Streetsense Receives 3 National Tourism Awards for 'Begin at Bothell' Website
User-generated content and visual storytelling showcase the Bothell experience
Dec 10, 2019, 10:19 ET
BETHESDA, Md., Dec. 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Streetsense, an experience-focused strategy and design collective, today announced that it has received three major tourism industry web design awards for its "Begin at Bothell" website, which has helped drive awareness and engagement for the destination of Bothell, Washington. In addition to creative copy and local-focused design elements, the website uses the CrowdRiff platform to create a first-of-its-kind experience for visitors that leverages user-generated content (UGC) to create unique, visually dynamic stories showcasing first-hand the experience of being in Bothell.
This spring, Graphic Design USA recognized the website with its 2019 American Web Design Award for "Best Website – Small Budget," which goes to firms that showcase ways graphic design shapes business and community, commerce and culture. At the 20th Annual eTourism Summit in October, the project was recognized with an eTSY Award for "Best Destination Website." Lastly, in November, the website received a SEE 2019 Award for "Most Innovative Use of CrowdRiff," recognizing the site for its integration of CrowdRiff technology into destination and travel marketing in innovative ways.
"Visual storytelling and personalized experiences are critical elements of impactful destination marketing and some of the most powerful ways to connect with potential customers," said Josh Collins, director, Destination Activation + Marketing at Streetsense. "These awards recognize that fact and we're proud to have such a creative and forward-thinking website development group supporting destination marketing at Streetsense, a valued partnership with CrowdRiff, and the steadfast confidence of the Bothell team. It was truly a team effort to bring the Bothell experience to life for users worldwide."
At the heart of the website is its use of CrowdRiff. The user experience starts with a visual search engine that aggregates nearly 40,000 Instagram images of UGC from CrowdRiff. A complex keywording and tagging system then aids the search platform to put relevant content with a user's search request. As users search the website, it responds with custom-curated galleries and allows users to click on images to expand and display additional information, with calls to action like "Visit This Location" driving users to the attraction's page on the site. It also takes an e-commerce approach to building a trip itinerary. By using the familiar heart icon over the images, a user can simply tap on the heart associated with a location to add it to their "favorites" list, curating their own personal trip planner.
"At the start of this project, we knew we wanted to put front and center what it is really like to experience Bothell's nature, food, wine and overall vibe," said DeNae McGee, tourism manager, City of Bothell, Washington. "Working with Streetsense to capture that magic in our new tourism brand and website was hard work but creative, fun and truly innovative."
This approach has already made a positive impact on how users interact with the website. In the first month alone, users increased by 30% and the bounce rate decreased by 8%.
About Streetsense
Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Streetsense is an experience-focused strategy and design collective that creates brands people love and places people love to be. Powered by in-depth insights and an interdisciplinary approach, the teams at Streetsense are experts at creating, transforming and driving consumer demand to brands and places. Visit Streetsense at www.streetsense.com or in person in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Madrid, Spain or follow on Twitter and Instagram at @realstreetsense and on Facebook at facebook.com/realstreetsense.
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