Winner: Allstate Corporate Relations
Journalists and PR professionals don’t have time to scour a site for information. They need access to content that is easily searchable and shareable. That’s why Allstate worked with T3 to create a best-in-class digital newsroom environment for Allstate—one that provides a more useful and intuitive experience. They set out to give journalists what they need, wherever they are.
The team implemented several tactics that help journalists locate, explore and distribute information quickly. From a design and development standpoint, one of the most important things was to build the site responsively. They also wanted it to be ADA compliant. Both of those tactics help ensure more people can access what they need, the way they need it. The team also incorporated global elements like headers and footers from other Allstate sites to ensure consistency.
After an in-depth content audit, the team developed a robust tagging system for their large multimedia library. This greatly improved search and filtering. It also allowed them to organize content in ways that give the user a more personalized experience. For example, geo-targeting allows Allstate to feature more relevant content. When a journalist scrolls to the end of one article, the next related article is automatically loaded. Trending news is highlighted in a constantly updating feed. New media kits package relevant information all in one spot.
A simple, consistent sharing functionality was also incorporated so journalists can easily share an article with their followers or email an image to their editor.
The strategy of helping journalists discover more content paid off—they continue to visit new pages. Not only did the effort increase time spent on the site, but it also increased average page views by 73% and decreased bounce rate by an impressive 35%.
Honorable Mentions:
- San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
- Vizient, Inc.