Profile of T.Y. Lin International's website, 1st Place, SMPS National Marketing Communications Awards

1. 32 marketing communications awards
Web Sites
T
hinking about launching a new corporate Support for regional domains and localization: Deliver the
Web site? Check out these award-winning site in multiple languages (English and Chinese).
sites from the 2012 Marketing Communications
Awards and learn how the marketers behind these Audience. The audiences identified for the new site encompass:
Web sites approached the redesign process in their TYLI Group staff in the Americas and Asia Pacific
A/E/C firms.
potential and existing clients: Ministries of Transportation,
federal agencies, state agencies, city and county agencies,
www.tylin.com local municipalities, private developers, airport authorities,
T.Y. Lin International, San Francisco, CA port authorities, transportation officials, consultants, and
1st Place, Web Site Category contractors who influence and make decisions regarding
Goals. A full-service infrastructure consulting firm based in infrastructure projects
San Francisco, T.Y. Lin International (TYLI) Group undertook media outlets: Mainstream and business media as well as wire
a comprehensive redesign of its corporate Web site, including news services, trade publications, technical journals, television/
implementation of a content management system (CMS) that radio, metro beat reporters, blogs, and online publications
allows the firm to manage content in both English and Chinese.
prospective employees
The primary goal of the redesign was to align TYLI Group’s online
presence with its current market and brand position, facilitating
Research, Planning, and Implementation. TYLI’s Corporate
communication internally and externally with audiences around
Communications Department worked closely with FINE Design
the world. Additional goals included the following.
Group to develop a modern look and feel for the Web site, with
A “One Global Vision” presence: Combine the TYLI Group the aim of conveying the firm’s “One Global Vision” promise. This
companies in the Americas and Asia Pacific and reflect TYLI objective was achieved by conducting surveys and interviews with
Group’s multidisciplinary focus on diverse projects. Introduce executives and key staff to identify the central message, brand traits,
this unified vision to audiences in the United States, China, and goals of the site. A creative brief/brand study was created to
Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore markets. Emphasize the firm’s reiterate those goals and to summarize the key differentiators,
distinguished history of technical excellence and innovation. messages, brand attributes, tone, and voice.
Distinct visual design: Create a comprehensive, well-rounded
site that showcases the firm’s history, services, projects, and Content strategy: Content encompassing the company’s vision,
people, employing an innovative, clean, and dynamic design. global footprint, history, and archive of project information
Use professional photography as a vehicle to differentiate and imagery was assembled, audited, and organized as part of a
TYLI Group from competing firms. foundational content strategy phase. This exercise served to refine
the navigation and hierarchy of the site, filter project studies,
Increase communication channels and Web site traffic: Direct
and structure the company’s services, sectors, and projects.
traffic to and from social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook,
and LinkedIn. Encourage the use of social media tools to spur Site development: The site was developed using the latest Web
ongoing discussions in the firm’s areas of expertise. standards and best practices. The front end was hand coded
“Personal tours”: Market diverse services by allowing the staff using HTML/CSS with Javascript and tested extensively for
to create custom “tours” or portfolios of projects that address cross-browser compatibility. The data foundation is open source
prospective clients’ needs. and uses a Ruby on Rails framework and implementation.
Society for Marketing Professional Services

2. 33
T.Y. Lin International earned first place in the Web Site Category of the
2012 Marketing Communications Awards with www.tylin.com.
Content management system: The back-end CMS enables most The MCA jurors identified these trends
site content to reside in the database for easy updates, translation,
and relational linking among content areas. In particular, project-
in the 2012 Web site entries: intuitive
specific content from the company’s worldwide offices can be navigation functions, increased use
managed, classified, and modified readily through the platform, of social media, and the emergence
which is built on easily maintained open-source technology.
of smartphone technologies.
Message. The Web site is designed to communicate the message
that TYLI Group is more than a boutique bridge firm: It is a
large, diversified, global, and multidisciplinary infrastructure Post-launch, visitor engagement with the site spiked compared
consulting firm. to pre-launch: Total page views increased 111%, time spent
on the site increased 63%, and the number of pages viewed
Distinction. The Web site design highlights hundreds of per visit increased 47%.
projects, spanning 7 market sectors and 53 offices, in a filterable
portfolio. The site’s exterior is supported by a solid foundation YOY engagement increased even more dramatically: Total page
in a CMS robust enough to keep the entire site fresh in multiple views increased 365%, the increase in time spent on the site
languages. The launch of the Web site was the first time the was 161%, and the increase in number of pages viewed per
“One Global Vision” message was captured in one place for visit was 196%.
all to see and experience.
TYLI Group also saw an increase in requests from potential
Results. In the four months following the September 2011 launch, clients asking the firm to present qualifications for new projects,
site traffic increased substantially compared to the four months a substantial jump in global inquiries regarding employment
prior to launch: Web site visits increased 43% and unique visits opportunities, and an increase in worldwide media inquiries
increased 46%. Compared to the same period in the previous year, and placements including a feature article in The New York
Web site visits increased 56% Year-Over-Year (YOY) and unique Times’ Science section (2/7/12). The Web site is a key marketing
visits increased 57% YOY. tool used to highlight the firm’s innovative people, work, and
accomplishments.
Marketer/April 2013

