Moving an international contemporary art magazine founded in 1949 into the 21st century
Introduction:
ArtReview is a renowned name in the global art community. With the evolving digital landscape, there arose a need to transition ArtReview's rich content and heritage online. This case study delves into the challenges and solutions associated with the design and development of ArtReview.com.
Client Background:
Founded in 1949, ArtReview is a leading art publication known for its insightful critiques, features, and interviews. To expand its reach and cater to a wider audience, ArtReview sought to establish a robust online platform.
Objective:
Develop a responsive website that captures the essence of ArtReview's print legacy.
Provide an intuitive user experience tailored for art enthusiasts, critics, and professionals.
Incorporate multimedia features to showcase art in diverse formats.
Challenges:
Content Integration: Transitioning decades of print content into a digital format without compromising quality.
Engaging Design: Creating a design that resonates with the aesthetics of the art community.
User Traffic: Ensuring the website can handle high traffic volumes, particularly during major art events.
Solutions:
Bespoke CMS: A custom Content Management System was developed, enabling easy content migration and efficient management.
Aesthetic & Responsive Design: The design team worked closely with ArtReview's editorial team to create a design that was both visually stunning and mobile-responsive.
Cloud Hosting: Adopted a cloud-based hosting solution to manage high traffic, ensuring fast load times and smooth user experience.
Static, incremental frontend: The website feels insanely quick to load all of the pages due to a static build mechanism based on clever usage of React & Gatsby.
Key Features:
Interactive Art Galleries: High-resolution art displays with detailed annotations and immersive viewing options.
Dynamic Multimedia Integration: Embedded videos, podcasts, and 3D art views.
User Profiles & Customization: Users can curate their content, bookmark articles, and interact with featured artists.
Advanced Search Capabilities: A sophisticated search engine to easily locate articles, artists, and specific art pieces.
Outcome & Impact:
Post-launch, ArtReview.com witnessed a surge in traffic, with a 70% increase in monthly visitors. The feedback from the art community was overwhelmingly positive, praising the site's design and ease of navigation. Subscription rates for both the digital and print versions saw a significant boost.
Conclusion:
The success of ArtReview.com stands as a testament to the collaborative efforts between the client's vision and the expertise of the design and development team. It's a prime example of how traditional media can effectively leverage the digital space to enhance their legacy and reach.
Testimonial:
"We were impressed by the seamless development process and didn't experience any major bumps along the way."