Extreme Web Makeovers

Nov 17, 2012 | Web Services

The Gavin team has done some pretty kick-butt work on two recently-launched websites, so we wanted to take a moment to 1) toot our own horns and 2) give you a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create a more effective and goal-focused site.

Gavin creates more than websites; we create complete goal-oriented designs and online branding and consumer experience strategies. Every web project starts with an idea and a set of objectives and goals. Our development teams use a multi-phased approach with focus on aesthetics, usability and overall experience, client objectives both now and in the future, and search engine optimization. That’s how we can go from this to this:

For 3 Cord, Inc., Gavin went beyond a standard website update to refresh the brand itself, complete with a new logo and streamlined message delivery. At Gavin, messaging is a religion—providing boundaries and setting expectations and the tone for decision-making. We identify and claim a core message, and then communicate it consistently across all channels.  We created fresh visuals and concise wording to tell our client’s story. The result was a clean design, clear messaging and the establishment of new brand aesthetics that will carry through all the client’s future marketing and communications materials.

When an organization, like Family First Health, already has an established logo and brand theme, we look to the core messaging to drive the creative process to creating a cohesive look that truly embodies the organization’s mission, values and objectives. The more consistent your message is—in both visuals and language—the more likely your target audience is to perceive your organization as being a suitable match to their needs. It is the first step (the handshake) in starting a relationship. So, Reader, meet the Family First Health website, before and after:

We believe a website is an essential tool in a company’s communications, and building an effective site starts with a clear, simple understanding of the message itself. Messaging and visuals should be used to guide the new site’s overall strategy. The success of a website, of course, all boils down to user experience and ensuring the website is meeting the target audience’s needs, and the client’s goals.

So much of our job as expert communicators, is to breakdown a message into digestible pieces—bite size pieces. Complicated jargon can create a barrier to moving a consumer along the desired decision-making path or action.

To improve Family First Health’s user experience, their new site features an expanded Spanish-language section to accommodate a very large portion of their target audience. We also created an awesome (if we do say so ourselves) mobile website that allows users to access the most critical info with just their smartphones. Go ahead, test it out:

So there you have it. We put substance behind the pretty and challenge the why in what you do. Wanna talk web with Gavin? Contact us now.