Faster Performance
Serverless architecture and edge caching deliver instant page loads at any scale.
CASE STUDY
Redesigning the UK’s Largest Vegan Media Platform
How 40Q transformed Plant Based News with a complete redesign, performance optimization, and intelligent content tools that keep readers engaged.
Project overview
Transformation Results
Plant Based News needed a site that holds up when a story goes viral and lets editors publish without code.
Smarter Engagement
Related posts surface content based on each reader’s browsing history.
Editorial Freedom
Custom blocks and workflows let editors publish faster without developer dependencies.
Business Impact
These challenges weren’t just technical, they affected reader engagement, editorial velocity, and Plant Based News’s ability to grow their audience and advertising revenue.
The problem
The Challenge: Built to Publish, Not to Scale
As the UK’s largest vegan media site, Plant Based News needed infrastructure and tools that matched their growing audience and editorial ambitions.
Limited Editor Flexibility
While WordPress gave editors independence from developers, they lacked the specialized tools to create rich, engaging content quickly and consistently.
Performance Bottlenecks
Page load times weren’t keeping pace with audience growth. Slow performance meant lost readers, and lost ad revenue.
Static Content Experience
Every reader saw the same related posts regardless of their interests. There was no way to surface content based on what readers actually engaged with.
Outdated Brand & Mobile UX
The existing design didn’t reflect the vibrant vegan movement, and mobile experience lagged behind where most readers were consuming content.
The solution
The Solution
40Q partnered with Plant Based News over two years, delivering a complete platform transformation through iterative improvements and a focused two-month redesign sprint.
Serverless WordPress for media-scale traffic
We deployed WordPress on AWS Lambda functions, enabling the site to handle traffic spikes without performance degradation, critical for a news site where stories can go viral.
Serverless WordPress for media-scale traffic
We deployed WordPress on AWS Lambda functions, enabling the site to handle traffic spikes without performance degradation, critical for a news site where stories can go viral.
Ready to Amplify Your Media Presence?
Plant Based News now runs on serverless WordPress with edge caching, and its editors build their own layouts. If your newsroom slows down when traffic peaks, let’s look at your platform together.