Services
- Web design
- Website migration
- UI / UX
- Website build
- AI hate mail filter
- DDOS protection
- Ongoing support
Deliverables
- Drupal to WordPress migration
- Website design
- Styleguide
- Extensive templates
- WordPress build
- Custom post types
challenges
- Tens of thousands of pages, posts, and images to migrate from an outdated site
- Heavy performance load and constant threat mitigation
- Immense testing lift
- Need to unify the design across multiple departments
Other
- Integrate with Salesforce
- Integrate with Engaging Networks
- Integrate with Trinet
- Enterprise-grade security
- Extensive caching and performance tuning
- SEO
- Analytics
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Background
Founded in 1985, GLAAD is a non-profit organization focused on LGBTQ advocacy and cultural change. GLAAD works to ensure fair, accurate, and inclusive representation and creates national and local programs that advance LGBTQ acceptance. Serving as a storyteller, media force, resource, and advocate, GLAAD tackles tough issues and provokes dialogue so that authentic LGBTQ stories are seen, heard, and actualized. GLAAD strives to protect all that has been accomplished and helps create a world where everyone can live the life they love.
Goals
While GLAAD has become a powerhouse in the entertainment industry and a force to be reckoned with, their website had not undergone a major update since 2011. They approached us in 2022 to find out whether it was possible to move their huge Drupal website (with well over 10,000 posts, custom fields, and thousands of pages), onto a new, up-to-date framework, secure it against brute force DDOS attacks and hate mail, and give it a complete design makeover in the process. The previous site had a very 2010 blog look to it, and it was sluggish, not mobile friendly, full of security vulnerabilities, and did not represent GLAAD’s mission or stature in the industry.
Website Development
Proposed Solution
We met with stakeholders from all departments of GLAAD to gather their insights and their particular needs for the new site. We proposed a much more “news and entertainment” approach to the site, to bring it in line with GLAAD’s mission and modes of communication. We also planned the migration from Drupal, and the preservation of that legacy site (which could no longer be effectively secured). While our designer worked with GLAAD’s team to refine the design, our technical team built a highly secure environment for the new deployment. We migrated fifteen years of content and underwent rigorous testing to make sure that everything came over properly. We designed many new page templates and design elements that the GLAAD team could use going forward.
Website Redesign
Result
The resulting site is fast, mobile-friendly, and designed to highlight all of GLAAD’s important work. It’s easy for the team to update daily, plus it integrates to Salesforce, Engaging Networks, TriNet, and a number of other services. Google Single Sign On is used for team integrity. We provided a library of templates the GLAAD team can use to create new pages that are consistent with the site design. Today, we are building them a learning hub that they can use to offer virtual trainings., It was recently announced that the TV Academy will soon honor GLAAD with the 2023 Governors Award.
It has been an absolute honor to work with this stellar team and to support their mission.
“Their work is top-notch, their pricing is clear and fair, and they are always looking for ways to make everything easier for our staff and cheaper for our bottom line. They take time and care with everything, while still being timely and speedy as appropriate. And as an LGBTQ-owned and operated shop that’s developed a number of trans and LGBTQ sites, they have a great eye for the specific needs of our communities:) Also, they are just really fun and kind colleagues.”
