Case Study

Building a User-Friendly Economic Development Website to Attract New Prospects

Drone photograph of the downtown Richmond, VA skyline taken during the day

Background

The Greater Richmond Partnership (GRP) is the region’s premier economic development organization, working to attract new businesses, support expansion of existing companies, and market the Richmond region globally. As a public-private partnership representing the City of Richmond and the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico, GRP plays a vital role in job creation and investment attraction.

Having previously partnered with Whittington Consulting to launch their prior website, GRP once again turned to us—this time to evolve their digital platform to meet the changing needs of their organization and reflect modern standards in accessibility, performance, and design.

Map of the Richmond region showing proximity to US markets

The Challenge

Evolving a Successful Website Into a Smarter Digital Tool

GRP’s existing site had served the organization well, but website standards and user expectations had shifted. The organization needed a refresh, not a reinvention.

Drone photograph of downtown Richmond, Virginia

Key Goals of the Redesign Included:

Modernizing Performance and SEO

Improving Core Web Vitals and aligning with Google’s latest ranking factors.

Enhancing Accessibility

Creating a more inclusive browsing experience by meeting WCAG 2.1 compliance to serve a broader audience.

Streamlining Content Delivery

Making it easier to find and engage with resources, particularly in the Newsroom and Investor Directory.

Optimizing Lead Generation

Strengthening calls-to-action and automating interactions through HubSpot.

Creating Visual Appeal

Introducing modern photography, layout flexibility, and a more media-friendly content structure.

Our Solution

A Strategic Refresh Rooted in User Behavior. Modern. Accessible. Future-Ready.

We took a data-informed, collaborative approach that built on the foundation we’d already established with GRP,  retaining what worked and reimagining what could work better.

Series of GRP website wireframes illustrating refreshed page templates

Discovery and Planning

  • Implemented heatmaps and reviewed Google Analytics to guide decisions based on real user behavior.
  • Conducted stakeholder interviews and incorporated feedback from the Site Consultants Advisory Group.
  • Redesigned the sitemap for simplified navigation and content discovery.

Design Enhancements With a Strategic Focus

  • Created a refreshed homepage and mobile experience that balanced modern aesthetics with GRP’s established brand.
  • Introduced streamlined page templates for industry-specific pages, the newsroom, investor listings, and contact forms.
  • Clarified user paths and elevated key calls to action to support stronger engagement and conversion.

Technical and Accessibility Improvements

  • Rebuilt the site on an advanced WordPress platform optimized for speed, flexibility, and ease of use.
  • Implemented performance best practices including image compression, caching, and SSL, achieving a 90+ score on Google’s speed test.
  • Completed testing to ensure full WCAG 2.1 accessibility compliance for all users at launch.

Enhanced Functionality for Growth

  • Developed a searchable, categorized Investor Directory to better highlight GRP’s valued investors and make the section more engaging for prospective investors.
  • Reorganized the newsroom into a magazine-style format that encourages browsing and sharing.
  • Added a media relations and resource center for easier access to downloads, press materials, and high-value assets.
  • Integrated HubSpot tools to support marketing automation, lead tracking, and engagement.

Training for Empowerment

Provided hands-on training to GRP’s internal team, enabling seamless content updates and long-term site management.

The Result

A More Strategic, Engaging GRP Website

The updated GRP website now matches the ambition and professionalism of the organization it represents, built for performance, designed for engagement, and optimized for continued growth.

Highlights:

  • 90+ Core Web Vitals score for faster loading and better SEO
  • Accessible to all users with WCAG 2.1 compliance
  • More compelling calls to action and improved user journeys for generating qualified lea
  • HubSpot automation that supports smarter lead nurturing
  • Investor and media sections that serve as strong tools for outreach and promotion
  • User-friendly backend empowering GRP’s team to stay agile and up-to-date
Full‑page screenshot of the live Greater Richmond Partnership homepage after launch

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