Website and mobile site see 310 percent increase in visitation
The South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority continues to improve their updated website, resulting in an exponential increase in visitation since the redesign was completed in December 2012.
According to Simpleview, inc., the South Shore CVA’s August Search Engine Marketing (SEM) campaign showed a 163 percent increase in visits to the CVA’s main site, sending 16,200 visits in August compared to 6,152 visits last August. Overall visitation to the main site and mobile site has increased by 310 percent over this time last year. Unique visitors have increased by 172 percent over last August, while overall unique visitors to both the main site and mobile site have increased by 322 percent over this time last year.
“When designing the new website, we looked at how to best serve the visitor,” said Speros A. Batistatos, president and CEO of the South Shore CVA. “We wanted to ensure a user-friendly experience while offering the most needed information and tools upfront.”
The website offers numerous features that allow users to do much of their destination research without ever leaving the site. Features include a book-your-stay widget, which will assist with hotel reservations without going to their individual websites, mapping widgets, which uses Google integration to show where businesses are located as well as nearby businesses, social media connections, the ability to view the website in a different language and much more.
According the Luke Weinman IV, chief technology officer for the South Shore CVA, the organization strives to remain ahead of the technology curve by constantly updating the website and adding new features that allow the website to work more intuitively for visitors.
“We want the South Shore CVA website to be the only tool a visitor has to use to gather needed information when visiting the South Shore,” said Weinman IV.
Other recent additions to the South Shore CVA website include a Farm to Fork section and a Nightlife section. The new Farm to Fork section features information on orchards and u-picks, farm to fork restaurants as well as agritourism attractions and events. Visitors to the Nightlife section will find ideas for a night out on the town along the South Shore.
Currently, the South Shore CVA is working with Simpleview, inc. to add GetSmart technology to the website.
“GetSmart will tailor information on the website based on how the visitor was directed there. If a visitor was directed to our site from the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore site, they will be presented with information on hotels, dining options and things to do in relation to the dunes,” said Weinman IV.
To learn more about the South Shore CVA and to explore the new features of the website, visit www.alongthesouthshore.com.
