New Somerset Site Showcases Best Practice
8th September 2010
Categories: News - Latest
The new www.visitsomerset.co.uk, designed and built using New Mind's eCMS (Enterprise Content Management System), is a shining example of development best practice.
In planning for and developing the site the team at Visit Somerset worked to some core guiding principals, with the main focus being on the user experience and accessibility in terms of both functionality and content. The aim was to keep things simple, fresh and modern and not to clutter pages too much, providing visitors with a consistent approach with a focus on great images and driving people to the right pages to carry out their searches.
Work commenced on the new site in April 2010, having identified the needs of different visitor types in usability focus group research in 2009. Use of tabs to navigate, special offers, video and images were just a few of the key elements to be highlighted by the research, so the team was mindful of incorporating these requirements.
The website was developed and project managed by web developer Mike Turner of Turner Internet Consultancy and Robert Downes, Visit Somerset’s Development Officer. The two worked closely together to create a new site map, plan the user experience, design page templates and the required functionality. Using the eCMS, Mike built the site, whilst Robert planned the migration and development of content and oversaw the branding and design elements working with their design agency.
The resulting site is a triumph and a credit to the Visit Somerset team. Over 30 videos and photos themed by area of interest inspire visitors to explore the region. Suggestions for relaxing breaks, family top tips, car free itineraries and indulging in local cider also provide practical help. A key aim in terms of content was to make better use of the large number of destination product records stored in the DMS. To this effect a number of new featured lists have been created to help promote the area such as 10 Natural Wonders, 7 Historic Treasures, Picture Perfect Coast, as well as the new 'Free Places to Visit’ searchable section.
The visitor's browsing experience is also enhanced and simplified by new features such as the pop-up map within the search facility, the 'How do I use this' in the My Favourites right hand box and the Quick Highlights lists in the main content area of all top two level pages. All in all, a perfect balance of inspirational content and product detail has been achieved.
Mike comments “New Mind’s eCMS offered a high level of flexibility, with many eCMS controls available to easily ‘drag-and-drop’ into page templates, most important of which were those linking intelligently to the extensive product database in New Mind’s Destination Management System. The eCMS will allow us to continue to develop the site, enhancing the robustness and flexibility of existing tools and adding new functionality.”
Managing Director of New Mind, Richard Veal says " When we developed the eCMS we wanted to put the power back in the hands of the DMO. www.visitsomerset.co.uk is a great example of how this can really work given the right blend of design flair, inspirational editorial and attention to detail. The Visit Somerset team have shown great commitment to getting this site complete and I think that the results do real justice to an inspiring destination."
Plans for the future include greater use of online booking, further work on optimising pages for search engines, incorporating Trip Advisor reviews, a new inspirational map feature, more games and mobile specific functionality.
For more information about the project, contact your Account Manager or call us on 0330 440 1825.