WWSG.com is New and Improved
Welcome the new WWSG website! Many detailed conversations over the course of years led up to this new release, so we are proud to finally present the final product.
Here are the problem areas WWSG identified and what was done to resolve them:
Search: The Problem
The old wwsg.com had a challenging search tool. Site visitors could not use a variety of keywords, like “female leadership speaker.” Visitors could only search speaker names and would have to spell them exactly as they were published, which made it difficult to search for people with variations (i.e., The Honorable Henry M. Paulson, Jr. AKA Hank Paulson). If a site visitor was unsure how to spell Annie Leibovitz or Evan Feigenbaum, they would be out of luck.
These frustrations presented themselves even before reaching the search results page and encountering an overly complicated filtering system.
Search: The Solution
We installed a sophisticated search plug-in. This third-party app uses content, relevance, intelligent spelling, synonyms and more to offer a robust set of search results. You no longer need to type “The Honorable Henry M. Paulson, Jr” to view Hank’s profile page. Try searching for “Climate Investing” or “Goldman Sachs CEO”—they will both reveal Hank’s profile page.
To address the formerly messy filtering system, WWSG pared the site’s main topics from 24 to 12 with no more than 3 subtopics each.
- Tip: Having fewer categories actually helps site users find what they need quicker since the time it takes to sift through dozens of topics can lead to confusion and frustration.
- Tip: The easiest option is usually not the best option. Ask your customers how they use your website in order to understand what they need.
We’re confident you will love the new search experience. Whether you’re searching for ideas or for a specific person, this process is smarter and simpler than ever before.
Design: The Problem
Let’s just go ahead and say it: the former website was outdated. It was built for functionality and used WWSG’s brand colors, but it wasn’t visually appealing based on standards for 2022.
Design: The Solution
WWSG’s marketing manager has years of experience in art & design and worked with web designers to bring her vision alive. The color palette was slightly altered with the introduction of navy alongside WWSG’s staple orange. The blue gave life to the site and modernized the palette.
- Tip: Going overboard with a color palette can confuse your branding. Stick to 3 or fewer main colors to keep your site looking polished.
To the average user, the site’s new appearance is undoubtedly the most noticeable update. We never get tired of hearing, “The new website looks great!”
User Experience: The Problem
The former website lacked an intuitive user journey. Precisely where to navigate based on a site visitor’s objective was not presented in a clear, obvious way. The WWSG team knew that a confusing website could do more harm than good; it might as well redirect to competitors’ sites if users become frustrated and take their task elsewhere.
User Experience: The Solution
We put our heads down to remove all unnecessary pages on WWSG.com and only kept the most visited and essential pages. Similar components, like blog posts and announcements, combined into one resource center. Add-on functions that did not lead visitors to high-importance destinations were removed. This intense cleanup was imperative to simplifying the user experience.
- Tip: Be specific and honest when testing a website for potential improvements. Engage in clear and consistent communication with your web developers until they understand your business. The right partner will respect and understand your needs. There is always a solution!
WWSG consulted Ironistic, a local D.C.-area firm, to develop their new website. We hope you are enjoying using the new WWSG.com and we welcome your feedback.