Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce (HPCC) Web Site Matt Howard

Review of Current Site No recognizable target audiences No clear messaging on retail development the residential community the neighborhood as a destination Text heavy; hard to parse Lack of visual identity (e.g., people, place) Not optimized for search engines No metadata Not linked to other sites Changed URL confusing Cannot find in Web searches

No recognizable target audiences

No clear messaging on

retail development

the residential community

the neighborhood as a destination

Text heavy; hard to parse

Lack of visual identity (e.g., people, place)

Not optimized for search engines

No metadata

Not linked to other sites

Changed URL confusing

Cannot find in Web searches

Project Goals Create an actionable project plan to redesign and reconceptualize the site to better reflect the priorities of the Chamber reach and serve core target audiences represent the unique quality of Hyde Park deliver benefits of membership create value through content and functionality make site a tool for measuring marketing campaigns

Create an actionable project plan to

redesign and reconceptualize the site to better

reflect the priorities of the Chamber

reach and serve core target audiences

represent the unique quality of Hyde Park

deliver benefits of membership

create value through content and functionality

make site a tool for measuring marketing campaigns

Target Audiences potential / existing Hyde Park retail businesses industrial and government entities looking to develop area individuals / families who are considering or planning to relocate (including graduate students of the University) individuals / families who already reside within Hyde Park tourists coming to Hyde Park as a destination

potential / existing Hyde Park retail businesses

industrial and government entities looking to develop area

individuals / families who are considering or planning to relocate

(including graduate students of the University)

individuals / families who already reside within Hyde Park

tourists coming to Hyde Park as a destination

Core Messages Hyde Park is a great place to… grow a business (e.g., retail, services, development) raise a family (e.g., housing, education, diversity, parks) find a community (e.g., the University, cultural institutions, events)

Hyde Park is a great place to…

grow a business (e.g., retail, services, development)

raise a family (e.g., housing, education, diversity, parks)

find a community (e.g., the University, cultural institutions, events)

New Site Recommendations Structure site around target audiences Emphasize core messages Offer content that informs / changes behavior Provide tools, such as calendars List economic / demographic information Create a searchable database-driven business directory Optimize for search engines Measure web traffic and stats

Structure site around target audiences

Emphasize core messages

Offer content that informs / changes behavior

Provide tools, such as calendars

List economic / demographic information

Create a searchable database-driven business directory

Optimize for search engines

Measure web traffic and stats

Suggested Architecture Home Welcome message, strong graphics, clear sense of audience and navigation For businesses benefits of joining, highlight of major initiatives, banner program, info on real estate and regional development Membership application Web form Networking calendar Economic development info For families Relocation guide Visitors guide Event calendar Business directory A-Z directory, category directory, keyword search Integration with Google maps Events calendar About the chamber

Home

Welcome message, strong graphics, clear sense of audience and navigation

For businesses

benefits of joining, highlight of major initiatives, banner program, info on real estate and regional development

Membership application Web form

Networking calendar

Economic development info

For families

Relocation guide

Visitors guide

Event calendar

Business directory

A-Z directory, category directory, keyword search

Integration with Google maps

Events calendar

About the chamber

Technical suggestions Add metadata to code (SEO) describing the goals of the site list of keywords Encourage member businesses to link back (SEO) Make business directory both browsable and searchable through a dynamic database Add community events and business networking calendars (e.g., Google calendar) Add Web form for membership requests (e.g., Freedback)

Add metadata to code (SEO)

describing the goals of the site

list of keywords

Encourage member businesses to link back (SEO)

Make business directory both browsable and searchable through a dynamic database

Add community events and business networking calendars (e.g., Google calendar)

Add Web form for membership requests (e.g., Freedback)

Marketing Suggestions Use a web analytics tool (e.g., Google Analytics) to track the numbers of visitors and click-throughs Measure success of any campaign to drive traffic to site; to increase membership Create banner ads, smaller graphics to link back to new chamber site On City of Chicago sites, member business sites, Board of Tourism site, Chicago Tribune, etc.

Use a web analytics tool (e.g., Google Analytics) to track the numbers of visitors and click-throughs

Measure success of any campaign to drive traffic to site; to increase membership

Create banner ads, smaller graphics to link back to new chamber site

On City of Chicago sites, member business sites, Board of Tourism site, Chicago Tribune, etc.

Design Suggestions Strong graphic elements that visually introduce Hyde Park (e.g., rotating photographs) Clearly defined navigational elements leading visitors deeper into the site Web 2.0 look and feel (new, not dated) Show people, families, streets

Strong graphic elements that visually introduce Hyde Park (e.g., rotating photographs)

Clearly defined navigational elements leading visitors deeper into the site

Web 2.0 look and feel (new, not dated)

Show people, families, streets

Best practices http://www.myjaxchamber.com/ http://www.austin-chamber.org/ http://www.charlottechamber.com/ http://www.columbiamochamber.com/

http://www.myjaxchamber.com/

http://www.austin-chamber.org/

http://www.charlottechamber.com/

http://www.columbiamochamber.com/

Next Steps Consensus and funding Create an actionable plan that can be submitted to design and Web production firms This includes a content document and making decisions on how best into integrate functionality into the site. Recommended time frame for launch is end of September. Finding vendors, RFP Selecting vendor Project management (approvals)

Consensus and funding

Create an actionable plan that can be submitted to design and Web production firms

This includes a content document and making decisions on how best into integrate functionality into the site.

Recommended time frame for launch is end of September.

Finding vendors, RFP

Selecting vendor

Project management (approvals)

Thanks! Matt Howard [email_address] 773-702-5071

Matt Howard

[email_address]

773-702-5071