Overview
Expanding GitHub Sponsors, refreshing the web presence, and consolidating information
I was a copywriter turned Editorial Manager / Content Manager for the GitHub Blog, Product Manager and Content Designer for GitHub Sponsors, and served on the Inclusion Advisory Council.
GitHub Sponsors adds the option to financially support open source work via GitHub.com. It’s Patreon but for open source developers. When I joined Sponsors, they were experiencing growing pains.
After the initial success of GitHub Sponsors, the website was outdated and needed to address both peer contributors and potential sponsors from an enterprise level. At the same time we needed to provide a smoother, informed experience when using the service to reduce churn.
Goals
Unifying information while expanding the program
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Update service pages and web presence
Evolve the front-page and documentation to provide info about the present-day service, including new features and general tax “guidance.”🧩
Onboard users to the service effectively
Redesign onboarding for a frictionless experience that informs a user where they are in the process.🔐
Bonus: Reduce churn and fraud
Provide information on what kind of tax guidance can be offered legally, set expectations and checkpoints for users going through signup, and reduce opportunities for bad actors to enter the program.
Challenges
Sharing financial information for a global audience
Without much experience in fintech, I was determined to write copy and provide content that helps individuals understand financial implications without dispensing tax advice. I partnered with the Microsoft Fraud and Security Team to understand the potential for bad actors and strategize processes to maintain a healthy program.
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Information is outdated and isn't centralized
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Consideration for users and enterprises
Many services need to appeal to multiple audiences...🌊
User churn and program growing pains
User churn can be dificult to identify and minimize because it can be a combination of problems. Fixing one part of a problem may alleviate the problem, but it can only worsen if other issues are left unaddressed.
Process
Creating a cohesive Sponsors program
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Audit content
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Identify goals
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Review data and feedback
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Created roadmap with check-ins
User personas and mapping flowOverall scope with prioritiesAddress content updatesReduce churn in onboardingMockup optionsDeadlines and responsible individualsSuccess metrics and next iterations
Identify goals
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Identify goals
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Identify goals
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Identify goals
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Identify goals
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Identify goals
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Identify goals
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Identify goals
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Results
Users have set expectations when joining Sponsors
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A more inclusive experience
Representation matters for users to see themselves succeeding in any program. Now when you learn about GitHub Sponsors, you're greeted by a brown octocat.
Relaunching the program
After growing pains, relaunching the GitHub Sponsors program meant people could experience an evolved, more mature program with information, processes, and a greater opportunity for financial success.
Holistic communications
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Expanded support
More often than not, there's a lot of existing assets and information that can be updated and reused instead of requiring a complete overhaul.
Community earners
Many program members earned more money after our relaunch, and a user, Caleb Porzio, earned $100k/year (USD) in the program.
Tax information
After partnering with legal and tax experts, we were able to provide clear and concise tax information without dispensing non-binding financial advice. This reduced overall support tickets around financial questions.
Customer evidence
Providing information about how corporations, individuals, and teams can benefit from being a part of the program with success stories helped the community understand how they can leverage the program for their own repositories.
Learnings and questions
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