# Home _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/_ © 2002-2026 # A digital agency helping good brands do *great things*. Play Creating and reshaping *websites* and *brands* for good. Our purpose is to realise the ambitions of change-making brands and amplify their impact. Whether it's bold, beautiful brands, engaging campaigns or [immersive websites](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency"), we blend creative thinking with leading technology and collaborate with our clients to ensure they always succeed. Our aim has always been to support organisations and causes that promote positive change through meaningful digital experiences. And we're proud to be recognised as one of the first [**B Corp certified**](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp digital agency") digital agencies in the UK. We have a particular specialism in the charity sector, from [charity web design](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/ "Charity Web Design Agency") to specialist [SEO for charities](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-for-charities/ "SEO for Charities") - helping mission-led organisations reach more supporters online. [Our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) ## Featured *work*. [View our work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play Unseen Guardians Crafting a compelling brand and website for an incredible cause. [Unseen Guardians](https://yoyodesign.com/work/unseen-guardians/) - Worldwide Cancer Research A website with big impact for a charity with big aspirations. [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/) - Gigzzee Creating a relatable new brand empowering gig workers with speed, simplicity, and financial freedom. [Gigzzee](https://yoyodesign.com/work/gigzzee/) ## Our digital *partners* [View our work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Vivo Barefoot [Vivobarefoot](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vivobarefoot/) - RNLI [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/) - B Lab [B Lab UK](https://yoyodesign.com/work/b-lab-uk/) - Marie Curie [Marie Curie](https://yoyodesign.com/work/marie-curie/) - Asilia Africa - Mercedes-Benz - Kurtosys [Kurtosys](https://yoyodesign.com/work/kurtosys/) - ICU Medical [ICU Medical](https://yoyodesign.com/work/icu-medical/) - World Wide Research [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/) - Satra [Satra Timeline](https://yoyodesign.com/work/satra-timeline/) - University of Southampton [University of Southampton](https://yoyodesign.com/work/university-of-southampton/) - Universal Music Group “ > > It’s a meeting of hearts and minds. It’s deeply listening and then challenging with respect; Yoyo understands our goals and pushes us to think differently. It’s two teams that have become one; Yoyo have broken down barriers to carve out “our way” of working. It's a joy to work with Yoyo and our outstanding commercial results speak for themselves. Amy Gunn - Head of Marketing and Supporter Experience at Worldwide Cancer Research ## B Corp Certified ## Awards & recognition. - Lovie People's Choice x1 - B Corp Certified 107.1 Overall B Impact Score x1 - Awwwards Honourable Mention x5 - CSSDA Site of the Day x3 - FWA Site of the Day x1 - Umbraco Awards Best Designed Design x2 - Indigo Design Best Website Design x3 - The Drum Top 5 Small Agency in UK x1 - The Drum No.1 for Client Satisfaction x1 - Wirehive Awards Website of the Year x1 - Wirehive Awards Best Content Creation x1 Most Admired Agencies 2023 ## Yoyo are a forward thinking agency, working to do business differently. Trailblazers in their game with a proven power of creating authentic work that achieves more than just profit [Awards & Recognition](https://yoyodesign.com/about/#awards) The *heart* of our agency. We wouldn't be where we are without our people. It’s a team effort. We succeed and overcome our challenges together - always working toward the same goal. We have open, transparent and honest conversations, regularly. This means our team always feels heard, trusted and empowered to create the best work. [About us](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) ## FAQ's What does Yoyo Design do? We are an award-winning digital agency based in Kent that specialises in [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") website design and build, alongside brand application and visual identity. We work with change making organisations from charities and [B Corps](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp Digital Agency")to purpose led businesses, helping them create websites and brands that drive positive impact. Where is Yoyo Design located? Our HQ is based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. We work with clients across the UK and internationally, supporting organisations that want to make a positive difference. Is Yoyo Design a B Corp? Yes, we were one of the first [B Corp certified digital agencies](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp Digital Agency") in the UK, with an overall B Impact Score of 107.1. This certification reflects our commitment to using business as a force for good and prioritising people, planet, and purpose alongside profit. What industries does Yoyo Design work for? We specialise in working with purpose-led organisations including charities, non-profits, healthcare, education, sustainability focused businesses, and B Corps. Our clients include [RNLI,](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/ "RNLI") [Marie Curie](https://yoyodesign.com/work/marie-curie/ "Marie Curie"), [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/ "Worldwide Cancer Research"), [Vivobarefoot](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vivobarefoot/ "Vivobarefoot"), and [B Lab UK.](https://yoyodesign.com/work/b-lab-uk/ "B Lab UK") --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- # Work _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/_ # Work All ^(32)^ - [All ^(32)^](https://yoyodesign.com/work/?) - [Branding ^(14)^](https://yoyodesign.com/work/?service=branding) - [Digital ^(31)^](https://yoyodesign.com/work/?service=digital) - Worldwide Cancer Research Donation Journey Transforming donor journeys into repeatable revenue [Worldwide Cancer Research: Donation Journey](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research-donation-journey/) - Amref Health Africa Bringing a new brand to life through human stories. [Amref Health Africa](https://yoyodesign.com/work/amref-health-africa/) - Play Unseen Guardians Crafting a compelling brand and website for an incredible cause. [Unseen Guardians](https://yoyodesign.com/work/unseen-guardians/) - Play Demelza Rebuilding a digital home for a children's hospice that provides comfort for families' most difficult moments. [Demelza](https://yoyodesign.com/work/demelza/) - Play Fight for Sight Building an accessible website that helps a charity to achieve its ultimate goal. [Fight for Sight](https://yoyodesign.com/work/fight-for-sight/) - Worldwide Cancer Research A website with big impact for a charity with big aspirations. [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/) - Play IAM RoadSmart Driving digital transformation for the UK's leading road safety charity. [IAM RoadSmart](https://yoyodesign.com/work/iam-roadsmart/) - Zoonou Crafting a fresh brand and website for the UK's first EOT software testing company. [Zoonou](https://yoyodesign.com/work/zoonou/) - Gigzzee Creating a relatable new brand empowering gig workers with speed, simplicity, and financial freedom. [Gigzzee](https://yoyodesign.com/work/gigzzee/) - Play RNLI Digital transformation strategy and build designed to give this charity the competitive edge. [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/) - RVS - Shaping the Future Helping a coalition of charities inspire action with their own website. [RVS - Shaping the Future](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rvs-shaping-the-future/) - Play Imperial College Union Carving out an ownable identity for an iconic student union. [Imperial College Union](https://yoyodesign.com/work/imperial-college-union/) - Play The Sustainable Restaurant Association A website unlocking the potential of a new food revolution. [The Sustainable Restaurant Association](https://yoyodesign.com/work/the-sustainable-restaurant-association/) - Play Over+Above Creating a high performance website for a sports performance brand. [Over+Above](https://yoyodesign.com/work/overplusabove/) # Other projects - ### B Lab UK UI / UX / Development / SEO [B Lab UK](https://yoyodesign.com/work/b-lab-uk/) - ### Research Live Brand / UI / UX [Research Live](https://yoyodesign.com/work/research-live/) - ### JDO Strategy / UI / UX / Development [JDO](https://yoyodesign.com/work/jdo/) - ### Just Roof Lanterns Strategy / UI / UX / Development [Just Roof Lanterns](https://yoyodesign.com/work/just-roof-lanterns/) - ### Kew Guild Strategy / UI / UX / Development [Kew Guild](https://yoyodesign.com/work/kew-guild/) - ### The Mole Resort Strategy / UI / UX / Development [The Mole Resort](https://yoyodesign.com/work/the-mole-resort/) - ### Marie Curie Campaign / UI / UX / Development [Marie Curie](https://yoyodesign.com/work/marie-curie/) - ### King & Allen Strategy / UI / UX / Development [King & Allen](https://yoyodesign.com/work/king-allen/) - ### ICU Medical Strategy / UI / UX / Development [ICU Medical](https://yoyodesign.com/work/icu-medical/) - ### University of Southampton Campaign / UI / UX / Development [University of Southampton](https://yoyodesign.com/work/university-of-southampton/) - ### Vivobarefoot Strategy / UI / UX / Development [Vivobarefoot](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vivobarefoot/) - ### SATRA TimeLine App design / UI / UX / Development [SATRA TimeLine](https://yoyodesign.com/work/satra-timeline/) - ### Locate Productions Branding / UI / UX / Development [Locate Productions](https://yoyodesign.com/work/locate-productions/) - ### Kurtosys Branding / UI / UX [Kurtosys](https://yoyodesign.com/work/kurtosys/) - ### Falkor Brand / UI / UX / Development [Falkor](https://yoyodesign.com/work/falkor/) - ### All in Stone UI / UX / Development / Social [All in Stone](https://yoyodesign.com/work/all-in-stone/) - ### Vintner UI / UX / eCommerce [Vintner](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vintner/) - ### Elephant Family UX / UI / Development [Elephant Family](https://yoyodesign.com/work/elephant-family/) --- # Worldwide Cancer Research: Donation Journey _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research-donation-journey/_ # Worldwide Cancer Research: Donation Journey UX / UI / Development [www.worldwidecancerresearch.org](https://www.worldwidecancerresearch.org/donate/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=tms-search&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=15765790936&gbraid=0AAAAAoV2jynpTadPji943QnXnSYY3kBcE&gclid=Cj0KCQjwr4jSBhCSARIsAOX1E-KZjp7-CijmNtOdah8sV20_PMVzQrEMuioNDE7DwfeH0VcHbLGA-VoaAl1nEALw_wcB) When Worldwide Cancer Research needed to bring their donation infrastructure in-house and increase conversion, we rebuilt their entire giving journey from the ground up. We combined bespoke Umbraco development, impact-led design, and granular user tracking to deliver a streamlined donation experience that has driven a significant uplift in both donations and supporter sign-ups. - +25.5% - Increase in total donation revenue. - +67.9% - Surge in the overall average donation size - +56% - Regular monthly donations - 40.2% - Boost in email marketing opt-ins ## Transforming donor journeys into repeatable revenue Worldwide Cancer Research had an underlying problem: donation data from two separate third-party platforms was feeding inconsistently into their CRM, creating operational complexity and limiting their visibility of supporter behaviour. The original brief was technical in scope, consolidating fragmented giving pages into a single, bespoke donation workflow built within their existing Umbraco site. But as the project developed, a larger opportunity came into focus. The donation journey itself, how it looked, how it felt, and how effectively it moved a supporter from intent to action, was holding the charity back from maximising its fundraising potential. Strategic focus Removing friction We designed a dedicated, distraction-free section for the new journey. By stripping back unnecessary navigation and UI elements, we ensured nothing competed with the core decision to give, reducing cognitive load at every step. Impact at the point of conversion In collaboration with a parallel content strategy project, we found meaningful ways to surface the charity's real-world impact directly within the donation flow. Supporters can now see the tangible difference their contribution makes at the exact moment they choose their donation amount. A push towards regular giving The journey is structured to encourage monthly over single donations, reflecting the charity's strategic focus on building a reliable base of regular givers. Full-funnel tracking We embedded granular event tracking at every step of the workflow, giving WCR visibility of exactly where users engage, hesitate, or drop off, and the data to act on it. ### Building a journey that earns the *donation*. We rebuilt the donation workflow end-to-end within [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco"), integrating directly with Findoc and Salesforce to replace the previous multi-platform setup. This gave Worldwide Cancer Research full editorial control over their giving pages for the first time, while ensuring every data point flowed cleanly through to their CRM. [Discover our Umbraco services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/) The *results* The redesigned donation journey has delivered immediate, measurable value. By removing friction and empowering supporters with a clearer, impact-led experience, Worldwide Cancer Research saw a massive shift in donor generosity within the first three months of launch: - +25.5% increase in total donation revenue - +67.9% surge in the overall average donation size - +56.1% increase in monthly donations revenue, directly supporting the strategic push for regular giving. - +40.2% boost in email marketing opt-ins By eliminating third-party dependencies and consolidating into one platform, the internal team now has full autonomy over their digital fundraising - saving at least 20 minutes on daily processes. The new tracking infrastructure ensures performance can be continuously refined, with an enhanced, impact-led design concept already queued for future A/B testing to drive conversions even further. ### Gallery - - - - - Contact us ## Start your next project with us *today*. Looking for a dedicated agency that can help improve your online donations? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play Demelza Rebuilding a digital home for a children's hospice that provides comfort for families' most difficult moments. [Demelza](https://yoyodesign.com/work/demelza/) - Worldwide Cancer Research A website with big impact for a charity with big aspirations. [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/) --- # Amref Health Africa _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/amref-health-africa/_ # Amref Health Africa Brand / UX / UI / Development [amrefuk.org/impact-stories](https://www.amrefuk.org/impact-stories/) To help Amref Health Africa captivate and connect with a new generation of supporters, we built an immersive, high-impact digital report rooted in powerful, first-person storytelling. We transformed static impact data into a living, breathing journey that brings the true scale of Amref's work across Africa straight to the user. ## Bringing a new brand to life through *human stories.* Amref’s incredible real-world scale wasn't translating online. While they reach 20 million people across 40+ countries annually, their digital presence was stuck in a print-first mindset. Dry statistics and static PDFs were failing to engage a massive wave of warm leads - social media audiences who loved the cause but hadn't yet hit 'donate'. They didn't need another corporate report; they needed a storytelling engine. By trading cold data for authentic community voices, we gave Amref’s new brand the vibrant platform it deserved, turning casual scrollers into committed individual givers. Strategic focus Designing a scroll that pulls you in We took Amref’s new signature brand lines and turned them into a dynamic, interactive scroll mechanic. As users move down the page, the lines actively draw themselves around the people in the stories. This injects a sense of discovery into the UX, gamifying the journey and enticing visitors to keep exploring. Colour-led storytelling Amref's new brand launched with four core colours, but we had five distinct stories to tell. To bridge the gap, we developed a custom fifth colour that Amref loved so much they’ve since adopted it across their wider global collateral. Each specific hue represents a different impact area, giving every community's story its own unique, instantly recognizable visual identity. Visual rhythm, bold identity To make the new brand truly jump off the screen, we paired massive, bold typography with deep black backgrounds, channeling a proud and distinctly African visual identity. By intentionally alternating between high-contrast black and white sections, we gave the layout a sense of rhythm and momentum that keeps users moving forward. Impact without barriers A beautiful site is useless if it isn't inclusive. We built the platform from the ground up to meet strict WCAG 2.1 AA standards, directly tackling accessibility gaps found in Amref’s legacy site. With meticulous colour contrast, seamless keyboard navigation, and total screen-reader compatibility, we ensured their vital message is open to absolutely everyone. ### 5 Stories. 1 Bold *Visual Identity*. Amref's new brand introduced a set of bold, symbolic lines inspired by Ndebele, a traditional African art style. Designing with a wireframe-first approach, we translated this rich visual language into a high-converting digital structure: one master landing page feeding into five immersive, individual story pages. Instead of hiding impact behind clinical data, each page is dedicated to a real person whose life was transformed by one of Amref's core pillars, using color to anchor their journey: - **Water & Disease Prevention** | Wrapped in deep ocean blue. - **Healthworkers & Training** | Fueled by vibrant orange. - **Pioneering Healthcare** | Represented by growth-focused green. - **Healthy Women** | Elevated in Regal purple. - **Social Determinants of Health** | Grounded in rich terracotta. [Discover our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) Visuals with *purpose*. Amref brought a wealth of stunning, raw photography and video assets straight from the front lines of their programmes. We didn't want these hidden away in tiny thumbnails, so we gave them room to breathe. By dropping in massive, full-screen media takeovers, we ensured the imagery packed just as much punch as the words on the page, creating an unmissable, cinematic connection to the people behind the stories. A Platform for *Future Impact* The result? A microsite that hands Amref the best of both worlds. They now have a highly flexible, reusable storytelling engine that integrates seamlessly with their existing WordPress setup, paired with the absolute creative freedom needed to break the mold. It doesn't just display their work, it actively engages, inspires, and converts a global audience of future supporters, giving Amref a digital launchpad that can scale right alongside their real-world impact. ### Gallery - - - - - - - Get in touch ## Ready to turn your impact into an experience? Let’s build something unforgettable together. [Chat to us today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) “ > > It’s been wonderful working with Yoyo, with your deep experience and commitment to deliver brand work that really elevates the digital experience for supporters. The final product you’ve delivered is a fantastic new brand asset for us, it’s visually striking, delivers exactly what we were hoping for in user experience, and provides us with a platform that we can use year-on-year. That sustainability is really important for us as a medium size charity with bold ambition! Isobel Spaven-Donn - Brand and Communications Manage, Amref Health Africa UK ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play Demelza Rebuilding a digital home for a children's hospice that provides comfort for families' most difficult moments. [Demelza](https://yoyodesign.com/work/demelza/) - Worldwide Cancer Research A website with big impact for a charity with big aspirations. [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/) --- # Unseen Guardians _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/unseen-guardians/_ # Unseen Guardians Brand / UI / UX / Development [unseenguardians.org](https://www.unseenguardians.org/) To help Unseen Guardians launch the first movement of its kind, we built a digital home that balances a sensitive mission with a bold call to action. We combined our focus on purpose-driven design with their vision to fight human trafficking, resulting in a 225% increase in donations and a powerful new voice for global change. - +225% - increase in donations. - +244% - increase in transactions from homepage. ## Crafting a compelling brand for an incredible cause. Human trafficking is a global crisis, but Unseen Guardians is the first movement specifically designed to unite businesses and their employees in the fight against it. Backed by major donors and a leading U.S. nonprofit, the initiative had the vision but lacked a digital identity that could cut through the noise. To move from a concept to a global force for good, they needed a brand and a website that could communicate a difficult reality with clarity, dignity, and hope. Strategic focus Balancing Reality and Hope We crafted a visual identity that doesn't shy away from the gravity of human trafficking but focuses on the power of collective action. The result is a brand that feels both urgent and inspiring. Journey-Led Design To turn awareness into action, we streamlined the user experience. Whether a business leader or an individual employee, every visitor is met with a clear, frictionless path to join the movement or make a donation. Inclusive Engineering Accessibility was non-negotiable. We maintained strict WCAG AA compliance throughout the creative process, ensuring the message was available to everyone, regardless of how they access the web. ### A *partnership* of purpose. Unseen Guardians’ mission to protect the vulnerable aligned perfectly with our own commitment to helping purpose-driven brands do great things. We worked collaboratively to ensure the brand felt as professional as it was passionate, creating a foundation that invited industries across the globe to become part of the solution. [Discover our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) ### A scalable engine for *impact*. With the identity established, we brought the movement to life on a flexible Umbraco CMS. This allows the Unseen Guardians team to manage their content with ease as the movement expands. By combining thoughtful imagery with data-driven layouts, we created a site that doesn’t just inform, it engages. Every pixel was designed to answer two vital questions: Why does this cause exist? and how can I help? “ > > The Yoyo team was dedicated, professional, warm, and we couldn't be happier with the results of our brand and website engagement. Corinne McKenna - Program Director, Unseen Guardians ### Gallery - - - - - - - - - - - - - +225% - increase in donations. - +50k - traffic increase in 3 months. - +244% - increase in transaction from homepage. Contact us ## Start your next project with us *today*. Our retainer is carefully crafted to offer you ready access to the resources you require, precisely when you need them. [Reserve your spot today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Worldwide Cancer Research A website with big impact for a charity with big aspirations. [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/) - Play Imperial College Union Carving out an ownable identity for an iconic student union. [Imperial College Union](https://yoyodesign.com/work/imperial-college-union/) --- # Demelza _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/demelza/_ # Demelza Strategy / UX / Design / Development To help Demelza provide extraordinary care online, we rebuilt their digital presence from the ground up. We combined our technical expertise with their heart for service to replace a cluttered legacy site with an Umbraco-powered sanctuary, boosting engagement by 242% and giving the team their time back to focus on what matters most. - 242% - increase in engagement rate - 15% - increase in engaged sessions ## An *immersive* website that helps a charity achieve its ultimate goal. Demelza Hospice Care for Children provides a vital lifeline for families navigating the most challenging times imaginable. While a 2023 rebrand had given them a fresh look, their digital home hadn’t kept pace. Essential services were buried under legacy content, and simple tasks, like signing up for the lottery or finding referral forms, were bogged down by a seven-step process. Demelza needed more than a “reskin”; they needed a rebuild that offered genuine utility, accessibility, and comfort to families, professionals, and supporters alike. Strategic focus Clarity in the moments that matter We condensed over 200 pages of cluttered legacy content into four clear, audience-specific hubs. By categorizing journeys for Families, Professionals, Supporters, and Talent, we ensured that the right information is always within reach during high-stress moments. Remove administrative friction We integrated DocuSign, Stripe, and Dotdigital to automate manual, error-prone tasks. This transformed the lottery results process from a weekly hours-long ordeal into a single-click task, freeing the Demelza team to focus on care rather than spreadsheets. Sensory-Inspired design Taking inspiration from Demelza’s physical sensory rooms, we integrated "bouncy" rollovers and interactive branded bubbles on the homepage. These playful elements provide a sense of warmth and light-heartedness for children and families visiting the site. ### Digital *clarity* for critical moments. Demelza’s