Rebuilding an existing site
The first Looking For Pineapples website project for 2019 went live last weekend. Chris (aka collins303), a DJ and radio show host, needed a complete site refresh. Alongside the website rebuild we also undertook a review of all the content and social media pages Chris uses.
Collaboration
This project was a real collaboration. Chris has had a website for many years featuring his huge selection of mixes and reviews. We worked together to make sure we kept Chris’s personality and passion throughout the site. As a result the site still feels true to Chris and what he is about.
A new look
The original site felt very dark and cluttered. We found that some of the brilliant creative content was getting lost in pages of lists. We decided to move to a much brighter, fresher site while still keeping a clean slick feel. This lets the music speak for itself. We then focused on two key goals – promoting Chris’s regular radio show and leading visitors through his broad selection of mixes.
Before
The orginal collins303.com homepage 
The original collins303.com mix directory
User journey
As you can see there is a huge amount of text and links, too many choices for a visitor to know where to look first. As a result we aimed for two specific user journeys. The first to direct people to the regular radio shows – including how to tune in, download and subscribe. The second goal was to ensure the mixes featured on the site looked as great as they sounded. To achieve this we took inspiration from record shops and took a visual album art approach.
New homepage
The homepage now features the newest and key content first, utilising the slider feature. Visitors to the site are then lead to Chris’s selection of mixes via custom made genre buttons. By adding the genre buttons visitors are encouraged to explore and delve into the site.
New mixes page
Fresh eyes on existing copy
I also refreshed the copy throughout the site, focusing on giving visitors a “record shop” experience. This helps people navigate through the various mixes so they can choose what they’d like to listen to.
The site is naturally fully responsive for mobile and makes use of integrated social media features to encourage sharing and engagement. This is key for any website rebuild.
Next steps
Next steps for this project include working on social media strategies. This will ensure that music fans can find shows and mixes with ease, and to direct local fans to Chris’s gigs and events.
Take a look at the site here, and I’d also encourage you to have a listen to one of the many fantastic mixes Chris has on the site. There is truly something for everyone.
Working together
If you have a side-project, hobby or part-time business I’d love to see how we could work together to create an ideal web space for you. Whether you require a website rebuild or want to start from scratch, just drop me an e-mail or take a look at my web packages.
