Website builder
Sep 2024 – Jun 2025
I owned the 0→1 design of Circle’s Website Builder. Circle was strong at community, but the entire acquisition journey lived outside the platform. I saw that gap, validated it through research, and built the solution from scratch.
The Website Builder helped shift Circle into a more complete ecosystem where acquisition and engagement live in one place, not stitched together across external tools.
Product
Circle
Role
Senior Product Designer
Skills
End-to-end product ownership AI-powered research & competitive analysis Designing complex product systems Build functional prototypes Design specs & component documentation
Timeline
Sep 2024 – Jun 2025
Team
3 Engineers, 1 PM
Problem
Community owners had no built in way to create a website on Circle. To attract members, sell courses, or promote events, they relied on WordPress, Squarespace, or Webflow and built their entire top of funnel outside the platform.
This created a structural gap. Circle had no control over the first touchpoint. Visitors landed on external sites, signed up through third party flows, and only then entered the community. Every external step increased friction and drop off risk.
Competitor analysis confirmed the weakness. Platforms like Wix and Squarespace offered integrated website builders inside their ecosystems. Circle's community product was strong, but the funnel started elsewhere and often ended there.
Process
Research showed one thing clearly: community owners don't need a design tool. They need to go live fast. That shaped everything.
Built a POC around the minimal path. A page that converts visitors into members, published in minutes. Validated the core, then scope shifted. Leadership pushed for a full-scale builder with themes, layers, and version history.
The hardest call was sequencing. Research showed creators needed speed first, complexity second. I prioritized on-canvas editing over advanced features like version history, keeping the foundation sharp before layering power on top.
Solution
A drag-and-drop builder native to Circle. Fast path for a first page, enough depth for a full sales funnel. Custom themes and reusable sections so creators don't start from scratch every time.
Flexible layouts for those who need more control. All of it wired directly into Circle's ecosystem: courses, events, memberships, paywalls.
The site isn't a separate thing. It's the beginning of the funnel that ends inside the community.
“I worked at both Unbounce and Kajabi, so I know landing pages. Circle's Website Builder is the first one that truly gets what a community business needs. My site now has a dual purpose, it helps me sell to non-members while seamlessly delivering a premium experience to paying members — all in one place. It was drag-and-drop and simple to rebuild (and improve) my entire site myself. And now, every page is connected, on-brand, and built to convert.”
“If you're thinking about using the Website Builder for your launch, relaunch, or next creative move — you've got options. You don't have to sacrifice brand, style, or functionality to keep everything inside Circle.”
“Yes, some independent platforms are more advanced, just like dedicated website builders, but having everything in ONE platform is a huge advantage.”
Impact
Visitor to member conversion increased 3.2x. Engagement increased 2.1x. Community owners stopped sending traffic to third party platforms. For the first time, the full funnel lived inside Circle.
+22%
Visitor to member
2.1x
Conversion
3.2x
Engagement