vision for extraordinary care aligned perfectly with our commitment to user-centric digital transformation. We moved their platform to Umbraco 13, leveraging its flexibility to create a platform that is as empathetic as it is efficient. ### A tool for real-world ROI. We developed a custom "building blocks" component system, allowing the Demelza team to arrange layouts intuitively while maintaining brand consistency. By integrating Tower Lotteries and Fundraising platforms, we reduced the friction of giving, turning a complex seven-step lottery sign-up into a single, seamless flow. [Discover our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) “ > > Our new website has truly transformed the way the digital team works and the way our audiences engage with Demelza. Tasks that once took colleagues hours can now be completed in seconds. It's an absolute pleasure to use and the whole team feels genuinely motivated and proud to have such an outstanding platform to support our work. Emilie Bowes-Read - Senior Marketing Manager, Demelza ### Gallery - - - - - - - - - - +242% - Engagement rate: 16.06% to 55.02% - +15% - Engaged sessions: 35,018 to 40,212 - 1 - Lottery sign-up: reduced from 7 steps to single flow Contact us ## Start your next project with us *today*. Our retainer is carefully crafted to offer you ready access to the resources you require, precisely when you need them. [Reserve your spot today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play RNLI Digital transformation strategy and build designed to give this charity the competitive edge. [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/) - Play Fight for Sight Building an accessible website that helps a charity to achieve its ultimate goal. [Fight for Sight](https://yoyodesign.com/work/fight-for-sight/) --- # Fight for Sight _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/fight-for-sight/_ # Fight for Sight UI / UX / Development [fightforsight.org.uk](https://www.fightforsight.org.uk/) To stop sight loss through pioneering research, Fight for Sight needed more than a website, they needed a unified digital home. We partnered with them during their merger with Vision Foundation to build a radical, accessibility-first platform that merges two legacies into one powerful engine for change. ## Building an accessible website that helps a charity to achieve its ultimate goal. Following their landmark merger with Vision Foundation, Fight for Sight faced a massive challenge: bringing two distinct legacies together under one roof. They didn’t just need a new URL; they needed a digital sanctuary that reflected their new brand, retained years of vital research content, and above all set a new gold standard for accessibility. Strategic focus Seamless Integration We merged two complex organisations into a single, high-authority platform without losing a drop of search equity or historical content. Radical Accessibility We moved beyond standard compliance. Our UX team integrated screen-reader optimisation, customisable font sizes, and high-contrast color modes to ensure the site is truly usable for everyone. Safety & Empathy In sensitive situations, user privacy is paramount. We implemented a "Global Exit" button, allowing visitors to leave the site instantly and clear their session history for total peace of mind. ### Flexibility in *motion*. Having supported Fight for Sight with their legacy platform, we were ready when the mission evolved into an entirely new build. As their visual rebrand was still unfolding, our team worked very closely to maintain a high-energy collaboration and ensure the new digital identity felt cohesive, modern, and filled with "informed optimism." [Discover our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) *People-First* engineering. For Fight for Sight, "looking good" was only half the battle. We spent our discovery phase ensuring that the most vulnerable users had the best experience. By balancing a fresh, vibrant aesthetic with high-performance SEO and conversion-led design, we built a site that doesn't just share information, it drives the donations that fund ground-breaking research. “ > > You have perfectly captured our spirit of 'informed optimism' throughout.There's a real buzz at the office and we can't wait to get our hands on the site! Sarah Kidner - Head of Communications, Fight for Sight ### Gallery - - - - - - - - - - Contact us ## Start your next project with us *today*. Our retainer is carefully crafted to offer you ready access to the resources you require, precisely when you need them. [Reserve your spot today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play Unseen Guardians Crafting a compelling brand and website for an incredible cause. [Unseen Guardians](https://yoyodesign.com/work/unseen-guardians/) - RVS - Shaping the Future Helping a coalition of charities inspire action with their own website. [RVS - Shaping the Future](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rvs-shaping-the-future/) --- # Worldwide Cancer Research _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/_ # Worldwide Cancer Research Strategy / UX / Design / Development [worldwidecancerresearch.org](https://www.worldwidecancerresearch.org/) With a mission to ensure no life is cut short by cancer, Worldwide Cancer Research needed a home as ambitious as their 20 million annual funding goal. We bridged the gap between brand strategy and user experience creating a powerful engine for discovery and donor engagement. ## *£20M* digital transformation for Worldwide Cancer Research. Worldwide Cancer Research (WCR) doesn’t think small. Their goal is to fund £20 million of research every year, accelerating the day when no life is cut short by cancer. While their visual identity had recently been refreshed, they needed a digital partner to breathe life into that brand, transforming a static strategy into a high-converting, world-class sales and marketing channel. Strategic focus Refining the Brand We didn't just apply a logo; we built a digital design system that scales, fitting seamlessly into WCR’s existing tech stack while amplifying their fresh identity. Connect with community We stripped away complexity. By simplifying navigation and clarifying the "why" behind WCR’s work, we made the path from curiosity to contribution effortless. Attracting Global Talent Through elevated brand perception and data-driven insights, we ensured the platform appeals to the world’s leading researchers and high-value donors. ### *Prioritising* performance and people. To support a mission this vital, we knew the new site couldn't just look the part; it had to perform. We started by conducting 360-degree stakeholder interviews and intensive research to understand the unique friction points for donors, researchers, and internal teams alike. ### Where data meets *design*. Success started with a sitemap engineered for both **SEO** dominance and **UX** flow. Using insights from our discovery phase, our design team curated visual concepts that challenged the status quo while staying true to the heart of the charity. We moved beyond standard templates to create a bespoke series of page journeys geared specifically for engagement and conversion. [Discover our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) “ > > It's a meeting of hearts and minds. It's deeply listening and then challenging with respect; Yoyo understands our goals and pushes us to think differently. It's a joy to work with Yoyo and our outstanding commercial results speak for themselves. Amy Gunn - Head of Marketing and Supporter Experience, Worldwide Cancer Research ### Gallery - - - - - - - - - - - +225% - increase in donations - +50k - traffic increase in 3 months - +244% - increase in transaction from homepage Contact us ## Start your next project with us *today*. Our retainer is carefully crafted to offer you ready access to the resources you require, precisely when you need them. [Reserve your spot today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play RNLI Digital transformation strategy and build designed to give this charity the competitive edge. [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/) - Play Fight for Sight Building an accessible website that helps a charity to achieve its ultimate goal. [Fight for Sight](https://yoyodesign.com/work/fight-for-sight/) --- # IAM RoadSmart _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/iam-roadsmart/_ # IAM RoadSmart UI / UX / Development [iamroadsmart.com](https://www.iamroadsmart.com/) To help 75,000 members drive safer, IAM RoadSmart needed a digital engine that was fit for the future. We replaced eight disjointed websites with one unified, high-performance platform combining complex CRM integrations with a seamless member experience to power the UK’s leading road safety charity. ## Creating a central digital home for the UK's leading road safety charity. As the UK's leading road safety charity, **IAM RoadSmart** has a massive responsibility: keeping 75,000 members skilled, confident, and safe on the road. But with a digital estate fragmented across eight disjointed websites, their online presence had become a roadblock. To deliver on their three-year modernization plan, they needed to trade their outdated infrastructure for a single, high-performance digital home. Strategic focus Consolidation at Scale We folded eight separate sites into one cohesive, intuitive experience. This created a single "source of truth" for members, donors, and the nationwide volunteer network. The Member-First Dashboard We designed a bespoke, personal dashboard experience. Now, members can track their progress, renew subscriptions, and book advanced courses through a seamless, integrated interface. Seamless Tech Integration Using **Umbraco**, we built a modular architecture that talks perfectly to IAM’s existing CRM and payment systems, giving their internal team total control without needing a developer for every update. ### Engineering a *"dream to use"* platform. ### The challenge was to make a massive amount of content feel light and easy to navigate. By prioritising a "Mobile-First, Member-First" **UX**, we ensured that whether someone is booking a flagship Advanced Driver course or accessing exclusive benefits, the journey is friction-free. The result is an **SEO**-friendly, scalable powerhouse that is as robust as the safety standards the charity promotes. [Discover our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) ### Unifying the road ahead. We didn't just give the site a fresh coat of paint; we performed a total mechanical overhaul. Working as a strategic extension of the IAM RoadSmart team, we held collaborative discovery sessions to map out a 360-degree view of their complex member and volunteer requirements. “ > > Working with Yoyo has been a pleasure from start to finish. From the onboarding to the delivery – we've worked incredibly closely with the team at Yoyo so much so that they've become an extension of the IAM RoadSmart team. Kat Hyde - Marketing, Communications & Membership Director, IAM RoadSmart ### Gallery - - - - - - - - - Contact us ## Start your next project with us *today*. Our retainer is carefully crafted to offer you ready access to the resources you require, precisely when you need them. [Reserve your spot today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play Fight for Sight Building an accessible website that helps a charity to achieve its ultimate goal. [Fight for Sight](https://yoyodesign.com/work/fight-for-sight/) - Worldwide Cancer Research A website with big impact for a charity with big aspirations. [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/) --- # Zoonou _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/zoonou/_ # Zoonou Brand / UI / UX / Development [zoonou.com](https://zoonou.com/) A leading provider of digital quality assurance services, Zoonou has spent nearly two decades helping their clients deliver reliable, accessible and secure digital experiences. In 2023, they marked a significant milestone, becoming the first software testing company in the UK to transition to 100% employee ownership. - 70% - Surge in web submissions YoY - 52% - Increase in enquiries YoY ## Reimagining a brand and website to reflect a new era. The rebrand was driven by a desire to more accurately represent the business today. As an employee-owned organisation, and one working towards B Corp certification, with a strong focus on quality, collaboration and long-term partnerships, they wanted their brand and website to better reflect these values. The existing website was also approaching the end of its lifecycle. Built on an unsupported WordPress theme, it limited flexibility and made it difficult to evolve content or create new pages efficiently. There was an opportunity to modernise the platform, improve how users navigate and engage with content, and make it easier for prospective clients to understand how Zoonou can support their goals. Strategic focus The customer need Zoonou works with a wide range of organisations, from government teams to fast-moving digital businesses. While their needs differ, they share a common requirement: a trusted partner who can help them deliver high-quality digital services. The new website needed to make this clearer. It had to help users quickly understand Zoonou’s services, explore relevant case studies and self-qualify based on their specific needs. It also needed to better showcase the people behind the work, reflecting the collaborative approach that defines how Zoonou delivers projects. Our approach Yoyo took a collaborative, insight-led approach, working closely with the Zoonou team throughout. Through in-person workshops and regular feedback sessions, we built a strong understanding of their existing values, business goals and audience needs. This ensured the work stayed grounded in what already made Zoonou successful, while creating space to evolve how that story is told. The close working relationship meant decisions could be made quickly, with both teams aligned on outcomes throughout. Collaboratively crafting a bold brand Our design team developed a refreshed brand identity that clearly differentiates Zoonou within the quality assurance space. While many of their competitors rely on similar visual cues - often leaning heavily into blue or red - this rebrand intentionally takes a different direction. The new palette centres on green, reflecting growth, clarity and trust, while retaining Zoonou’s distinctive purple as a link to their heritage. Orange was introduced as a complementary accent, bringing energy and signalling a new chapter for the business following the transition to employee ownership. ### Strengthening *SEO*, improving *UX*, migrating the *CMS*. With the new identity in place, we designed and built a flexible, component-based website using Umbraco CMS. This approach allows Zoonou’s team to create and adapt pages without being constrained by templates, giving them far greater control over how content is structured and presented. The Zoonou marketing team played a central role in building out the site, including page creation, content migration and copywriting. Yoyo supported with SEO insights and UX improvements, helping shape clearer user journeys and stronger conversion paths. Quality assurance was embedded throughout. Zoonou conducted testing at component level and carried out full end-to-end functional, accessibility, performance and penetration testing ahead of launch - ensuring the site met the same high standards they deliver for their own clients. [Discover our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) Reflecting who *Zoonou* are today. The new platform provides the flexibility to evolve content over time, supports clearer user journeys and enables prospective clients to better understand how Zoonou can help them achieve their goals. It also makes it easier for users to self-qualify and for the team to quickly create and adapt content without developer support. It also places greater emphasis on the team behind the work - an important reflection of their employee-owned model and collaborative approach. Since launch, Zoonou has seen a significant increase in enquiries, with 70% more web form submissions from launch to December 2025 compared to the same period the year before. “ > > From the first meeting with Jenny and Anna, I knew we’d choose Yoyo. During the selection process they really stood out - they took the time to understand who we are, what we were trying to achieve and why it mattered. That alignment on a values level was clear from the start, and it just felt like they genuinely got Zoonou. Cass Tague - Marketing Director, Zoonou ### Gallery - - - - - - - - - - - Contact us ## Start your next project with us *today*. Our retainer is carefully crafted to offer you ready access to the resources you require, precisely when you need them. [Reserve your spot today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Gigzzee Creating a relatable new brand empowering gig workers with speed, simplicity, and financial freedom. [Gigzzee](https://yoyodesign.com/work/gigzzee/) - Play Imperial College Union Carving out an ownable identity for an iconic student union. [Imperial College Union](https://yoyodesign.com/work/imperial-college-union/) --- # B Lab UK _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/b-lab-uk/_ # B Lab UK UI / UX / Development / SEO https://bcorporation.uk Transforming a website into a mission-critical platform for sustainable digital success. In official terms, it might be accurate to describe B Lab as a non-profit network. In real terms, it is a global network, leading economic systems change and driving the B Corp Movement to support a collective vision of an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy. In the UK, B Lab has been gathering momentum since its establishment in 2015, but its website had failed to keep pace and was beginning to act as a barrier to corporate engagement. As a [certified B Corp](https://yoyodesign.com/about-us/b-corp-digital-agency/), Yoyo were ideally placed to transform the site into a [digital experience](https://yoyodesign.com/what-is-ewi/) that not only better reflects B Lab UK as an organisation, but also provides an adaptable platform to support its ongoing vital mission. “ > > What Yoyo has created for us is a fantastic, professional, engaging looking site (meeting the brief entirely) and a very user friendly CMS - from my early doubts I am now completely an Umbraco convert! Liza Freudmann - Head of Communications, B Lab UK With B Lab UK forming part of the B Global Network and providing certification for B Corps, the complex and subtle interplay between company, parent brand and product immediately presented a key challenge. It was clear that improvements to site design and user journeys would only go some way to answering some of B Lab UK’s more deep-rooted digital challenges. This, in fact, was a pivotal opportunity to transform the site into a digital asset that would support the team’s current work while providing the flexibility for it to be reshaped based on future requirements. Yoyo was entrusted to deliver a progressive new look and feel. It was critical that the design would be an effective vehicle for the various layers of B Lab UK messaging while also complementing the global B Lab brand and B Corporation brand. Clear messages delivered within a calm, engaging experience. Design, copy and UX are neatly knitted together to support straightforward user journeys and reinforce the brand’s bold mission. A key function of the B Lab UK website is to help convert awareness and interest into brand engagement and, ultimately, to support completion of the application process. It should be a helping hand along the way, answering questions and providing reassuring guidance. However, poor signposting and disjointed information flows meant that answers were previously lost in the depths of the site. Yoyo established a structure and defined a vocabulary that would focus on the user – helping them understand the value of B Corp certification, complete specific actions and achieve certain outcomes. Yoyo also undertook a full content audit to identify any duplication, distil down the overall volume of words and enhance the site’s SEO performance. For B Lab UK, the redevelopment of the site marked a point of digital disconnection with its global parent organisation. Yoyo stepped in to support the company with a cost-effective, self-contained proposal based on the Umbraco CMS platform. This would enable the in-house client team to manage existing content and expand the site’s capabilities in future within a permissions-based environment where there would be little requirement for technical support. At the same time, Yoyo ensured the site would deliver the necessary integration with the directory of B Corp members still held and managed by B Lab Global. The resulting site is not only visually more appealing and functionally more effective, it also truly supports B Lab UK in delivering its vision of a future where business is a force for good. “ > > Thank you so much for your expertise, hard work and dedication in making this happen. The feedback we have had so far has been overwhelmingly positive. You’ve been an absolute pleasure to work with and we’re so proud of the finished result. Liza Freudmann - Head of Communications, B Lab UK ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play Marie Curie A dedicated digital space to remember lost loved ones. [Marie Curie](https://yoyodesign.com/work/marie-curie/) - Play RNLI Digital transformation strategy and build designed to give this charity the competitive edge. [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/) --- # Gigzzee _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/gigzzee/_ # Gigzzee Brand / UI / UX / Development [gigzzee.com](https://gigzzee.com/) To help Gigzzee disrupt the financial sector, we traded "corporate" for "contemporary." We partnered with them to build a high-energy, mobile-first brand that empowers gig workers worldwide, replacing complex jargon with 3D storytelling and a dynamic visual identity built for global scale. ## Creating a relatable *new brand* empowering gig workers with speed, simplicity, and financial freedom. Gigzzee is on a mission to fix a broken financial sector. By providing gig workers with instant pay advances, insurance, and fuel cards, they are giving a global workforce the tools to succeed on their own terms. However, their original identity felt "traditional bank", too corporate, too elite, and too disconnected from the fast-paced lives of the people they serve. To scale globally, Gigzzee needed a brand that felt like a partner, not a platform. Strategic focus Challenging the Status Quo We helped Gigzzee move away from elitist monograms and stock imagery, replacing them with a vibrant, accessible design system that works everywhere, from bank cards to billboards. The "Growth" Iconography We developed a dynamic, isometric cash icon. This isn't just a graphic; it’s a flexible visual metaphor for multi-currency adaptability and financial momentum. Global Scalability We built a modular brand architecture designed to flex across different cultures and languages as Gigzzee expands its marketplace worldwide. ### From corporate *to* contemporary. We didn't just want to change a logo; we wanted to change a conversation. Our strategy focused on moving away from "financial jargon" toward a visual and verbal language that resonates with digital natives. We looked at the challenger banking space for inspiration, aiming for a "mobile-first" aesthetic that feels as fast as a tap-to-pay transaction. [Discover our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) ## The execution: Clarity with a *human* touch. To make the value proposition crystal clear, we traded long-form text for high-impact storytelling. We produced a bespoke 3D animation that explains the "Gigzzee Advantage" in seconds making the complex world of pay advances feel simple and supportive. By stripping away the "corporate mask," we created a brand that feels warm, trustworthy, and most importantly relatable to the everyday hero of the gig economy. “ > > Working with the team was amazing from start to finish and I liked the way Yoyo challenged our thinking and made sure we were clear to the consumer on what we offered. The results actually backed this up during our first 6 weeks of trading and now we are looking to scale! Simon Brown - CEO, Gigzzee ### Gallery - - - - - - - - - Contact us ## Start your next project with us *today*. Our retainer is carefully crafted to offer you ready access to the resources you require, precisely when you need them. [Reserve your spot today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play The Sustainable Restaurant Association A website unlocking the potential of a new food revolution. [The Sustainable Restaurant Association](https://yoyodesign.com/work/the-sustainable-restaurant-association/) - Play Imperial College Union Carving out an ownable identity for an iconic student union. [Imperial College Union](https://yoyodesign.com/work/imperial-college-union/) --- # RNLI _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/_ # RNLI Strategy / UI / UX / Development [rnli.org](https://rnli.org/) To future-proof the RNLI’s life-saving mission, we led an enterprise-scale digital transformation. We replaced a cluttered legacy system with a high-performance Sitecore platform, integrating real-time maritime data and sophisticated UX to deliver a £1.6M YOY increase in online donations. - 1.6m - increase in online donations YOY - 400,000+ - microsite visitors attracted ## Digital direction for the RNLI roadmap. