by Administrator | Nov 20, 2015
Meet the Client
Eugene Southtowne Rotary is the second largest (and fastest growing) Rotary chapter in District 5110. Southtowners are highly dedicated and active community members. They strive to make significant impacts and improve the lives of those most in need locally, nationally, and internationally.
UplinkSpyder CEO, Deanna Rivera, is an active member of Eugene Southtowne Rotary. She learned about the group in 2010 after meeting with then president, Mitch Hagstrom, VP of Pacific Continental Bank, who wanted to improve the Southtowne website during his term. She told him she couldn’t do an effective job without joining. Deanna fell in love with the group and with Rotary, and has been a member ever since.
Challenge Faced by Southtowne Rotary
The main challenge the club faced was the need to attract new members in an effort to grow, since membership had stagnated with the recession. Their hope was to attract a younger generation, more women, and a more diverse set of skills, cultures, and interests. At the time, over 50% of the membership was comprised of retired men.
A second challenge was the need for an electronic membership system. Members wanted to access contact information for fellow members without the need for a constantly updated paper copy.
Last, they wanted something that could be updated easily, preferably by more than one person, and which current and prospective members could navigate with ease.
Solution
The first website UplinkSpyder built was in a content management system (Joomla) that allowed for a blogging platform, a membership system, and the ability to consistently add and change content. This site launched in 2011 and worked very well for Southtowne until 2015. At that time, Rotary District 5110 moved every club’s membership database in to one larger system, thus eliminating the need for Southtowne to have its own system that also required login (a frustration for older members).
Additionally, between 2011 and 2015, mobile devices became the primary technology accessing the website. It became apparent that a more mobile-friendly design was necessary, particularly for new and younger members.
In 2016, UplinkSpyder launched a brand new, freshly designed and mobile friendly website. We took advantage of the years of experience Deanna had collected as a Southtowne Rotarian to provide an even more user friendly and informative platform for communicating the ongoing work of the club. Because Southtowne has so much information that needs to be shared, we did our best to ensure that everything is clearly organized and easily navigated.
Our favorite features of this website include:
- A feature page highlighting Southtowne’s annual Wine & Salmon Festival.
- A dynamic display of current projects that the club supports.
- A constantly updated and engaging members only section.
- A diverse and extensive blog, composed mostly of weekly program summaries. The blog brings a ton of traffic to the site, and has become a local news source.
Results
Rotary club growth can be attributed to many factors. Southtowne leadership and the active and amazing work of the membership committee for a start. However, the website has definitely been a factor in helping to grow membership over the past many years at a time when many Rotary clubs are seeing declining membership. As of September 2016, Southtowne has 105 members, which is a growth of over 25% since Deanna joined in 2010. Most new members are under the age of 40 and at least half of all new members are women.
Other Services
In addition to the creation of their website, UplinkSpyder provides the following services to Eugene Southtowne Rotary:
- Ongoing updates to content, including content writing.
- Occasional email marketing/survey support.
- Occasional Facebook advertisement placement.
- Optimization and management of social media accounts.
- Regular site updates and maintenance.
by Administrator | Nov 20, 2015
Meet the Client
Bethesda Lutheran Church is located in Eugene, Oregon. Our CEO, Deanna Rivera’s great grandparents were some of the first members of Bethesda. Generations of Deanna’s relatives have worked in various capacities for the church – on the Church Council, as caregivers, and as volunteers on various projects and committees. Countless Jensen/Madsen family baptisms, confirmations, weddings, and funerals have been held at Bethesda. To say Deanna has strong ties to this bedrock of West Eugene’s community goes without saying. She considers Bethesda a second home.
Services Provided
A few years ago, Bethesda found themselves in need of a communications coordinator and a new website and Deanna offered to help. That relationship has since turned in to a client that we do daily work for. UplinkSpyder created and oversees the implementation of Bethesda’s brand. We have created two awesome websites, the most recent of which was launched in April 2017. We provide social media support, email marketing services, and a ton of graphic design and document design.
Recent Challenge Faced
The thing about a church is that there are a lot of things happening at any given time and a lot of different users who need to access different information and services. The demographics include teenagers to seniors and everyone in between. Coming up with a website that serves everyone reasonably well, and attracts new users regularly, is a big challenge.
