Efkere
Website to display historical research about a small Turkish village and the families that lived there.
Bringing Local History to Life: A Website Transformation
When Jonathan, a passionate historical village researcher, approached us, he had a wealth of invaluable information but a website that wasn't doing it justice. Like many dedicated historians, he found himself constrained by an outdated platform – the fonts were tiny, adding new discoveries was a chore, and mobile users were left squinting at their screens. Sound familiar?
We knew Squarespace would be the perfect solution, offering Jonathan the ease of editing he craved while making his research accessible to a wider audience. Imagine being able to update your findings with just a few clicks, or having visitors easily contribute to your work from their smartphones!
Our team at Hot Lizard Designs didn't just transfer content; we reimagined how Jonathan's research could be presented. We carefully migrated years of painstaking work and incorporated new material Jonathan had uncovered since his last update. The challenge? Organizing this treasure trove of information in a way that wouldn't overwhelm visitors.
We crafted a layout that invites exploration. Whether someone's searching for a specific family name or browsing general village history, they can now find information with ease. One of our favorite features is the tabbed layout we implemented for larger categories. For instance, under "Places of Worship," visitors can effortlessly switch between different historical buildings without endless scrolling. It's these thoughtful touches that can make the difference between a casual visitor and an engaged amateur historian.
But we didn't stop there. Recognizing the global interest in local history, we integrated a translation widget, complete with a custom language selector right in the header. We also embedded videos to bring historical accounts to life and added parallax scrolling to key images, creating a subtle but engaging visual effect as visitors explore the site.
Understanding that many researchers prefer to manage their own sites, we provided Jonathan with a personalized 30-minute Zoom training session. This ensured he felt confident in updating the site himself, keeping his research current and dynamic.
The entire process, from migration to going live, took just one week. Jonathan was thrilled with the result – a professional, accessible platform that does justice to years of meticulous research.
If you're a fellow historian or family history enthusiast feeling constrained by your current website, why not consider a similar transformation? Your research deserves to be shared with the world in the best possible light. Let's discuss how we can bring your historical passion to life online, making it accessible and engaging for generations to come.
“Kati - It looks great! Thanks a million.......And, finally, finally....WHAT A GREAT JOB YOU DID!!!!!!!”
