Hatch River Expeditions had an outdated and buggy website that they decided to upgrade. Years earlier under the direction of previous content advisors, they had filled up their webpage with blocks of text designed to meet recommended word counts, but that did little to help users accomplish tasks. As part of a major revision, I reorganized and rewrote their content ensuring that each section of their top level pages did one of three things:
- Helped visitors accomplish a specific task
- Answered a visitor’s question
- Directed a visitor to another part of the site that would achieve one of the first two objectives
Below are a few of the changes made on the HRE website.
Potential guests often wonder whether a particular style of trip is right for them. That question is now answered directly on the home page with links directed to their 3 most common types of guests.
While the “About Hatch” section of this website had some interesting information on the history of the company, it failed to answer the basic question on most potential travelers’ minds: “Why should we travel with this company over its competitors?” Now, their “Why Hatch?” page gives guests 5 reasons to choose Hatch River Expeditions instead of another outfitter.
The FAQs page on the HRE website kept growing over the years until it became one long, poorly organized list. Now it is organized into sections based on guest needs:
- Booking, Pricing, and Cancellations
- Guest Requirements and Responsibilities
- What to Expect
- Logistics and Gear
- Food and Beverages
Dividing FAQ content up in this way allowed us to include more answers to HRE’s most common questions, such as “Can I request a specific stop?” and “What are the bathroom facilities like?” This page now provides detailed information to guests AND a helpful reference for staff members.