[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_separator height_2=”0″ height=”50″ show_border=”no_border”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text width=”1/1″ el_position=”first last”]Welcome to the new Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce website! Getting the new site off the launchpad has been the result of months of hard work, research, and planning. I’m thrilled to be able to present it to you for the first time today.
My original hope at the start of this project has remained true as of its launch. The goal from the beginning was to simultaneously make the new site simpler and more robust. Simplicity has been achieved through a re-imagining of the way the site is navigated and the way information is presented. At the same time, it has become more robust through a series of new and improved features. You’ll notice new things like the News section, where we will write blog-style updates like the one you’re currently reading, leaving room for the community to comment. You’ll also notice the easier-to-navigate menu bar, the more informative homepage, and the beautifully visual events calendar.
Modernizing the Website
One of the primary concerns heading into this website design was to give it a cleaner, lighter, more modern feel. Simplicity is timeless, and I wanted to give the website a look and feel that will feel fresh for many years. By building the website using a WordPress.org installation, we now have the ability to update and completely facelift the website whenever we deem fit, without needing to rebuild from the ground up. WordPress really has become the modern solution for an ages-old problem. I couldn’t recommend any other system more than I can WordPress.
Another way I modernized the website was through focusing on the user experience. An unfortunate problem with our old website was that it experienced navigation issues when viewed on mobile devices. The submenu items in the menu bar wouldn’t drop down, so there was no way to explore the website below the surface. Since most people are now doing much of their web browsing on their phones and tablets, we knew it was paramount to enable our users and members access to every page of our site regardless of what device they are using. As such, we opted for a responsive design that scales the website according to the user’s screen size, so that the text is always easy to read. And the menu is fully accessible. Welcome to a more user-friendly experience that has the present and future in mind.
I have also improved the payment process for event tickets to make it easier for you to buy your tickets online. Gone are the days where you are required to pay via PayPal.
Bringing the Website In-House
We have brought the website in-house so that we can better serve you. We now have the flexibility to update and add new content as we need to, and have full control over how things are visually represented.
For example, we are now able to make on-the-fly updates on anything from the growing member directory, to the Chamber’s strides in governmental affairs, to the site’s many informational pages. If you ever need up update a phone number email address, name, physical address, or anything else on the site, we can now make those changes for you while you’re on the phone with us. If we can’t do it right then, we’ll still be able to get to it in a much shorter span of time than the previous one-week turn around.
Bringing the website in-house has also given us the freedom to explore a multitude of new ideas we already have in development. This is truly just the beginning of a new era for the Torrance Chamber’s online presence.
Adding Value to the Website
It is the job of every chamber of commerce to provide resources that are at once immediate, insightful, and valuable to its members. We have every intent to make the website a useful resource for you, in a plethora of ways.
Rather than simply listing your business in a simple table like it was before, your member listing now has a couple of new features, including a map to make it easy for people to find your business. Additionally, you can have your logo added to your listing for a small, one-time fee. Adding your logo will give your listing some instant visual bonus points. If you’re interested in having your logo added, please click here to learn more about it.
We will soon be adding ad space in certain areas of the website, such as on the news blog and member directory, to provide you with another space to promote your business. While this is still in development, ad space will likely have several price points depending on the location of the ad and the length of time it is set to run for. Please keep an eye on our news blog for more information.
The last thing I’d like to mention in regard to value added to our site is the News section, which you are currently reading. Here we will go into a bit more depth about our events and goings on, big news in the local business world, as well as helpful advice. We are just beginning to explore all the possibilities for this blog, and hope that, as time goes on, we can add some serious value to your visits.
Support
I hope you enjoy your first moments on the new Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce website, and that it continues to serve you long into the future, as a place to connect and find valuable references. If you experience any problems with the website, find an issue with your listing or the information on a page, please send me an email, and I will be happy to assist you. Also, any feedback you can provide is highly appreciated. We are always aiming to move forward, and to provide the best available resources to our members.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator height_2=”25″ height=”25″ show_border=”yes_border”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”577″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”150×150″ link=”https://www.torrancechamber.com/contact/brandon-smith/” css=”.vc_custom_1405011136459{margin-top: 10px !important;}”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text width=”1/1″ el_position=”first last”]posted by
Brandon Smith
Brandon is the Communications Coordinator for the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce. His primary occupations at the Chamber include press writing and communication, social media, photography, branding, design, and marketing. Brandon is also the Chamber’s web master and designer. Feel free to contact him with any questions you may have.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator height_2=”0″ height=”50″ show_border=”no_border”][/vc_column][/vc_row]