Case Study 3: From Reddit to Reality: A True Crime Storytelling Website

Project Overview
A small true crime content creator approached me through Reddit to help build a dedicated website.
Their goal was to create a platform where they could share detailed case write-ups, engage a wider audience beyond Reddit, and establish credibility in the true crime space.

Challenges

• The original website lacked structure, was difficult to navigate, and presented an inconsistent user experience.

• Information regarding the case were scattered across Reddit threads, which limited visibility and discoverability.

• There was no central hub for their audience and fellow true crime enthusiasts to access past content.

• They needed a website that felt professional and trustworthy, while also matching the dark, investigative tone of their content.

My Role & Process

• Website Design & Layout: I designed the structure to prioritize readability, accessibillity, and immersion.

• Navigation & UX: Created clear categories (case files, timelines, theories, evidence) to make stories easy to follow.

• Tools Used: WordPress, Canva for visuals, various plugins.

Solution

• Built a fully responsive WordPress website optimized for mobile and desktop.

• Integrated multimedia (images, videos, timelines) to support storytelling.

• Designed a homepage banner with a strong tagline: “Things are not always what they seem.”

• Made the backend easy to manage so the creator could upload new stories without technical difficulty.

Results & Impact

• The creator launched their first set of stories on the site, which received positive feedback from their community.

• The creator collaborated with fellow creators, Into The Weeds Podcast and 1980 Millenial Commentates during CrimeCon 2025 in Denver, CO, where they promoted the site to popular true crime creators and enthusiasts alike. The website raked in [x] visits during the span of the event.

• The website established the creator as more professional, helping them attract potential collaborations.

Takeaways
This project allowed me to combine design, branding, and user experience in a niche storytelling space.
It reinforced the importance of aligning design aesthetics with content themes, especially when building credibility for creators. It also challenged me because I needed to present information in a clear and factual manner, while also being entertaining.