More than ever, a corporate brand is defined by its digital presence. This makes a comprehensive, scalable, and visually-appealing

web site an essential component of a company’s digital strategy. Creating a web site also allows a marketing professional to step up as brand ambassador, differentiating not only the company’s presence in the digital world but also underscoring the value of communications leadership.

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Society for Marketing Professional Services

Best-in-Class LessOns fROM a

Best-in-Class Web Site

BY MARIBEL CASTILLO

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Marketer/December 2013

When the decision was made to update the T.Y. Lin International (TYLI) web site (www.tylin.com), the goal was to reposition the brand from a strong niche player in the A/E/C industry to that of a global enterprise. As a result, the multi-award-winning web site, which launched in both English and Chinese, is now the hub of TYLI’s integrated marketing communications efforts, informing marketing collateral, PR programs, social media campaigns, employee communications initiatives, proposals, presentations, and more. Here are some of the key lessons learned from the development of the site.

Branding. A web site project provides the opportunity for a company to define or redefine its brand, including introducing or updating messages that showcase the firm’s values and differentiate it from competitors.

Because TYLI’s services are offered across multiple lines of busi-ness and through more than 50 regional operations centers around the world, its web site was designed to integrate the organization under the strategic message of “One Global Vision.” The TYLI web site anchors that message, enabling us to convey more effectively TYLI’s ability to apply global resources to local projects, large or small and wherever they may be, and to standardize the message across both traditional and digital media channels.

Customization. Inexpensive web site templates and increasingly popular blog platforms work for some industries. However, for professional services firms, an indistinctive or poorly-designed web site, while intended to highlight expertise and thought leadership, can present an inconsistent branding message.

In order to demonstrate TYLI’s global presence, the web site required customization that offered both ease of navigation and robust filtering capabilities. TYLI staff can set up customized “tours” for prospective clients by using a special password-protected feature on the home page. Users also can take comprehensive project tours by market sector, service, or geographical region, depending on their interests.

“I frequently scan our web site’s Projects and News sections so I can update my clients on new projects or services that might interest them,” said Ricki Hisaw, marketing manager for TYLI’s Northwest District. “The web site helps my team more easily communicate the full scope of what TYLI offers our clients around the world.”

Outsourcing. The adage “you get what you pay for” remains unwaveringly true with web site projects. Because producing a web site is such an immense undertaking, it is worth the investment, in terms of financial value and time, to hire a full-service agency with proven processes and experience.

TYLI chose to work with FINE Design Group, a web design firm known for being a brand agency for the digital age. The firm’s

indepth input and analysis aided us in identifying key messages and brand differentiators. As an additional benefit, its notable B2C experience also brought a fresh perspective as to what constitutes a “best-in-class” web site for an A/E/C firm.

“What often gets lost in the A/E/C industry is the magnitude of the projects and the impact those projects have on people’s lives,” said Kenn Fine, the agency’s principal and creative director. “We wanted to create a ‘best-in-class’ web site that represents T.Y. Lin International as confidently as its projects do. We thought the web site itself could aspire to the same excellence through visual impact, functionality, and effectiveness.”

A web site project provides the opportunity for a company to define or redefine its brand, including introducing or updating messages that showcase the firm’s values and differentiate it from competitors.

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Society for Marketing Professional Services

THe expandIng ROLe Of THe Web sITeThe growth of user-generated content and social communities hasn’t diminished the importance of a firm’s primary web site, but it has broadened its function. no longer the exclusive source of information about a practice, the corporate web site now serves as a digital home base and portal to broader conversations about the firm’s expertise, projects, and people.

When SmithGroupjjR decided to update its circa 2006 web site, the 800-person architecture/engineering firm re-imagined an entirely new community that would better reflect its expertise and culture. Launched in May 2013, the new site emphasizes people, thought leadership, and connectivity instead of lengthy project case studies and a static list of services.

“There are no dead ends on the site,” said Susan Arneson, CPSM, SmithGroupjjR vice president and corporate marketing director. “you can get somewhere else from virtually every page. It’s very interconnected, with lots of interaction between pages on the site as well as to external resources.”

The site shines a spotlight on people—and not just those at the senior-most levels. each time a visitor refreshes the home page, one of about 150 SmithGroupjjR employees is randomly featured. Click on the person’s photo, and you’re taken to a landing page that showcases their background, projects, publications, and community involvement.

“We are a people-based business, and we want our clients to have a sense of the team they might be working with,” Arneson said.

The site also links to the firm’s growing presence on social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and youTube.

“We want to generate more of a real-time, two-way conversation with clients and to integrate a more active social media presence,” explained Arneson.

While a conventional web site may be the logical first place someone explores when they are interested in learning about a firm, it probably isn’t the final destination, and may not provide an impression that endures.

