Overview
CCD was seeking a single, unified web presence—that supports and represents the many programs and initiatives of their organization. Through the redesign process, they hoped to involve their internal leadership team in an inclusive, collaborative website redesign process that streamlined their marketing & communications efforts, while also telling an engaging and cohesive story about their organization highlighting the broad-reaching impact of their efforts. This project involved streamlining content from multiple domains into a single, user-friendly website.
Challenges
The website faced the challenge of catering to a diverse audience, including residents, visitors, and business communities in downtown Philadelphia. Their internal team operated in silos, hindering collaboration and causing conflicting priorities and opinions for the website's goals. The previous website had become a repository for neglected content, burying valuable and engaging material. Furthermore, there was a lack of a cohesive brand design system, resulting in a lack of brand unity. Additionally, they missed opportunities to leverage programs like Restaurant Week to build brand recognition and engage a larger user base effectively.
Strategy 1
Fold all web properties into one single unified web presence and brand.
CCD previously had a patchwork of different websites for different initiatives, facets of their organization and partnerships. This was rooted in the constraints of the previous website platform and an inclination to reflect an internal org chart not important or useful for their users.
Sample Tactics:
Major site architecture overhaul.
We used the Konmari method to combine all content from the previously separate domains, and identify content that ‘Spark(s) Joy’ for their users. We then started with a blank slate to organize the website around relevant, useful and updated content.Created a dual and hierarchical navigation experience, addressing two user types:
- Primary: Broader audience, more exploratory
- Secondary: Specific audiences, more functional
Strategy 2
Shift from promoting Center City to establishing CCD as a partner to helps people get things done.
Since CCD’s founding—and, in large part because of their great work—Philadelphia has it’s fair share of success and interest that there are many existing, curated guides, editorial content, tools and services that people are using, some of which hare very broad to highly specific and specialized. We suggested the website be less about selling Philadelphia but more providing the pathways and information for each of these audiences.
Strategy 3
Provide ways to highlight original content.
We recommended their team elevate the content analytics show people are looking for (i.e. CCD Parks information or Restaurant Week).
We designed ways for them to highlight great content they were already creating and visually tell a better story about the organization and its constituencies.
We recommended creating new content highlighting people who help benefit from the impact of CCD and who keep Center City clean, safe and attractive
We created a more robust & user-friendly Research & Report database
We removed all directory-style content unmanageable for their team (and already taken care of by sites like Yelp, Google, etc).
We recommended their team pull content from printed ‘Digest’ to an online blog format, providing more relevant, real-time content throughout the website.