Client: Warrior Bonfire Program

This audit evaluated the Warrior Bonfire Program website across six key areas: messaging, content, accessibility, SEO, user journeys, and user experience. The site has a strong emotional core but uneven execution in structure, SEO, and clarity for different audiences.

• Audiences: Purple Heart veterans, donors

• Goals: Increase findability of content and streamline donation process

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

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

• Deliverables: Audit checklist with detailed analysis, content inventory, slide deck

• Findings:

• Strengths:

  • Core messaging and storytelling - Mission and Purple Heart veteran focus are clear and differentiators. 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). Formatting and fonts are generally consistent.

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

• Opportunities:

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

  • SEO and Findability - Page titles are generic, inconsistent, and 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 optimized and some may be orphaned.

  • User Journeys and Personalization - Purple Heart veteran focus is clear, but donor and partner journeys lack clarity and differentiation. CTAs are present but sometimes unclear (“Ignite the Bonfire” vs. “Donate”). Limited storytelling for volunteers and partners. 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 navigation.

• Recommendations: The Warrior Bonfire Program site communicates purpose and emotion well, but misses opportunities in clarity, accessibility, and SEO. 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 specific numbers.

    • Add welcoming lead paragraphs to Retreats and Registration pages.

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

    • Fix meta description problems to support SEO.

  • Short-Term Priorities (1–3 months)

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

    • Replace blurry hero images with high-resolution photos (from social 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.

"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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