St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Music for all
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) is a staple in the St. Louis Community — creating lasting musical experiences that have captivated generations. As it embarked on a multi-million-dollar renovation and expansion project for Powell Hall, the SLSO wanted to refresh its online presence and continue to connect with others through the beauty and power of music.
Setting the stage for a new era
CHALLENGE
The SLSO wanted to redesign its symphony’s website to reflect the excitement of the renovation project and to speak to community members about its incredible instrumental experiences. The brand looked to us to help develop a website that would improve its design, functionality and performance ahead of an extensive capital campaign.
SOLUTION
With an audience that captures the hearts and minds of all ages, the SLSO wanted the symphony’s website to speak to all who may encounter it. From families and annual subscribers to first-time visitors and generations of donors, we carefully considered the brand’s messaging strategy — selecting words that would resonate with each audience.
SEO Strategy + UX Copywriting
Step one was curating a search engine optimization strategy centered on keyword planning.
From there, we revised the site architecture and navigation to best organize different areas of a user’s journey. For example, the mega menu contained parent pages, such as “Get Tickets,” along with relevant subpages, like “subscription packages” and “special offers,” to direct users to specific purchasing options. By the end of our efforts, the SLSO reduced the number of website subpages by 47% — without sacrificing valuable content.
The SEO strategy and keyword planning served as the framework in developing a robust content strategy for the symphony website. Our UX copywriting strategy consisted of writing, editing and migrating content to the new website platform. We effectively blended the brand’s welcoming tone with relevant keywords to tell the story of who the brand is, what experiences it offers and clearly communicate its concerts during the Powell Hall renovation phase.
Website Design
The SLSO wanted a website design that would coincide with the Powell Hall renovation.
Not only did the SLSO want to streamline users’ visual journey, but they also wanted to include dynamic elements that would help them stand out from the competition. By first focusing on the home page of the symphony website, we created the blueprint that would set the visual direction for the interior pages.
The design showcases the excitement of the symphony with pops of color, intriguing gradients and vibrant photography. It also includes custom iconography that ties into the curvature of the brand’s logo.
By the Numbers
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47%
reduction in subpages
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12.4%
increase in first-page keyword rankings
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18.6%
increase in visitors since the website relaunch
Development + Technology
Our tech team managed the SLSO’s data management, API integrations and ticketing system.
Their efforts produced a seamless transition, ensuring the symphony website was both mobile-friendly and easy for all users to navigate. Our team integrated custom design elements into the CMS, empowering the SLSO team to easily update content and create new pages in the future.
“Your team was absolutely crucial in making this project a reality, and I am beyond grateful for all of your hard work. Matt was especially gracious through every step of the process and made for a wonderful troubleshooting partner. We couldn’t have done this without you!”
Allison Lambacher Associate Director of Digital Engagement