International Sign Association (ISA) Website Redesign

About the Project

As part of an on-going partnership, the International Sign Association (ISA) contracted with Balance Interactive to redesign a website that highlighted ISA’s overhauled brand, integrated with their association management system (AMS) iWeb/iMIS, encouraged user interaction through social media tools, and provided an easier way for ISA staff to manage and publish content. The resulting site launched in early December 2008 and has received rave reviews.  In 2009 Balance worked with ISA to redesign their existing Sign Expo website, adding a new design, new audience-based navigation, and integrating with their show planner and maps, Map Your Show.  In 2011 Balance redesigned ISA’s association site giving it a new design and site architecture.

The Balance solution included:

New design to Support the brand

Balance implemented website designs developed by Fixation Marketing that highlighted ISA’s new brand. The crisp new design brings a visual appeal to the site. Visitors to the new site have commented favorably that the design brings professionalism to the site that was lacking previously.

Integration with Third Party Tools

Signs.org uses a sophisticated single sign on (SSO) protocol, to integrate with iWeb/iMIS, ISA’s Association Management System. With one login users can see content according to their appropriate roles, gain access to the AMS to set-up and maintain membership updates, and interact with the Vocus system that offers government relations information. Signexpo.org integrates with Map Your Show to not only link to up-to-date show maps and schedules, but it also allows visitors to search both Sign Expo and Map Your Show content from a single search box and find expo information on exhibitors and sessions and more.

Social Media

The Signs.org site is feature rich with social media tools that leverage the Web 2.0 platform. They include: ShareThis, the wibiya social media bar, a polling feature, RSS feeds, and a photo gallery module that allows ISA to set up multiple galleries and share member company images and work.

Content Management

Balance Interactive recommended and implemented the DotNetNuke (DNN) content management system due to its flexibility and compatibility with other ISA systems. DNN has multiple interchangeable modules that supported ISA’s need for an easy way to update and manage content. The ISA administrator has complete control over which staff members can update content. ISA has implemented a sophisticated permissions matrix that allows both site users and staff members to have access to content based on role, allowing the organization to support the multi-layers of its constituent base.

Evaluation & Results

Since the launch of the www.signs.org website:

• Visits to the Signs site increased 24% – 14 percentage points above target
• Page views increased 28% – 18 percentage points above target
• The bounce rate decreased by 10% – 5 percentage points above target
• Member registrations increased 100%
• Event registrations increased 100%
• Traffic to the Signs site has increased from the following sources:
  • Bing – 100% rise
  • Facebook – 5,511% rise
  • Twitter – 100% rise
  • Google – 547% rise