Elevating The Cook Political Report Online Strategy

Unleashing Digital and Editorial Excellence: Transforming The Cook Political Report's Into a Streamlined User-Centric Website

The Cook Political Report - Presentation

The Cook Political Report (CPR) is a leading independent online newsletter offering expert analysis of U.S. elections. Founded by Charlie Cook in 1984 and now led by Amy Walter, CPR transitioned to an all-online format in 2004, providing invaluable insights into the Presidency, Senate, House, and gubernatorial races through the Cook Partisan Voting Index (PVI).

Although CPR is highly respected, its outdated website struggled to engage users effectively, attract new subscribers, and deliver accessible content. CPR needed a modern digital strategy to overcome these challenges to enhance user experience, boost SEO visibility, and drive higher conversions.

Recognized for its innovation, this project was named a finalist in the Acquia Engage Awards 2022 and EXCEL Awards 2023. highlighting its impact on digital transformation.

 

51%

Reduction in page load times

84%

Increase in unique page views

14%

Increase in gross revenue
US Congress The cook political

The Challenge: Unlocking New Revenue & Engagement Opportunities for the CPRs

CPR’s digital presence was hindered by an outdated website structure, slow page speeds, and a suboptimal UX/UI design. These barriers resulted in reduced subscription conversions and a subpar user experience.

To maintain its credibility and achieve business growth, CPR needed to:

  • Revamp UX/UI design to enhance user engagement and increase paid subscriptions.
  • Reduce customer service burdens by streamlining navigation and support tools.
  • Optimize SEO to improve discoverability and organic reach.
  • Implement a faster, more intuitive search function for better content access.
  • Upgrade to Drupal 9 for improved security, scalability, and performance.
  • Leverage Acquia’s platform tools for advanced site management.
Vardot Transformed CPR's Website

The Solution: CPR's Easy-to-Follow, User-Friendly Digital Upgrade

To achieve these goals, Vardot utilized its Drupal, UX/UI, and SEO expertise to deliver a tailored digital strategy for CPR, including:

  • Website Audit & Analysis: Used analytics, heatmaps, and traffic insights to pinpoint UX/UI issues impacting engagement and conversions.
     
  • UX/UI Redesign: Created a modern, user-friendly interface and streamlined subscription process to boost conversions.
     
  • SEO & Performance: Cut page load times by 51%, improved metadata and mobile responsiveness, and added Acquia Search for better rankings and search precision.
     
  • Drupal 9 Migration: Upgraded to Drupal 9 for enhanced security, flexibility, and editorial tools.
     
  • Integrations: Added SF Marketing Cloud and Recurly for improved engagement and subscription management.
How Vardot Transformed CPR's Online Strategy

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CPR's Website

The revamped Cookpolitical.com landing page now offers expert U.S. election analysis with captivating visuals, enhanced SEO and a Solar-powered search module that enables users effortless exploration of CPR's vast content of current and archived collection.

The Results: A Winning Digital Strategy

The transformation of CPR’s website delivered exceptional results, driving engagement, subscriptions, and revenue growth:

  • 84% Increase in unique page views
  • 51% Faster page load times
  • 14% Revenue Growth from improved subscription conversion

The collaboration between Vardot and CPR ignited a blaze of remarkable results. Beginning in September 2021, the website overhaul kicked off with an intensive site audit, followed by Vardot's unwavering monthly support. The specialized development and design work aimed to fortify CPR's Drupal installation and enhance website security.

The impact was profound, evident in the optimized paywall implementation that seamlessly incorporated SEO and UX elements. Subscribers were greeted with an exceptional user experience characterized by effortless onboarding, hassle-free cancellations, and intuitive site navigation. The rebuilt landing page was not only visually stunning but also boasted enhanced utility and SEO optimization. Thanks to the Solr-powered rebuilt search module, visitors could effortlessly access and savor CPR's treasure trove of current and archived content.

The cook political website case study