UX Overhaul for Free-To-Play Competition
Driving a 21%+ turnover increase by improving the user experience on a free competition
Role
Product Design
Team
Entain AU/NZ
Date
2024
The Problem
The previous competition had a clunky user flow with too many steps, poor mobile optimisation, and no sign-up functionality. A dead-end screen after entry caused significant drop-offs, while limited tracking made it hard to assess performance. The business needed a streamlined process to drive signups, align with a recent rebrand, and track results effectively.
The Evidence
User complaints highlighted frustrations with the entry process and unclear updates. Analytics gaps and inconsistent data made it hard to measure success, and feedback showed that runner odds were important to users despite the market not being bettable. The need for a simpler, more engaging competition experience was clear.
What we working with...
The process began with a review of the previous year’s competition design and available data. The team reactivated last year’s competition page for testing and conducted interviews and surveys with internal stakeholders, including customer service, product, and trading staff, to identify pain points. User feedback through customer channels further validated these issues.
The research phase included an exploration of best practices in drag-and-drop interfaces and free-to-play competitions outside of the industry. Collaboration with trading, brand, marketing, customer service, engineering, and product teams ensured alignment across all aspects of the redesign.
THE PROCESS
Where to from here?
Key improvements included removing redundant onboarding steps, replacing them with clearer messaging, and introducing pre-entry landing pages optimised for signups. The UI was redesigned with a mobile-first approach, and accessibility was improved with larger fonts and simplified navigation. Additionally, the post-entry flow was reworked to include funnels leading to bettable markets, enhancing conversion rates.
The Solution
The revamped competition prioritised simplicity and usability. Runner odds were displayed, and drag-and-drop functionality was optimised for mobile. Cross-sell opportunities were added to the exit flow, while clear entry points across apps and the web improved discoverability. The solution was supported by real-time tracking to monitor and refine the experience.
The Results
The redesign drove a 21% YoY turnover increase for entrants, 1k+ new signups, and a 13% total turnover increase (all attributed to the competition). Over $44k in turnover was generated from new signups in five days. Users praised the improved experience, and real-time tracking enabled quick adjustments to optimise results further.
Improved tracking also allowed the team to identify and address unexpected user behavior, such as a confusing sign-up flow for existing users, demonstrating the importance of real-time insights.