Strategy, Brand, Creative and Development
Challenge
Investment Metrics hired SmartAcre to help implement lead and demand generation strategies such as paid campaigns, nurtures, and other marketing initiatives to drive revenue. After an initial kickoff, SmartAcre recommended updated branding and messaging that fit Investment Metrics’ current positioning and would also help them stand out to their target markets. This branding and positioning would then need to translate to their website, which wasn’t competitive. It included inconsistent and outdated messaging that no longer fit their business model, plus a disjointed customer experience, making it hard to find information.
Solution
To correct these inconsistencies and improve Investment Metrics’ online presence, SmartAcre compiled a plan for the design, development, and roll-out of a new web property. The focus of this plan was to improve user-experience, design, technology, and messaging that supported lead generation, engagement, and a more accurate representation of the brand across mobile and desktop. SmartAcre initially created a web strategy document, which provided clear requirements and recommendations for the entirety of the project. These were determined based on the findings accumulated through research, evaluation of existing analytics, and installed technologies, client interviews, and competition review. During this process, SmartAcre simultaneously developed updated target personas. By doing this, SmartAcre created guidelines for the updated branding and content for the website that would attract ideal customers. Using findings from the web strategy document, SmartAcre determined how users will interact with the website, identified user flows, and laid out the foundation for how the website would convey the client’s brand messaging, marketing, and business objectives. This process aided in the creation of the information architecture document and wireframes for unique page templates. These deliverables allowed SmartAcre to: Visually plan the flow of the website, marketing-to-sales process Determine if content/messaging is being presented appropriately Identify placement of navigation and buttons, calls to action, and key features and functionality Once the wires were created and approved, SmartAcre began to work on creative comps for the home page and secondary pages that appropriately reflected branding, marketing, and business objectives while using UX and IA documents, as well as input from the client. As a part of SmartAcre’s process, mood boards were first compiled that consisted of creative elements to inspire the new design. After the client approved the different visual elements, the SmartAcre design team put together comps for the homepage as well as secondary pages. With these approved designs, information architecture, and wireframes, SmartAcre’s development team began to program and develop the front-end templates and back-end customization to bring the new website to life.
Results
SmartAcre accelerated the website redesign process to hit specific due dates set internally by Investment Metrics in order to hit a launch date in the new year. Within almost two months, SmartAcre was able to provide the following for Investment Metrics, which aided in current and future lead and demand generation initiatives: 1. There is now a clear value prop and messaging aligned to who the client helps and their differentiators. Examples include a concise and simplified navigation, as well as an updated homepage Aspot. 2. Due to how the content is presented, both pageviews and new users on the website increased, allowing leads to get the information they need to make an informed decision 3. The mobile-friendly update, as well as general optimizations, lead to a significant increase in page speeds. For example, the homepage went from a score of 1 to 69 according to Google’s PageSpeed Insights.
Want fresh marketing stories in your inbox?
Get the weekly email that makes you a marketing genius.
Stay informed and inspired, for free.