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the frontline of maritime safety, but their digital presence was struggling to keep its head above water. To secure their fundraising future, they needed to move away from a cluttered, inflexible legacy system and put digital at the heart of their mission. This wasn’t just a redesign; it was an enterprise-level overhaul designed to turn their website into a powerhouse for donations and life-saving information. Strategic focus Enterprise-Level Re-platforming We selected Sitecore as the robust backbone for the new RNLI.org. This allowed us to consolidate fragmented back-end activity into one flexible, high-performance platform. Data-Driven Design Every creative concept was put through rigorous external user-testing. We ensured the brand’s strength was mirrored in a UI that felt modern, trustworthy, and incredibly easy to navigate. Real-Time Technical Integration We managed a sophisticated web of third-party feeds, integrating live lifeboat launch data, Met Office weather updates, and complex tidal information into a seamless user experience. Navigating complexity with *precision*. As the lead digital agency, we navigated a complex landscape of stakeholders and technical requirements to build a future-proof foundation. We didn't just want to build a site; we wanted to build a scalable ecosystem that could handle everything from high-stakes fundraising to real-time tidal data. Delivering ROI on a *Global Scale*. Using an agile approach, we guided the project from initial strategy through to a staged, successful launch. Beyond the core site, we delivered high-impact campaigns like *The Shannon* - an online campaign to raise funds for a new lifeboat and Respect the Water - a high-profile summer campaign targeting 16 to 39-year-old men.. The latter didn't just drive traffic; it changed behavior, with 80% of the target audience reporting they would take more precautions near the water as a result of our digital work. [Discover our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) “ > > This is an innovative and scalable solution that transforms the RNLI customer experience and operational efficiencies, which will result in more lives saved at sea. The new site is a great step forward and a key piece of our digital transformation strategy is now in place. Melanie Vasseur - Digital Transformation Manager, RNLI ### Gallery - - - - - - - - 14% - over target raised in donations - 183% - increase response rate - 1.6m - increase in online donations YOY Contact us ## Start your next project with us *today*. Our retainer is carefully crafted to offer you ready access to the resources you require, precisely when you need them. [Reserve your spot today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Worldwide Cancer Research A website with big impact for a charity with big aspirations. [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/) - Play IAM RoadSmart Driving digital transformation for the UK's leading road safety charity. [IAM RoadSmart](https://yoyodesign.com/work/iam-roadsmart/) --- # RVS - Shaping the Future _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/rvs-shaping-the-future/_ # RVS - Shaping the Future Strategy / UI / UX / Development [shapingvolunteering.org.uk](https://www.shapingvolunteering.org.uk/) To help the Royal Voluntary Service unite 34 of the UK’s largest charities, we built a digital home for a movement. We delivered a high-impact, accessibility-first platform on a sprint schedule, ensuring the "Shaping the Future" initiative launched in time for Volunteers' Week with a scalable foundation built for long-term change. ## The *ambition*. Every year, hundreds of millions of volunteering hours are lost. To combat this, the **Royal Voluntary Service (RVS)** led a massive coalition of 34 of the UK’s largest charities to create “Shaping the Future with Volunteering.” This wasn’t just a project; it was a movement. They needed a digital presence that was as credible as the organizations behind it and they needed it live, loud, and accessible in time for Volunteers’ Week. Strategic focus Coalition Alignment We designed a site that tells a unified story, ensuring all 34 organizations felt represented within a cohesive, professional framework. Deadlines with Impact We reverse-engineered the project from Volunteers' Week, ensuring policymakers, charity leaders, and supporters had a high-performance hub exactly when the national conversation was at its peak. Accessibility-First Design In a sector built on inclusion, accessibility isn't an "add-on." We built every wireframe and pixel with universal usability at the core. ### Speed without *compromise*. As a trusted partner to RVS, we knew how to move fast without losing the human touch. The mission was to unite 34 respected brands under one digital roof without the bloat of a traditional, multi-year build. We pivoted to an agile, design-led approach that prioritised clarity, impact, and a "ready-to-scale" architecture. [Discover our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) ### Pixels with *purpose.* We spent the first six weeks intensely focused on design, using moodboards to bridge the gap between RVS’s established identity and the coalition’s unique mission. By locking down a modular sitemap early, we allowed the development team to build with total confidence. The result is a layout that balances inspiration with absolute clarity, ensuring every visitor understands the stakes and knows how to take action. “ > > Yoyo took a complex challenge, uniting 34 major charities and delivered a focused, beautiful site that met our most ambitious deadline. They are true partners in our mission. Contact Name - Royal Voluntary Service ### Gallery - - - - - - - - Contact us ## Start your next project with us *today*. Our retainer is carefully crafted to offer you ready access to the resources you require, precisely when you need them. [Reserve your spot today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play IAM RoadSmart Driving digital transformation for the UK's leading road safety charity. [IAM RoadSmart](https://yoyodesign.com/work/iam-roadsmart/) - Play Fight for Sight Building an accessible website that helps a charity to achieve its ultimate goal. [Fight for Sight](https://yoyodesign.com/work/fight-for-sight/) --- # Imperial College Union _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/imperial-college-union/_ # Imperial College Union Branding / Digital [www.imperialcollegeunion.org](https://www.imperialcollegeunion.org/) To help Imperial College Union stand out from the crowd, we redefined their identity. We moved them from "university department" to "independent advocate," crafting a bold, accessible brand that bridges the gap between prestige and student life, all while ensuring a seamless, digital-first integration for their new web platform. ## The *ambition.* Imperial College Union (ICU) sits at the heart of one of the world's most iconic universities, yet it faced a fundamental identity crisis: students couldn't tell where the College ended and the Union began. To deliver on their 2023 strategic plan, ICU needed to step out of the university's shadow. They turned to us to create a brand that felt independent, inclusive, and unmistakably student-led, all while preparing for a major digital relaunch. Strategic focus Distinct but Complementary With Imperial College London undergoing its own rebrand, we engineered a visual language for ICU that feels like a "cool cousin", related in prestige, but entirely unique in personality. Inclusive by design We developed an accessible color palette and a typography suite designed to resonate with a global student population, ensuring every student felt the Union was "for them." Collaborative Integration Because a new website build was already in motion, our designers worked as a seamless extension of the external development team. We provided high-fidelity UI elements and page layouts tailored for an intuitive, digital-first experience. ### Carving out a modern voice. ### We began with a detailed discovery phase, stripping away the "institutional noise" to find the true pulse of the student body. Imperial students are a high-achieving, diverse group of undergraduates, postgrads, and international learners. Our strategy was to move ICU away from "corporate administration" toward a "transformational partner" that feels fresh, relevant, and easy to relate to. [Discover our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) ### Beyond the *logo*. This wasn't just a visual refresh; it was a repositioning of the Union’s value. By refining the verbal and visual branding, we gave ICU a toolkit of flexible assets that work across every touchpoint, from physical signage on campus to the complex backend of their new CMS. We focused on "informed optimism," creating a brand that looks as smart as the students it represents while remaining approachable and high-energy. “ > > Just wanted to drop you a line to say a huge thank you for the work you've done for ICU. I'm so pleased we chose Yoyo for this project. It's been such a good experience, with the project being excellently managed from a client perspective and I'm really thrilled with the creative. Hannah - Imperial College Union ### Gallery - - - - - - - Contact us ## Start your next project with us *today*. Our retainer is carefully crafted to offer you ready access to the resources you require, precisely when you need them. [Reserve your spot today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Gigzzee Creating a relatable new brand empowering gig workers with speed, simplicity, and financial freedom. [Gigzzee](https://yoyodesign.com/work/gigzzee/) - University of Southampton Reawakening relations with former students through a targeted digital campaign. [University of Southampton](https://yoyodesign.com/work/university-of-southampton/) --- # Research Live _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/research-live/_ # Research Live Brand / UI / UX [research-live.com](https://www.research-live.com/) ## Building a bold digital identity for a pioneering market research platform. For over 20 years, Research Live has been the go-to source for market research news and insights. But with the industry shifting and the Market Research Society (MRS) steering their publishing strategy in a fresh direction, a digital glow-up was well overdue. It didn’t take too much research for the team to realise Yoyo were perfectly placed to help them. Together we created a bold new brand that portrays Research Live as a heavyweight in the digital media space (because that’s exactly what they are) and a redesigned website that’s sleek, smart and seriously user-friendly. ### The opportunity. Research Live was ready to step away from its magazine-style roots and fully embrace digital. But to do this, they needed a site with the feel and functionality of a premium news platform. A site which would make it easier for readers to explore, engage and sign up for MRS events and memberships. And one which would drive ad sales while keeping the editorial flow uninterrupted. The challenge? We started the project in May 2024 and needed to handover to the web development team by September. No pressure then. ### The business need. To position them as a major player in the digital media space, Research Live’s brand was in need of a little love. The company needed help evolving their identity and applying it to web designs that deliver an intuitive, accessible and SEO-friendly experience. Oh, and they needed a super smooth handover process so their dev team could hit the ground running. ### The audience need. With a global readership spanning market researchers, data analysts and business pros, Research Live needed to be both relevant and accessible to a diverse crowd. Their readers wanted a seamless site that looks just as slick on mobile as it does on desktop and gives them more ways to engage with content. ### Our approach. Before we picked up tools, we picked up sticks and headed to visit the Research Live team for an in-depth workshop. In this session we found out how far the team wanted to push things creatively. Based on their insights, we went big on bold typography and clean designs, crafting fresh branding that grabs attention but is grounded in editorial integrity. Streamlining the site. Then we got to work applying the refreshed brand to website designs. But we didn’t just create pages which looked great, we made sure they would work perfectly too. Prioritising structured layouts for seamless navigation and visual cues for cross-selling opportunities. Not to mention, making sure the design looked just as good across all devices. ### Detailed web designs for a bump-free build. With MRS’s tech partner handling the build, we prepped detailed annotated wireframes and a functional spec that got rid of any guesswork. But we didn’t stop there. Team Yoyo saved some time to review the designs in action once the site was live - providing clear, actionable feedback to enhance it even more. The results. Research Live are now proud owners of a sharp, modern brand that feels as authoritative as the industry it serves. And they’ve got a website which acts as an engagement machine, making it easier for users to discover, read and (oh-so crucially) take action. ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Worldwide Cancer Research A website with big impact for a charity with big aspirations. [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/) - Play RNLI Digital transformation strategy and build designed to give this charity the competitive edge. [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/) --- # The Sustainable Restaurant Association _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/the-sustainable-restaurant-association/_ # The Sustainable Restaurant Association UI / UX / Development [thesra.org](https://thesra.org/) To turn a sustainability accreditation into a global icon, we built a digital platform that practices what it preaches. We partnered with The SRA to deliver a high-performance, low-carbon website that boosted impressions by 204% proving that bold, award-winning design and environmental responsibility go hand-in-hand. - +42% - increase in organic traffic. - +204% - uplift in web impressions. ## Revolutionising catering & hospitality. With a third of diners eating out weekly, The Sustainable Restaurant Association (The SRA) saw a massive opportunity to shift the hospitality industry toward more ethical practices. Their goal was as bold as their mission: to reposition their "Food Made Good" accreditation as the global "Michelin Star" of sustainability. They needed a digital partner who could translate this vision into a world-class "shop window" that could drive sign-ups and scale into new international markets. Strategic focus A Tactile, Memorable Brand We moved away from corporate clinically toward a "food-themed" palette. By using paper-like textures and bold shapes, we mirrored the authentic energy of a professional kitchen, bringing the brand to life with an organic, high-impact feel. Streamlining the Path to Accreditation Whether a street food vendor or a Michelin-starred chef, users needed fast access to operational insights. We reorganised the sitemap and shortened page flows to turn a complex educational journey into a seamless sign-up experience. Eco-Conscious Engineering Every component was designed to be "light to load." By prioritising text-based visual impact over carbon-heavy assets, we proved that high performance doesn't have to cost the earth. *High* impact, *low* carbon. It was a meeting of minds; The SRA’s mission perfectly aligned with our own focus on sustainable digital design, allowing us to build a platform that doesn’t just talk the talk. We didn’t just want to build a site that mentioned the environment; we wanted to build one that respected it through "Digital Decarbonisation" achieving a striking visual identity without the energy-draining weight of heavy video or complex animations. A sustainable engine for *growth*. We rebuilt the platform from the ground up to support The SRA's global expansion. By integrating streamlined content with a robust, scalable backend, we provided a foundation that grows as their community does. This wasn't just a redesign; it was an operational upgrade that allows the SRA team to manage their global accreditation program with total efficiency. [Discover our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) “ > > Our new website plays an integral role in our strategy to grow the Food Made Good community. As an impressive shop window for our global accreditation, it supports our growth objectives while encompassing all that we are. Jocelyn Doyle - Head of Marketing & Communications, The SRA ### Gallery - - - - - +204% - uplift in web impressions. - +42% - increase in organic traffic. - -5.5kg - CO2 carbon offset on key pages. Contact us ## Start your next project with us *today*. Our retainer is carefully crafted to offer you ready access to the resources you require, precisely when you need them. [Reserve your spot today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play B Lab UK Transforming a website into a mission-critical platform for sustainable digital success. [B Lab UK](https://yoyodesign.com/work/b-lab-uk/) - Zoonou Crafting a fresh brand and website for the UK's first EOT software testing company. [Zoonou](https://yoyodesign.com/work/zoonou/) --- # JDO _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/jdo/_ # JDO Strategy / UI / UX / Development [jdoglobal.com](https://jdoglobal.com/) Building a digital space for a design agency to display the brand worlds they create The latest change-making company we’re proud to have join our list of partners is JDO. The award-winning independent branding agency partnered with us to create a digital manifestation of their own brand. Giving them a sales and marketing channel worth shouting about. The result? A streamlined site which provides a more enjoyable experience for visitors and more powerful insights for the internal team. JDO is an incredible brand design agency offering strategic expertise, creative excellence and innovative solutions. But their existing website didn’t reflect this. There was a clear opportunity to elevate their brand perception through their digital presence, so that’s exactly what we set out to do. Create the belief The opportunity By building on their existing identity, carving out space for the brand worlds they create to tell their own story and more accurately reflecting themselves, we knew JDO could attract both more clients and more creatives. Partnering with us was a no-brainer as we’d helped the gang at JDO to create their original website almost 10 years ago, giving us a deep understanding of the JDO brand and allowing us to hit the ground running. Their old site was outdated. This meant the should-be simple task of editing their website was time-consuming, causing unnecessary stress (and headaches) for the JDO team. Our approach Prospects need a website that showcases their work whilst having a smooth and satisfying user experience. Proving they can trust JDO to deliver, and conveying the creativity and fun they’ll experience when they work with them. Even though we already had a long standing relationship with JDO & the inside scoop, we started by doing a bit more digging. Looking at both competitors and inspirational brands to get a handle on how we could solidify JDO’s authority in the design and innovation space. Showcasing their killer case studies and making content management easy Attract prospects The concept was all about a premium, timeless design which reflects the brand’s updated identity and engages prospects. We made the most out of media from JDO’s past projects, combining it with stylish typography to not just tell visitors how great JDO are, but show them. The work JDO deliver for their clients is amazing, so we wanted to make sure we gave the brand worlds they create enough space to speak for themselves. Yeah, we wanted to build a site which looked brilliant, but we didn’t want to distract prospects with excessive design elements. Instead, we crafted simple layouts that would make JDO’s work the star of the show. We got cracking rebuilding their site, bringing it in line with their new brand guidelines, paying close attention to the backend system and making sure content management was as simple as possible. But we didn’t just focus on internal users, we implemented intuitive navigation design patterns and an effective information architecture to increase audience engagement, too. ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Locate Productions A new digital home & brand for global production company. [Locate Productions](https://yoyodesign.com/work/locate-productions/) - Falkor Crystallising a coherent brand identity and online presence for a high-growth start-up. [Falkor](https://yoyodesign.com/work/falkor/) --- # Just Roof Lanterns _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/just-roof-lanterns/_ # Just Roof Lanterns Strategy / UI / UX / Development [justrooflanterns.co.uk](https://justrooflanterns.co.uk/) Designing a fresh identity, developing a new website, driving conversions. Just Roof Lanterns are much-loved manufacturers of timber and aluminium roof lanterns. They help to bring light into people’s homes, and they partnered with us to bring a breath of fresh air to their brand. Reimagining their visual identity and developing a new site which would drive conversions. They’re now the proud owners of a slick site which showcases their market leading products, communicates their brand story, and demonstrates their expertise. The opportunity With 30 years of experience in the bag, Just Roof Lanterns are market leaders in timber and aluminium roof lantern manufacturing. But their existing website no longer reflected their team’s expertise, or their roof lanterns’ quality. So there was a clear opportunity to refresh the website and branding, driving awareness of related products in the process. Despite being outdated, the site did rank pretty well on search engines, so we needed to make sure that the new website was maintained and built on the brand’s existing authority. The business need Just Roof Lantern’s website simply didn’t reflect their quality. They needed a new site which would exhibit their elite products, elevate their brand, enhance UX and effectively communicate their story. The customer need Customers of all kinds needed an enjoyable and educational web experience to build brand trust and encourage them to invest in roof lanterns, rooflights, windows, doors, and fascia. Uncovering audience insights to underpin user journeys. Next we took a deep dive into Just Roof Lanterns’ world, conducting an immersion session to uncover insights which would inform the architecture of the new website, and underpin the user experience. We got our teeth stuck in, establishing audience segments and customer journeys to help us identify, not just what team JRL wanted the new website to do, but what their audience needed. Based on these insights, we designed a navigation system which makes it as simple as possible for shoppers to peruse their range of products. Making sure useful content is available to visitors exactly when they need it, and supporting them on their journey from roof lantern browser to roof lantern buyer. We didn’t just elevate the user experience, we elevated the brand perception, too. Displaying inspirational content which demonstrates Just Roof Lanterns’ quality and engages website visitors. And educating people on JRL’s build process to reinforce their expertise. Crafting a timeless brand which solidifies their market leader status. For the new branding, we carefully crafted a visual identity that would portray Just Roof Lanterns as the market leaders that they are. Redefining their digital presence by putting their quality products front and centre and building a proudly British brand. Just Roof Lanterns have grown over the last 30 years and now in fact offer more than just roof lanterns. So we pushed our designers’ creative thinking by challenging them to come up with a new logo which reflects the fact that they now provide a wide range of products - without changing their iconic name. The final creative concept nailed the brief. Delivering a sophisticated, inspirational and timeless design with an emphasis on Just Roof Lanterns’ products and a clean aesthetic. It’s a flexible look and feel, one which translates seamlessly to both print and web - providing an immersive experience which guides users through content to conversion. Built on our fave CMS, Umbraco, the site has inbuilt SEO functionality, making it easy to continually optimise for search engines, maintain content and upload new products. Our approach Before we got stuck into our deep discovery phase we started by identifying focus areas for the project. Aligning our team with JRL’s business objectives to ensure every single action we took would be tailored to them. From here our job was clear: evolve the brand, reimagine the website, build on the SEO performance and implement a flexible CMS. The results The Just Roof Lanterns team are proud of their new branding and confident in how to apply it consistently thanks to the comprehensive support and templates we gave them. They’re also excited to see the growth it helps them to achieve. And so are we - stay tuned for some stats soon. ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Locate Productions A new digital home & brand for global production company. [Locate Productions](https://yoyodesign.com/work/locate-productions/) - Falkor Crystallising a coherent brand identity and online presence for a high-growth start-up. [Falkor](https://yoyodesign.com/work/falkor/) --- # Kew Guild _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/kew-guild/_ # Kew Guild Strategy / UI / UX / Development http://kewguild.org.uk Laying the groundwork for future membership growth while nurturing a rich horticultural heritage. Established in 1893, The Kew Guild was originally founded as an alumni organisation for people who worked at the prestigious Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew. Its aim was to bind horticulturists through their knowledge, passion, and experience at one of the world’s most significant hot spots for plant science. Today, the Guild maintains these networking roots but has also grown its remit to support horticulture’s future through funding awards and educational opportunities. Yoyo was tasked by the organisation to modernise its digital presence, ensuring the Guild’s links to the past were preserved while maintaining engagement with current members and encouraging connections with a new, younger generation on the back of a more open membership policy. The Kew Guild’s legacy website did little to engage users and promote the organisation’s benefits. In addition, various admin tasks, such as membership and grant applications, still relied on offline processes. As such, the project’s discovery phase uncovered clear potential for the new site to become more of a digital interface to the organisation and to create a more dynamic impression of the Guild through sharper design and content. The Yoyo team also drew on available audience insight to guide the creation of user journeys and to establish a simpler sitemap, taking into account the personas of the different generations of users. From a visual perspective, the site had to find a delicate balance as both an unashamed celebration of the Guild’s history and a statement of its current relevance. It was important to draw a line of continuity between both points, linking past with present and also pointing towards the Guild’s future. The design team captured this essence through the bold use of a heritage-feel serif font and evocative archive photography. This was then juxtaposed with fresh, high-definition modern imagery and the use of interactive features, such as scrolling effects and navigation devices, to create a distinctly contemporary look and feel. All the while, the user experience is anchored by the fixed navigation containing the crest of The Kew Guild. As a registered charity with limited resource, The Kew Guild required support with initial content creation as well as the means to easily manage ongoing updates. Yoyo answered this by dovetailing copywriting into the latter stages of the design process, helping the Guild crystallise and communicate key messages and member benefits. In addition, by building the site on Umbraco, the Guild was provided with a user-friendly content management platform with the flexibility to accommodate future developments in functionality. Yoyo’s integrated approach guided the development of the site smoothly from planning to design, build, content population, test and staged launch. Throughout this phased process, there was close liaison with Kew Guild trustee Maxine Briggs, the client-side project lead, whose contribution was invaluable to the project’s success. The collective result is a site that, through its creative direction and user experience, delivers on an ambition of staying true to the Guild’s origins while also putting the organisation on a new digital path to be embraced by current and prospective members alike. “ > > This was such a brilliant project to be part of. The client and internal project teams worked closely together to deliver an impressive new website, one which represents the past, the present and the future of The Guild. Megan Deefholts - Delivery Partner, Yoyo ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Locate Productions A new digital home & brand for global production company. [Locate Productions](https://yoyodesign.com/work/locate-productions/) - Falkor Crystallising a coherent brand identity and online presence for a high-growth start-up. [Falkor](https://yoyodesign.com/work/falkor/) --- # The Mole Resort _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/the-mole-resort/_ # The Mole Resort Strategy / UI / UX / Development [themoleresort.co.uk](https://www.themoleresort.co.uk/) Driving quality traffic for a high quality brand. The Mole Resort is a luxury lodge resort set in 125 acres of beautiful Devon countryside (now that doesn’t sound too shabby, does it?!) which opened its doors in May 2023. But with a less-than-luxurious conversion rate of just 0.7%, they came to Yoyo for support driving quality traffic to their site and increasing their bookings. And that’s exactly what we did. Together, we developed a more satisfying user experience, streamlined their main journeys and simplified the ways in which people can explore the site and book a lodge. The opportunity The Mole Resort team want more people to be able to enjoy “fabulous stays & active days”. But to do this they needed a stronger site. One which reflects their excellence, captures their audience’s attention and provides a seamless experience (both internally and externally). Ultimately attracting more visitors, encouraging conversions and increasing revenue. The business need Despite launching pretty recently, The Mole Resort’s website had lots of issues. They needed to fix these problems whilst modernising the brand, appealing to new audiences and improving their conversion rate. All to help them welcome more guests. The customer need Website visitors needed a frictionless online interaction with The Mole Resort that shows them just how amazing it is to stay there. Our approach To create a website which reflects what it’s really like to stay at The Mole Resort, we first needed to experience it. So we hopped in the car and headed to Devon to see the place for ourselves (lucky us!). We also ran an in-depth discovery workshop, getting to the heart of the company so we could accurately translate their ethos to their online presence. This allowed us to build both a clearer picture of the brand, and a strong partnership with The Mole Resort team - two things which were crucial to the project’s success. Elevating the brand and encouraging bookings. With our immersion complete, we got to work creating a game-changing, dynamic and user-friendly digital experience that inspires their affluent audience. Elevating The Mole Resort’s brand perception and encouraging people to book their stay. We evolved their existing identity to more accurately reflect the essence of the Mole Resort. Then we applied it to an updated website, optimising the customer journey and providing a better overall experience for visitors in the process. Prioritising the people who visit the website, and the people who edit it. We didn’t just think about the people who visit The Mole Resort though. We focused on the people who work there, too. Sadly The Mole team had been burnt by agencies in the past, so we dedicated ourselves to supporting them every step of the way (and beyond) - making sure they feel fully happy with, and confident in, their new site. To make taking reservations headache-free for the team, we ensured the website can integrate with their third-party booking engine. And we made content management as easy as possible with a simple, but powerful, CMS - future-proofing the site by ensuring the team knows how to make updates. So the content can always remain relevant and feel fresh. The results This new website went live at the start of October and both team Mole Resort and team Yoyo are (really bloomin’) excited to see the results it’s set to bring. Watch this space for updates. ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Locate Productions A new digital home & brand for global production company. [Locate Productions](https://yoyodesign.com/work/locate-productions/) - Falkor Crystallising a coherent brand identity and online presence for a high-growth start-up. [Falkor](https://yoyodesign.com/work/falkor/) --- # Marie Curie _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/marie-curie/_ # Marie Curie Campaign / UI / UX / Development [memorycloud.org.uk](https://www.memorycloud.org.uk/) It might be the great leveler that comes to us all, but death remains one of the most difficult conversations. For those affected by bereavement, however, the ability to open up and share the powerful, painful feelings that grief brings can be an incredibly helpful step in the healing process. Marie Curie, which cares for people with terminal illnesses, chose Yoyo to help them find a way. They envisioned a digital space where stories of loved ones could be told and memories could live on, opening the door to their support services for anyone coping with bereavement. We needed a physical, tangible record of the memories of our loved ones, forever. The challenge For Marie Curie, this was a project that had to resonate with anyone affected by grief and not just those connected to the charity, placing real emphasis on an understanding of the audience in question. During the discovery phase, we gained valuable insights from people who had lost someone within the last five years, and combined this with output from research workshops held with key stakeholders across Marie Curie. What emerged was the concept for Memory Cloud, providing a simple, engaging and powerful experience for users and an evergreen platform for Marie Curie to raise awareness of their services and promote their role in helping people deal with grief. “ > > After the initial meeting with Yoyo where they shared the concepts, we were so excited about working with them, their ideas were creative, unique and they really experimented to understand how far they could push the boundaries. Toni Simpson - Head of Digital Channels and Development, Marie Curie The challenge The design process demanded a sensitive approach given the personal and highly emotional nature of the site content. All elements needed to come together to create a visual experience that would captivate users while being sympathetic to their emotional state. As well as creating this comforting, trusted space, we were also challenged to subtly incorporate the Marie Curie brand on the page in a way that would maintain the site’s broad, inclusive appeal. Sitting at the heart of the design concept is the daffodil. With an echo of the Marie Curie logo, it provided the inspiration for a colour palette of warm yellows and soft golds that help create a soothing atmosphere alongside the fluid graphic builds. The gentle falling motion of the animated flower petals – each one symbolising a lost loved one – adds to the sense of visual depth and pulls users in, while the sensory nature of the experience is amplified by the accompanying audio soundtrack, which was selected to strike precisely the right tone. Augmented reality launch campaign. Ahead of its wider launch to the public, the site was introduced to Marie Curie staff at a key internal event, which takes place once every three years. To tease the Memory Cloud concept, we used our expertise in Augmented Reality to create a complementary AR experience where audience members could unlock a beautiful interactive petal animation on their mobiles. This contained a message encouraging staff to share their own precious memories of lost loved ones within Memory Cloud, breathing real-life stories into this important campaign. - 200K - Page visits - 23,000 - Monthly page views - 130K - New users - 5% - Bounce rate ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play RNLI Digital transformation strategy and build designed to give this charity the competitive edge. [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/) - University of Southampton Reawakening relations with former students through a targeted digital campaign. [University of Southampton](https://yoyodesign.com/work/university-of-southampton/) --- # King & Allen _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/king-allen/_ # King & Allen Strategy / UI / UX / Development [kingandallen.co.uk](https://kingandallen.co.uk/) ## Rebuilding a website to reflect a revolutionary brand. King & Allen are an inclusive tailors that celebrate diversity and ignite personal style. When it comes to suit shopping, they help people from all walks of life to find their perfect fit. And when it came to redeveloping their website, they knew Yoyo were their perfect partners. Together we built a new site that reflects their revolutionary ethos, making it easier for visitors to create their dream suit and it more simple for the King & Allen team to manage. The business need They needed to build consumer trust, increase leads, and reflect their modern approach to traditional tailoring. Oh, and they needed a site which wasn’t outdated. The customer need A streamlined navigation system was needed to help visitors explore the site with ease and make sure anyone who wants to wear a suit feels welcome. ### The opportunity King & Allen have been revolutionising the tailoring industry since 2004, but their existing site had become outdated - no longer reflecting their pioneering ethos or unrivalled reputation. There was a clear opportunity for them to stand out and attract more customers by building a website more in line with their brand identity. By showcasing everything they have to offer and simplifying content management, we knew we could help King & Allen to generate leads, cement their place as industry pioneers, and make their team’s lives easier. ### Our approach We assembled an A team to help bring King & Allen’s dream site to life, approaching the project through our tried and tested Discover, Define, Deliver process. But it soon became clear that it wasn’t just their website that was a little tired - their branding was too. So we took a quick break from scheduled programming to work on a fresh visual identity, collaborating to create mood boards, logos, colour schemes and brand assets. Crafting an ownable identity for an iconic company. We create brands which stay true to companies’ roots and stand the test of time, and that’s exactly what we did for King & Allen. Crafting a new visual identity and a suite of iconic, reusable graphics based on suit panels. Initially one large design piece, we took crops from the graphic device and applied it throughout their web design. The crew at King & Allen loved the branding work so much that they’re now planning to use it in their stores, too (and we’re already itching to pop in and see it too). With their branding updated, we turned our attention back to the website. Using Umbraco, our fave flexible content management system, to build a future proof site that’ll evolve with the brand. ### Designing a user experience that’s a cut above the rest. We built on King & Allen’s existing audience segmentation, using it to inform all of our design and UX decisions. Our customer knowledge was how we knew complex filtering was crucial, and it’s why we developed a site which not only lets users find their dream suit with ease, but helps to eradicate the traditional binary categorisation of suit cuts as masculine or feminine. When King & Allen say they’re inclusive they mean it, so we also made sure that we didn’t alienate the more traditional suit purchaser. Equipped with spreadsheets a plenty (and some strong coffee) our development experts got the job done. Making over 3000 fabric swatches simple for visitors to order and the team to supply. ### The results King & Allen now have a site which reflects their groundbreaking brand and represents their bespoke suits in the best way. We increased the number of swatches available to request by over 3000, allowing website visitors to be super specific with their suit search - even when they’re not sure exactly what they want. ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Locate Productions A new digital home & brand for global production company. [Locate Productions](https://yoyodesign.com/work/locate-productions/) - Falkor Crystallising a coherent brand identity and online presence for a high-growth start-up. [Falkor](https://yoyodesign.com/work/falkor/) --- # ICU Medical _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/icu-medical/_ # ICU Medical Strategy / UI / UX / Development [icumed.com](https://www.icumed.com/) Creating a completely new website with customer needs at its core ICU Medical is a revolutionary company dedicated to doing good in the world (our favourite kind). They connect patients and caregivers through life-saving IV therapy products, systems and services, and they partnered with us to rebuild their online presence and enhance their sales. The result was a new website built around their customers' needs. A site which allows people to access the information they need when they need it, and ultimately supports ICU to generate more leads. ICU Medical does amazing work, but they're determined to do more. For them, being able to reach more people means being able to help more patients. That's why they wanted to develop a new site from the ground up. One that would drive brand awareness, increase visitor numbers, and scale with the company. Helping them to support even more people with their life-enhancing products and services. An approach that fulfilled customer and business needs Our approach First and foremost the new site needed to increase sales. It also needed to accommodate for ICU’s expanding product range since their merge with Smiths Medical and to fix legacy issues with their SEO structure. Website visitors need to be able to immediately see why ICU Medical are the best option for them. They should view the ICU site as a place to have their problems solved, and that starts by being able to find key information, faster Like all good projects, it started with a discovery phase. We took a deep dive into ICU’s world, conducting extensive competitor and audience research to inform our strategy. From there we distilled our findings into four focus areas that would allow us to build a streamlined site - the kind that users can’t get enough of. Building a site loved by both editors and audience members Attract prospects The first thing we prioritised was navigation and search. Focusing on user experience to make sure products are easy to find regardless of people’s individual mental models (how different people interpret info and make decisions). We also wanted to address audience queries by providing responsive, precise information. So we incorporated links to demonstrations, educational resources and FAQ content into product pages. It wasn’t all about the external audience though, we made sure the new site delighted internal users just as much. Taking the stress away from website editors by making it simple to manage, upload and replace content. With user experience covered it was time for the fun bit - aesthetics. When done right, design does more than just look good, it helps to convey credibility and build audience trust, so we spent time crafting a visual identity which did exactly that for ICU.  To top it all off, we combined the new website with a targeted SEO strategy designed to develop their authority. Resolving existing SEO issues and allowing visitors to find products at the point of search to increase ICU’s leads. ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Locate Productions A new digital home & brand for global production company. [Locate Productions](https://yoyodesign.com/work/locate-productions/) - Falkor Crystallising a coherent brand identity and online presence for a high-growth start-up. [Falkor](https://yoyodesign.com/work/falkor/) --- # University of Southampton _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/university-of-southampton/_ # University of Southampton Campaign / UI / UX / Development Generated a 381%+ in email click rate and a 400% uplift in track uploads. Achieved a 16,000+ member engagement uplift. Reawakening relations with former students through a targeted digital campaign rooted in the power of musical memories. One of the top 100 universities in the world, the University of Southampton is home to a growing global community of more than 230,000 former students, including notable names such as Justine Greening MP, naturalist Chris Packham and model Laura Bailey. But poorly targeted communication over many years meant the university was losing touch with this valuable audience and its core base of advocates was dwindling. It decided to take action by launching its first ever alumni engagement campaign. Play The opportunity Re-establish a powerful point of connection with the audience. To date, alumni engagement activities had been sporadic. They were not centrally co-ordinated, messaging was predominantly one-way, and there was little regard for an individual’s location, when they had graduated or, more importantly, how they felt about the University. Of the various creative concepts explored, music presented the perfect solution. Our approach Our first task was to develop a clear picture of motivating factors and barriers to engagement among the alumni audience. We augmented the University’s own research with our own one-to-one interviews, stakeholder questionnaires and competitor analysis to define key themes and identify key audience segments. It became evident that engagement was weakest among the valuable age bracket of 20 – 39-year-olds. Our strategy, bravely adopted by the university, was to deliver a bold creative campaign that prioritised and targeted this group. We had to ensure other audience groups didn’t feel alienated but the previous one-size-fits-all approach to communication had to be abandoned if we wanted real engagement. Of the various creative concepts explored, music presented the perfect solution. For every student, there is a song that immediately takes you back, perhaps to Freshers’ Week, a night out you’ll never forget or a particular moment at that time in your life. Music is both highly personal but also taps into a shared nostalgia, giving us a powerful, universal point of emotional connection to engage this alumni segment. The ‘Replay’ campaign was born. A campaign that resonates in more ways than one. The soundtrack to your university years is a doorway to a pivotal time in every graduate’s life. We created a campaign site that gave the audience a platform to upload their particular university song and become part of a shared alumni playlist on Spotify. To drive awareness among the target audience and encourage them to get involved on the site, we developed a comprehensive communications plan as well as a range of templates and assets for the University of Southampton’s in-house team to deliver activities on email and social media. “ > > The decision to award this substantial piece of work to Yoyo was not difficult. Their innovative, extremely well-thought-through proposal and concepts, coupled with their clear talent for strategy and planning, enthused us from the word go. They are creative as well as strategic, challenging as well as understanding. Sara Thompson - Senior Regular Giving and Engagement Manager, University of Southampton The results The Replay campaign has become a template for engagement among a disengaged alumni audience. We have told the story together with the University of Southampton at leading industry events, including a talk at the annual conference of CASE, the global association for professionals in alumni relations. The Replay campaign continues to evolve, and we are now working with the University of Southampton to deliver phase two, which will look to engage an older demographic through direct mail activity alongside email, social media and the updated website. “ > > Absolutely love this and have just shared with my friends from 2006! Such happy memories - thank you. - 16,000 + - Alumni engaged with the email campaign - 1,211 - Completely new 'engagers' from email and social activity - 71% - Increases in email open rate; - 381% - Increase in email click rate - 400 + - Tracks added since launch against a target of 100 - 40% - Of Alumni targets interacted positively with the campaign who were previously identified as disengaged “ > > Considering the diversity of the wealth of clients in Yoyo’s portfolio, we were, and continue to be, bowled over by the level of understanding of, and support for, the various challenges our particular sector presents. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach here – Yoyo’s ideas and proposals, from pitch to today, have been considered, innovative and entirely bespoke to the University and its unique needs. Sara Thompson - Senior Regular Giving and Engagement Manager, University of Southampton ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Vivobarefoot A tool to support the digital sales journey; a platform to build a barefoot community. [Vivobarefoot](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vivobarefoot/) - Play B Lab UK Transforming a website into a mission-critical platform for sustainable digital success. [B Lab UK](https://yoyodesign.com/work/b-lab-uk/) --- # Vivobarefoot _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/vivobarefoot/_ # Vivobarefoot Strategy / UI / UX / Development Stronger feet, a more natural gait, better ankle stability and an improved chance of preventing pain and injuries – with a list of potential benefits like this, it’s easy to see why the barefoot movement has gained such momentum in recent years. Because the switch from ‘regular’ to barefoot shoes isn’t necessarily a straightforward one, however, sector-leading brand Vivobarefoot faces a challenge in supporting customers with their purchase – and particularly for e-commerce sales made without the help of in-store experts. Yoyo’s answer was to design and develop a digital transition tool that would give new members of the Vivobarefoot community everything they needed to start their brand journey on the right foot. The opportunity The transition tool is the first fruit of a digital plan conceived by Yoyo following initial research and discovery work with Vivobarefoot. This valuable phase threw up the key conclusion that this dynamic, creative company has an opportunity to develop its digital channels to optimise the online sales journey. Galvanising the initial point of connection with customers would foster a positive barefoot experience and encourage the long-term growth of the community. Within Vivobarefoot’s own retail outlets, the face-to-face experience already supports strong customer engagement. It provides an important moment for staff to convey some of the more nuanced messages around the process of going barefoot. In an e-commerce setting, however, where the sale involves less dialogue between the brand and the buyer, there is a risk that customers do not absorb some of the more important points of information. As a result, shoes were being returned because sizing guidance hadn’t been followed or buyers were failing to recognise the importance of the transition phase, struggling to adapt, and sometimes being left with a negative take on both barefoot and the brand itself. Enhancing product value, building brand loyalty. Our approach The transition tool is a self-contained solution to this problem, and it forms part of a multi-phase Digital Strategy Plan devised for Vivobarefoot by Yoyo. As well as answering the challenges of new customers, the tool also provides a valuable vehicle for capturing user data. This is used to help inform user journeys and communications, ensuring they are relevant to the individual’s purchase stage and relationship with the brand. Wrapping digital customers in an informative environment that augments their purchase and their brand experience. Equipped with insights from interviews with users and internal stakeholders, Yoyo developed moodboards to build out the visual identity of the transition tool, aligning it closely with Vivobarefoot’s stripped down, natural aesthetic. The creative process considered all potential user journeys and points of engagement for the tool, including a QR code on the shoebox that acts as a ‘start here’ trigger for buyers. As a standalone product, the tool could be developed separately and rapidly by the Yoyo team, who supplied HTML files and code for Vivobarefoot to host. This approach kept the demands on the client team to an absolute minimum during development, while the self-contained nature of the tool removes the requirement for ongoing content management. “ > > The transition tool is a prime opportunity for Vivobarefoot. It answers important business challenges, but also cements the relationship they have with their customers at a crucial phase. Megan Howden - Project Manager, Yoyo Liaising with Vivobarefoot regularly to accommodate feedback and iterations, the Yoyo project team delivered the tool in line with the brand’s fresh identity. It will now form part of an enhanced post-purchase engagement process for customers, whether to smooth their transition into the Vivobarefoot community or to crystallise their existing relationship with the brand. A transition tool built to develop sales, enhance customer engagement and build the Vivobarefoot community. ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play B Lab UK Transforming a website into a mission-critical platform for sustainable digital success. [B Lab UK](https://yoyodesign.com/work/b-lab-uk/) - All in Stone A website designed to showcase bespoke furniture and support customer need. [All in Stone](https://yoyodesign.com/work/all-in-stone/) --- # Satra TimeLine _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/satra-timeline/_ # SATRA TimeLine App design / UI / UX / Development [satra.com/timeline](https://www.satra.com/timeline/) Turning a trusted software tool into a browser-based app with box-fresh design. For more than a century, SATRA has helped the world’s leading footwear manufacturers enhance their processes through its specialist technologies and testing services. The organisation’s cutting-edge tools were not necessarily cutting-edge in terms of their design and UX, however, and SATRA engaged Yoyo to re-engineer a series of its key digital properties. This included TimeLine, a data-rich, decades-old standalone software application trusted by manufacturing clients to calculate the time, labour and cost of the many isolated micro-tasks that, together, result in a finished end product. This project involved a complete front-end reworking of TimeLine’s Windows-based interface, while maintaining the connection to the complex coding and logic at the application’s core through an API. From the outset this required touch-tight collaboration between the development teams on both sides. The Strategy This project involved a complete front-end reworking of TimeLine’s Windows-based interface, while maintaining the connection to the complex coding and logic at the application’s core through an API. From the outset this required touch-tight collaboration between the development teams on both sides. Initial discovery workshops were followed by confirmation of the app’s functional specification, which was mapped onto a series of wireframes. Having recently guided SATRA through a brand refresh, the Yoyo design team then dovetailed in behind this process, applying colours, fonts and visual assets to give the new TimeLine a fresh, premium look and feel that aligned with other updated products in the SATRA family, such as VisionStitch. Yoyo employed the React JavaScript library to manage the UI build, which allows elements such as buttons, tables and accordions to be created, tested and approved as individual components. This granular approach gave structure and focus to the design and build process, breaking it down into manageable chunks. Based on the front-end values specified by a TimeLine user, API calls retrieve data held in the back-end of the system. With complex levels of information transfer involved, Yoyo implemented caching to minimise potential frustration and smooth the experience of users navigating their way around the app. The addition of drag-and-drop functionality, allowing specific manufacturing actions to be easily added and re-ordered directly on page, is a further small example of how the new-look application’s improved user interface has simplified the challenge of digitising complex analogue processes. With a schedule of testing to validate the new app’s performance, SATRA’s clients can be assured that TimeLine’s credentials as an invaluable cost-analysis tool are only enhanced in its reimagined new form. ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play B Lab UK Transforming a website into a mission-critical platform for sustainable digital success. [B Lab UK](https://yoyodesign.com/work/b-lab-uk/) - Falkor Crystallising a coherent brand identity and online presence for a high-growth start-up. [Falkor](https://yoyodesign.com/work/falkor/) --- # Locate Productions _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/locate-productions/_ # Locate Productions Branding / UI / UX / Development http://locateproductions.com A renewed digital home and refreshed brand for a production company with global presence. In a world where imagery is increasingly influential, it’s important that your communications create maximum visual impact. Locate Productions is a full-service production agency that helps brands, directors and photographers answer this challenge by managing access to stunning shoot locations and backdrops across the world. Often incorrectly pigeon-holed as only a location library, the growing company was keen to refresh its brand identity and website to better reflect its broader offering and sustainable ethos. While project outcomes were always geared towards a website redesign and brand refresh, the door of the brief was left deliberately open by Locate Productions. The initial discovery phase was therefore crucial to uncover key considerations and refine the objectives. Yoyo guided this process, workshopping questions around how the brand needed to change and where it needed to remain consistent to align itself correctly in the eyes of target audiences. Locate Productions’ legacy website had several shortcomings: aesthetically it was outdated and operationally it was inflexible. Content also felt cluttered and confused, meaning the site failed to represent the dynamism of the team and reflect their core values, which include a determined commitment to limit the company’s impact on the environment. To improve the user experience and smooth journeys across the site, Yoyo helped Locate rethink the content strategy and redraw the site structure, simplifying and distilling elements as part of a streamlining process. Imagery was curated and copy edited down to a level where it could all breathe more easily together on the page. Bringing the true Locate Productions brand into focus. The approach A cleaner, clearer digital representation of the agency’s full-service offering and market-leading status. On agreement of the website structure and brand direction, the project moved into design and build, tapping into Yoyo’s wealth of Umbraco expertise. The urgent delivery timeframe led to the adoption of a phased approach, with Yoyo leading the technical implementation in concert with the in-house technical resource to meet the deadline. The end result equipped the client team with a variety of page templates and components to give them the flexibility to manage ongoing site updates. Working in harmony The redesigned website and refreshed brand work in harmony to truly showcase the company’s proposition and underline the company’s wide-ranging credentials as production experts. On the homepage, the selected examples of striking imagery – both stills and video – immediately draw users into a visually rich world. The use of parallax scrolling, motion triggers and a subtly animated logo all contribute to the dynamic feel. A page dedicated to ‘The Planet’ clearly projects the team’s strong environmental focus, which is complemented by the fact the website sits on Yoyo’s sustainable hosting server, where emissions are offset by the planting of trees. And the searchable location library, a separate entity, is now discoverable as part of a more logical user journey, rather than dominating and defining the brand. “ > > It was great to be a part of such an important step in Locate's journey - pushing their brand and digital presence to demonstrate their full-service production and location offerings, their global connections, and to showcase their amazing work. Megan Deefholts - Delivery Partner, Yoyo - 200K - Page visits - 23,000 - Monthly page views - 130K - New users - 5% - Bounce rate ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play Kurtosys Transforming the way financial information is presented, shared, and consumed, with a cohesive and emphatic new brand. [Kurtosys](https://yoyodesign.com/work/kurtosys/) - Kew Guild User-driven website focused on driving membership and brand security. [Kew Guild](https://yoyodesign.com/work/kew-guild/) --- # Kurtosys _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/kurtosys/_ # Kurtosys Branding / UI / UX [kurtosys.com](https://www.kurtosys.com/) Transforming the way financial information is presented, shared, and consumed, with a cohesive and emphatic new brand. Kurtosys, the fintech SaaS investment specialist, approached Yoyo to develop a compelling look and feel, aiding with the fast scaling of its operations and products. Its aim was to ensure it held a strong position in the market, with a brand that represented the true personality of the business. The outcome was a ‘future-forward’ look and feel, that not only creates stand out, but that also better supports the updated Kurtosys brand narrative. Creating market distinction Since 2002, the Kurtosys team of experts has been using digital media to transform the way financial information is managed. Its clients include some of the world’s largest investment managers, and yet despite being well-known, their brand didn’t represent the unique way the company approached financial management. As the company continued to grow across three continents, Kurtosys saw an opportunity to extend its market reach by enhancing its brand personality, both visually and through a new brand narrative. Working alongside the business, as the brand messaging was also updated, we created an identity that brought the brand evolution to life; seeking to understand not just *who* it was, *what* it did but also *where* it wanted to go. A difficult balance We needed to position Kurtosys as an industry leader, without alienating it from the industry in which it operates. This meant utilising some of the colours that are ‘standard’ for the industry, and retaining the integrity of the logo to ensure there was a clear evolution in the design. And yet, despite these parameters, we succeeded in creating a distinctive brand by using a high contrast pallet, strong visual architecture, and creative ‘hand-drawn’ styling notes, adding a personal element that key stakeholders felt was previously missing. “ > > With a secondary layer of simple, high-contrast typography, we have given Kurtosys a look and feel that is testament to its brand personality, fitting to the industry and that also creates market stand out. Gregg Lawrence - Creative Director, Yoyo Creating longevity Critical to this brief was the knowledge that Kurtosys was at the start of its scale-up journey and the company needed a strong brand that would grow with it. Care and attention have been paid to this; the interactive brand guidelines feature a downloadable ‘expressions’ library and an integrated AI tool which together ensure the bespoke elements of this can be used consistently, and by anyone. “ > > The adoption of AI within a brand’s development is fairly new, but it offers a whole host of possibilities. For a designer, this means having the scope to create something distinctive, without preventing a client from self-serving Matt Sage - Senior Designer, Yoyo Design Well received Celebrated for its impactful, simple design, our suite of flexible design assets has helped bring this growing brand to life, aiding the company gain new ground in key markets. It has also been adopted across several touchpoints, including a fresh new look on their website. “ > > Our use of AI within the Kurtosys brand is the perfect example of how AI can actually enhance creativity in design. Matt Sage - Senior Designer, Yoyo Design ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Satra TimeLine Turning a trusted software tool into a browser-based app with box-fresh design. [Satra TimeLine](https://yoyodesign.com/work/satra-timeline/) - Locate Productions A new digital home & brand for global production company. [Locate Productions](https://yoyodesign.com/work/locate-productions/) --- # Falkor _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/falkor/_ # Falkor Brand / UI / UX / Development http://falkor.ai Crystallising a coherent brand identity and online presence for a high-growth start-up with a story to tell. Falkor is an Israeli tech company that is revolutionising the way enforcement agencies and investigations teams operate in the digital world. Its scalable products enable better cross-team collaboration while enhancing operational efficiency, and the company is pursuing a high-growth strategy across key markets, including both the Americas and the UK. Equipped at the time with only a very limited web presence, Falkor’s team entrusted Yoyo to help reinvent the brand’s main digital property under tight timescales. The end goal was a website that would truly reflect the company’s vision and capabilities in the eyes of external audiences, from customers to investors. After a productive initial workshopping phase, Yoyo undertook a refresh of Falkor’s existing brand, standardising its visual assets and language into a single reference document. This dynamic identity was then played out on the Umbraco website, underpinned by the proposition of ‘bringing clarity to data’ and with an aim to funnel users to request a product demo. The clean, minimalist look and feel of the design reflects the company’s cutting-edge positioning, with elements of the Falkor UI used to showcase the bespoke nature of its products. With the website complete, Yoyo then pushed out the design across a series of complementary document templates as well as an investor deck, all of which will support Falkor on its continued trajectory of growth. Balancing real-world screengrabs with smooth-scrolling animations, moving gradients and abstract visual devices, the site design adds layers of interest and intrigue to the Falkor’s underlying technology credentials. ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Satra TimeLine Turning a trusted software tool into a browser-based app with box-fresh design. [Satra TimeLine](https://yoyodesign.com/work/satra-timeline/) - Play Kurtosys Transforming the way financial information is presented, shared, and consumed, with a cohesive and emphatic new brand. [Kurtosys](https://yoyodesign.com/work/kurtosys/) --- # All in Stone _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/all-in-stone/_ # All in Stone UI / UX / Development / Social [allinstone.co.uk](https://www.allinstone.co.uk) A beautiful website designed to showcase bespoke furniture. All in Stone specialises in creating beautiful and functional pieces from sustainably sourced materials. They sought a digital presence that would accurately demonstrate the quality of the products and their commitment to delivering tailored tables to meet individual customer’s needs. The original website was functional but our vision was to make it more modern, more professional and easier to use. It was important that the user experience guided and educated users as they browsed the site. Our design team focused on highlighting the beauty of the products while directing customers to the four cornerstones of the business (Our Collection, One of a Kind, Bespoke and Outdoor Living) and supporting the enquiry journey. Allowing users to digitally replicate the showroom experience. The challenge There was an opportunity to create an immersive online experience with a bespoke table builder and configurator tool. This interactive area of the site allowed users to explore the brand and demonstrated the craftsmanship and dedication to meeting every individual’s unique needs - a key differentiator for our client. In a COVID pandemic, when access to showrooms and in-person communication was heavily restricted, this tool was a great boon to our client. Allowing customers the ability to visualise their dream table and our client to stand out from the competitors and continue to drive enquiries. “ > > The configurator tool has provided a totally unique user experience and generated many more sales opportunities than our previous website Building for the future By building this within Umbraco, we delivered a site that simplified the management and editing process for our client. The Umbraco back office provided a platform that was more intuitive and efficient for the internal team while also providing the flexibility to allow the team to build new content, products and pages as the business grows. “ > > Yoyo proved to be the best choice we could have made to develop our new website. The whole digital experience has really helped us move the conversation forward from the first contact with our clients. Trevor Rogers - All in Stone ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Vintner Crafting an eCommerce Shopify site to meet the ambitions of a pioneering F&B business. [Vintner](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vintner/) - Kew Guild User-driven website focused on driving membership and brand security. [Kew Guild](https://yoyodesign.com/work/kew-guild/) --- # Vintner _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/vintner/_ # Vintner UI / UX / eCommerce Wine for all and all for wine. Generated a 50% + increase of time on site and - 33% in bounce rate. Our redesign and redevelopment of Vintner’s eCommerce website provided a platform to show the world their vibrant new brand, hard-won expertise and curated collection of wine. The opportunity Vintner was seeking a website that made purchasing wine online feel like an experience. They believed good wine doesn’t have to be complicated. The website needed to reflect these ideals. Vintner approached Yoyo in the midst of a radical business model shift, as they were transitioning from B2B model to a playful D2C business. It was essential that their new website supported this transition, and thus their success going forward. ## Importantly, Vintner’s website needed to reflect their brand - energetic, friendly, knowledgeable and open. “ > > Our journey with Yoyo Design has been exceptional. The go-live of our new Shopify website coincided with us launching a full rebrand and repositioning of our business. When looking for an agency to work with, we knew that we had to choose a group of people who not only would work collaboratively with us to ensure our new brand was showcased in the best and most authentic way but were also culturally aligned with our core values. Hamish Kirwan - Operations Director, Vintner Swift delivery was key. We chose Shopify to give us a powerful platform, full of vital commerce functionality. This strong starting point was important, allowing us to focus on the bespoke needs of Vintner. Our approach We invested heavily in UX, rebuilding the shopping experience from the ground up to recreate the personal, face-to-face interaction with a friendly expert online. With an ambitious turnaround time, we dedicated time to discovery, strategy and uncovering insight on their key audiences - vital to ensure focus and swift delivery of the following phases. By combining Shopify with our design expertise, we provided Vintner with a platform that was not only simple to use, customisable and a bespoke answer to their unique needs, but also served as a gateway to their playful and positive brand. Shopify’s powerful analytics and reporting tools continue to empower our combined project team through our optimisation partnership, ensuring that our ongoing programme of work is supported by accurate data and insight. From a design perspective, we delighted in using the bold colours from Vintner’s brand guidelines to inject personality and playfulness into the purchasing experience. The results The Vintner site has won awards across UX, UI, and Innovation due to its powerful translation of the company brand - a careful balance of design complimenting usability, not conflicting with it. As identified in our user research, Vintner’s users treat their visit to the website as an experience; seeking out and investing time in uncovering details about their wine before purchase. Yoyo produced an online shopping experience that supported this need and immersed users in Vintner’s expertise, recreating the personal side of an offline interaction and promoting conversions. “ > > The team at Yoyo understood our commercial and creative objectives and helped us choose the right tech solutions to suit and match our aspirations. Hamish Kirwan - Operations Director, Vintner ## Good wine shouldn’t be complicated. The launch of the new eCommerce platform delivered a strong foundation to build upon - one that worked from the get go, propelling the business forward. We continue to work collaboratively to build upon our initial successes through our optimisation partnership, ensuring that our ongoing programme of work is supported by accurate data and insight. ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play The Sustainable Restaurant Association A website unlocking the potential of a new food revolution. [The Sustainable Restaurant Association](https://yoyodesign.com/work/the-sustainable-restaurant-association/) - Vivobarefoot A tool to support the digital sales journey; a platform to build a barefoot community. [Vivobarefoot](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vivobarefoot/) --- # Over+Above _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/overplusabove/_ # Over+Above Brand / Strategy / UI / UX / To help Over+Above compete at the highest level, we built a digital platform as ambitious as their products. Working in phases to meet tight event deadlines, we delivered a bespoke eCommerce experience that brings their "Built Different" ethos to life and gives elite athletic apparel the digital home it deserves. ## Creating a *high-performance* website for a sports performance brand. Over+Above design athletic apparel crafted by elite athletes and sports science experts, merging technical excellence with progressive design. As an innovative startup, they needed more than a template. They needed a digital presence that could establish their brand, build a community, and drive sales, all while keeping pace with a fast-moving events calendar. Strategic focus Brand evolution We refined the O+A identity to give them a distinctive, ownable mark that could grow with the business. Phased delivery We launched a holding page ahead of a major Hyrox event, complete with a bespoke digital stopwatch that timed sign-ups and rewarded early registrants with a personal best, then followed with a full info site for a GQ event shortly after. Bespoke eCommerce We ditched Shopify templates entirely, building a fully custom setup that reflects the premium quality and technical sophistication of the products. ### Phased for *speed*, built for the long game. With key events on the horizon, we structured the project in phases to meet hard deadlines without cutting corners. Before a single page was designed, we identified a need to evolve the brand mark, ensuring it was completely ownable and built to scale. ### Every pixel, built *different*. Clean, modern aesthetics meet intuitive navigation across the site, with product details and brand storytelling working together to drive conversions. The experience is designed to do two things: introduce the brand to new audiences, and give committed athletes a seamless path to purchase. [Discover our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) “ > > It's so nice to work with people that get it. Honestly, it's been a pleasure. You guys have just nailed it. Really appreciate all your effort and speed and the way you guys are working. Matt Prior - CEO, Over+Above ### Gallery - - - - - - - - - Contact us ## Start your next project with us *today*. Our retainer is carefully crafted to offer you ready access to the resources you require, precisely when you need them. [Reserve your spot today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Vivobarefoot A tool to support the digital sales journey; a platform to build a barefoot community. [Vivobarefoot](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vivobarefoot/) - Zoonou Crafting a fresh brand and website for the UK's first EOT software testing company. [Zoonou](https://yoyodesign.com/work/zoonou/) --- # Elephant Family _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/work/elephant-family/_ # Elephant Family UX / UI / Development [elephant-family.org](https://elephant-family.org/) Elephant Family is on a vital mission to protect Asia’s magnificent wildlife and landscapes, and they needed a digital home as ambitious as their spectacular, large-scale fundraising events. We bridged the gap between a fragmented web of micro-sites and a seamless user experience, creating a powerful digital engine to boost brand recognition and drive event attendance. - +18.5% - Increase in keyword rankings post migration - 100% - Search visibility retained post launch ## Amplifying a conservation vision Elephant Family doesn’t do things by halves. From the Big Egg Hunt to the Great Elephant Migration, their unique events fuse conservation with culture to raise millions. But while their royal patronage and luxury appeal were globally recognised, their digital presence was holding them back. They needed a partner to breathe life into their online ecosystem, transforming an outdated, text-heavy site and disparate event pages into one cohesive, high-converting platform. Strategic focus Shaping the journey We didn't just consolidate pages; we totally rewired the site architecture so that core stories and flagship events take centre stage immediately. By letting the brand’s incredible visuals do the heavy lifting rather than relying on dense copy, we made the path from initial curiosity to event attendance completely effortless. Designing moments of delight We stripped away the static feel and brought our animal designs to life by generating native animals that roam through the site. We extended their digital identity beyond elephants to showcase their wider conservation impact. These small, surprising visual moments make the whole experience feel alive. Empowering their team Using a flexible, component-based CMS built on [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") 13, we drastically reduced the charity's administrative burden. The internal team now has the absolute freedom to spin up beautiful event pages without relying on complex third-party dependencies, leaving them more time to focus on saving wildlife. Play ### Built for purpose. Designed for *People*. When the mission is this critical, a website can't just look the part, it has to perform. We kicked things off with our discovery phase to help us uncover the unique friction points for their high-net-worth individuals, luxury brand partners, and the internal teams keeping everything running behind the scenes. Where creativity meets performance Our goal was a complete visual overhaul that still protected the charity’s existing [SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-for-charities/ "SEO for Charities") rankings. Using insights from our discovery phase, our team curated design concepts that challenged the text-heavy status quo while staying true to the vibrant heart of the charity. We moved way beyond standard templates to deliver a beautiful, image-led brochure site that meticulously balances dynamic design with [strict accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/ "Accessibility") and super fast load speeds. The *results* The outcome is a highly visual, impact-led platform, a digital home that provides the operational efficiency and brand authority [Elephant Family](https://elephant-family.org/ "elephant-family.org") needs to keep doing great things for the planet. Key measures of success: - **+18.5% Search keyword growth:** Expanded Google ranking keywords from 54 to 64 post-launch, driven by strategic content optimization. - **100% Search visibility protection:** Preserved all existing organic authority and top 10 ranking positions during the complete design overhaul. - **705K+ Impressions delivered:** Maintained strong, consistent search presence immediately following launch. - **3-month turnaround:** Delivered a fully custom, high-performance site on a tight, compressed schedule. ### Gallery - - - - - “ > > We continue to receive really lovely feedback and compliments from the team on our new Umbraco website. Everyone thinks it looks fantastic, thank you so much Yoyo. Tanya Freedman, Digital Communications Manager, The Elephant Family Contact us ## Start your next project with us *today*. Looking for a expert charity agency that can help improve your website? