International Intrigue is a newsletter offering news about global affairs written by ex-diplomats who add clear insights to the stories. It has become a thriving media company and won an award for the best news newsletter. International Intrigue partnered with Refact to create a new website and a new visual identity that would match its vision of the newsletter and what makes it special.
Website Design
Refact’s redesign of the International Intrigue website focused on improving user experience and simplifying navigation. The updated site design is mobile-first and created for performance. It features clear subscription forms and straightforward navigation.
We also created an onboarding page as part of the subscription process. After users subscribe, they are directed to this page, which asks questions about their interests. The information is then used to help personalize the user experience from the start, placing subscribers in different email lists to optimize their engagement with the newsletter.
The new website also features an archive page allowing users to access the latest articles by date and category. We also created a Categories page listing all topics and categories. This lets users browse and find specific content, improving overall navigation and engagement.
Search functionality was also enhanced with a filtering feature on the search results page. That makes it easier for users to quickly find the content they need.
Visual Identity Design
We helped create a completely new visual identity for International Intrigue, including a new logo, color scheme, and graphic elements for their publishing channels. They wanted a vintage newspaper look that would match the newsletter’s concept of real news from real experts. We started with a mood board of journalism aesthetics from early and mid-twentieth-century newspapers. We chose fonts, styles, and colors that would fit that aesthetic and then modernized them for a sleek look.
The new look uses simple colors and clear, vintage fonts inspired by old-school newspapers, aligning with Intrigue International’s vision while maintaining a clean and modern feel.
beehiiv Integration
Refact set up a custom toolkit for integrating beehiiv, a tool for managing newsletters, with International Intrigue’s website. This integration allows for smoother management of the newsletter process from drafting to distribution. It ensures anything they create will be published across all their channels and look the same everywhere.
Ongoing Support and Optimization
After launching International Intrigue’s new WordPress website, we continue to support the media company by providing regular updates and optimizations as well as adding new features. This ongoing support helps ensure the website functions well, remains relevant, and continues to meet users’ needs.
Targeted web design and technical integrations can improve a brand’s growth – International Intrigue has become a leading and award-winning political newsletter. Refact offers bespoke services to help news and media companies grow faster. Contact us to see how Refact can work with you to realize your vision.