Seven-year editorial identity, 40+ covers, and full UX e-commerce redesign
Impact: 50% of sales now organic
Stack
- BigCartel
- Squarespace
- Illustrator
- InDesign
- Photoshop
- Affinity
Project overview
Aurora Dorada Ediciones is an independent publishing house for which I have been responsible for the complete visual identity, both physical and digital, since 2019. Over the years I have designed more than 40 book covers and laid out more than 30 books, building a consistent visual language for the editorial brand. As the catalogue and business grew, the existing website (Bigcartel) became a barrier, limiting navigation, the shopping experience, and organic positioning. This case study focuses on the full UX redesign and platform migration to Squarespace, extending the editorial visual identity into a functional digital experience.
Challenge
No categorisation by genre or collection, so the catalogue was impossible to explore efficiently. Overloaded product page: description, author biography, and technical details in a single text block. Checkout only available in English for a predominantly Spanish-speaking audience. No reviews, no blog, and no authors section, critical elements for conversion and positioning. Static website with no ability to generate organic content.
My Role · Visual & Editorial Design · Brand identity, book and cover layout, ecommerce UX/UI redesign.
Objectives
Business Goals
- Increase sales conversion rate
- Improve organic search positioning
- Reduce abandonment in the purchase process
- Establish a solid editorial identity online
User Goals
- Find titles by genre, author, or collection easily
- Read clear and complete descriptions before buying
- Complete the purchase in Spanish without friction
- Discover the publishing house's authors and their complete work
Design decisions
| Problem identified | Design decision | Expected impact |
|---|---|---|
| No categorisation: catalogue difficult to explore | New architecture with collections separated by genre + independent authors section | Improved navigation and reduced search time |
| Overloaded product page | Separate blocks for description, technical details, and author | Better readability and product reading experience |
| Checkout in English for Spanish-speaking audience | Migration to Squarespace with native Spanish checkout | Direct reduction of friction at the most critical step |
| No blog: static website with no content generation | Blog implemented with SEO structure worked per page and product | 50% of sales now come from organic search |
| No reviews: critical for conversion | Product review system integrated | Greater user trust before purchase |
a) Key Deliverables
The visual identity and design strategy implemented since 2019 have supported the publishing house's real growth: over 50% of sales now come from organic channels, session time on the website has increased significantly, and Aurora Dorada's identity remains recognizable and consistent across 40+ covers and 30 published books.
b) Design Learnings
Managing a visual identity for over seven years teaches something no short-term project can: that consistency isn't rigidity, but knowing when a change reinforces the brand versus when it dilutes it. Moving from Big Cartel to Squarespace wasn't just a technical migration: it was a rethink of how editorial design translates into a digital experience while preserving the publishing house's character. What began as a graphic identity project evolved into UX, content strategy, and decisions with a direct impact on business.
c) Next Steps
- Develop a more modular editorial template system to accelerate the production of new titles while maintaining the collection's visual coherence.
- Enhance the website's shopping experience with a more streamlined checkout flow and product pages with stronger visual hierarchy.
- Explore the identity in new physical formats: event signage, fair materials, and custom shipping packaging.
Outcome
50% of sales now come from organic search, direct result of SEO and content architecture work. Increased visits and longer average session, over 1 minute average time on page. Most visited pages after the homepage are Catalogue and Authors, validating architecture decisions.
