Greater Richmond Partnership

Situation

Regional economic development group needed a new, more efficient, more easy-to-update website to generate leads and promote the region to domestic and international businesses that are expanding or relocating. It also needed to serve as an informational tool for students, relocating families and the media.

Solution

We performed an in-depth website assessment including click studies and an analysis of web analytics to identify ways to make their site more effective. This assessment allowed us to compile an exhaustive snapshot of similarly-sized economic development firms’ web presences and identified their core audience segments. Interviews were conducted with members of their core audience, which enabled us to understand what content the core audience found most useful.

Having constructed a roadmap for success, we designed and re-architected the site to appeal to all audience segments.

The new design allows for easier navigation, provides enhanced functionality and encourages site visitors to explore the region for business opportunities through photos, video testimonials from business and community leaders, data, news and publications.

Results

Content is managed and organized in a web-based content management system, allowing their staff to update and access the parts of the site that they are responsible for. They can also manage 3 websites from one web-based interface, and content flows to all three sites as it is published.

The site has won several awards including Gold Cannonball for Complete Websites (highest award) in the 2009 Richmond Ad Show and awards from the Southern Economic Development Council Development (SEDC) and International Economic Development Council (IEDC). It was also selected as a feature on the Communication Arts website.

Web analytics show the site is more effective for visitors. The Average Time on Site is up 52%, Page Views is up 159% and Pages Visited is up 33%. Site Visits are up 95% and it continues to receive positive feedback.