Degree Type
Honors Capstone Project
Date of Submission
Spring 5-1-2008
Capstone Advisor
Edward Russell
Honors Reader
Lauri Camille Francis
Capstone Major
Advertising
Capstone College
Public Communications
Audio/Visual Component
no
Capstone Prize Winner
no
Won Capstone Funding
no
Honors Categories
Creative
Subject Categories
Advertising and Promotion Management | Public Relations and Advertising
Abstract
I wanted my Honors Capstone Project to capitalize on the combination of advertising, design, and website-building skills I have gained both inside and outside of the classroom during my time atSyracuseUniversity. I wanted the chance to apply my conceptual knowledge as well as my knowledge of advanced design and website software to an actual client with measurable results. I decided to tackle the challenge of creating a new website for my aunt’s small business, Goldin Ceramics. Since Olga’s only method of advertising is in-person at craft shows that she attends roughly once a month, her website plays a crucial role at reaching consumers who are unable to attend these shows but still want to purchase her products.
After analyzing her current website (http://www.olgagoldin.com), I realized that I would have to start from scratch. The website was not graphically pleasing, lacked proper structure, and had a higher likelihood of turning users away from desired behavior (purchase). The product categories were not organized in a logical fashion and the photos were poor in quality. In addition, the entire website was built in Java script, making it virtually invisible to search engines.
In order to gain a better understanding of what makes a website functional, I consulted the opinions of my professors, read online articles regarding people’s online browsing habits, and learned about search engine optimization (SEO). I used Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and Flash in order to create a new web page design, edit product photos, build an interactive navigation menu, and write copy in a manner to make the website searchable. The entire process was time-consuming, tedious, but ultimately rewarding.
The resulting website (http://www.goldinceramics.com) is graphically pleasing, functional, quick to load, easy to navigate, and capitalizes on the concept of SEO. Olga’s work is organized in an orderly fashion and the ability for visitors to choose the order in which to view images provides a rewarding, gallery-like experience for potential consumers. Additionally, the new order form provides visitors the chance to specify which product they want their personalized piece to be modeled after and a space for an extensive description. The addition of a Google search bar also makes it easy for consumers to find the pieces they are looking for immediately.
Olga’s current consumers will be pleased with this new website and the press releases I will write and distribute once the website goes live will drive generate traffic and increase sales.
Recommended Citation
Mukhutdinova, Alfiya, "Goldin Ceramics: Website as Primary Advertising Vehicle for Small Business" (2008). Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All. 511.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/511
Creative Commons License
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