Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Website Redesign topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tourism office unveils redesigned website with new features, partners and data plan
Summary
The tourism office demonstrated a redesigned, research-driven website built with Simpleview and CrowdRiff, highlighting mobile responsiveness, partner extranets, a microsite for weddings, and plans for monthly SEO reporting; staff said initial design cost was approximately $46,000 and ongoing annual fees are lower than the prior vendor.
Amy Lukasick and marketing assistant Candy Breckenridge presented the tourism office’s newly redesigned website and related marketing tools to the council, saying the site emphasizes video and user-generated imagery, responsive mobile design and partner control of listings.
“Amy Lukasick, tourism office staff,” said the site uses CrowdRiff to license user-generated images and Simpleview as the vendor that handled research, navigation design and development. Staff told the council the project cost approximately $46,000 in total — $30,000 paid in the previous fiscal year and roughly $16,000 remaining this year — and that annual platform fees will be $2,000–$3,000 less than the previous contract.
Major features staff demonstrated included an autoplay video hero on the homepage, cinemagraph hero images, a visitor-guide download and print distribution (partnership with the Chamber of Commerce), a partner extranet so lodging and attractions can update listings, event filtering with calendar and map views, a weddings microsite, and pages tailored to trip ideas and outdoor adventures.
Staff said site content and navigation were chosen based on research and analytics performed by Simpleview. The office plans monthly SEO and performance reporting from the vendor now that the site is live. Staff also said advertising and media buys will direct visitors to targeted landing pages on the new site.
Commissioners and council members asked about distribution of the printed Fantastic Flagler visitor guide, integration with Jackrabbit booking inventory, training for partners to manage listings, and how the office will flag events that are free to the public. Staff said the Chamber prints 30,000 copies of the guide and that the office distributes the guide to visitor-request packages, event welcome bags and hotel racks; the guide is also available as a digital download on the site. Staff said booking inventory for partner listings is pulled from Jackrabbit and that a partner workshop will be held in April to train lodging and businesses on the extranet.
Public comment and councilors raised two operational concerns that staff said are already being addressed: an app transition and web-content accessibility. A member of the public suggested printing app promotion in visitor materials; another public commenter noted the county had previously spent about $17,000 to bring an earlier site into ADA compliance and urged continued attention to accessibility. Staff said they are coordinating with the county IT department and legal on accessibility updates and that a 30‑day punch list with the vendor remains in progress.
The tourism office said the site’s backend will make it easier for staff to publish content and maintain the site; the office also emphasized the site’s role in driving visitors to partner listings and that articles/blog content will be written with SEO keywords to support search ranking.
