ARCH is a partnership of the County and East King County Cities working to preserve and increase housing for low and moderate income households in the region.
A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH) is a partnership between the County and East King County Cities dedicated to preserving and expanding housing opportunities for low and moderate-income households in the region. With a commitment to improving housing accessibility and affordability, ARCH recognized the need to streamline their online presence to better serve their constituents and stakeholders.
Challenges
- Outdated Website Platform: ARCH’s previous website, hosted on WordPress, posed challenges in terms of usability and ease of updates, hindering their ability to efficiently communicate vital information and engage with their audience.
- Accessibility Concerns: Ensuring that the website was accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, was a priority for ARCH to uphold their commitment to inclusivity and equality.
- Content Organization: The existing website lacked clear organization and navigation, making it difficult for visitors to find relevant information about ARCH’s programs, initiatives, and resources.
- Search Engine Visibility: Improving the website’s search engine presence was crucial for ARCH to enhance their online visibility and reach a broader audience interested in housing-related issues.
About the Project
Solution
To address ARCH’s challenges and objectives of improving accessibility, usability, and search engine visibility, we recommended migrating their website from WordPress to Squarespace. Squarespace’s intuitive interface, customizable templates, and built-in accessibility features offered an ideal solution for ARCH’s needs.
Implementation
- Website Migration: We seamlessly migrated ARCH’s website from WordPress to Squarespace, ensuring that all vital information, including programs, resources, and updates, was transferred accurately.
- Content Rewrite: Collaborating with ARCH, we rewrote and reorganized website content to improve clarity, coherence, and relevance, making it easier for visitors to find the information they need.
- Accessibility Enhancements: Leveraging Squarespace’s built-in accessibility features, we implemented measures such as alt text for images, keyboard navigation support, and color contrast adjustments to ensure compliance with accessibility standards.
- Improved Navigation: We redesigned the website’s navigation structure to enhance user experience and make content more accessible and easy to find, with clear pathways to key information and resources.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Implementing SEO best practices, we optimized website content, meta tags, and URLs to improve ARCH’s search engine presence and visibility, increasing their reach and impact.
Results
- Enhanced Accessibility: The migration to Squarespace and implementation of accessibility features ensured that ARCH’s website was accessible to all users, aligning with their commitment to inclusivity and equality.
- Improved Usability: The redesigned navigation structure and content organization made it easier for visitors to navigate the website and find relevant information about ARCH’s programs, initiatives, and resources.
- Increased Search Engine Visibility: The implementation of SEO best practices led to improved search engine rankings and increased visibility for ARCH’s website, helping them reach a broader audience interested in housing-related issues.
- Positive User Feedback: Visitors praised the website for its improved accessibility, usability, and content organization, affirming its effectiveness in providing valuable information and resources related to housing in the region.
Conclusion
Through the migration of their website from WordPress to Squarespace and the implementation of accessibility enhancements, ARCH successfully improved the accessibility, usability, and search engine visibility of their online platform. The redesigned website now provides visitors with easy access to vital information about housing programs, initiatives, and resources, furthering ARCH’s mission of promoting housing accessibility and affordability for low and moderate-income households in the region.
