The much-anticipated Ocean Beach MainStreet Association’s (OBMA)  retooled website is up an running, courtesy of webmaster Intrepid Network Multimedia Services & Business Solutions.
“We’re still updating some things, but for the most part it’s live,” said Denny Knox, executive director of OBMA, the community’s Business Improvement District (BID). “It was completely redesigned with the help of about 20 people on our Promotions Committee,” she said.
Knox credited the job done by Josh Utley, Intrepid’s president/CEO, for successfully redeveloping the BID’s website making it truly cutting-edge.
“Josh did a phenomenal job, really put his heart and soul into this one,” she said, adding the website is not only more responsive but more accessible now. It’s designed to respond to phones, tablets, laptops, whatever, It’s also designed to be readable no matter what device you’re using. We’re super-pleased with it.”
Noting Intrepid designed OBMA’s website back in 2009, Utley said the redesign involved upgrading its content management to improve search engine placement.
Utley said his recent work on the OBMA website is an example of “responsive design,” in that the website is now configured to “respond to any size screen no matter the device.”
“Whether you’re using an iPad, a laptop, a tablet or a phone, you will be able to view it (website),” he said. “It’s an improved user experience so people can quickly find what they’re looking for.”
Utley has been doing analytics on the OBMA site since he created it. He’s uncovered some surprising facts during that time.
“A total of 75 percent of the people who visit the OBMA website have never been to it before,” Utley said. “They’re usually looking for a restaurant or more information on an event or just checking on what there is to do in OB.”
The web designer said there’s typically a three- to ten-second window available to engage a visitor to the website to try and capture their interest.
One of the more popular items on OBMA’s website is Dog Beach, said Utley.
“It’s always in the top five (hits),” he said, adding that will trigger adding more information to that page, like relevant advertisers (such as dog washes or lodging) near the popular beach visitor site.
Web users these days are increasingly becoming less patient, said Utley, who added its becoming more challenging to find ways to draw — and maintain — the interest of web surfers.
“You need to make your website more robust, feature-heavy with things like a slideshow and responsive design,” Utley said. He said adding search engine optimization is always key and that website design is “a lot more involved than people realize.
“If you don’t update your content, it becomes stagnant,” he said. Fine-tuning is always required to “ensure images are high quality.”
Visit OBMA’s website at www.oceanbeachsandiego.com.