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## More projects [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play Demelza Rebuilding a digital home for a children's hospice that provides comfort for families' most difficult moments. [Demelza](https://yoyodesign.com/work/demelza/) - Worldwide Cancer Research Donation Journey Transforming donor journeys into repeatable revenue [Worldwide Cancer Research: Donation Journey](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research-donation-journey/) --- # Services _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/_ Services # A digital partner driving *growth*, and *cultivating change.* ## Digital We build digital experiences that grow with you. As dedicated Umbraco partners, we specialise in creating websites that feel effortless to manage and beautiful to browse. [Umbraco Website Design & Build](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/) [Shopify Website Design & Build](https://yoyodesign.com/services/shopify-website-design-build/) [Digital Strategy & Consultancy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy-consultancy/) [SEO & GEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-geo/) [Hosting & Migrations](https://yoyodesign.com/services/hosting-migrations/) [Technical Consultancy & Performance](https://yoyodesign.com/services/technical-consultancy-performance/) [User Experience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/) [Upgrades & Replatforming](https://yoyodesign.com/services/upgrades-replatforming/) ## Brand We build brands that mean something. Through strategic thinking, not just lovely design, we help organisations discover what makes them different and communicate it powerfully. [Creative Direction](https://yoyodesign.com/services/creative-direction/) [Brand Identity Design](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-identity-design/) [Brand Guidelines & Systems](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-guidelines-systems/) [Brand Refresh & Modernisation](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-refresh-modernisation/) [Brand Application & Collateral](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-application-collateral/) [Brand Accessibility Audits](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-accessibility-audits/) [Campaigns Assets Design](https://yoyodesign.com/services/campaign-assets-design/) ## We work with *exceptional* brands. [View our work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Vivo Barefoot [Vivobarefoot](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vivobarefoot/) - RNLI [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/) - B Lab [B Lab UK](https://yoyodesign.com/work/b-lab-uk/) - Marie Curie [Marie Curie](https://yoyodesign.com/work/marie-curie/) - Asilia Africa - Mercedes-Benz - Kurtosys [Kurtosys](https://yoyodesign.com/work/kurtosys/) - ICU Medical [ICU Medical](https://yoyodesign.com/work/icu-medical/) - World Wide Research [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/) - Satra [Satra Timeline](https://yoyodesign.com/work/satra-timeline/) - University of Southampton [University of Southampton](https://yoyodesign.com/work/university-of-southampton/) - Universal Music Group ## Our Process Insight Definition Delivery ### Discovering your website design *needs*. Before we do anything, we begin by immersing ourselves into your world. We kick off with a full immersive workshop to make sure we’re crystal clear on all of your requirements and really understand your companies goals, objectives, and pain points so we can really get to grips with what makes you (and your audience) tick. Desk research & immersion Reviewing analytics, UX, and sector insights to inform our approach. Stakeholder interviews Includes interview prep (pre-read, questions), synthesis, and thematic insights. Audience interviews User interviews focused around the priority audiences. Synthesis and thematic insights. Content audits Website content review, identifying valuable, lost, or changeable elements. Often paired with an SEO audit. (We also specialise in tailored search strategies, such as [SEO for charities.](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-for-charities/ "https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-for-charities/") These audits can also be focused on technology, UX, analytics, competitors, accessibility, sustainability and WCAG Playback Create and deliver the playback deck to stakeholders for feedback and direction. ### *Defining* your website development. Once we understand your brand inside out, we get to work on outlining a solution, and figuring out what we’ll need to address your businesses needs. Persona creation Persona creation: goals, motivations and pain points. Creative moodboards Collection of creative styles and examples for aesthetic and sentiment. Sitemap Structural diagram outlining site hierarchy - an essential component of our overarching [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy") and delivery framework. User journey mapping Visual mapping of user pathways, touch points, and pain points to inform site structure, content priorities, and experience optimisation. Wireframes Low-fidelity wireframes illustrate page layout/structure and components. UX delivery session Collaborative session to review UX strategy and direction. Creative concept Creative direction, aligned with mood board. Up to two rounds of amends. Technical architecture planning Defines website build: technologies, frameworks and infrastructure. Design roll out Create finalised design concept across all key pages, with two rounds of amends. Project Framework Planning delivery activities, scheduling, time plan creation and defining the [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy") milestones, all packaged up in a visual document. Content strategy Planning the audit, restructure, and migration of existing content. ### *Delivering* your website in sprints. This is where the magic of building your website happens: our skilled web development team brings everything to life. We break the project down into bite-sized chunks and prioritise the project sprints based on your needs. Frontend Development Development of agreed-upon page templates and components. Backend Development Umbraco: core functionality and integrations. QA Pre-launch testing by a specialist partner ensures performance, accessibility, and usability, including up to 4 days for website amends. WCAG testing WCAG audit with automated tools and assistive tech. Includes up to 1.5 days development for high-priority website adjustments. UAT testing Client amend implementation post User Acceptance Testing. Umbraco CMS training Teaches users how to effectively navigate, manage, and edit content within the Umbraco content management system (CMS). Pre-launch checks Final pre-launch checks to ensure everything functions as expected. Launch to live DNS Launch website to live DNS configuration. Post-launch checks & testing Testing and verification immediately post-launch. “ > > After the initial meeting with Yoyo where they shared the concepts, we were so excited about working with them. Their ideas were creative, unique and they really experimented to understand how far they could push the boundaries. Toni Simpson - Head of Digital Channels and Development, Marie Curie We’re proud to design digital spaces for organisations doing incredible good. Explore our sector expertise and stories as a [charity web design agency](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/ "Charity Web Design Agency"). [Charity Web Design Agency](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/) Proud to be an Umbraco *partner*. Our team of expert developers and creatives collaborate to develop beautiful Umbraco sites that consistently meet our client's business goals. As an [Umbraco Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco"), we can provide our clients with extra reassurance that our team operates to the highest standards when it comes to developing Umbraco websites. [More about Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/) Here's everything you need to get started. Our team love having the opportunity to build deeper and more valuable client relationships, and often, a little extra can go along way. Here are some of our simple how to guides to set you on the right path. [Our 'How To' guides](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) ## FAQ's Does Yoyo Design specialise in any specific website platforms? Yes, we specialise in two platforms: [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") CMS for content-rich websites with complex workflows, and Shopify for ecommerce stores. As a [certified Umbraco Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), we have deep expertise in building enterprise level CMS solutions. What is Umbraco and why would I choose it for my website? [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") is a flexible, enterprise-grade content management system (CMS) that's ideal for organisations with complex content needs, multiple user roles, or large amounts of content. We're a certified [Umbraco Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), which means we meet the highest standards for Umbraco development and have access to dedicated support from Umbraco HQ. Can Yoyo Design build Shopify ecommerce websites? Yes, we design and build custom Shopify stores optimised for conversion and growth. This includes bespoke theme development, app integrations and migrations from other platforms. Do you offer support and maintenance after launch? Yes. We provide ongoing Umbraco support and maintenance for London based organisations after their website goes live. This includes technical updates, security patching, performance improvements and help with new features or changes as your needs evolve. Some clients work with us on a regular support arrangement, while others prefer more flexible support depending on their internal setup. Does Yoyo Design offer website migration services? Yes, we offer both [Umbraco migrations](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-support/ "Umbraco Support") (moving to Umbraco from legacy systems) and Shopify migrations (moving from other e-commerce platforms). We handle the technical complexity to ensure your content, functionality, and [SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent") value transfer smoothly. What does a website maintenance retainer with Yoyo Design include? Our ongoing retainer packages include continuous website optimisation, performance monitoring, technical support, content updates, and dedicated account management. We keep your website performing at its best with proactive improvements built in. Does Yoyo Design create accessible websites? Yes, [accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-accessibility/ "Yoyo's Approach to Accessibility") is a core part of our web design process. We ensure websites meet WCAG standards and best practices, making digital experiences inclusive and usable for all users. We also offer standalone accessibility audits for existing websites. --- # Umbraco _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/_ Umbraco Gold Partner # Harness the *power of Umbraco* and realise the potential behind your next project. ## Your trusted Umbraco Agency At Yoyo, we believe that your website should do more than just sit online, it should be a powerful catalyst for your brand’s growth. As a specialist **Umbraco web development agency**, we blend award-winning creative flair with robust, enterprise-level technology to bring your digital vision to life. From designing bespoke builds and connecting smooth third-party integrations to migrating complex legacy systems and managing **Umbraco upgrades**, everything we do is built around your goals. Whether you are looking for a local creative partner in Kent, an [agile powerhouse in London](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-london/ "Umbraco London"), or a dedicated team to support you UK-wide, we bring the same passion, care, and expertise to every single project. As a proud [**Umbraco Gold Partner**](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), we don't just build websites; we create secure, scalable, and completely future-proof digital ecosystems that your team will genuinely love using. ## What is Umbraco? Often called 'the friendly CMS', [**Umbraco**](https://umbraco.com/ "umbraco.com") is one of the world's most widely used **Content Management Systems (CMS)**, known for its simplicity and almost limitless potential. What makes it truly special is its unique balance of infinite flexibility for developers and beautiful simplicity for content editors. We choose the platform to deliver both big corporate websites and small sites for start-ups because it places absolutely no limits on creativity. Because it adapts effortlessly to your unique workflows, your marketing and content teams are given total freedom to create, update, and manage your digital presence with absolute confidence. We take pride in our craft and have worked hard to become an [Umbraco Gold Partner](https://umbraco.com/partners/partnerlist/yoyo-design/ "umbraco.com") and build an expert team highly experienced in creating a digital stack that not only fits your business, but that also enhances your performance. ## Key features for you. - Flexible and customisable. - Umbraco’s open source system means there are no set templates for development and our team can implement your [bespoke designs](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency"). - User friendly. - Known as ‘the friendly CMS’, Umbraco boasts an impressive level of user-friendliness, making it an ideal solution for users at all levels. - Open source (free). - The Umbraco CMS is Open Source which means it’s free to download and use, making it an ideal solution for if you're working on a tight budget. - Scalable. - No matter whether you are a small start-up or a large-scale multinational, Umbraco’s flexible, future-proof framework, has all the right functionalities in place to grow with your business. - API capabilities. - Umbraco’s API is built-in natively using .NET so business functions such as [eCommerce](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/how-does-umbraco-support-ecommerce/), proprietary email, Google Maps or Calendars can be easily modified to sit alongside other systems and technologies. - SEO friendly. - Umbraco has a wealth of technical features that ensure that [SEO best practices](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent") are upheld and makes sure that content editors are nudged along the way to make sure you input all the important SEO juice. Why choose Yoyo as your Umbraco partner? We view our clients as long-term partners, not one-off projects. We understand that launching your website is just the beginning of its journey. That’s why our **Umbraco specialists** work collaboratively with you to understand your audience, streamline your operations, and design a tailored digital framework that drives tangible business growth. When you work with us, you gain access to an experienced team that understands the platform inside out, handles all the complex technical heavy lifting, and guides you strategically at every step of your digital evolution. ## We offer friendly, end-to-end care for every step of your website’s journey, including: - #### **Umbraco Upgrades** - Keep your website secure, fast, and future-proof. If you are running an older version of the CMS, we can seamlessly migrate your site to the latest version of Umbraco, ensuring zero data loss and minimal downtime. [More about Umbraco Upgrades](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/) - #### **Umbraco Support** - Gain peace of mind with our dedicated support team. From routine maintenance and security patching to troubleshooting and feature updates, our flexible support options keep your site running flawlessly. [More about Umbraco Support](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-support/) - Umbraco Certified Experts - As an official Umbraco Certified Gold Partner, our work is verified to align with the platform's highest best-practice standards. We deliver custom integrations, clean development, and SEO-aware architecture that protect your digital investment and help your brand scale safely. [Why work with an Umbraco Certified Gold Partner?](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/) ## *Umbraco websites* we've worked on. - Mercedes-Benz - RNLI [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/) - B Lab [B Lab UK](https://yoyodesign.com/work/b-lab-uk/) - Marie Curie [Marie Curie](https://yoyodesign.com/work/marie-curie/) - ICU Medical - J.P. Morgan “ > > We recommend Umbraco to our clients because it’s a stable and responsive foundation that facilitates beautifully engaging websites, but that also effortlessly scales with a business as it grows. Calvin Davis - Head of Development ## Why choose Yoyo as your *Umbraco agency*? Yoyo is a [website design and development agency](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home"), with a team of experts in web design, development, UX, and brand. We can handle every step of the development process - whether your goals are growth and revenue generation, or refreshing your [brand identity](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-identity-design/ "Brand Identity Design") and adding personality, we’re the agency for you. We have a proven track record of [impactful, meaningful work](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp Digital Agency"), and as the digital partner to some of the world’s most exciting brands, we have experience with organisations of all different sizes, services and sectors. Take a look at some of our award-winning work here. If you want to chat more about what we can do for you as a website design agency, or how we can work with you to meet your digital design needs, [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") with us today. [Let's talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## FAQs Is Umbraco free to use? Yes, the Umbraco core CMS is completely open-source, meaning there are zero ongoing software licensing fees. You only pay for our bespoke design, development, and integration services. Why choose an Umbraco Gold partner? As a [certified Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), our developers are trained directly by Umbraco. You gain guaranteed best-practice coding, direct support from Umbraco HQ, and a future-proof website built to scale safely. Can you upgrade our older Umbraco website? Yes. We routinely [migrate](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/ "Umbraco Upgrades") older setups (like [Umbraco 7](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/umbraco-7-reaches-end-of-life-what-you-need-to-know/ "Umbraco 7 Reaches End-of-Life: What You Need to Know") or 8) to the latest secure version, seamlessly transferring your content, assets, and data with minimal downtime and zero data loss. Is Umbraco secure for enterprise brands? Absolutely. Built on Microsoft’s robust .NET framework, Umbraco features rigorous built-in protection against common security vulnerabilities, making it a top choice for global brands and public sector organisations. Do you provide ongoing Umbraco support? Yes, we view clients as long-term partners. We offer flexible, dedicated [support](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-support/ "Umbraco Support")packages covering routine security patching, performance optimization, and feature updates to keep your site running flawlessly. How long does an Umbraco build take? The timeline depends on complexity, custom integrations, and data migration needs. Once we scope your specific goals, we provide a transparent, milestone-based timeline so you know exactly what to expect. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated Umbraco agency near you? