Santa Clarita Business Group
Founded in the winter of 2002 by eleven business owners, the Santa Clarita Valley Business Group (SCVBG) has grown into the largest networking group in the valley. With 70 local businesses represented in membership, it emphasizes personal relationships and cross referrals among Santa Clarita's finest businesses. The group operates under the guidance of a strong board and adheres to strict attendance and referral requirements.
The primary goal was to transition from an outdated WordPress platform to a more robust and efficient Drupal system. This undertaking aimed to revamp the website with advanced features like a comprehensive member system, a detailed referral system, an event system, a membership directory, and a general contact form, all underpinned by efficient administrative functionality.
95Visual, tasked with this transition, embarked on a meticulous process of mapping and architecting each feature from the old system to the new. This included the user system, badges, referral systems, and database structures. A critical aspect was ensuring that all historical data( including 50,000 archival referrals) were accurately transferred from WordPress to Drupal, maintaining the integrity and continuity of information.
Following the final approval of content and design, 95Visual proceeded to the development and pre-launch phase, staying true to its commitment to cross-platform usability. Rigorous testing was conducted across an array of browsers and mobile devices, ensuring the website's performance was seamless and user-friendly. The culmination of these efforts was the successful launch of the SCVBG's new website, a testament to 95Visual's dedication to delivering high-caliber web solutions. The results of their work are showcased in a gallery featuring the Member Directory, Homepage, and Calendar, which illustrates the enhanced user experience and functionality of the platform.
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Santa Clarita Business Group wanted an updated logo that was modern and felt more true to their business and the city they serve in. The idea to showcase the city behind the font was an early idea and stuck through the many rounds to the final product. We went through a variety of color combinations to get to the final design, between adding a red highlight to the tower, to coloring the whole cityscape green. The final color design we landed on felt the cleanest. In terms of font, SCVBG wanted a sleek, professional and easily distinguishable font to set them ahead of the curve, and lead the path ahead to new opportunities.
We wanted to present SCVBG as a community-oriented networking business with its heart being with the city in which it was founded in, as well as its people. The icon design that followed became a direct representation of that. Giving the logo design a personal feel, we advocated for having elements that represented Santa Clarita unmistakenably, such as the Six Flags tower. We incorporated other city elements to represent Main St, a core and historical location to Santa Clarita Valley residents.
The project faced significant challenges, particularly due to the custom-coded nature of the old referral system, which lacked comprehensive documentation and was difficult to decipher. Ensuring the migration of data linked to former members to preserve referral history was another complex task. However, member adoption of the new system post-launch was remarkably smooth, with minor issues being promptly addressed.
Post-transition, the SCVBG website experienced a notable increase in search engine rankings. Keywords like "businesses in Santa Clarita" placed the membership directory on Google's first page. Furthermore, the site achieved first-page ranking for individual business names and their industry categories, substantially boosting organic visibility for member businesses.
In tandem with the digital overhaul, 95Visual extended its expertise into the tangible realm, crafting a suite of print materials that bolstered the SCVBG's brand visibility. The deliverables, exemplified by the provided print work sample, adhered to the same standard of excellence as the digital platform. Additionally, 95Visual launched a strategic social media campaign, further amplifying SCVBG’s outreach and engagement with both existing and prospective members. This integrated approach ensured a consistent brand experience across all mediums, reinforcing the group's commitment to excellence and community connectivity.
95Visual took over Santa Clarita Business Group's social media accounts and continue to update them as of today. The posts that are created showcase the variety of business owners that belong in the group, as well as update members of upcoming meetings or cancelations. The social media accounts serve also as an introduction and informational asset to potential new members.
The successful transition of the SCVBG website to Drupal marked a significant milestone in the group's digital presence. Overcoming technical challenges and complexity, the new website not only enhanced the group's online visibility but also streamlined its internal operations, setting a precedent for the effective use of technology in business networking groups.
I am the President of a local non-profit. 95Visual recently took over our website and has done a fantastic job. If you need anything, Josh is a wealth of knowledge and so easy to work with. We've been so happy with his services!
