The minimalist theme certainly makes a point, but then there is minimalist, and minimalist with “color”! When I ran across this theme tonight doing some research for a client, I fell in love with the way it presents the content in a different light. One that immerses users in an environment that looks nothing like the “norm” for WordPress sites. With the background showing behind the content, the look is completely different than most WordPress themes. I plan my life around watching the sun rise and set, watching nature paint the sky, so I guess I really relate to this theme. I’ve got a ton of photos I’ve taken from the water and will be swapping background images on a semi-regular basis for your enjoyment.
I’ve been adding info to the Portfolio page today, finally trying to give the cobbler some shoes. OK, I’ll settle for flip flops (no, I’m not talking politics) for now. I’ve got client work I’m behind on!
Previewing my pages, I started looking at the theme that is currently active on the site. Initially, I started with this minimalist WordPress theme simply because I could not find a theme I liked. Initially, I was looking for something that would make a bold statement, maybe offer a bit of insight as to what Marine Innovation is about. Sharp, colorful, yet professional are the adjectives that came to mind. Sliders, blinding colors, spinning things didn’t seem to do it for me. Themes targeted toward business models such as “real estate”, “magazine” or “photography studio” don’t quite fit MI’s model. ”Agency” style themes seem a little over the top. When I realized how clean and readable this theme was, I kind of liked it.
So, I decided I was wasting far too much time over analyzing this and to worry about content first. After all, one of the many wonderful aspects of Worpress as a simple CMS is that this approach isn’t a problem at all as themes or templates are independent of the content.
As I worked on the site today, it hit me that this theme represents MI’s mission and the reason I chose the business model I have, pretty well….and I think I might keep it…though I do kind of miss my old colors and logo!
So what was the aha moment? There were a couple actually.
MI is About Content
Marine Innovation is about great content. Search engine optimized, but readable. Engaging, offering value to the reader. Projects are often collaborations with graphic artists, designers and coders, with MI managing the project to produce whatever your eye desires and your wallet can bare for the visual experience, but I never lose site of the fact that it’s the content that makes or breaks a site. It’s content that gets your site found and ranked. It’s targeted content that gets a local little guy ranked big in organic results. It’s content that keeps vistors on the site longer and compels them to take action. It’s content that builds confidence to buy and loyalty to return in your customer base. It’s coordination and integration of content across mediums that build your brand image.
Don’t get me wrong, graphics are a form of content too and a good graphic artist can help make your website, advertisements and printed materials stunningly beautiful, but will that get your point across, sell what you’re trying to sell? At what cost? Graphical content will catch a customer’s eye, but without good content, customers will never find you online, or get your message from your printed materials or advertisements. I firmly believe that when working on a small business budget, content should come before sizzle. Not only can sizzle get expensive quickly, if you’re not careful, sizzle will actually hide your content rather than enhance it. Ask me for examples!
MI is About Our Clients
MI is very much about our clients. If I’m not working directly with one, I’m thinking about one. It’s hard to turn off, and that’s not necessarily bad as you never know where and when inspiration is going to strike. Hours spent on this site amounts to time not focused on clients. KISS. (feel free to ask if you don’t know that acronym)
Another reason the “minimalist theme” represents the MI philosophy, is in how MI approaches each client differently. I start without predispositions. Before engaging in any initiative, or even choosing team mates and partners for an initiative, I take time to learn the personality of my clients’ business. How you do business, who your customers are, your competitive landscape all make a difference in how I approach a project. By way of example, a marketing strategy targeting teenagers for a high-energy activity is much different than approaching adults in a price-sensitive commodity market. Challenging a a more established competitor with a larger budget is different than working with the market leader and a bigger war chest.
So for now, I think the minimalist theme suits MI, but I reserve the right to change my mind if I find or end up building a stunning theme that doesn’t hide what MI is really about….results for our clients.
Marine Innovation is taking on a new form. Stay tuned as we adjust the signal, re-align with our core competencies, and begin making waves in new ways.