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We've been a digital partner to the optometry community ever since we helped the American Optometric Association (AOA) build their first responsive website back in 2013. So when the AOA's OptometryStudents.com needed their own responsive redesign, Integrity was their first stop.
OptometryStudents.com is a content-driven website run entirely by and for – you guessed it – optometry students. The site features student-created articles ranging from fun lifestyle pieces to industry news and in-depth analyses of eye-related diseases.
A major issue that prompted the site redesign was that OptometryStudents.com used a number of third-party plugins to host all these different types of content – plugins that quickly became outdated and unsupported, therefore preventing necessary WordPress updates.
In order to eliminate the need for third-party plugins, Integrity created several custom post types. We migrated all of the existing content out of the plugins and reorganized it in the posts we built. Now, the functionality is tied to the theme itself – instead of to any outdated plugins – so WordPress updates can be made as needed and the site can maintain stability.
A second problem that Integrity was tasked with solving was the site's convoluted navigation. With so many students creating so much content, the lack of standard categories and tags resulted in a poor user experience.
We conducted a full discovery, identifying the glaring and more subtle issues with the site architecture by mapping out the old website in detail. Taking advantage of our UX expertise, we worked with the OptometryStudents.com team to create a more logical, streamlined structure.
Standard categories and a well-defined content creation process ensure the website won't lose its clarity and usability over time, even as new articles are published every week.
Check out the new OptometryStudents.com today and give us a call if you need help restructuring your own site.
