Visit laguna beach
Website Redesign
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Situation
Our collaboration with Visit Laguna Beach marked a groundbreaking moment for Madden Media as we dove headfirst into WordPress’s Full Site Editing—a first for us! This game-changing tech let us craft dynamic, ultra-customizable templates while seamlessly syncing with external listing systems. But we didn’t stop there. We cranked things up a notch with advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) and personalization, indexing content in a cutting-edge vector database. The result? Search functionality and content recommendations that understand user intent, not just keywords, delivering a smoother, smarter experience for every visitor. This project didn’t just raise the bar—it launched a whole new standard for Madden Media web builds.
Approach
The journey kicked off with a deep-dive content audit led by Madden’s content and SEO pros. We started by sifting through Google Analytics data, then rated top-performing pages using a rubric inspired by Google’s Search Quality Rater guidelines (because we don’t just follow best practices—we elevate them). Next, our team tackled UI/UX testing to see how users danced through the new site navigation. Armed with these insights, we ditched the clunky pop-up mega menu and streamlined navigation for a smoother, more intuitive experience.
During the audit, we uncovered a glaring need: the site’s content hadn’t been refreshed in quite a while so our team rolled up their sleeves and crafted a robust editorial plan to overhaul content across the board, complete with SEO recommendations to maximize organic reach and put Laguna Beach in the digital spotlight.
The design? Pure magic. Big, bold hero imagery takes center stage, spotlighting Laguna’s iconic white sand beaches, turquoise waters, and hidden coves. Subtle background textures mimic the essence of the beach, inviting visitors to feel the salt air and hear the waves with every click. While every page brings its own flair, the cohesive design ensures a seamless user experience. Visit Laguna Beach gave us full creative freedom, empowering us to capture the destination’s soul through innovative content and design.
RESULTS
- 5.1% increase YOY in clicks (May 1-20, 2024)
- 20.17% increase YOY in impressions (May 1-20, 2024)
- 23.81% increase in average organic traffic
- 41.15% increase in organic keywords in top positions
- 18.65% increase in new users
- 17.77% increase in total users
- 14.1% increase in engaged sessions
- 17.34% increase in views
- 17.95% increase in key events
A DIGITAL LOVE LETTER
The result is more than just a website; it’s a digital love letter to Laguna Beach that redefines what destination-focused web design can be. With storytelling blocks that connect pages and lead users down a rabbit hole of discovery, the new site boosts brand recognition and invites travelers to immerse themselves in Laguna’s beauty. It’s not just a redesign—it’s an invitation to wander, dream, and explore.
THIS SITE IS NOT JUST TURNING HEADS
Since the launch of Laguna Beach’s redesigned website, the SEO metrics are glowing brighter than a Cali sunset. The redesign and strategic SEO work are making an immense impact. These stats prove the site isn’t just turning heads—it’s engaging visitors, driving results, and setting a new gold standard for destination web design.
