Client: Fika Recordings, Record label, London

Platform: Squarespace | Role: UI, UX, Digital-Design, Developer, CSS, HTML, javascript

Brief: Rebrand and website relaunch for long established indie record label. Strong focus on artists and product output with a clear and user-friendly CMS

Challenge

To overhaul an outdated, previously hacked WordPress site with a customized, hosted option that would simplify the CMS, improve the marketing capabilities of the brand, be far less prone to security issues, increase the sales CRO, work across devices and give the brand a much needed facelift.
With extensive theme-enabled tie-ins including Bandcamp for music sales, Songkick for live gig listings and Instagram for audience engagement, Spotify for playlists, and it’s effortless integration of video, we decided on the Squarespace platform for it’s user-friendliness, stability and capacity to put the label’s artists firmly in the spotlight.

Methods

Firstly, as with any redesign brief, the backing-up was done; however because the WordPress install was so outdated there were many components that needed to be both updated and scanned to remove any malicious remnants of the aforementioned hacking episodes. The server was also full of spin-off microsites that had managed to corrupt parts of the main database so a complete MySQL repair was required via PHPmyAdmin.
Some initial customer and sector research whilst wireframing the project quickly revealed that the obvious choice, because of it’s leaning towards the creative sectors would be Squarespace. Once that route had been established and an appropriate theme installed, I used my status as a Squarespace Circle member to enrich the content with some unique modifications. This enabled us to enhance both the UX and the UI.

For example, by injecting code including JSON and javascript alongside HTML and CSS we set up easily applicable layout templates for the different site areas and also could add bits of functionality like flagging up sold out releases and being able to display all the past gigs and events – which both enriched the content whilst at the same time boosting the SEO.
Secondly, several years worth of WordPress content (news posts and pages) were exported to an XML file and successfully imported into the new site, again meaning that any accumulated search engine rankings could be maintained.