The original WTAE Advertising website functioned as a reliable entry point for local advertisers seeking broadcast and digital solutions within the Pittsburgh market. Its UX prioritized clarity and accessibility, presenting service offerings such as Television, Digital, Creative Production, and Market Research in a straightforward, informational layout. While effective, the experience was closely tied to legacy broadcast branding and primarily served as a static marketing site — offering limited personalization and minimal integration with downstream sales and marketing systems. The design successfully communicated credibility but left opportunities to deepen engagement and better connect user behavior to measurable outcomes.

The re-branded HearstPittsburgh.com represents a strategic UX/UI evolution designed to support both modern advertisers and internal sales teams. The new site introduces a cleaner visual hierarchy, refined typography, updated graphic design, and original headshot photography to create a more contemporary, human-centered experience. Navigation and content structure were rebuilt to spotlight cross-platform solutions — including OTT, digital, and data-driven advertising — while aligning the local market more closely with Hearst’s national brand standards. The result is a more intuitive, confident, and scalable digital presence that reflects the sophistication of Hearst’s advertising capabilities.

Beyond visual and structural improvements, the re-branded website was built as an integrated marketing and lead-generation platform. The UX is tightly connected to Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Customer Insights – Journeys, enabling seamless CRM integration, automated lead capture, and personalized follow-up based on user behavior. This allows prospects to move effortlessly from website interaction to sales engagement, while providing the marketing and sales teams with actionable data, audience segmentation, and performance insights. By pairing thoughtful UX/UI design with enterprise-level CRM and automation tools, the new Hearst Pittsburgh website transforms the user experience from a static touchpoint into a fully connected, measurable part of the customer journey.

Click to view the rebranded site.

Click to view the original site.