South River Technologies knew its six-year-old website was, in technology years, ancient. As its product lines and business had grown, the Annapolis, Md.-based software company’s website had amassed 400 pages, was HTML-based and complicated to update. Because of the way search engine optimization works, South River Technologies’ product pages were often the first contact new customers had with the company, making it all the more critical the pages were up-to-date and easy to navigate. Additionally, any website developer hired to redo the site would have to address the company’s global reach — South River Technologies’ flagship product, WebDrive, boasts customers in 125 countries.
Updating the company website was not just about improving appearances. Approximately 35% of company sales came through South River Technologies’ online store, with global sales every bit as important to the company’s bottom line as its domestic sales, said Tracy Welsh, vice president of business development. The firm’s outdated site could jeopardize those sales and limit future online growth. The company determined that a complete website do-over was in order for a cleaner, more modern feel, more intuitive navigation and — very important — a seamless connection to the company’s hosted shopping cart software that allowed customers to add items to their orders and check out.