Case Study: Hachette Book Group achieves a faster, more accessible website with Alley

Hachette Book Group boosts desktop performance by 40 points with Alley

Hachette Book Group, one of the big five publishing companies, sought to transform its outdated website to create a unified catalog for professionals and a seamless e-commerce experience. Their challenges included a cluttered design with ineffective image carousels that hurt performance, a disjointed workflow for dozens of editors across imprints, and a site that was not optimized for mobile or accessibility. They partnered with Alley for a comprehensive redesign.

Alley implemented a user-centric solution involving audience research and the creation of a block-based design system. This streamlined editor workflows and provided a cohesive yet customizable brand experience. They eliminated carousels, improved mobile touch targets, and ensured accessibility compliance. The results were significant: desktop performance increased by 40 Lighthouse points, mobile accessibility by 22 points, and SEO also improved, providing a more inclusive and performant platform for readers and industry professionals.

Hachette Book Group