Result: Seemingly overnight, AtlantaPlanIt.com has gone from being a virtual unknown to being a prominent source of information about arts and cultural events in the metro Atlanta area. The Web site logged more than two million visits and signed up 14,000 members in the first six months after the debut of its new design.
The client’s need: AtlantaPlanIt.com is operated by the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts and Culture Coalition, a collaboration of governments, foundations, companies and arts organizations, all working together to support the arts in the Atlanta region.
MAACC created AtlantaPlanIt.com to promote the cultural events going on every day in the metro Atlanta area. The group wanted visitors to be able to find events that would interest them, and be exposed to activities that might fall outside their usual routine. But the incredible volume of information made the site hard to navigate, and MAACC had no way of knowing how many people were using it - a shortcoming that left it defenseless in the face of skeptical partners who doubted the site's value.
How we did it: How we did it: New technology and a new design work together to make AtlantaPlanIt.com a more attractive, more effective site.
First, we improved the database to manage the information about the vast array of events and venues, and developed a well-crafted search engine to sort through it all. Then, we created a new look - one that puts the search function front and center, to let visitors quickly get to the information they want.
The database and search engine work so well, some local media outlets are integrating the event listings from AtlantaPlanIt.com on their own Web sites, giving the site more public exposure and helping arts organizations reach even more people.
Although searching is the heart of the new site, the site is designed to showcase selected events, meeting MAACC's goal of highlighting the richness of Atlanta's cultural scene and broadening people's horizons.
We also built in sophisticated tracking tools, so MAACC can find out who's visiting the site, what they're viewing, and what tickets they buy. By reporting the impressive data - like the site's 44,000 visitors per week - to its key stakeholders, MAACC has won the respect of some of its most cynical partners.
In the client's words: "Our objective was to make AtlantaPlanIt.com the easiest way to find arts and cultural entertainment for the entire family, and to drive ticket sales for participating organizations. I think the Point of Vision team achieved everything we set out to accomplish - and more."
