by Andrew Spoeth (Visit Andrew's Blog Here)

Redesigning a website can be a lengthy, complicated process. Done properly, it can give a dramatic boost you your online presence. Over the years I’ve had the pleasure, and pain, of being a part of several redesign projects.

Here is a checklist for website redesign, a series of steps that developers will go through in a successful redesign project.

1. Document the reasons you’re redesigning the website.
   Having these listed will act as a compass through the lengthy project. When things get stressful, you’ll want this reminder.
2. Test the old site, e.g. with an online intercept survey.
   How easily can users find key parts of the site? Other testing methods include focus groups and eye tracking. For the survey, get enough data to make it statistically relevant. The qualitative, descriptive feedback from one-on-one sessions with customers is also very valuable.
3. Conduct a baseline analysis of the old site.
   A baseline analysis is a document which sets the bar by which the future site will be measured. It should detail how the old site has performed over the past year, including key performance indicators like visitors, bounce rate, conversion rates, pages/visit, etc.
4. Set targets for the new site.
   These should be actual numbers and be based on the baseline mentioned above.
5. Hire a design company.
   Choose a company which has experience in your industry and has demonstrated success in the past. Do they ask you the right questions? Do they understand your customer? Do they deliver on budget and on schedule?
6. Map out the new site’s architecture.
   Work on a whiteboard or a blank piece of paper. Use one box per web page, starting with the home page on top. Draw lines between the pages to show logical connections. An alternative process, called Card Sorting, starts with cue cards. Create one cue card per web page, lay them out on a large table and start grouping and arranging them.
   When mapping out the architecture, remember to keep the site compact, i.e. don’t create too many levels. This is bad for usability and bad for search engine optimization.
7. Do keyword research.
   Consider words being used by your customers, at conferences, etc. Take a look at your old site’s analytics to determine which keywords have been bringing traffic from the search engines, especially traffic that converts into real business. Also consider third party tools like Google’s Search-based keyword tool, Seo Book’s Keyword Suggestion Tool. And don’t forget Google Trends.
   How long should your keyword list be? That depends on your business model. But in most circumstances, a list of 20-30 is a great start.
8. Audit all of your existing online collateral.
   This includes all old and existing web pages, online brochures, podcasts, etc. Make a list in Excel and leave a couple of columns for notes and an instructions, e.g. ‘keep’, ‘keep but edit’, or ‘throw away’. B2B sites should also make room for columns to describe the type of buyer that web page appeals to, e.g. technical buyer, economic buyer, and when in the buying process that web page would best be viewed, i.e. Phase I: Awareness of Problem, Phase II: Researching a Solution, etc.
9. Write content for the new site.
   Each page should have a clear purpose, give an opportunity to continue, and be optimized for 1-2 keywords identified in number 7 above.
10. Create wireframes, mock-ups, etc.
    Carried out for the most part by your design company, this is where your combined knowledge of the target market turns into a creative and user friendly design which works.  Have the design company give you at least a couple of unique designs for the home page to choose from.
11. Test the mock-ups for usability.
    Let some customers loose on these mock-ups. The pages only need minor functionality for now, e.g. be able to click on a couple of key areas. Make note of how easily and quickly key parts can be found.
12. Fix, adjust and iterate
    Based on the results of your tests, iterate until you have a design which you can live with for the next 2 – 3 years.
13. Build out and populate pages.
    A lot of this may be handled by the web design company. Take all of the freshly written content and place it in the built pages. When choosing file and folder names for pages, consider using the keywords you identified in the keyword research stage above.
14. Organic optimization (SEO)
    You’ve already written the content and used the right keywords. Now is the time to take it further by ensuring that each page’s title, description and header tags do the same. Include links between pages. Interlinking is great for usability and great for search engine spiderability.
    Don’t forget to create a sitemap. There are two types of sitemaps, one which is on your site and visible to the user, and one which is visible only to the search engines (an XML Sitemap).
    And, don’t forget inbound links coming to some of the old site’s pages. Put a redirect in place for each of those so the new visitors, and link power, know where to go.
15. Testing. Try to break it before the site is launched.
    Get a large group of people you trust to poke around, find broken links, etc. Use various browsers, operating systems, look at it on a smart phone.
16. Add tracking code to each web page.
    This will ensure you can measure what’s happening with the new site. For tracking software like Google Analytics, it will be a fairly easy process, i.e. same tracking code on each page which can be applied in the footer.
17. Launch day. Flick the switch, uncork the champagne.
    Don’t forget to take a screen shot of the old site.
18. Post-launch monitoring
    Make a schedule and force yourself to note the key stats at regular intervals after the site is launched. For the first few days, do it every day. After that, weekly. If you have budget, do a second intercept survey (see #2 above).
19. Take the time to create a Content Development / Maintenance plan.
    Use a calendar and map out when you’ll be adding new content. How often will the ‘latest events’ section be updated? Who will update it? When will you review the product descriptions? Or case studies?
20. Keep a journal of this whole process
    

Want to see what the end result looks like?

> See a few examples on our Project Work page

For Immediate Release

March 11, 2010, Kelowna, BC

This Okanagan photo has "portal" like qualities, no?

Community Futures Development Corporation - North Okanagan along with Okanagan Partnership has awarded local integrated marketing agency, Twin Creek Media, a web development project known (for now!) as the Our Okanagan Web Portal.

A significant potential for collaboration, information flow and new business opportunities exist with the development and promotion of Our Okanagan Web Portal.  This Portal presents an opportunity for non-profits, government bodies, businesses, and the general public to come together under one umbrella.  The portal will strengthen & tie together key business groups like the Economic Development Commission, Chambers of Commerce and specialty groups such as the Okanagan Science and Technology Council.