Solution
We developed Bethesda’s website based on “use cases”. We looked at the most common type of person accessing the site and developed paths for them to the content they would be interested in. The very first use case was for a new person unfamiliar with Bethesda…we wanted them to walk away with a very positive experience, and to feel that Bethesda has a lot to offer. We also developed the website so that content…including sections on each page and the organization of elements…could be easily changed.
Additional features delivered through the new website include:
- A regularly updated blog to highlight articles written by Bethesda pastors and members.
- Several contact web-forms and a supporting database for any inquiries.
- A well thought out, advanced navigation system leading to detailed descriptions of all groups and clubs.
- A mobile responsive design that can be easily viewed on all platforms.
- Optimization for search engine results.
“UplinkSpyder, with their beautiful design work and strong online presence, creatively help us tell the story of what Bethesda stands for and how we serve our neighborhood. I would recommend Deanna and her team to anyone wanting to make their business a known presence in the community.”
– Sarah Schaffner, Pastor, Bethesda Lutheran Church
Results
Over the course of our relationship as a communications provider for Bethesda, we’ve seen the church go from struggling to thriving. We are a part of that growth. Online activity increases monthly and the branding has really helped promote recognition in the community. There’s much more to be said but for now, we’ll put it this way: We love Bethesda and Bethesda loves us. ❤
Other Services
In addition to what is mentioned above, UplinkSpyder provided the following services to Bethesda Lutheran Church over the past many years:
- Optimization and management of social media accounts
- Weekly document design
- Weekly email newsletters
- Weekly slideshow design (shown in the lobby)
- Design of all special materials for events like flyers, posters, banners, etc.
- Preschool logo and sign design
- Regular site updates and maintenance
- Strategy and ongoing marketing support
by Administrator | Nov 20, 2015
Meet the Client
Endurance Physical Therapy is located in Eugene, Oregon. They promote the physical well-being of their patients through general orthopedic rehabilitation, manual therapy, sports medicine, biofeedback, and other therapeutic services. All services are catered to each individual’s needs and goals, and Endurance works closely with their clients to establish the best care possible.
Endurance is owned by Diane McClusky and Megan Starr, both passionate and dedicated physical therapists with different skills and strengths that bring Endurance Physical Therapy to life. Their office is centrally located in Eugene, making it easy for patients to stop by and receive care in a comforting and welcoming environment.
Challenge Faced
Endurance Physical Therapy initially needed someone to help them improve their website for better traffic. Additionally, they wanted someone to help them each month with marketing. When we began researching Endurance’s current standing, we quickly found that they were not ranking for any keyword searches, making them nearly impossible to find through a simple Google search. It was clear that the Endurance website needed some polishing, along with content revamping to be better optimized for search engines.
Solution
The process was first analyzing the whole picture and putting in a plan that included consistent outreach (blogs, newsletters, social media), as well as support for some of the networking and advertising they were investing in (brochures, etc.) We upgraded their website to a better compatible platform, adjusting graphics and content as needed. We also helped reconstruct their website to be mobile responsive, making it much more accessible to mobile users. The website includes a regularly updated blog with useful information about physical therapy tips, staff, and upcoming events. Every month, we help edit and polish blogs written by Megan and Diane. We then publish the blog to the website and help them promote through social media and email marketing.
Results
- Direct and organic traffic has increased steadily since launch of their reconstructed website. For instance, traffic was 59% better in the last 6 months of 2015 than the first 6 months.
- The website has an excellent bounce rate and the blog is consistently visited.
- They are now ranking in every important search for their profession.
- Establishing a mobile friendly design has benefited Endurance, considering there has also been a huge increase in mobile and tablet users.
- Facebook reach increased over 200%.
- As a result, their business has grown, and since this project, they have added a new therapist.
Other Services
In addition to the creation of their website, UplinkSpyder has provided the following services to Endurance Physical Therapy:
- Social media optimization and management.
- Monthly email newsletters to highlight news, events, and blog posts.
- Graphic and print design for marketing materials – trade show materials, letterhead, holiday cards, certificates, and brochures.
