Sprout Social Social
Intelligence Web Launch
2026
Role
Visual Strategy
Art Direction
Web Design
AI Image Direction & Generation
Core Creative Team
Katie Powell (Brand Lead)
Raneq Barber (Copy)
Michelle Wilkins (Copy)
Jeff Franko (Animation)
Joey Reyes (Lead Dev)
Jesus Montesinos (Dev)
Sprout Social was evolving its positioning from social media management toward a broader Social Intelligence story, and the marketing website needed to make that shift tangible. As part of the launch, I led the design of a new homepage experience and a dedicated manifesto page, balancing a more ambitious expression of the brand with the clarity and performance expectations of two high-visibility web surfaces.
Key results
Test A: +3% lift in top-of-funnel conversion vs. control
Test B: +43.7% demo lift vs. control
Testing the first impression
Rather than replacing a known-performing homepage based purely on subjective preference, the team tested multiple ways of introducing the new positioning against the existing experience. I began by mapping the experience in wireframes, then developed three distinct creative directions designed to test different ways of balancing brand expression, clarity and conversion.
Each concept was built to meet the same performance and accessibility standards, while the integrations and pricing sections remained unchanged from the control. I designed all three homepage directions, generated the supporting imagery and video, partnered with copy to shape each story, and art directed animation and development through launch.
Header A: Social Intelligence in focus
A photo and product UI carousel introduced Social Intelligence as Sprout’s core competitive differentiator, with each slide focused on one of the four solution pillars. The approach gave each use case room to breathe while keeping the overall story structured, familiar and easy to navigate.
Hypothesis: A proven carousel pattern would offer a lower-risk UX while still creating a meaningful departure from the control. Focused photography, product storytelling and one pillar at a time could build comprehension without overwhelming the viewer.
Early result*: 1.06% combined top-of-funnel CVR, 287 total trials (projected 34.72% high/very-high quality conversion) and 38 demos. This direction ultimately became the winning homepage experience.
*based on the comparable control rate logged during the test window
Header B: Product and AI first
This direction removed photography entirely and leaned into a more software and AI focused experience, using Trellis interactions, animated Social Intelligence gradients and tabbed pillar navigation to make the product itself the primary expression of the brand.
Hypothesis: Breaking from the category’s reliance on lifestyle imagery could create stronger differentiation, while showing AI through real product interaction would make the intelligence feel functional rather than decorative. Tabbed navigation also gave different buyer types a more direct way into the story.
Early result: 1.03% combined top-of-funnel CVR, 265 total trials (projected 34.49% high/very-high quality conversion) and 55 demos (+43.67% compared to control).
Header C: Big moment
A full-bleed, photography-led concept prioritized emotional impact over product explanation, using oversized typography, motion-forward imagery and a stripped-back layout to create a more immediate first impression.
Hypothesis: A bolder, more confident expression of the Social Intelligence launch could strengthen brand recall and signal a faster, more ambitious platform story. Reducing the experience to headline, image and CTA also minimized decision-making at the top of the page.
Early result: The concept was paused after the first two weeks because it produced the fewest trials among small and mid-market audiences, despite generating the highest number of demos with enterprise visitors.
From experiment to homepage
Testing gave the team a way to introduce a significant change in positioning without treating creative preference as the deciding factor. The winning direction became the foundation for Sprout’s new homepage and the first expression of Social Intelligence for many visitors.
Its focused carousel structure gave each Social Intelligence pillar room to tell a clearer product story, while the rest of the redesigned page expanded that narrative across new sections built around the launch positioning.
Building the manifesto
Four business days before launch, leadership asked for a dedicated destination that could house the full Social Intelligence story for press and broader brand awareness. To move quickly without compromising the experience, I repurposed a proven campaign-page framework and rebuilt it around the launch with new imagery, typography, color and content.
I partnered closely with copy to explore multiple manifesto layouts and narrative structures, ultimately shaping the page around the most story-driven approach. The final experience combined the launch video, a report CTA, customer proof and a longer-form manifesto into a single editorial journey that gave the positioning more space and context than the homepage could.
Building the launch imagery with AI
To support the Social Intelligence web launch, I led AI image direction and generation for the web and paid launch creative. I defined the look, tone and styling for the imagery, then built repeatable workflows in Figma Weave to explore subjects, environments, wardrobe, composition and lighting while maintaining consistency across outputs.
The resulting image library was used across the homepage concepts and broader launch materials, giving the team a flexible set of brand-aligned visuals without relying on traditional stock photography. I also partnered with the video team to extend the same visual direction into AI-generated motion, helping the launch feel cohesive across static and animated experiences.
One launch, two experiences
The homepage introduced Social Intelligence through a clear, conversion-focused experience, while the manifesto created space for the broader brand story to unfold. Together, they gave the launch both an immediate first impression and a deeper destination for audiences ready to explore Social Intelligence further.
