Canada's Most Improved Website
Problem
We want to send the message that we are on the hunt for the worst website, and communicate that we will be the ones to improve it. We will turn Canada’s Worst Website into Canada’s Most Improved Website. Small businesses historically did not put their website design as a high priority. They relied on their network (their nephew, their daughter, their neighbour etc.) who knew web design basics to design them a site. This resulted in a website that, while getting them a web presence, did little to nothing to enhance their brand or drive revenue. As these small business owners continued to focus on their brick and mortar business, their websites became a thing of the past with outdated graphics, no responsive design, no regard for SEO and very little traffic driving to it.
Insight
Small business owners saw their site in a silo and didn’t see the advantage to taking the time to redesign it when it was “working” perfectly. To find these websites was going to be a task, as their SEO and lack of proper site structure means that they won’t be ranking in a Google search. We had to display these ads on social media platforms and across beautifully designed sites that these small business owners frequently visit so that these banner ads would stand out amongst the creative.
Solution
We used the fact that these small business owners saw their site in a silo to our advantage, and juxtaposed their current website graphics on modern websites by use of banners, social ads, and digital out of home campaigns. To demonstrate how YP works with small businesses to make the most of their online presence, we’ll find the worst websites in the nation and transform them for the better.
Outcome
Business owners can be nominated, or nominate themselves, and be chosen for a year of free YP services – including a brand new site.
Role
Ideated from key insight that the small business owners with outdated websites don’t recognize how their current site compares to their competitors
Phase 1: Internal Launch
This program will be big news for YP and we want to build the excitement within the company leading up to the launch. So the week before the contest opens to public nominations, we’ll get YP employees to kick off the search for the worst websites and submit their worst SMB website to the contest page.
And for a little incentive, we’ll pick the 3 worst websites and whoever nominated them gets a bonus day off. This week long soft launch will help pre-populate the contest page with dozens of examples, and ensure that it’s functioning properly.
Phase 2: Launch
Contest Site
We’ll host the contest site within yp.ca, and count on the team at YP websites to flex their digital muscle to build a site that looks and works great. Visitors will be able to nominate websites, view and vote on the nominees, and submit their business to win a free website even if they don’t have one.
Social Sharing
Customers can nominate their own website to be chosen, and share it across social media. The benefit? They drive traffic to their site and get nominated to have it completely redone.
Awareness
These banner ads will be placed on sites that small business owners frequently visit and they will stand out amongst the modern and clean aesthetic that they anticipate landing on.
Video Frames
Page Takeover
Visitors to popular websites (Yahoo!, The Globe and Mail, La Presse) will be greeted by a hilariously outdated and carelessly designed version of the site they were expecting to find.
Phase 3: Transformation
Once the contest has run its course, and the winners have all been announced, we’ll get to work transforming their websites. And we’ll document the whole thing. Because the point of the campaign isn’t to celebrate the worst websites – it’s to demonstrate how huge a difference a website built by YP can be for a small or medium business.
