Choosing where to live is one of the biggest decisions a new student makes, often from a distance, under time pressure, and in a city they may never have visited. The project focused on making that decision easier by helping prospective students understand their options, compare residences with confidence and find the information they need quickly.

The work brought UX, SEO and accessibility together in a comprehensive review. Rather than recommending a costly rebuild, we identified the highest-impact improvements that could be made to the existing site, then set them out as a clear, prioritised roadmap for the accommodation team to implement.  

There's a local dimension to this one that we're particularly proud of. Bolser is a Leeds agency, a short walk from the University, and several of our team are Leeds graduates who know the city and the student experience first-hand. That proximity meant regular, face-to-face working sessions rather than updates from afar.  

We also drew on experience from projects where clear user journeys and strong organic visibility matter most, including the RAF Museum, National Theatre at Home and the Football Foundation.  

It's been a pleasure to work with the University on this first piece, and we’re excited about what the future holds. 

Rebccca Knight, Digital Marketing Manager at University of Leeds, commented:

Bolser were great to work with and really thoughtful in their approach, they focused on what would make the biggest difference for users. It was refreshing that they didn’t jump straight to suggesting a full rebuild but instead helped us see how far we could go by improving what we already had. They had a really good sense of what was realistic. It felt genuinely collaborative throughout, and the face-to-face sessions made a big difference. We’ve come away with a clear plan and lots of momentum, which is exciting.