en_GB English (UK)
en_GB English (UK) pl_PL Polski
en_GB English (UK)
en_GB English (UK) pl_PL Polski

Website redevelopment for a not-for-profit think tank

Website Modernization, Legacy Content Migration, Website Design

OVERVIEW

The focus of this project was the redevelopment of the website for The Industry Forum, a well-respected, not-for-profit UK think tank specialising in public policy for business.

The Industry Forum's previous website was outdated and had technical limitations in both its design and content management system. We were initially approached to address these issues, but after assessing the site, we recommended a full rebuild to provide a more modern and effective solution, which the client embraced.
The Industry Forum - Website redevelopment for a not-for-profit think tank

CHALLENGE

The old website was in disrepair, with key features missing or non-functional, and needed a complete overhaul to meet the organisation's current needs. 

It was essential to modernise the site while maintaining the wealth of legacy content. We had to carefully migrate a large volume of data, including 120 past events, 50 articles, and 119 member profiles. This content needed to be optimised in terms of categorisation, URLs, tags, and headings to improve both user experience and SEO performance.
The main goals included:
  • Visually redesigning the website to meet modern standards and align with the organisation's branding.
  • Redeveloping the structure and content using Oxygen CMS to maintain the archive and strengthen its position in Google Search.
  • Updating critical pages, such as the 'Publications' and 'Gallery' sections, and fixing features like contact forms, the Twitter feed, and developing an 'Events' section.

SOLUTION

We started by completely redeveloping the website using WordPress integrated with Oxygen CMS, providing a flexible, SEO-friendly solution ideal for non-profit organisations with a lifetime license—ensuring stability and flexibility for the long run. Our approach was all about ensuring the site felt modern and intuitive yet robust enough to serve its purpose as a trusted resource.

We added advanced protection measures to bolster security, including CAPTCHA, a firewall, anti-spam, and anti-malware tools. The new CMS was tailored to Industry Forum’s needs, and we provided video-based training to ensure their team could manage content easily and independently. Ensuring GDPR compliance was another crucial element addressed through specialised plugins for cookies, notifications, and secure contact forms.

OUTCOME

The new website was a significant leap forward for The Industry Forum. It offered a visually appealing, highly functional platform that mirrored its reputation as a leading non-profit organisation in public policy. 

Key outcomes included:

  • Smooth Migration & Improved Content Management: All historical content was successfully migrated, reorganised, and optimised, allowing Industry Forum's team to easily manage the site through a clean, straightforward CMS.
  • Error-Free Performance: The site was launched without any technical issues, providing a seamless experience for both the client and their audience.
  • Enhanced SEO & Training: We integrated the RankMath plugin and connected it to Google Analytics, significantly improving the website's visibility on search engines—key for non-profit organisations like Industry Forum. Basic training on using RankMath was also provided to help the client continue improving their SEO.

Impact on Search Visibility (October 2024):

  • Total Impressions: 3.5K (+47.8%)
  • Total Clicks: 117 (+1.7%)
  • Unique Visitors from Search: 133 (+24.3%)

CLIENT FEEDBACK

"As the Executive Chair of the Industry Forum, I would like to express our satisfaction with the services provided by NetSwifter. We found NetSwifter by web research and selected them to help in modernising our website. Our old site was outdated, and the technology and plugins were no longer functioning, which hindered managing and updating the website.

Michael from NetSwifter not only recovered all the data from the old site but also implemented it on a new technology. In addition, he created dedicated templates for posts of various purposes, such as events or PDF publications, which make updating our website much faster and hassle-free. Contact with Michael was always direct and prompt, which accelerated the implementation of the project.

We recommend NetSwifter to anyone looking for a professional company specialising in non-profit organisation website redevelopment and web design for public policy sectors."
Rod Dowler
Founder Member and Executive Chair at The Industry Forum

SUMMARY

We repaired the broken elements of the existing website, modernised its core with a new CMS engine, and successfully migrated all legacy content.
We boosted Industry Forum's online presence by integrating the RankMath plugin, making SEO management simple and effective. We also provided training for ongoing SEO optimisation.
The updated website is intuitive, reflects Industry Forum's branding, and supports their mission to influence UK public policy.
This all improved search engine rankings and ensured their website reached more targeted audiences.
apartmentdatabasecogpaperclipuserusersmap-markersmartphonelaptop-phonebullhornundolistarrow-right-circle
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram