While the app was being built, and the Bureau was preparing a major national push to increase downloads, improve app store ratings and strengthen public trust — especially in regional communities and areas prone to severe weather.

My work spanned both the product launch and the associated national campaigns, ensuring a consistent, user-centred experience across every touchpoint.

As Senior Digital Communications Adviser, I partnered with product teams, meteorologists, and content designers to deliver a national marketing campaign.

I shaped communications across the entire ecosystem — from in-app UX content to creative campaign direction and messaging — with a focus on helping Australians access accurate information quickly and confidently.

• Improved app usability and clarity
  Wrote and edited UX content and microcopy across the BOM Weather app, including onboarding, feature explanations, radar interactions and weather terminology.

• Analysed user feedback from app stores and ongoing testing groups
  Reviewed app store reviews, support queries and user sentiment data to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.
  Engaged with dedicated user testing groups that we could return to throughout the project to validate content, assess usability and test new features such as the interactive radar.

• Enhanced visibility through App Store optimisation
  Developed App Store descriptions, feature messaging and screenshots that supported a major push to increase ratings and maintain a #1 ranking in weather categories.

• Led targeted digital marketing and app-install campaigns
  Partnered with design teams, marketing and social media teams to deliver the Bureau’s first integrated app-install campaign across paid, owned and earned channels — including App Store Search Ads, Facebook SDK pixel tracking, and targeted social ads (weighted towards iOS users aged 35–44).

• Designed and launched the new marketing slogan
  Created and rolled out the line “From the Trusted Source” to reinforce BOM’s status as Australia’s official weather provider.

• Delivered multi-channel creative content
  Produced campaign assets including:

  • 2 promotional videos

  • Media and PR packs

  • Paid digital advertising

  • Organic and paid social campaigns

  • Internal communications plan to support staff advocacy and visibility

• Supported safety and education content
  Delivered seasonal campaigns, online courses and severe-weather information to help the public interpret warnings more effectively.

Impact

• User-led improvements

  • Integrated insights from app store reviews, support channels and user testing sessions into content and UX decisions.

  • Ongoing testing groups allowed the team to validate changes quickly, leading to clearer forecast information, more intuitive radar interactions and better onboarding.

• Adoption & retention

  • Successfully transitioned existing users to the rebuilt app: 87% adopted the new version via auto-updates and manual downloads.

  • Retained the core user base of approximately 2.2 million, and grew total users to 2.96 million by September 2020.

• Ratings improvement

  • App Store rating increased from 3.5 → 4.5 (Oct 2019 to Aug 2021).

  • Google Play rating increased from 4.4 → 4.5 in the same period.

  • User feedback played a direct role in identifying areas that improved satisfaction and clarity.

• Search ranking maintained

  • Maintained the app’s #1 search ranking for key weather terms throughout the campaign.

• Growth and reach

  • Targeted new audiences — particularly iOS users aged 35–44 — resulting in increased downloads and broader community engagement.

  • Expanded usage in regional and high-risk areas, supporting safer decision-making during severe weather.

• Cross-government innovation

  • Delivered the first-ever Australian government use of App Store Search Ads and Facebook SDK pixel optimisation for app installs — setting a new digital marketing benchmark.

• Integrated campaign success
  Collaborated with DC & CED to execute a comprehensive, multi-channel marketing and communications campaign that significantly elevated visibility and trust in the updated app.