This project involved designing and developing the logo, web site and offline materials for a North Devon Bed & Breakfast, as well as implementing a social media strategy to increase the number of site visitors and bookings.

Logo Design

The logo design needed to clearly identify the business, translate well onto offline media, such as business cards, leaflets etc whilst fitting in with the modern nature of the B&B.

Web Site Design

The web site design focused on the primary call to actions established during our research stage:

1. Increase the number of booking requests,
2. Provide more information on the B&B and the area,
3. Increase site visitor numbers through data capture and social media.

With the above in mind, the site was designed to provide quick and easy access to key information.  Pricing is prominently displayed across the site, with tabbed navigation covering the three main areas: about the B&B, about the area and how to book.

To help increase site visitor numbers, the design incorporated a newsletter opt in (using Mailchimp), displayed across the web site, and a latest news section.

The primary goals were focused on via easy to use navigation, and clear pricing.

Web Site Development

Wordpress was chosen for this project, so the client could easily edit the existing pages and images, as well as keep the news section of the site updated through the below Social Media Strategy.

As with all work, the design was coded in XHTML and CSS, using progressive enhancements in CSS and Javascript for newer web browsers, whilst ensuring legacy web browsers could still browse and view the web site’s information.

Spearfield House Web Site Design

Social Media Strategy

The Social Media Strategy focused on the same 3 primary goals established during our research stage.  To achieve these, the following methods were implemented:

1. Latest News
   The latest news section on the web site allows the client to post topical, relevent updates about the B&B and the local area.  This helped boost the web site’s natural search engine ranking, as well as provide site visitors details on latest events etc.
2. Twitter
   Wordpress was configured to automatically publish an update on Twitter whenever a latest news article is published on the web site.  Followers were added by searching for users who expressed an interest in the local area, or were looking for accommodation.
3. Facebook
   A Facebook fan page was created to help push more visitors to the web site, and allow Facebook users invited to the listing to invite their friends to join.  The viral nature of this promotion method allows the site’s visitor base to naturally grow with little additional effort required.
4. TripAdvisor
   With any tourism-based offline business, a listing on TripAdvisor is essential to allow tourists to find the accommodation, read honest, impartial customer reviews and make a booking.
5. Google Local Business
   Listing Spearfield House on Google Local Business ensures that the B&B can easily be found when searching for accommodation in the North Devon area.

Spearfield House listed on TripAdvisor, with description, customer reviews and photos.

Offline Materials

Further to the logo and web design, business cards, breakfast menus and leaflets for Spearfield House were also designed in this project.