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UK Association of Online Publishers (AOP)
Formed in 2002, the UK Association of Online Publishers (AOP) is an industry body representing online publishing companies that create original, branded, quality content. AOP champions the interest of approximately 160 publishing companies from diverse backgrounds including newspaper, magazine publishing, TV and radio broadcasting and pure online media. Together they publish around 1,150 products and their websites attract more than five billion page impressions per month.
Foresite has worked with AOP for over 2 years. In this time, Foresite have designed and developed their site using the OpenFire Conent Management System (CMS) and the orignal site was launched in 2003. In August 2005, Foresite were commissioned to review and redevelop the site to bring it up-to-date whilst improving accessibilty and usability.
Challenges
The site was to be used by industry professionals to acquire information such as news, research and case studies. As well a providing a professional and eye-catching to promote the organisation, AOP also required a website which will:
- Allow AOP to fully manage all content
- Reduce overheads in terms of user management, users not being able to find information
- Better represent the brand of AOP through all e-communications
- Conform to the highest standards in terms of accessibility, usability and good practice webdesign
Solutions
The structure was main priorty as the site was to accomodate a large amount of information. It was important that information was to be presented in 'smaller bites' which could be easily digested and easier to read. It was suggested to AOP that the homepage would be updated to include content windows for the various channels i.e. latest news and forum posts. Seperate channel homepages were also created so that AOP can push content though the CMS and active elements for specific channels. This would allow the channel homepages to reflect the main homepage with for example, the research homepage showing reserach news and research forum posts.
Foresite's events manager provided an interactive and intellignet on-line diary which allowed AOP to advertise events, meeting dates, seminars etc. This presented up-to-date dated events and activities to users which also allowed online registrations. The manager also allowed AOP to upload meeting minutes and relevant documents for post event information.
Updates were also made such as giving AOP more control over user by restricting content, authorisation and privileges. Newsletters and event flyers could also be created by AOP via the article manager.
Results
After a 3 month period of development, the new AOP website was launched in December 2005. The new customised CMS provides AOP with a very high level of control and flexibility over the site. A key result is a large reduction in AOP's reliance on an outside agency in order to build new and edit existing website content.
Users are now able to obtain important industry information from a well structured and easy to navigate website.