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## Umbraco resources. - How does Umbraco support ecommerce? We explore why large brands rely on Umbraco to power their ecommerce presence. [How does Umbraco support ecommerce?](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-does-umbraco-support-ecommerce/) - Umbraco SEO: Making SEO friendlier Whether you love it or hate it, SEO is an important part of pretty much any public-facing website. [Umbraco SEO: Making SEO friendlier](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-seo-making-seo-friendlier/) --- # Umbraco London _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-london/_ An Umbraco Web Development Agency Supporting Brands and Organisations Across London # We partner with London based organisations on expert Umbraco development At [Yoyo Design](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home"), we're an Umbraco web development agency working closely with organisations across London. We partner with brands and organisations who need a website that performs to their requirements, supports internal workflows and can grow over time without becoming difficult to manage. We partner with London based organisations to design, build and evolve Umbraco websites that are reliable, scalable and built for long-term use. From new builds to [complex upgrades](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/ "Umbraco Upgrades") and [ongoing Umbraco support](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-support/ "Umbraco Support"), we help teams get more from Umbraco without unnecessary complexity. Our work focuses on the [Umbraco CMS](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/what-is-umbraco/ "What is Umbraco?") because we believe it gives organisations [flexibility](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/the-real-advantages-of-umbraco-cms-for-modern-websites/ "The real advantages of Umbraco CMS for modern websites") without locking them into rigid systems. We design and build websites that are clear to use, well structured and built around how teams actually work day to day. Content editors can update confidently, technical foundations remain stable and the website continues to support the business as requirements change. If you already have a website built on Umbraco or you’re planning a [new website build](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") and want a partner who understands the platform properly, whilst offering [Umbraco Development Services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") this is where we can help. ## Why do London brands choose us as their Umbraco agency? Our relationship with our clients is built on depth of Umbraco expertise and practical delivery. We work with organisations across the London landscape that value clear thinking, technical confidence and a partner who understands what happens after launch, not just how a website looks on day one. We’re also an [Umbraco Certified Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco"), which reflects our experience delivering Umbraco projects across a wide range of requirements. Our team works across Umbraco new builds, [Umbraco upgrades](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/ "Umbraco Upgrades"), Integrations, [Long term Umbraco support](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-support/ "Umbraco Support"), and more. This allows us to support websites throughout their lifecycle rather than at a single point in time. From a practical perspective, we work closely with London teams consistently. We are around an hour from central London and regularly meet clients in person, in various locations across London when it adds value to the project. This balance gives clients access to senior [Umbraco specialists](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") without the overheads often associated with larger agencies, while still maintaining a close working relationship. We also understand that London organisations also tend to operate at pace, with multiple stakeholders and evolving requirements. Our processes are built around clear communication, sensible planning and delivery that accounts for change without derailing projects. ## What do we deliver as your trusted Umbraco development partner? As an Umbraco development partner, our role goes beyond building pages. We help organisations make decisions that will stand up over time, technically and operationally. We design and develop Umbraco websites with clear content structures, reusable components and clean templates that are easy to maintain. This makes it easier for teams to update content, launch campaigns or expand the website without constant redevelopment. From a technical standpoint, we focus on stability, performance and security. That includes thoughtful architecture, considered package usage and development practices that reduce risk during upgrades or future changes. We also support organisations that already have an Umbraco website but need help improving performance, extending functionality or fixing issues left behind by previous builds. Our approach is always grounded in understanding the existing setup before making changes. ## End to end Umbraco services for teams across London We provide a full range of Umbraco services, allowing London based organisations to work with a single partner across design, development and long term support. Our Umbraco services include: - Umbraco website design and development - Umbraco upgrades and version migrations - Umbraco support and maintenance - Custom Umbraco development and integrations - Performance, [accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/ "Accessibility") and usability improvements - Ongoing optimisation and technical guidance Each service is delivered with the same focus on clarity, stability and long term value. Whether you need a complete rebuild or targeted support for an existing Umbraco website, we tailor our approach to your internal capabilities and priorities. ## Helping London businesses across a wide range of industries We work with organisations across a broad range of sectors, many of which operate nationally or internationally while being based in London. This experience means we are comfortable working with different stakeholder groups, regulatory requirements and content needs. Our clients include organisations in areas such as: - [Charities and non-profits](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/ "Charity Web Design Agency") - Professional services - Education - Hospitality experiences - B2B organisations - And more… While the industries differ, the underlying needs are often similar. Teams want a website that is reliable, easy to manage and capable of evolving without repeated rebuilds. Rather than applying a fixed template, we adapt our approach based on how each organisation works, how decisions are made internally and what the website needs to support. ## Our process for delivering successful Umbraco projects We follow a defined delivery framework that balances structure with flexibility. This ensures complex Umbraco projects remain controlled and transparent, even when stakeholder groups, governance requirements or priorities evolve. Our process here at Yoyo ensures we cover: ### **1. Discovery and alignment** We begin by understanding your objectives, existing website setup and internal constraints. This stage includes stakeholder discussions and a review of your current platform so we can define priorities clearly before any design or development work begins. ### **2. Strategy and planning** We translate discovery insight into a practical plan. This includes agreeing content structure, technical architecture and project scope. Clear timelines and checkpoints are established so everyone understands what is being delivered and when. ### **3. Design and user experience** We design structured, accessible and considered user journeys aligned with your objectives. Content hierarchy, navigation and accessibility are addressed early so the foundations are strong before development begins. ### **4. Umbraco development** Our developers build the website within a clean, maintainable Umbraco framework. Performance, scalability and long term usability are prioritised, ensuring your internal team can manage content confidently. ### **5. Testing and validation** Before launch, we test thoroughly across devices, browsers and key user journeys. This includes functionality checks, performance review and final technical validation to ensure the website behaves as expected. ### **6. Launch and ongoing support** After launch, we remain involved. We provide support, monitor [performance](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-to-speed-up-an-umbraco-website-and-improve-load-times/ "How to speed up an Umbraco website and improve load times") and guide future improvements as your organisation evolves. The aim is long term stability rather than a one off delivery. This structured approach ensures that every Umbraco project is delivered with clarity, technical stability and long term usability in mind. Each stage builds logically on the last, reducing risk and avoiding last minute surprises. By combining careful planning with practical execution, we deliver websites that are not only ready at launch but prepared to support your organisation as it grows and evolves. ## Start your Umbraco project with Yoyo If you’re a London based organisation looking for an experienced [Umbraco development](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") agency, we’d be happy to talk. Whether you’re planning a new website, upgrading an existing Umbraco build or need reliable long term support, we’ll help you understand the options and move forward with confidence. [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") to start a conversation about your Umbraco project and how we can support your team. ## FAQ's Why should we choose an Umbraco partner experienced in working with London organisations? Working with an [Umbraco partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") that regularly supports London based organisations makes collaboration easier and more effective. London organisations and teams often operate at pace, with multiple stakeholders and evolving requirements. We’re used to working in that environment and structuring projects so decisions, approvals and delivery stay aligned. At [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home") we work closely with organisations across London, offering senior Umbraco expertise without the overheads of large city agencies. We understand the expectations London teams have around quality, responsiveness and long term thinking, and we structure our work to meet those expectations consistently. Can you redesign or rebuild an existing Umbraco website? Yes. Many of our projects involve [redesigning or rebuilding](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/8-advantages-to-redesigning-your-website/ "8 advantages to redesigning your website") existing Umbraco websites that no longer meet current needs. This might involve improving structure and usability, modernising the design, addressing technical debt or preparing the website for future growth. We take time to understand how the current site was built before recommending changes, so nothing critical is lost and improvements are made with intent rather than guesswork. Can you support large scale or complex Umbraco projects? We regularly support Umbraco projects with complex requirements. This includes multi section websites, custom functionality, third party integrations and websites with [large volumes of content](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/scaling-for-good-how-umbraco-can-handle-your-peak-fundraising-capacity/ "Scaling for Good: How Umbraco can handle your peak fundraising capacity"). Complexity is managed through clear planning, considered technical decisions and realistic delivery phases. Our role is to reduce risk and keep projects maintainable, rather than adding unnecessary layers that make future changes difficult. Do you offer support and maintenance after launch? Yes. We provide ongoing Umbraco support and maintenance for London based organisations after their website goes live. This includes technical updates, security patching, performance improvements and help with new features or changes as your needs evolve. Some clients work with us on a regular support arrangement, while others prefer more flexible support depending on their internal setup. Is SEO included in your Umbraco development work? [SEO services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent") are very much considered as part of how we structure and build Umbraco websites. We focus on clear page structures, clean URLs, performance and accessibility, all of which support long term search visibility. We work closely with our internal team or external SEO specialists where required, ensuring the technical foundation of the website supports organic growth rather than limiting it. Can you provide training for our in-house team? Yes. We provide training so your in-house team can confidently manage the website once it’s live. Training is tailored to how your team works and what they need to manage day to day. This might include updating content, managing page structures or understanding how to work with Umbraco safely. The goal is to reduce dependency and give teams confidence using the platform. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated Umbraco agency near you? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # Umbraco Upgrades _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/_ Umbraco Upgrades # We upgrade Umbraco websites safely so they stay secure, supported and ready for what comes next. ## At [Yoyo Design](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home"), we deliver structured Umbraco upgrades for organisations that rely on their website to work properly every day. Our focus is on moving websites off unsupported Umbraco versions and onto stable modern releases without disrupting performance, content or search visibility. As an [Umbraco certified web development agency](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), we understand that Umbraco upgrades are not a cosmetic change. It is a technical rebuild that protects your website from security risk, removes platform limitations and ensures your CMS remains supported long term. You can find out more about our full [Umbraco services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") or speak to our team about your specific upgrade needs. ## Umbraco runs on a clear lifecycle model. Each major version has a defined support window and once that window closes, the platform no longer receives security updates, bug fixes or compatibility improvements. Running an unsupported Umbraco version puts your website at risk and limits what you can do with it. Many organisations are still running older versions such as [Umbraco 7](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/umbraco-7-reaches-end-of-life-what-you-need-to-know/ "Umbraco 7 Reaches End-of-Life: What You Need to Know") or early releases of Umbraco 8. These versions are now at an end of life stage from a support perspective which means known vulnerabilities are no longer patched and integrations with modern tooling become increasingly fragile. Upgrading is not just about staying current. It is about protecting the reliability of your website and ensuring it can evolve alongside your organisation. We typically upgrade clients onto supported long term stable releases, the most recent version being Umbraco 17, we can also consider other previous versions of Umbraco such as Umbraco 10 and 13. However, we recommend Umbraco 17 to ensure this isn’t a frequent repeatable process you’re having to go through. These versions offer modern architecture, extended support and far greater flexibility for future development. ## What changes between Umbraco versions and what you gain? Each major Umbraco release introduces meaningful architectural changes. Moving from legacy versions to modern Umbraco is not a simple version bump and this is where value is created when the upgrade is handled properly. Key improvements clients gain from an Umbraco upgrade include: - Long term platform support - Ensuring your CMS remains secure and maintained - Improved performance - With cleaner rendering pipelines and modern frameworks - Greater flexibility for future features - Allowing development without workarounds - Better editor experience - Making content easier to manage internally - Stronger security foundations - Aligned with current best practice - Improved compatibility - With hosting providers analytics tools and integrations The result is a website that is easier to maintain, more stable under load and better positioned for future changes without needing another rebuild in the near term. ## Our upgrade process and how we handle your website safely Umbraco upgrades require careful planning because they involve far more than updating software. An upgrade touches your content structure, templates integration, hosting environment and how search engines understand your website. If handled poorly it can introduce performance issues, content loss or drops in organic visibility. Our upgrade process is designed to minimise risk whilst keeping progress steady and controlled. We treat every Umbraco upgrade as a managed website migration, combining development delivery with SEO and technical migration expertise to ensure nothing critical is lost in the transition. We also work in isolated environments wherever possible so your live website continues to operate as normal whilst the upgrade is underway. This allows thorough testing, clear review stages and informed decision-making without pressure. The result is a structured upgrade that protects performance, preserves trust and gives your team confidence at every stage. Our typical upgrade process follows a clear structure: - **Initial assessment and audit:**We review your current Umbraco version codebase integrations and content model to understand scope and constraints. - **Upgrade strategy and planning:**We define the target Umbraco version, identify rebuild requirements and agree on a clear delivery plan. - **Environment setup and rebuild:**The upgraded website is rebuilt in a controlled environment allowing development and testing without affecting the live website. - **Content and data migration:**Existing content is migrated carefully ensuring structure integrity and consistency. - **Testing and validation:**We test performance functionality and editorial workflows to confirm stability before launch. - **Launch and handover:**The upgraded website is deployed with clear documentation and optional CMS training. This approach ensures your website remains stable throughout and avoids rushed changes that introduce long term issues. ## What do we check for during our upgrade projects? An Umbraco upgrade is an opportunity to address far more than just the CMS version number. Whilst moving onto a supported release is essential, upgrades often expose wider issues that have built up gradually over time. These can include legacy code, outdated integrations, inefficient templates or content structures that no longer reflect how the website is actually used. As part of every upgrade, we review the wider health of your website to ensure nothing breaks during or after the transition. This means looking beyond the CMS itself and assessing how different parts of the website interact, how reliably features perform and whether existing technical decisions still support your current needs. By identifying and resolving these issues during the upgrade, rather than ignoring them, we reduce risk and avoid introducing instability into the live website. This approach allows the upgraded website to launch in a stronger position than before. Instead of simply being newer, it becomes more reliable, easier to maintain and better aligned with how your organisation uses the website day to day. During every upgrade project we review: - **Compatibility** - Including integrations hosting and third party tools - **Performance -** Ensuring load speed and stability meet modern expectations - **SEO foundations -** Preserving URL structures metadata and search visibility with links to our SEO team where required - **Security** - Removing deprecated components and tightening access controls - **Consistency -** Checking templates content types and behaviours across the website This reduces post launch issues and ensures the upgraded website performs as expected from day one. ## Typical timelines and effort Every [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "yoyodesign.com") upgrade we deliver is managed through a defined project plan, regardless of the size or complexity of the website. This ensures progress is controlled, risks are identified early and nothing is rushed or overlooked. Timelines are shaped by the structure of your website, the level of custom development involved and the dependencies that need to be handled safely. Smaller, content focused websites can often be delivered more quickly, while larger or heavily customised builds require additional planning, testing and phased delivery. Rather than applying fixed timelines, we assess each website individually and agree on a schedule that reflects your priorities, internal availability and the level of assurance required. All timelines are discussed upfront, clearly documented and agreed before work begins, so expectations are aligned from the start and delivery remains predictable throughout the project. ## Platforms versions and compatibility We specialise in Umbraco and work across legacy and modern versions. Our focus is on safely upgrading websites onto supported long term releases that provide stability and flexibility. We regularly work with: - Umbraco 7 and 8 upgrades - Modern Umbraco versions including 10, 13 and 17 - Custom Umbraco builds with bespoke integrations - Websites hosted across major managed and self hosted environments Our recommendations are based on support lifecycle technical requirements and long term maintainability. ## Ongoing support and maintenance after upgrade An upgrade doesn’t have to be the end of the relationship. Once your Umbraco website is upgraded we’re able to continue to support clients through structured maintenance and development services. This includes: - Ongoing [Umbraco support](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-support/ "Umbraco Support") and maintenance - Security updates and version management - General Umbraco development support - Feature improvements and enhancements - Out of hours support - And more…. This ensures your upgraded website stays supported and avoids falling back into technical debt. ## Ready to upgrade? Let’s talk If your Umbraco website is running on an unsupported version or approaching end of life now is the right time to plan an upgrade. We can review your current setup, explain the best path forward and deliver a safe structured upgrade that protects your website and future investment. We also offer [Umbraco support and maintenance](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-support/ "Umbraco Support") once your upgrade is complete. [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/ "yoyodesign.com") with [Yoyo Design](https://yoyodesign.com/ "yoyodesign.com") to start the conversation. [Let's talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## FAQs Why upgrade to the latest version of Umbraco? Upgrading to a current long-term supported release keeps your website secure, maintainable and compatible with modern hosting and tooling. Older versions such as [Umbraco 7](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/umbraco-7-reaches-end-of-life-what-you-need-to-know/ "Umbraco 7 Reaches End-of-Life: What You Need to Know") and 8 no longer receive security patches, which means known vulnerabilities remain open indefinitely. Staying on a supported version also makes future development faster and less costly, because developers are not working around platform limitations. What will happen if I don't upgrade? Running an unsupported Umbraco version increases your security exposure over time as vulnerabilities go unpatched. Compatibility with browsers, hosting environments and third-party integrations will degrade. It also becomes harder and more expensive to find developers willing to work on legacy builds, which often leads to a forced upgrade under pressure rather than a planned one. How long does an Umbraco upgrade take? Timelines depend on the size and complexity of your website. A smaller, content-focused site can often be delivered faster than a heavily customised build with multiple integrations. We assess your website individually and agree a clear delivery schedule before work begins, so you know what to expect at every stage. Which Umbraco versions are currently end of life or no longer supported? Umbraco operates on a defined support lifecycle. Older major versions such as Umbraco 7 and Umbraco 8 are now end of life and no longer receive security patches, bug fixes or framework updates. Running these versions means the CMS is effectively frozen in time. At [Yoyo Design,](http://www.yoyodesign.com "www.yoyodesign.com") we regularly work with organisations still on these legacy versions and help them move onto supported long-term releases where ongoing maintenance and security updates are available. What risks are there in running an unsupported Umbraco version? Unsupported Umbraco versions introduce several layers of risk. Known security vulnerabilities are no longer patched which increases exposure to attacks. Compatibility with hosting environments, browsers and third-party tools also degrade over time. There is also a commercial risk. As fewer developers agencies support older versions it becomes harder and more expensive to maintain the website or add new features. Over time this often leads to rushed upgrades under pressure rather than planned migrations. Do you have a rollback plan if something goes wrong? Yes. We build and test the upgraded website in an isolated environment, which means your live site remains untouched throughout development. Before launch, we agree a clear deployment plan that includes rollback steps in the event of an unexpected issue. Your original website is not decommissioned until the upgrade has been validated and signed off. Do all Umbraco upgrades require a rebuild of the website? Most major Umbraco upgrades do require a rebuild at a backend code level. This is because modern Umbraco versions are built on different frameworks and architectural patterns compared to legacy releases. That said a rebuild does not automatically mean a redesign. In many cases the visual presentation (frontend of your website) remains the same while the underlying CMS and templates are rebuilt to meet current standards. How do you protect SEO during an Umbraco upgrade? We treat every Umbraco upgrade as a managed website migration. [SEO expertis](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "yoyodesign.com")e and strategy is considered from the start rather than after development is complete. This includes preserving URL structures, managing redirects where required, maintaining metadata internal linking and crawl behaviour. We also validate page rendering and performance before launch to ensure search engines can continue to access and understand the website correctly. Will there be any downtime during the upgrade? In most cases no. We build and test the upgraded website in a separate environment while the live website continues to operate as normal. The final switch is planned carefully and executed during an agreed launch window. Any downtime is minimal and communicated clearly in advance where unavoidable. Can you upgrade heavily customised Umbraco websites? Yes. We regularly upgrade Umbraco websites with bespoke functionality, custom integrations and complex content models. Heavily customised builds require more upfront assessment and planning but they can be upgraded safely when handled properly. We identify what needs to be rebuilt, adapted or retired as part of the upgrade strategy. What happens to our existing content during an upgrade? Existing content is carefully migrated into the upgraded Umbraco build. We map content types structures and relationships to ensure nothing is lost or misaligned. Where content models need to evolve we manage this in a controlled way so editors retain familiarity while gaining a cleaner more maintainable structure. Do third-party integrations need to be rebuilt during an upgrade? Often yes. Many integrations depend on frameworks or APIs that change between Umbraco versions. As part of the upgrade we review all integrations such as forms, analytics, CRM connections and marketing tools to confirm compatibility. Where rebuilding is required we plan this into the project to avoid surprises later. Can you upgrade our website if it was built by another agency? Yes. A large proportion of our Umbraco upgrade work involves websites originally built by other agencies or internal teams. We begin with a technical audit to understand how the website was constructed and then define the safest upgrade path forward. Ownership or authorship of the original build is not a blocker. What Umbraco versions do you usually upgrade clients to? We typically upgrade clients onto long-term supported versions such as Umbraco 17, however upgrading clients to later versions such as Umbraco 10 or 13 are also possible. Our recommendations are based on supporting lifespan stability and suitability for future development rather than simply choosing the newest release. Do you provide ongoing support after the upgrade is complete? Yes. Once your upgrade is delivered we can continue supporting your website through structured maintenance and development retainers. This covers security updates, version management, feature development and out-of-hours support. An upgrade is the start of a stable, well-maintained website, not the end of the process. