Rodney Strong Vineyards
I’m not one to share press releases, especially verbatim. However, as a big fan of Rodney Strong Vineyards, especially the Rodney Strong Russian River Valley Pinot Noir for $15-20, I figured I can give their redesigned website some love.The site is clean, with a simple layout, great use of media, and chock full of information about this 53 year old California winery.
A mainstay in the Sonoma County wine region for over 50 years, Rodney Strong Vineyards unveiled a new website this summer that showcases an interactive storytelling experience, integrating social media as well as mobile responsive design for the whole site. The new website focuses on providing information through video and rich imagery that’s designed to be easy to use, whether shopping for wine, checking on winery events or simply learning more about the brand. Their address remains the same; www.rodneystrong.com.
“Every communication channel counts in today’s competitive marketplace and telling our story is more important than ever – it is what sets us apart” said Vice President of Marketing Dan Wildermuth. “Embracing social media on a deeper level as well as becoming mobile-friendly became top priorities in our marketing communications strategy.”
Over the last year, Rodney Strong has experienced steady 20% fan/follower growth on social media channels as well as a nearly 300% growth in website traffic originating from mobile devices. The brand’s successful communications campaign, “Place Matters,” launched on the brand’s YouTube channel and has received nearly 175,000 video views to date.
The enhanced visual design, storytelling photography and artfully woven videos all adapt to social media and a flexible layout that automatically resizes to accommodate mobile devices. With the changes, the winery anticipates continued growth in site traffic as well as increased interaction on their social media channels throughout the coming year. “We’re taking into account communication trends,” said Wildermuth, “where people engage and enjoy a digital brand experience in the palm of their hand.”
My only piece of constructive criticism is the placement of their social media contact information is a bit too clean and tucked away. It’s on the bottom right of the footer, and grey until it’s moused over. With social media being so main stream, I’d make it a little more prominent.
Cheers!