The Transformation of Everesti
EVEREST INNOVATION PTE LTD is a training and consultancy company that focuses on helping companies in Asia manage people, create value, and sell solutions.
The Challenge
Before Jan 2007, the company already has a website which sat on the http://everesti.com domain. The website’s menu has many items on the first level. This enables visitors to get required information very quickly. However, the sheer number of items (14 in total) on one list could also overwhelm many first-time visitors. In addition, the website was a static one which gives visitor little or no option to interact online with the staff of the company. Contact was possible only through a registration form or via email. Site update was also difficult. As FTP was the only update option then, updates could be made only through a web developer. As a result, content on the site often remained unchanged for months.
The Solution
A new domain, Everesti.com.sg, was registered. I installed a WordPress blog on it and activated the 3k2redux klein theme. Then proceeded to restructure the information on the site, reducing the original 14 tabs to just four tabs: “About Us“, “Contact Us“, “Workshops” and “Home“. Next, two new tabs, “Elearning” and “Articles” were added to provide links to new content. And a simplified “News Subscription by Reader/Email” option added for interested visitors.
Meanwhile, a professional CSS designer started customizing the theme and graphics to suit Everest Innovation’s business-oriented and yet innovative image. Theme/graphic specifications and suggestions were tracked via a Google Doc. A number of WordPress plugins were installed to enhance the site’s functionality. To reduce email spam, a Contact Form was added where email addresses used to be listed. The existing Workshop Registration Form was modified to allow multiple selection of workshops. Finally, I found some neat code from A List Apart, tweaked it and added a two-level Hybrid CSS menu.
The Results
A beautiful website with a streamlined navigation structure. A site that is easy to search, update and interact online. Plus: The site’s Google PageRank increased from 1 (for everesti.com) to 4 (for everesti.com.sg) on a scale of 10.
