Client: Warrior Bonfire Program

This audit evaluated a website across six key areas: messaging, content, accessibility, SEO, user journeys, and user experience. I found that the site has a strong emotional core but uneven execution in structure, SEO, and clarity for the different audiences. If my recommendations are implemented, they are projected to increase traffic growth ~20–35% and donor conversion lift 15–30% through improved SEO, navigation, and storytelling clarity.

• Audiences: Purple Heart veterans, donors

• Goals: Increase the findability of content and streamline the donation process

• Objectives: To find content gaps, assess findability, quality of content, and effectiveness of the donation process.

• Actions: I analyzed the site content, made recommendations, and summarized actionable next steps in three phases.

• Deliverables: I gave them an audit checklist with detailed analysis, a content inventory, and a slide deck to present to the board.

• Strengths:

  • Core messaging and storytelling - The mission of WBP and the focus on Purple Heart veterans are clear and big differentiators from other veteran programs. The testimonials and videos effectively build trust and connection. Language is empathetic and aligned with the Purple Heart audience.

  • Readability - Most pages are easy to read (grade 6–8 level). The formatting and fonts are generally consistent.

  • Donation - The donation payment process is simple, secure, and mobile-friendly.

• Opportunities:

  • Content Models - Retreat landing pages lacked lead paragraphs and clear summaries. Many photos (especially hero images) are low resolution or out of focus. Impact metrics (“95% impact”) lack specificity. Testimonial content is strong, but presented as a video library, not a varied experience.

  • SEO/AIO/GEO and Structured Content - Page titles are generic, pages lack consistent structure, and are often cluttered with event numbers/status tags. Critical keywords (e.g., “veteran,” “Purple Heart,” “healing retreat”) are underused. Duplicate meta descriptions harm search visibility. Blog posts exist, but aren’t well structured as a standardized content model, and some are orphaned. There is no FAQs section to help the site be found by GenAI tools like Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude.

  • User Journeys and Personalization - The story about the Purple Heart veteran journey is clear, but not the donor and partner journeys. CTAs are present but sometimes unclear (“Ignite the Bonfire” is supposed to mean “Donate”). There is limited storytelling for volunteers and partners that would draw them in. The registration page is functional, but not welcoming or prominently placed.

  • User Experience - Desktop navigation relies only on a small hamburger menu, making it hard to find key sections. Breadcrumbs are missing, complicating backtracking. The site is responsive and loads quickly, but the veterans’ section is buried too low in the navigation.

• Recommendations: The Warrior Bonfire Program site communicates purpose and emotion well, but misses opportunities in clarity, accessibility, SEO/AIO/GEO. Sharpening impact metrics, improving navigation, and tailoring content to donors and partners will better convert visitors into engaged supporters.

  • Quick Wins (1–2 weeks)

    • Rewrite vague metrics (“95% impact”) with specifics.

    • Add welcoming lead paragraphs to the Retreats and Registration pages.

    • Update vague CTAs (“Ignite the Bonfire”) with clear action (“Donate”).

    • Fix meta description problems to support SEO.

    • Create a robust FAQs section. To create the questions, use tools like Semrush to find out what audiences are asking GenAI when searching for this kind of program.

  • Short-Term Priorities (1–3 months)

    • Redesign the retreat landing page to include season summaries and “Past Retreats” archive.

    • Replace blurry hero images with high-resolution photos (from social media channels or new shoots).

    • Optimize event/page titles with veteran-focused keywords.

    • Add transcripts/captions for videos.

    • Reorganize donor/partner content into a clearer “Get Involved” hub.

  • Longer-Term Growth (3–6 months)

    • Add top navigation menu on desktop and breadcrumbs across the site.

    • Build an impact metrics page highlighting veterans served, retreats hosted, and years active.

    • Expand storytelling about Purple Heart veterans’ unique needs for public education.

    • Diversify testimony content (mix of quotes, videos, stories) to create an immersive experience.

    • Strengthen donor journey with transparent giving options, impact stories, and case studies.

• What I learned: Context matters. The Warrior Bonfire Program site communicates purpose and emotion well, but misses opportunities in clarity by adding context. They are such a tight, niche community that it’s easy to miss that people who are a step outside, like donors, may need to know more specifics. And even insiders, the veterans, need to feel introduced to the program and process of why to register to know if it will fit their needs.

  “Working with Christine was an excellent experience for our team at the Warrior Bonfire Program. As a nonprofit serving post-9/11 Purple Heart veterans and their spouses, it’s important that our online presence clearly reflects our mission and makes it easy for people to connect with us. Christine completed a full website audit and provided clear, detailed, and practical feedback that will help us strengthen the way we share our story and engage supporters.
  
  She delivered both a spreadsheet and a written report covering everything from messaging and content to SEO, accessibility, and user experience. Her recommendations made it easy to see where we could make immediate improvements and what to prioritize moving forward. Beyond the deliverables, Christine was responsive, thoughtful, and made the entire process simple.
  
  Thanks to her work, we now have a clear roadmap for updating our website in a way that better reflects who we are and the impact we have. I would gladly recommend Christine for any project where an organization is looking for insightful, actionable guidance.”

  Mireille Martinez, Business Development, Specialist, Warrior Bonfire Program

  
  Need to improve content quality? Schedule a discovery call with me.

"Working with Christine was an excellent experience for our team at the Warrior Bonfire Program. She completed a website audit for us and provided clear, thoughtful, and very detailed feedback that will be valuable as we continue to strengthen our online presence. Christine delivered a comprehensive spreadsheet and written report outlining her findings and recommendations, covering everything from messaging and content to SEO, accessibility, and user experience. She also created a short slide deck, which made it easy for me to share the highlights with our team and board. Her work was thorough and practical. The recommendations she gave were specific to our organization and our audiences, making it much easier to see where we can make improvements right away, as well as what to prioritize in the future. Beyond the deliverables, Christine was responsive and easy to work with. She communicated clearly, asked the right questions, and made the process simple for us. We now feel much better equipped with a roadmap for updating our website."

Mireille Martinez, Business Development Specialist, Warrior Bonfire Program

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