Bespoke development, Hosting, Web design
Case study: eCommerce site
Brief
The store came to me with a poor performing WordPress website. I was asked to implement a design and SEO strategy to improve sales and negate the need to rely on paid advertising for website traffic.
Background
Homeward Studio is a furniture and homeware store in Leek. They’ve been setup and in business since 2014.
Testimonial
“Coming soon…”
Nicky H.
2019
Research
Organic search research
It was clear like most e-commerce retailers there was no planned objective in terms of search rank goals. There were no specific targeted keywords and they had seen a sizable drop in visitors two months before making contact. After looking into the existing site it was clear that the template it was previously built on was the cause of the problem. The code was out of date and there were several errors identified after connecting Google Search Console which highlighted the sudden ranking position drop. The brief was to redesign the site to address these fundamental issues. We also researched and produced a list of 50 keyword changes. This was based on my research into the popularity of monthly searches performed for homeware goods. On a basic level, if a product was recognised by a few different names/labels then we identified the most popular in terms of monthly performed searches.
We also looked into seven of the closest competitors. In depth research was performed to see their most popular products and how they obtained their visitors. If a competitor is ranking well, it is likely they are successful because they have also created a similar strategy and we can look into the way they drive organic traffic.
Design
Homepage intro
Only when time has been spent generating the right searchable content can we start to think about the website structure and the way it will be displayed. Bounce rates (how long it takes before a user leaves the site) are becoming an increasingly important factor in SEO. It’s the designers job to display the information on a page in a relevant readable way but also entice them to look deeper through the pages and find relevant products/information. It’s also key that users are able to find what they’re looking for in as few clicks as possible.
The design brief stated a traditional/vintage style. Small design steps were taken at first to ensure the style of the brand was carried through in the right way. This is an important stage of the design process as just a small visual will carry the look and feel across the entire site.
Full pages
In this example, the full homepage design was finalised in a single version. This was mainly due to the very specific direction we received from the content on the site. The client knew exactly what they wanted on the page, my job was laying it out in the most effective way to draw users to scroll down the page and make a booking. This all had to be tied into the brand look that was originally created in the earlier stages.
Development
Homepage
The client was involved during every step of the design process. This ensured they were completely happy with the final product. I will lead the process and share my opinions but the client has full control and the process isn’t finished until you say so. The images below show the final finished site.
The website is built responsively, i.e. it moves and adapts depending on the width of the device/screen viewing the site. The site is built using bespoke code but written in a way that gives you full editing access to make future content updates and generate new pages as necessary.
Hosting
Hosting & support
Most larger web design businesses outsource their hosting to third-party providers. Having one point of contact for all your hosting needs means I can address any updates and maintenance as a priority when it’s needed. Who better to maintain the website than the person who built it? Almost all our clients host their website on one of my high-speed UK servers but it’s not compulsory. If you do decide to use my hosting service you can access the following:
SEO
Search engine optimisation
We’ll never abandon a website that we have designed and developed. Often our clients use us because they need support gaining business. This doesn’t just stop once the website is live. We continually monitor the site and make recommendations to maintain ranking position and ensure there is a flow of traffic and keep the site looking its best.
Performance
Loading speed
We believe page loading speed is the single most critical technical SEO factor. A site that is built to perform in search rankings must be optimised to load as fast as possible with the content that is being displayed. This can be checked and monitored with some tools and software.
Google page speed insight: 89/100
GT Metrix: 94/100