“The online content that carries the most weight is something that comes from a third party or is more reflective of an intensive effort, such as a bylined article or thoughtful blog post,” said Amanda Walter, owner of Walter Communications, a strategic communica-tions and public relations consulting firm. “There’s a certain level of credibility associated with a web site, but increasingly, I feel like

it’s important to share the less permanent, more frequently updated stream of consciousness that a blog provides.”

Blogs also lend themselves to sharing personal perspectives.

“In the world of professional services, people hire people,” Walter observed. “I think a blog can spotlight subject-matter expertise and really give someone a better sense of the depth and breadth of the knowledge you’re bringing to the table.”

A couple of years ago, SWA Group analyzed its marketing content and discovered 80 to 90 percent of its online conversations were centered on its projects.

“We are proud of our work and let our reputation speak for itself,” said SWA Group communications specialist Sarah Peck. “It’s not a bad strategy, but the question was how we could expand those conversations.”

The landscape architecture, planning, and urban design firm developed a three-pronged system that established people, projects, and ideas as the primary content drivers, with the goal of focusing about one-third of its attention on each.

“People love hearing about projects, but they’re also fascinated by ideas and they’re fascinated by other people,” Peck said.

She also emphasized the importance of creating content that is highly focused.

“When someone searches for online content, they’re usually looking for something very specific,” she observed. “I think all content should answer at least one specific, practical question.”

About the Author

Mike Plotnick is principal of Plotlines LLC, a communications consulting firm. He previously served as vice president and communications manager at HOK, where he led the communications team that pioneered the firm’s social media strategy. Mike can be reached at mike@elevateyourstory.com or follow him on Twitter at @SomeChum and @plot_lines. This is his first contribution to Marketer.

“What often gets lost in the A/E/C industry is the magnitude of the projects and the impact those projects have on people’s lives. We wanted to create a ‘best-in-class’ web site that represents T.y. Lin international as confidently as its projects do. We thought the web site itself could aspire to the same excellence through visual impact, functionality, and effectiveness.”

—Kenn fine, fiNE Design group

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Marketer/December 2013

Internal Connections. Production of the TYLI web site became an opportunity to diminish silos of operation by promoting companywide advocacy for the “One Global Vision” strategy. One successful tactic involved regional participation in the writing of project profiles, which has strengthened channels of communication between TYLI’s domestic and international offices. The web site also now is used by TYLI staff around the world to present firmwide experience for local pursuits, much like an internal Wikipedia page.

“The web site has been an effective resource for prospective clients as they learn about our China operations and their relation to TYLI’s global organization,” observed Chwen Siripocanont, senior vice president. “Information on TYLI projects in other countries is especially effective as we expand into new market sectors.”

Going Global. While every project is different, it is best to expect complications and additional costs when developing a multi-language web site. Be prepared to have a Plan A, Plan B, and even a Plan C.

The TYLI web site went live in both English and Chinese, a process streamlined by using a qualified, locally-based translation service. We also chose a restrained approach, not launching the site in every language we do business in, such as Spanish, Malay, and Traditional Chinese.

By taking this top-level approach and focusing on regions rather than specific countries, usability and navigability were kept clean and simple. This also positioned us to use feedback from the regions to inform future updates, including the launch of regional landing pages that focus on specific countries and utilize additional languages.

Social Media. Not all businesses use social media for the same purposes. For some companies, social media is used to inform target audiences or build consumer engagement. Prominent use of social media applications also can facilitate recruitment of Millennials looking for a company with a vital social media presence. Social media currently is used by TYLI to increase global brand awareness and to connect with clients. While icons figure noticeably on the site, other social media tools are being planned, including a new blog that integrates with the web site.

Another important consideration is search engine optimization (SEO). Many marketing communications professionals try to manage these efforts internally, even if it is not their area of expertise. It is more efficient to hire the agency upfront to do SEO and then to use their data analysis to direct future strategic communications efforts.

Leadership. Producing or updating a web site presents a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate marketing communications leadership. For our web site, we selected the best design for TYLI based on industry knowledge, the brand, the business strategy, and our target audiences. We then presented the design to senior management for approval, confident that only minor modifications would be needed. By committing to a design, the brand efficacy of the web site was preserved, as was the budget.

Marketing leadership requires courage and confidence in one’s ability to identify and stand by what is required to create a “best-in-class” web site. This is achieved by looking for opportunities to make informed, independent choices; taking risks; streamlining processes; and strategizing both buy-in and the inclusion of others during select steps in the process. Such applied leadership skills will ensure that a web site will drive a company’s digital strategy successfully and support its business goals, today and in the years to come.

About the Author

Maribel Castillo is associate vice president and director of corporate communications for engineer-ing services firm T.Y. Lin International (www.tylin.com). A professional services marketer in the A/E/C industry for more than 20 years, Maribel has won SMPS Marketing Communications Awards in the Web Site, Brochure, Book/Monograph, Media Relations, and Internal Newsletter categories. She can be reached at maribel.castillo@tylin.com or follow her on Twitter at @harvardhomegirl. This is her first contribution to Marketer.