- Regular updates and maintenance of their website.
- Optimization of minor and major online directories, including Google Plus.
- Strategy and ongoing marketing support.
by Administrator | Nov 10, 2015
Meet the Client
Woody’s Stump Grinding and Removal is a tree stump removal company located in Eugene, Oregon. They work all throughout Lane County and are one of the leading companies in their industry. They have been around since 1988, working with residential, commercial and agricultural customers to cater to wood stump and grinding needs in various areas. The business is owned by Doug Hollis, who bought the company in 2013. Woody’s Stump and Grinding Removal consists of a talented team with top notch equipment to provide the finest work to their customers.
Challenge Faced
Before we stepped in to help, the company lacked a website, a well-designed logo, and an overall web presence in general. They contacted UplinkSpyder because they needed some help branding their business and reaching potential customers in Lane County. They needed a strong website in order to thrive among their competitors.
Solution
Our process began with creating a new logo that represented both Doug, the owner, and Woody’s as a business. Doug is a huge Oregon State Beaver fan, which meant we had to work around the use of green colors, which was somewhat difficult when creating a landscaping service logo. However, our graphic designer was able to work with rugged fonts and colors (brown and blue) to create a logo the client loved. Our web designers used the finalized logo to replicate the same feeling within the website theme. Our content creators interviewed the Woody’s team to produce informative content about their services and work process. Using keywords and search engine optimization techniques, we made sure that the new Woody’s site would be found easily found through Google, Bing, and other search engines.
Additional features delivered through the new website include:
- A front page slideshow.
- A contact web-form for inquiries.
Results
Since the launch of their website, Woody’s has received an increase in inquires, many via the contact form on the website. They also now appear in Google search results, due to search engine optimization techniques. Now, Woody’s Stump and Grinding Removal has a platform to showcase their work and reach out to potential customers easily and effectively.
by Administrator | Nov 10, 2015
Meet the Client
Transcend Healing Arts is a massage therapy and bodywork business dedicated to the service of the Eugene and Springfield community. Their massage therapy techniques bring relaxation and relief to muscle and tissue pain, and can also improve health, reduce stress, and that’s just the start of it. They tailor treatment to each individual client using one of their various massage techniques: Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, sports massage, cupping therapy; just to name a few. They specialize in injury therapy and the healing process associated with post-operative conditions. Their number one goal is to help clients in the unique way that each individual body needs.
Challenge Faced
When we first met with Transcend Healing Arts, the owners, Natalie Hockett and Chad Daley, had just joined forces to create a mutual business. They did not have a website, leaving them with little to no online presence. They were in need of a strong brand for their business that would allow them to establish a defined image. With a new polished and uniform look, their hope was to satisfy the following goals:
- Spread awareness of their newly combined business.
- Establish a rich brand that would be memorable and effective in all marketing materials.
- Develop an innovative website, which would utilize organic search results for common keyword searches (search engine optimization).
- Increase client interest for both therapists.
Solution
Our first step was helping them create a unique and eye-catching logo, with careful attention to detail by our graphic designer. Through that image, we were able to carry it’s look onto other marketing materials, including signage, business cards, brochures, etc. When the appearance and “feel” of Transcend proved to be effective, we began work on a dynamic website that reflected the essence of their business. We enhanced and expanded their content to help direct traffic and better explain the diversity of their massage services. With organized navigation and a clear design, potential customers can easily find massage information, pricing details, and contact information.
Additional features delivered through the new website include:
- A newsletter sign-up form for special offers, latest updates, etc.
- A contact web-form for scheduling information.
- A mobile-friendly design to be easily viewed on all platforms.
“UplinkSpyder has been nothing short of a pleasure to work with. Their hard work and determination to bring nothing but the best to each project shows what true professionals they are. From Jesse’s amazing attention to detail in our logo design, to Deanna’s research to find the best information possible to bring to the website, UplinkSpyder is by far the class of the field!”
– Chad Daley & Natalie Hockett, Owners, Transcend Healing Arts
Other Services
In addition to the creation of their website, UplinkSpyder has provided the following services to Transcend Healing Arts:
