User Experience
An image-focused UX was required to resonate with key user groups, providing them with the content they need to make a decision and complete a call to action, leading to higher volumes of quality enquiries. We began by rationalising and simplifying the navigation structure and content, to keep the experience memorable and punchy.
We were aware that the user journey from initial awareness could take a significant amount of time, so it was vital the new website boosts email sign-ups and social media following to keep a potential enquirer engaged through the process.
Interactive Floor Map
The EICC experience extends to the digital exploration of the venue through the use of floorplans. We fully developed an interactive 3D floorplan including information, capacity and availability of specific event spaces. The floorplan is built to be pulled apart and interacted with giving potential clients an in-depth view of the space before they even step foot in the venue.
Microsites
As well as the development of the main site, we also created a microsite platform. These microsites allow EICC to create slick, on brand and interactive proposals. They have helped EICC pitch for and win global events such as the 2019 TEDSummit, an event which will bring some of the worlds greatest minds and innovators to Edinburgh. Microsites can also act as exclusive invitations to the more prestigious events that take place at the venue.
AMP
AMPs - Accelerated Mobile Pages - allow individual mobile pages to load quickly, appearing instantly, in a similar way to Facebook's Instant Articles. Faster loading speeds give users a more streamlined experience, something that is even more important considering Googles latest research stating that 53% of people will leave a site that fails to load in three seconds or less.
Our team has implemented AMPs for several EICC pages, with a particular focus on events. With the addition of structured data, EICC events now appear in Google's event carousel at the top of search results, vastly improving visibility.
Although being AMP-enabled doesn’t automatically make a page rank higher, it’s likely to be implemented in the future due to providing mobile-friendliness. By incorporating APMs into EICC's digital strategy now, we are ensuring that they continue to excel in a space increasingly driven by mobile speed.
Ideas Hub
An integral part of EICC is their Ideas Hub, previously Conference Call Magazine. A far cry from the typical news section or media centre, the hub allows EICC to curate in-depth case studies and articles. These features help illustrate the venues extensive knowledge of events, current affairs and Edinburgh itself, in turn, making them more attractive to speculative event organisers.
Digital Marketing
As with any client, having an optimised and beautiful site is only the first step. Digital Marketing is crucial to any website going live. For EICC, our Digital Marketing team implement extensive SEO work as well as targeted Google Remarketing and LinkedIn Ads. This combination, which is still ongoing, helps EICC maintain their standing as leaders in the event industry.
