The workhorse of the modern strategic communications program is the website. It’s the starting point, hosting the most important elements of a brand – from the visuals to the basic brand promise.
Two state DOTs – Washington (WSDOT) and New Mexico (NMDOT) – unveiled updated websites this month and both emphasize information that the public wants the most.
The Washington State Department of Transportation recently unveiled the most significant overhaul of its website in more than 15 years.
According to the WSDOT news release announcing the new site, the new site, which was designed for easy access by mobile devices, prioritizes traveler information.
“About 90 percent of the people who come to the website are looking for travel information, and more than 60 percent use a mobile device to access it,” the news release stated.
New Mexico DOT’s new site features a dynamic design supported by brief videos that highlight the many types of transportation that is found around the state. These moving graphics serve to pull visitors deeper into the site.
NMDOT’s news release announcing the updated site touted the website’s heavy emphasis on views of the state with “every photo and video taken in New Mexico by DOT employees. It (the website) is also packed with useful, organized information and is easy to navigate.”
While these sites may look different, both reflect the priorities of their individual agency brands and the information needs of their customers.
It isn’t easy to overhaul a website. To do it well requires the attention of nearly all areas of an agency. But WSDOT and NMDOT websites are shining examples of why the effort is worth it.
Talking Transportation 