James Shaw, Creative Director/Principal at Twin Creek Media, says "To be honest this is an entrepreneur's dream project.  The team here is so excited to be involved in such an important project.  Showcasing the Okanagan's business talent is very meaningful.  Connecting business to business, person to person, can only result in more jobs, more knowledge, and ultimately a stronger local economy.  Brilliant idea.  Well done Community Futures."

The web portal will be a powerful business community site for residents of the Okanagan and potential investors who wish to relocate here.

Unique features of the portal include:

• Businesses can inventory and showcase their products & services
• Individuals can search the new comprehensive database using advanced filters
• Creation of new opportunities for businesses and individuals to work together
• People will be able to search for jobs, investment opportunities, and learn about local business resources available
• Individuals can connect with each other a number of ways, including online social media tools

The Our Okanagan Web Portal also presents the opportunity to promote our business sector to the world.  This is an amazing chance for greater national and international recognition!

The contract was signed in late 2009, with branding responsibilities given to Touchpoint Agency, and site programming/implementation duties given to Twin Creek Media.  Project launch is due Spring 2010.

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About Twin Creek Media:

New Okanagan Regional Library website

Press Release
February 17, 2010
For Immediate Release

NEW OKANAGAN REGIONAL LIBRARY WEBSITE GOES LIVE

The Okanagan Regional Library (ORL) launched its totally redesigned website on Wednesday, February 17 at its previous URL www.orl.bc.ca. Customers visiting the site will see several new features that enhance their ability to find everything from events at their local branch, to answers for reference questions, to lists of librarian-recommended books for children and adults.

“The redesign of our website has been much more than cosmetic,” says ORL Executive Director Lesley Dieno. “This website has been in development for a year and includes improvements so our customers can more easily access the information they need online.”

Some of the features include:

• A master events calendar, searchable by branch, date or event type
• Searchable ORL and BC Library to Go catalogues
• A news and events page for up-to-date information
• Links to the ORL’s Facebook and Twitter pages
• In-depth financial and administrative information about the ORL
• Online “Join” form
• Links to booklists, recommended websites, a eResources for children, teens, and book lovers

The website was created by a team at the ORL and Kelowna marketing firm Twin Creek Media.

Name the Marmot Competition

“This has been an extremely satisfying, and challenging project for our company,” says Twin Creek Media owner James Shaw. “The Okanagan Regional Library is complex – there are so many services available!  We worked hard with the ORL team to design a great online experience.  I think this new website will highlight the amazing services and resources that ORL offers to people of all ages.”

As part of the web launch, the ORL is unveiling its new kid’s mascot and announcing a contest to “Name the Marmot”. Children aged 3-15 years old are encouraged to submit their suggestions for a name online at www.orl.bc.ca/kids/marmot.  A customized $200 prize pack will go to the person coming up with the winning name.

Backgrounder on the ORL and use of technology (stats based on the 2009 year):

• The ORL website had 1.2 million hits, a 29% increase over 2008.
• Besides the ORL catalogue, the most popular page accessed was the “Branches” page.
• ORL customers downloaded 10,305 Audiobooks and eBooks from BC Library To Go, a 86% jump from 2008.
• 14,264 users accessed free wireless Internet at ORL branches
• Computer stations at ORL branches were used 171,028 times
• eResources subscription-only databases were accessed 36,077 times, with the most popular resources being Library To Go, Auto Reference Centre, Ancestry.com, and AskAway reference service
• Customers used the website to make 11,118 suggestions for purchase

Marla O'Brien
Public Relations Officer
Okanagan Regional Library
1430 KLO Road, Kelowna, BC

Since 2004, Twin Creek Media has been a strategic and creative marketing agency located in Kelowna, British Columbia. The firm has carved a place in the marketing world by becoming known for integrated marketing: combining the best of internet and digital with the traditional mediums of print, radio, and TV.

We've structured our company a little differently than other marketing agencies.  We have 4 people on our executive team, and 12 part-time specialists on our creative team.   Clients get consistent leadership and project management, while scoring the specialized resources that make up our "dream teams".

Normally, clients get "A" there, "B" the other place, "C" somewhere else, and run around between various companies fitting things all together.  The result: lack of clarity, lack of continuity, lack of harmony in the marketing message.  Instead, at Twin Creek Media clients get a well-rounded range of marketing services... from assessing the need, creating the materials, and choosing the right tool(s) for the job.  We fit in very nicely with SMBs (small/mid sized businesses) - companies with 10 to 50 employees.

Twin Creek Media aims to be the gold standard in integrated marketing.  Roughly half our staff are Gen X and Y - we understand the digital world.  We live the internet.  We breathe Google, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, blogs, digital video, SEM, SEO, mobile apps... we know how to integrate the best of what today's technology has to offer with what is tried and true in the advertising universe - the big 3: print, radio, TV. 

"We love integrated marketing. Assessing your market and understanding your target audience is critical.  Creating the concept, designing the visuals, and crafting the words are undeniably important.  But the correct delivery of the message is crucial for successfully engaging your audience.  Marketing channels are all different and each have there own strengths and weaknesses.  We want to use the right marketing mix for each client." - Cara Reed, Account Director

We will not limit our services to one industry or one marketing tool.  Imagine marketing channels were colours of the rainbow... (oh boy, here comes the metaphor!) We will not limit our offerings to one colour.  If you want an just an expert in the colours of black & white, there are a million of them these days... just Google it.  We want to use any and all colours appropriate to tell your marketing story!