Project Summary
AIS is a global workspace design and delivery organisation.
Growth into international markets prompted them to select a web development partner to design, build, and support a new website which would better serve their growing global audience.
With WordPress we created AIS a custom, UX led, multilingual, B2B lead generation website, which showcases their creative workplace design work from their projects across the globe.
A clean and minimalist design was selected to allow the beautiful photography of their projects to shine.
Deliverables
- Discovery & Strategy Workshops
- 30 High Fidelity UX Wireframes & Layouts
- Mobile & Desktop Viewports
- Bespoke WordPress Theme
- Multilingual
- Events Manangement
- Mailchimp Integration
- WordPress Training
- Analytics & Goal Tracking
- Ongoing Support & Maintenance
The Challenge
AIS came to Impact for a website redesign, and a Support & Maintenance plan. Their existing site was built on WordPress, and they switched to our Support and hosting environment a couple of months prior to launch, making launch a much more straightforward and smooth process.
Their need for a new website was in response to the international growth they had been experiencing, and wanted a website that was more aligned with their global audience, and which would allow them to expand into further markets on their radar.
The research that formed the early part of our project with AIS, identified some usability issues which the new site would also look to remedy.
- Clean and simple design aesthetic
- A focus on a good user experience
- A solid SEO foundation
- Better use of social proof
- A website that could scale with their growth
- Flexible enough to evolve with their business processes
- Maintain their established brand identity
- Aligned to a global audience
Workshops, Content Mapping & Wireframes
Our website strategy workshop allows us to delve into past data, and present the best structure for the website moving forward. We brought together all key decision-makers to understand their key website goals and objectives.
In a 2 part workshop, we reviewed existing traffic, user data, and developed an understanding of the core audience, working with the AIS team to produce specific personas.
We restructured the sitemap and reorganised content when creating the content outline, as well as creating various user flows before exploring current SEO benchmarks.
A deep competitor analysis was followed by a mood-boarding exercise to capture the visual look and feel the client was trying to achieve, to ensure that we were moving in the right direction.
From the findings of the workshop, we were able to wireframe the key page templates for desktop and mobile views. Showing the client where important content blocks would sit in relation to each other, and how each of the user journeys would flow through the site.
Wireframing is paramount before any visual design, which can distract from noting any key usability considerations.
The workshop included:
- Analytics Review
- Competitor Analysis
- User Personas Creation
- User Flow Creation
- Content Outline Creation
- Website Sitemap Creation
- Moodboard Creation
- Conversion & Website Goal Planning
- Page Template Allocation
- Integration & Automation Discussion
- Content Migration Planning
- SEO Benchmarking
Design System & Page Layouts
The designs focused on showcasing AIS’s beautiful and striking imagery, using plenty of whitespace for a clean and modern aesthetic.
This was balanced carefully with ensuring the site did not become clinical. It was important to demonstrate their human approach to workplace design and build, their approachability and provide a platform for the thought leadership of their team.
Usability Improvements
Earlier in the process, we identified some usability issues around navigation, and a lack of clear user journeys and calls to action.
We rectified this with a more traditional menu structure, and making sure clear user journeys existed throughout the site, along with prominent CTAs and easily accessible contact information.
Development Of A
Bespoke WordPress Theme
For every website we build, we create a bespoke theme (never using off-the-shelf themes). This improves usability, removes bloat, and ensures that the websites can be scaled and built around the business, strictly following the approved design visuals.
It also allows us to build in required functionality, reducing the number of plugins required and it ensures a completely unique website tailored specifically to the client.
Website Functionality:
- Whitepaper downloads
- Work with us CTAs
- Newsletter opt-in in the footer
- Case Studies
- Multilingual
- Blog & News Area
- Website Search Functionality
- Events section
Global Audience
To address AIS’s international growth, and aid their expansion into new markets, we implemented Weglot, to give their website multilingual functionality.
We also clearly demonstrated their work with businesses across the globe in the case study section, highlighting the locations of their projects.
This is also reflected on the contact page, with their many locations displayed below the contact form.
Thought Leadership
AIS wanted their new site to position them as the thought leaders which they are in their industry. We created an Insights section, for their articles, highlighting authors, and their whiterpapers, with forms included on page for GDPR compliant data capture.
To make sure the human touch was not lost, we included a People section, with profiles of their team of experts. This section is easy to manage and expand as they grow.
Stronger Use Of Social Proof
The work AIS does speaks for itself, and it was important to showcase this along with the reviews and testimonials their delighted clients have left for them.
The case studies section is one of the key pages on site. It is dynamically populated with the key top level information from each case study – location, company and an image. The page can be filtered by the services they offer, and the size of the project.
The individual case studies are visually striking with a selection of high-quality imagery from each project, a clear summary, and a breakdown of the size, location, sector and services delivered. Each of these has a bold and simple call to action for those wishing to enquire, along with a forward journey linking out to other case studies and further reading, for those wishing to find out more.
Events
Although the events system is not currently accessible to front-facing users, an entire events area has been designed/developed in preparation for when AIS are ready to begin their events post pandemic.
The events area includes:
- Event search
- Search by location
- Grid view/list view
- Digital events
- Live events
- Webinars
- RSVP to attend option
- Speakers information
A Foundation Of SEO Best Practice
SEO best practice is an important consideration in all of our builds, and something we consider from day one.
We introduced AIS to our SEO partner Footprint Digital, and involved them early on in the process to ensure a smooth migration and a well-optimised site.
GDPR Compliant Data Capture
With the new site we wanted to simplify the marketing process, and enable AIS to better track specific marketing metrics and goal conversions.
GDPR compliant data capture was a must. We integrated all forms with Mailchimp, to make things easier for the team, and we ensured that goal & event tracking was set up with Google Analytics and Tag Manager.
Ease Of Use & Future Proofing
We created an easy backend experience for the AIS team to be able to modify and add new pages and content without the need for technical knowledge. Elementor was selected for easy on-brand page creation.
As with all our builds, we also included a set of training videos, so that they could train their wider team or any new starters with ease.
We also included Yoast, to allow Footprint to easily manage on-page optimisation.
All areas of the site were created with growth in mind, ensuring their website will have a long shelf life, and scale with their business.
The Results
The website has been very well received by both the AIS team and their clients.
It also received an award for Outstanding Achievement in the Architecture/Interior Design category of the 2022 IMA’s, and has been recognised on design websites like Awwwards and CSS Reel.
