Topic 3 - Web Development

Web Development

Case Study: 4.10 Happy Cog and Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation

1. What role did navigation and usability play in the redesign of the website?

One of the major changes was that three main areas were identified these were selecting a destination, building an itinerary and obtaining information about the city. Usability of the site was also upgraded with keeping the information on the front page to a minimum and also choosing colours that worked well. Through the adding of links to theire social media sites also makes it easier for individuals to stay in touch with the content. Along with this a great new asset to the website is the change in URL address as this gives it more visibility in the search engine and more chance of reaching mass' yet also greater chances of individuals clicking on the link.

2. Why was the addition of social layers important in the redesign?

It was important to add the social layers of facebook, twitter etc as this brings in a whole new audience and can attract a whole new demographic to the website which previously may have been unaware it even existed.These pages also offer discounts and keep up to date information which might entice previous visitors back for another visit. With the excessive use of social media these days they would have be crazy not to add them on their page as it is free and a great chance to reach a wider audience/gain publicity.

3. Why did the developers decide to consolidate the content management platforms?

They consolidated the content management platforms because they had to migrate hundreds of entries manually before hand which could lead to mistakes and failures in the website.

The process of utilising one sole content management platform (EE) meant that they could code it all together to make sure the real copy of the website wouldn’t breakdown once it had been coded. It also minimised time on making the site as tasks could be distributed greater by working on the front and back end of the pages at the same time.

4. Having considered the case study, discuss in general terms what role you now understand a website plays in an overall digital marketing strategy.

The internet has so much power in getting across to all individuals and audience types. The website is usually the first place an individual will look when trying to find specific information therefore can and should be used as an anchor point for any business. This shows why it is so important that the website is clear and easy to navigate and understand yet also be visually appealling as it is as easy as a click away to go to another website. A successful website will be able to convert some website viewers into customers and repeat customers as through market research they should understand and aim to reach their viewers desired wants and needs from the company.