Website Development Project Overview:

Lefty’s is a bowling alley and family fun center located in Lewes, Delaware. They approached us with a problem – their existing website was outdated, difficult to update, and not very user-friendly. They wanted a new mobile friendly website that would better represent their fun brand, be easy to use, and would rank better in search engines. In this case study, we will examine how we developed a new website for Lefty’s that better reflected their brand and improved user experience.

Solution:

To address Lefty’s problems, we developed a new website using WordPress. We customized an agile theme using a page builder that was both visually appealing and easy to navigate. The new website was designed to be responsive and mobile-friendly, ensuring that customers could access the website from any device. Furthermore, it was imperative that the client be able to make updates without needing a programmer or having to pay thousands of dollars for new page templates. We build all of our websites with this in mind – so challenge accepted!

We incorporated Lefty’s branding into the design of the website. Their brand consists of 2 color palettes, each with 8 different colors, and a host of high-quality assets including video and photography. We used fun and vibrant colors that were consistent with their brand, and included high-quality images of their bowling alley, arcade, duck pin bowling, axe throwing, karaoke, and restaurant.

On top of the aesthetic challenges, Lefty’s was going through big branding changes with the change of their logo, and messaging. This was more than a website, it was a fully interactive and communicative tool that needed approval from multiple board members. Yes, it was challenging, but without a doubt one of our favorite projects and clients to work with!

Integrating Google Search Console and Comprehensive On Site SEO Capabilities

We also optimized the website for search engines. We conducted keyword research to identify the most relevant keywords for Lefty’s, and incorporated those keywords into the website’s content. We also added meta descriptions and alt tags to all images on the website, which helped to improve its visibility in search engine results pages. Additionally, we integrated Schema Markup, an interactive events calendar, and custom-programmed several widgets to match the brand identify requested by the client.

Developing the Website to be Mobile First

This approach prioritizes the mobile user experience and ensures that the website is optimized for mobile devices before being optimized for larger screens. With the increasing number of people accessing the internet on their mobile devices, it is essential to make sure that the website is mobile-friendly and responsive. Mobile-first design focuses on creating a clean and simple interface that is easy to use and navigate on a smaller screen. It also takes into account factors such as loading speed, touch screen compatibility, and mobile-specific features like click-to-call or GPS integration. Ultimately, making websites mobile-first ensures that the website is accessible to all users, regardless of the device they are using.

Lewes Delaware is a tourist heavy vacation spot. Vacationers rely heavily on their smartphones to find family friendly events and activities in the area.  For these reasons, it’s obvious why we’d want to prioritize the experience for this specific target demographic. One thing most local don’t consider is site speed. The influx of transient guests to the Delaware Beaches can mean less bandwidth availability in cell phone towers – meaning websites will load slow – and Google will prioritize those that load faster. Site speed was critical which is why we deployed triple layer varnish caching, image optimization, and java/css/html minification. Dont completely understand what that means? It’s ok! That’s what we’re here for. Give us a call to discuss more.

 

Results:

The new website we developed for Lefty’s was well-received by customers and staff alike. The new website was visually appealing and easy to navigate, which improved the overall user experience. Lefty’s staff found the new CMS to be easy to use, which meant that information on the website was kept up-to-date.

The website’s search engine optimization efforts were also successful. The website began to rank higher in search engine results pages for relevant keywords, which helped to increase website traffic and attract more customers to Lefty’s.