Uranium Producers of America website before and afters

UPA_BandAHere’s some highlights from the website redesign we did for Uranium Producers of America. Get a glimpse into our process when approaching a redesign, and of the great collaboration and ideas from both sides that made the project such a success.

Doing it all in blue 

We focused on creating a more cohesive overall theme with UPA’s new site. The consistent colour scheme of blues, whites, and greys with one main font makes locating important information easier. The new cohesive theme also helps with better navigation, as important links and titles are highlighted in blue.

large-1

Everybody loves maps 

A new interactive map is now displayed front and centre on UPA’s homepage. The map gives users the ability to connect and locate all the UPA members from around the states. Whereas in the old website the list of Uranium Producers of America Members was content heavy and hidden on an inner-page, bringing the member companies to the forefront and connecting them with their region adds a more personal touch to the cooperation as a whole, as well as easily illustrating the collaboration and wide influence of UPA. Users are able to click different US regions and see which members operate where. Clicking on a specific member also allows a visitor to relocate to that member’s website.

interactive_map

Graphing the supply and demand 

An important section of Uranium Producers of America’s old website dealt with educative materials including charts and graphs detailing the historical supply and demand of uranium. We reworked the graphs of the old site to make them more user friendly and intuitive. We also consolidated the text so the eye is first drawn to the graphs themselves, rather than to a bulk of words around them.

graphs (3)

Connections made easier 

The new Uranium Producers of America website reminds users to sign up for their company updates at multiple moments throughout the site. Whereas the old website had a small email button at the top, the redesign mandates a set area right on the homepage where a potential investor can quickly give their information. The email signup space on the new website is also at the bottom of each consecutive inner-page in addition to the homepage, as a subtle reminder at every turn.

largeNews becomes noteworthy 

UPA’s most recent news is now prominently displayed on the homepage. Having the news front and centre helps users interact more with the company’s most current ‘going-ons,’ rather than listing everything in a more outdated archive on a separate page entirely.

macbooks

Fluid navigation  

We made it a lot easier to get around UPA’s new website. A new central navigation bar attached to the left of the screen makes way for an easy slide-out secondary navigation bar allowing a user to see multiple options at once. Important investor information such as report documents and the interactive map are now easily listed in the ‘About Us’ section.

large-2

 

Is your IR Website too “cookie cutter”?

Seeing how social media is booming, it’s easy to forget that social media is just a supplement to your website, and not a substitute. The investors who actually care about your company are the ones who will come to your website. Think social media as a tool that helps you disseminate information, and always remember that website is the home of your digital branding. Ask yourself these questions, and figure out whether your IR website is an effective online presence to investors or just another “cookie cutter” webpage:

Does the website provide unique content to help investors better understand your company? A successful website would provide investors with information that will help them make investment decisions. Unique content might include corporate presentations, investor videos and other financial details. Enrich your website with unique information that’ll allow investors to better evaluate the company!

Is it easy to navigate? Will investors be able to easily locate information? A simplified and intuitive design is best when it comes to corporate websites. Web design is not just an art, but also a science. You’d want the design of your website to be modern but most importantly, the design needs to be functional. And be sure not to overlook mobile optimization, if your website is not viewable on other screens, then investors will have no access to your website when they’re on-the-go.

Do you update corporate information every quarter? The key to any communication strategy is updating and managing content on a regular and frequent basis. Unique content needs to be current and relevant in order for investors to make decisions. Let them be investor presentations, news releases or periodic reports, keep them updated!

How does it look? Does it reflect your corporate branding? Take a look at your competitors’ websites; does your website stand apart from your competition? Does the website communicate your company’s goals and initiatives? It is absolute critical that your website is unique and that it’s consistent. Images should be relevant to your content and your brand, and there should be a consistent color scheme throughout all pages. You wouldn’t want any unnecessary inconsistency to muddle up with your corporate brand.

Does it provide effective two-way communication? By making your website more interactive and easier for communication, your company is more likely to stand out and be less “cookie cutter”. Reaching out to investors with social media integration or giving them the option to fill-in their contact information will encourage them find out more. A good communication system on the website will help foster relationships and build trust – it can only personalize your brand!

Here are just a few questions to give you a brief idea of how effective your IR website is. It’s best to perform a detailed website audit once per year. It’ll give you better insight on how your website is doing in the different components (design, lead generation, SEO etc.), and allow you to identify ways to improve it! Let us know if you need our help, we’re always here @BlenderMedia!

5 Reasons Why Investors Close Websites

If you’re a successful publicly traded company, there would be a million different reasons for investors to invest in you. But the tricky part might be, knowing how to utilize your website to its fullest to make the decision easier for investors. When investors can’t drop by your corporation’s head office or visit your laboratory, they can only resort to analyzing your online web presence.

So what makes an investor stay on your webpage to research your company and finally make a decision to invest? And what makes them click “X” and close your website immediately?

Here’s why investors might close your website (and how to fix that problem):

  1. Your website has broken links
    Broken links are really frustrating, and that’s the same with crashes, freezes and down-times. All of these problems will shatter trust and cause investors to click that red box “X” to close the window. To prevent that from happening, make sure your website is hosted by a reliable server, and that you always have someone on call to save the day.
  2. Investors can’t find the information they need
    When investors come to your website, you can almost assume they’re interested in doing a little bit of research before they make the decision. So when they land on your page and still have to dig through pages and pages of content, of course they’re going to leave! You could add an investor highlight section that is designed to summarize your company’s data into a fun-to-read version. With infographics and punchy statements of your financial strengths and stock quotes, investors will be engaged and interested.
  3. Your webpage hasn’t been updated since 1998
    An ancient website is just going to urge investors to click close. First, it’s not aesthetically pleasing. Second of all, it might mislead your investors. They might ponder whether you’re actually a company that is well established or even question if you actually exist! Just need to freshen up your look sometimes. You can’t wear the same suit for 10 years; likewise, your website needs a new skin. Give it some love!
  4. They’re lost in navigation…
    Your website is not intuitive to use, rather than making your investors’ lives easier, it makes it more difficult for them. End result? Investors will likely go elsewhere. Design is not just an art, but also a science. There are proven standards for layout, design, and functionality. A “cool” but complex design will not impress. Instead, a simple and intuitive design wins.
  5. The website is not optimized for their mobile or tablet
    I’m sure you’ve experienced it too. Tried opening a website and realized you can only view it on desktop because of some flash player issue? You can’t assume they’ll look at your website again when they get a hold of a desktop. Opportunities don’t come twice. Give your website a responsive design – the fluidity to be viewed on all devices.