing to VPN Mentor's overall business objectives.
Implemented Solutions
Outdated Visual Design
Impact: The previous design featured cluttered layouts, inconsistent typography, and a lack of visual hierarchy.
These issues made it challenging for users to process information efficiently, leading to confusion and frustration.
As a result, users often left the page prematurely, contributing to higher bounce rates and lower conversion rates.
Solution: Overhauled the visual design to create a clean, modern aesthetic that enhances readability and user engagement. This included adopting a cohesive color palette, standardized typography, and ample white space to reduce cognitive load.
Added a clear visual hierarchy with consistent headings, spacing, and cues that guide the scan path.
Weak UX Hierarchy
Impact: The original vendor comparison cards lacked a clear hierarchy, making it difficult for users to differentiate between options and identify key information.
This ambiguity hindered decision-making and increased the likelihood of users abandoning the page without converting.
Solution: Redesigned the comparison cards to establish a strong UX hierarchy that highlights essential information. Each card now features prominent headings, concise summaries, and visual indicators such as icons and badges to emphasize unique selling points. This structured approach facilitates easier comparison and informed decision-making, enhancing user satisfaction and conversion potential.
Inconsistent Branding
Impact: The lack of consistent branding elements across the PPC pages led to a disjointed user experience, undermining trust and credibility.
Inconsistent use of colors, fonts, and logos made the site appear unprofessional, potentially deterring users from engaging further.
Solution: We locked a PPC kit, hero pattern, color set, icon rules, and logo use, then rebuilt the hero to lead with value and trust.
The hero section was redesigned to effectively communicate the brand's value proposition and establish a strong first impression. By maintaining visual and messaging consistency, the aim was to build user trust and reinforce brand recognition, encouraging deeper engagement and loyalty.
Design decision: Ship the kit to all PPC pages so the experience feels like one brand.