3. 34 marketing communications awards
Salt Lake City-based MHTN Architects took home second place in the
Web Site Category of the 2012 MCA competition with www.mhtn.com.
www.mhtn.com Results. After launching the new site, the firm received dozens
MHTN Architects, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT of comments through its associated Facebook, Twitter, and
2nd Place, Web Site Category LinkedIn accounts. Phone calls of congratulations came from
Goals. Salt Lake City-based MHTN Architects sought to create clients and peers. Three national public relations firms reached
a Web site that highlights the firm’s people, provides genuine out to tell MHTN how they liked the site’s design, content,
perspectives from high-profile clients, and features the firm’s work. and overall makeup. New strategic alliances and three major project
wins also have stemmed from information shared on this Web site.
Audience. The firm’s target audiences are current and potential
clients from local and national markets. www.bsalifestructures.com
BSA LifeStructures and Miles Design,
Planning and Implementation. MHTN’s in-house marketing Indianapolis, IN
team provided the site’s content. The site was designed by Web 3rd Place, Web Site Category
design firm JM Studios. Goals. BSA LifeStructures and Miles Design collaborated on a
new Web site for the Indianapolis-based architectural firm with
Message. MHTN’s site employs video testimonials from clients four goals in mind.
for impact. Videos of firm leaders and clients also communicate
the synergy between MHTN’s designers and its clients. 1. Drive traffic to the Web site: Track metrics for key dashboard
information on the number of people visiting the site, page
Distinction. The Web site is a tool to help prospective clients views, bounce rate, and length of stay.
and employees “catch a glimpse of what it would be like to 2. Establish the firm’s professionals as thought leaders in design:
work with” the MHTN staff. Use blog posts, white papers, case studies, and project
experience to illustrate expertise in design.
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4. 35
Distinction. The new Web site uses a model that emphasizes
search engine optimization and is content rich. The incorporation
of a digital bookshelf section with case studies and integrated
blog and social media channels help reinforce this strategy. This
proactive model communicates solutions to visitors’ issues as they
navigate the site. Using Call-to-Action downloads, visitors are put
in contact with BSA LifeStructures early in the lead generation
process, which ultimately allows the client acquisition team to
cultivate relationships that can lead to future work.
Results. The new Web site has increased BSA LifeStructures’
brand awareness and given it the capability to identify and
prequalify prospects. Among the results achieved:
a dramatic increase in Web traffic
BSA LifeStructures and Miles Design, both in Indianapolis, IN, won the number of page views jumped from 6,755 (measured in
third place in the Web Site Category for www.bsalifestructures.com. the three months prior to the launch) to 27,088 (measured
in the three months after the launch)
average time spent on the site increased from 1:06 to
3. Generate leads: Responding to “Call-to-Action” downloads, 2:56 minutes
visitors can download white papers after they enter an email
more than 4% of visitors click on a Call to Action
address. The download is then validated and entered into
the firm’s client acquisition process. 5% of Web site views are of the firm’s Careers page
4. Recruit top talent.
Audience. The Web site’s audience is decision-makers seeking
design services in the healthcare, higher education, and
research industries.
Research, Planning, and Implementation. A Web site Update: 2013 Marketing
committee analyzed the existing BSA LifeStructures Web site,
dissecting what made the site static and an ineffective tool for Communications Awards
generating leads or recruiting talent. Examining the Web sites
Thank you to Turner Construction and committee
of 2009’s “Top 100 US Architecture Firms,” the committee
co-chairs Bernice Bako Newton, FSMPS, CPSM,
identified common themes from competitors’ sites that would
director of marketing for Turner, and Michael McCann,
influence BSA LifeStructures’ new site. FSMPS, CPSM, director of business development
for DF Gibson Architects, for hosting the 2013 MCA
The committee then asked random members of the firm to share competition on April 6 in New York City.
their aesthetic and emotional reactions to the competition’s Web
sites. Using color-coded stickers, participants expressed positive or Later this month, SMPS will notify entrants about the
negative reactions to the sites displayed, completing a conceptual status of their entries, and the winning firms will be
design charrette. The scope of this session included site orientation, announced. On August 1, award placements will be
movement and animation, image versus text ratios, navigation, revealed and the winners honored during the Awards
and links. As a result of this charrette, four conceptual designs were Gala in Orlando, held in conjunction with Build Business:
created and passed to Miles Design (www.milesdesign.com) for Dream Big!, the Society’s annual conference. Winning
its expertise and implementation into an image-focused Web site. entries will be on display in the Networking Pavilion
throughout the conference, July 31 – August 2 at the Walt
Message. The Web site positions the architects and engineers of Disney World® Swan and Dolphin. The winners also will
be recognized in the August edition of Marketer. Photos
BSA LifeStructures as experts in design and thought leadership in
of winning entries will be posted on Pinterest in August.
healthcare, higher education, and research. The Web site showcases
the firm’s culture, while providing key projects and Call-to-Action Visit www.smps.org/MCA for developing details.
white papers that highlight outcomes and benefits derived from
those facilities.
Marketer/April 2013