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to hear more about how we can help you with an Umbraco Upgrade? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # Umbraco Support _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-support/_ Umbraco Support # Dedicated Umbraco website support when stability performance and response time matter ## At [Yoyo Design](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home"), we provide ongoing Umbraco website support for organisations that rely on their website to operate smoothly day to day. Our service is designed for businesses that need dependable Umbraco experienced web developers, technical support and a fast response when issues arise. Our Umbraco support offering is more than just fixing issues when something breaks. It is about ensuring you have the right partner who can support you with ensuring you can continue to develop your website, it remains stable, secure and responsive as your organisation grows and changes. As [certified Umbraco developers](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), we work with organisations that need a trusted support partner to manage the technical health, maintenance and development of their Umbraco website, whether that involves resolving performance issues, responding to unexpected outages, monitoring uptime or supporting ongoing development work. In many cases, our clients come to us because their internal teams no longer have the capacity to manage the website or because they need deeper Umbraco expertise than a general support provider can offer. Our Umbraco website support service gives you access to a dedicated team that understands your build, your priorities and the level of reliability your organisation requires. We provide [Umbraco support in London](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-london/ "Umbraco London") and across the UK, with flexible plans designed to fit how your organisation works. What does our Umbraco support cover? Our support service is designed to be practical and responsive, focusing on the areas that cause the most disruption when they are not handled properly. We concentrate on the issues that directly affect availability, performance and reliability because these are the problems that quickly impact users' internal teams and wider business confidence. Rather than offering generic maintenance, our Umbraco website support is built around real scenarios such as sudden slowdowns, unexpected errors, publishing issues or complete outages. By prioritising fast diagnosis, clear action and dependable resolution, we reduce downtime and prevent small problems from turning into larger operational risks. The aim is simple. Your website continues to run as expected and when something does go wrong you know exactly who is responsible for fixing it. We provide Umbraco website support across: - Technical issue resolution - Including errors, crashes and unexpected behaviour that affect users or editors - Performance support - Diagnosing slow load times and addressing bottlenecks that impact reliability - Emergency response - Providing fast intervention when critical issues arise - Monitoring and alerting - Keeping track of uptime errors and key indicators so problems are identified early - Ongoing development support - Handling enhancements, fixes and small changes without needing a separate project - Security and maintenance - Applying updates, reviewing vulnerabilities and keeping the platform stable Each element of support is focused on reducing risk and giving internal teams confidence that the website is being looked after properly. How we keep your Umbraco website running smoothly Keeping an Umbraco website running smoothly requires consistent oversight rather than reactive fixes. Our approach combines proactive monitoring with hands-on technical support, so issues are identified early and resolved before they escalate. We take time to understand how your website is built and how it is used. This allows us to spot patterns that might indicate underlying issues, such as recurring performance drops or content related errors. By maintaining familiarity with your setup, we avoid generic fixes and instead provide targeted support that aligns with how your website operates in practice. This ongoing involvement means we can respond quickly and decisively when issues occur, without needing lengthy investigation each time. Support plans built for your needs No two organisations require the same level of support. Some need reassurance that help is available when required, while others rely on ongoing technical input as part of their wider digital operation. We offer structured Umbraco support plans with clearly defined service levels, response times and availability. These plans can include agreed hours, priority response for critical issues and proactive maintenance work. Alongside our standard support packages, we also build custom service level agreements for organisations with specific operational requirements. This might include extended availability, higher response priority or integration with internal teams. All plans are designed to be clear, predictable and aligned with how you actually use your website. Why choose Yoyo for Umbraco website support? Choosing an Umbraco support partner is about trust and reliability. When issues arise, you need a team that understands the platform deeply and can act without hesitation. [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home") is an [Umbraco certified partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner") with extensive experience supporting websites of varying size and complexity. We [design & build](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco"), [upgrade](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/ "Umbraco Upgrades") and support Umbraco websites, which means we understand the platform end to end rather than in isolation. This allows us to resolve issues efficiently and make informed recommendations when improvements are needed. We also place strong emphasis on communication. Issues are explained clearly, actions are agreed upfront and progress is visible. This gives stakeholders confidence and removes uncertainty when support is required. Start your Umbraco support journey If your Umbraco website is critical to your organisation and you need dependable support to keep it running smoothly, we are ready to help. Whether you require emergency cover, ongoing maintenance or a dedicated support partner as your organisation grows, our team can step in and provide the level of assistance you need. [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") with [Yoyo Design](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home") to discuss Umbraco website support and find a plan that fits your requirements. ## FAQs What does Umbraco website support include? Our Umbraco website support covers the ongoing technical care required to keep your website stable, secure and performing as expected. This includes issue resolution, performance support, security maintenance, monitoring and ongoing development assistance. Support is not limited to reactive fixes. We actively look after the health of your website so problems are identified early and resolved before they impact users or internal teams. Do I need support if my website is already live and working? Yes. A website can appear to be working while still carrying hidden risks. Over time platforms change, integration’s age and security expectations evolve. Without ongoing support small issues can build up until they cause disruption. Our support service provides reassurance that your Umbraco website is being actively maintained and that help is immediately available if something changes or fails. Can you take over support from another agency? Yes. We regularly take over Umbraco website support from other agencies or internal teams. This often happens when support becomes slow, inconsistent or no longer aligned with business needs. We begin with a technical review so we fully understand how your website is built before taking responsibility. This ensures a smooth transition without disruption to the live website. Do you monitor uptime and performance? Yes. Monitoring is an important part of keeping an Umbraco website reliable. We track uptime and key performance indicators so issues can be identified early. If a problem occurs we can respond quickly rather than waiting for users or internal teams to report it after the impact has already been felt. Can you support custom features and code? Yes. We support Umbraco websites with custom features, bespoke integrations and tailored functionality. Because we design, build, upgrade and support Umbraco websites we are comfortable working with complex codebases and non standard implementations. Customisation is not a barrier to support. Do you offer emergency support if the site goes down? Yes. We provide emergency support for critical issues such as outages, crashes or major functionality failures. We have a number of different offerings to provide here. We tend to define response times within your support plan so expectations are clear. When emergencies happen we focus on restoring stability first before reviewing root causes. Can you help us plan future improvements to our website? Yes. Support is not limited to maintenance. We regularly help clients plan future improvements based on how the website is performing and how the organisation is evolving. This might include technical recommendations, content structure improvements, performance enhancements or preparation for future upgrades. Do you support hosting or migrations if required? Yes. We can support hosting related issues and manage migrations where required. This includes moving environments, improving reliability or supporting infrastructure changes alongside Umbraco development. Where migrations are involved we handle them carefully to minimise risk and ensure continuity for users and internal teams. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to hear more about how we can help you with ongoing Umbraco support? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # Umbraco Certified Partner _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/_ Umbraco Certified Partner # We design, build, support and upgrade Umbraco websites as a certified Gold Partner At [Yoyo Design](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home"), we work as an Umbraco Certified Gold Partner, delivering Umbraco websites and services for organisations that need a dependable long-term partner. Our certification reflects both technical capability and proven experience delivering Umbraco projects to a consistently high standard. Choosing an [Umbraco certified agency](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco") is about confidence. It signals that the agency and team you are working with has been assessed by Umbraco, understands the platform deeply and is actively invested in maintaining best practice. As an Umbraco Certified Gold Partner, Yoyo is recognised by Umbraco for our experience, technical competence and commitment to the platform. Our partner status is publicly listed on the [Umbraco partner directory](https://umbraco.com/partners/partnerlist/yoyo-design/ "umbraco.com"), giving you a clear and verifiable view of our credentials. For you, this means working with a team that [designs](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco"), builds, [upgrades](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/ "Umbraco Upgrades") and [supports Umbraco websites](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-support/ "Umbraco Support") as part of everyday delivery, not as a side offering. Whether you are planning a new website build, upgrading an existing build or looking for long-term support, our certification underpins the way we work and the standards we apply. ## What being an Umbraco certified partner actually means? Umbraco certification is not a badge that can be claimed lightly. Partner status is awarded to agencies that demonstrate real-world experience delivering [Umbraco projects](https://yoyodesign.com/work/ "Work"), employ certified developers and actively engage with the platform. As a Certified Gold Partner, we’ve met Umbraco’s requirements around skills, delivery history and ongoing professional development. Our developers hold Umbraco certifications and stay aligned with changes across the CMS, including new releases, architectural shifts and best practice approaches. This ensures our work is grounded in how Umbraco is intended to be used, while still being flexible enough to support bespoke builds, complex content structures and evolving business needs. As a Kent-based agency, we deliver this certified Umbraco expertise to [London-based organisations](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-london/ "Umbraco London") as well as clients across the UK. ## Why does certification matter for your website? Certification matters because an Umbraco website is not a short-term deliverable. It is a platform your organisation relies on over time, often evolving through new content, integrations, upgrades and changing business priorities. The decisions made during design, development and technical setup directly influence how secure the website is, how easy it is to maintain and how costly it becomes to change later. Working with an [Umbraco certified agency](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner") reduces uncertainty at this level. Certification indicates that the team building and supporting your website understands how Umbraco is designed to work, how different versions behave and how to make decisions that balance flexibility with stability. This matters most when websites grow, requirements change or technical issues surface, as the quality of the original implementation often determines how smoothly those moments are handled. Working with an Umbraco certified agency gives you access to: - Proven Umbraco expertise - Across new builds, upgrades and ongoing support - Confidence across all Umbraco versions - Including legacy platforms and modern long-term supported releases - Better technical decision-making - Informed by platform knowledge rather than trial and error - Reduced project risk - Through established delivery standards and tested approaches - Long-term maintainability - Ensuring your website can evolve without costly rework Certification does not replace good communication or thoughtful delivery, but it provides a solid technical foundation that protects your website over time. ## What do we deliver as your Umbraco partner agency? As an Umbraco certified partner, our role is to support organisations well beyond the initial build phase. We work with teams at different stages of their website’s lifecycle, from early planning and delivery through to long-term support, improvement and platform evolution. This means understanding not just how Umbraco works, but how your website is expected to support your organisation over time. Our work is shaped by real operational needs. Some clients come to us for a new Umbraco website, others need to stabilise an existing build, plan an upgrade or put reliable support in place. Because we deliver across the full Umbraco lifecycle, we are able to provide continuity and informed guidance rather than isolated services. Decisions made in one phase are always considered in the context of what comes next, reducing rework and long-term technical debt. As your Umbraco partner agency, we deliver: ### **Umbraco website design and build** We [design and build Umbraco websites](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") that are structured for clarity, performance and long-term maintainability, with content models and templates that support real editorial workflows. ### **Umbraco upgrades, including end-of-life version migrations** We manage [upgrades from legacy and unsupported Umbraco versions](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/ "Umbraco Upgrades") onto modern supported releases, protecting security, performance and search visibility throughout the process. ### **Umbraco website support and maintenance** Ongoing technical support to keep your website stable, secure and performing as expected, with clear response processes and proactive care. ### **Custom Umbraco development, integrations and bespoke features** We deliver tailored functionality where required, including integrations with third-party systems and custom features built to align with your business processes. ### **SEO-aware development and migrations** Development work that considers search visibility from the start, ensuring structural decisions, upgrades and migrations do not undermine organic performance. We embed our [SEO services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent") into all our projects where necessary, especially where SEO is of a huge significance to how your website generates traffic. Each service is delivered with the same level of care and consistency, whether we are supporting a focused piece of work or acting as a long-term Umbraco partner. This joined-up approach allows us to support your website as it grows, changes and adapts, without losing sight of stability or future requirements. ### **Dedicated Umbraco development for London brands and organisations** We are able to provide [Umbraco development for London based brands and organisations](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-london/ "Umbraco London") ensuring we're able to combine our Umbraco development expertise with your team and working patterns, supporting in-person collaboration where it adds value. ## Our approach to project delivery Our approach to Umbraco projects is structured but flexible. We begin by understanding how your organisation operates, what the website needs to support and where risk needs to be managed carefully. Projects are planned in clear phases, allowing for informed decision-making and regular review. Design and development work together closely, ensuring content structure usability and performance are considered throughout rather than at the end. We deliver Umbraco websites in a way that prioritises clarity, stability and long-term value. This approach reduces surprises, keeps stakeholders aligned and results in websites that are practical to manage and reliable to run. ## Ready to work with an Umbraco certified partner If you are looking for an Umbraco certified agency that combines technical expertise with clear communication and dependable delivery, we would be happy to talk. Whether your project involves a new website, an upgrade or ongoing support, our team is ready to help you move forward with confidence. [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") with Yoyo Design to discuss working with an Umbraco Certified Gold Partner. ## FAQs What does it mean to work with an Umbraco certified partner? Working with an Umbraco certified partner means partnering with a web development agency that has been formally recognised by Umbraco for its technical capability, delivery experience and ongoing commitment to the platform. Certification confirms that the agency employs certified developers, has a proven track record of real Umbraco projects and stays aligned with how the CMS is designed to be used. Why should we choose a certified Umbraco developer? A certified Umbraco developer brings a deeper understanding of the CMS than generalist developers. This matters when decisions affect performance, security, content structure and future upgrades. Certification indicates that the developer has been assessed against Umbraco standards and keeps their knowledge current. This leads to cleaner implementations, fewer workarounds and websites that are easier to maintain and extend as requirements change. Do you support both new builds and existing Umbraco websites? Yes. We work across the full lifecycle of Umbraco websites. This includes designing and building new websites as well as supporting and improving existing ones. Some clients engage us at the start of a new project, whilst others come to us with an existing Umbraco website that needs stabilising, upgrading or extending. In both cases, our approach is grounded in understanding how the website is used day to day and how it needs to evolve. Can you upgrade older Umbraco versions? Yes. We regularly upgrade websites running on older or unsupported Umbraco versions. This includes managing upgrades from legacy releases onto modern supported versions. Upgrades are handled as managed technical projects, taking into account content structure, custom functionality, integrations and search visibility. The aim is to improve security and stability while protecting what already works. What industries do you work with? We work with organisations across a wide range of industries, including charities, professional services, education, B2B organisations and purpose-driven brands. Our focus is less on sector and more on understanding how the website supports the organisation’s goals, stakeholders and operational needs. This allows us to adapt our approach whilst maintaining consistent technical standards. Can you take over a project built by another developer? Yes. Many of our Umbraco projects involve taking over websites originally built by other agencies or internal teams. We begin with a technical review to understand how the website is structured and identify any risks or constraints. From there, we define a clear path forward, whether that involves support, improvement or a larger redevelopment. Do you offer ongoing support and maintenance? Yes. Ongoing support and maintenance are a key part of our Umbraco offering. This includes technical support, security updates, monitoring and ongoing development work. Support plans are structured around clear service levels so expectations are set from the start. This provides reassurance that the website is being actively looked after rather than only addressed when problems occur. Can you help plan a long-term roadmap for our Umbraco website? Yes. As an Umbraco certified partner, we work with clients to plan how their website should evolve over time. This might include preparing for future upgrades, improving performance, introducing new features or aligning the website more closely with organisational change. Roadmapping ensures development remains deliberate and avoids reactive decision-making later. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to hear more about how our Umbraco experts can help you? [Let's Talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # Accessibility _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/_ Accessibility # It's time to make the *digital world* available to all. ## Accessibility means your brand welcomes *everyone*. We believe the internet should be available to everyone, regardless of circumstance, language, location, or ability and that's why we have a team dedicated to making your brand accessible to all. When websites, apps, and digital tech are not built inclusively it means they aren’t serving all individuals adequately. Without accessibility there could be an unfair barrier that prevents people from accessing your digital platform and this could reduce your reach by up to 20%\*. [Book an accessibility web audit](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## Designing for *all* users. Our accessibility team has a long track record of delivering inclusive sites with impact. All our sites consider the needs of those with physical disabilities, cognitive disabilities, or differences, plus a wide variety of backgrounds that users can come from. To facilitate our designs, we refer to well-respected standards of accessibility, such as those provided by the W3C, as well as referencing our collective expertise as [developers, designers, and usability experts](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency"). Charities in particular have a broad and diverse user base - our work on [accessible charity web design](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/ "Charity Web Design Agency") ensures your site works for everyone, from trustees to the people you serve. [Our guide to combining accessibility with creativity](https://yoyodesign.com/media/wt5l4nfc/yoyo-accessibility-1.pdf) ## Why removing barriers is better for us all - Drives innovation. - An accessible-friendly approach is the first step in changing the future of website use. - Enhances your brand. - With a clear commitment to serving all customers you'll improve your brand image and reputation. - Extends your market reach. - By failing to make your website accessible to disabled users, you’ll reduce the potential customer base you could be hitting. - Minimises legal risk. - A forward-thinking website is more than just a good idea. Lawsuits can be filed against websites that fail to accommodate the needs of all users. - Increases diversity. - By improving accessibility, you’ll provide new opportunities for those with an impairment to work for your company. - Improves profitability. - All top enterprises cater for the needs of users with accessibility requirements. Your business can profit by following suit. ## Why choose Yoyo as your *web accessibility agency*? At Yoyo, we don’t treat accessibility as a final checklist or an afterthought, we bake it directly into our DNA. Our team combines deep technical expertise with a human-first design philosophy, ensuring your digital platforms are not just legally compliant, but truly usable and delightful for everyone. From conducting thorough WCAG audits to implementing elegant, creative solutions, we bridge the gap between innovation and inclusion. When you partner with us, you’re not just building a better website; you’re building a more equitable digital world. [Let's talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## FAQs What standards do you follow for web accessibility? We build and audit websites according to the **Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)**, established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Typically, we aim for **WCAG AA compliance**, which is the gold standard for most commercial, public sector, and non-profit organisations globally, but can also reach AAA accessibility based on your digital and project needs. Will making our website accessible ruin our creative design? Not at all. In fact, we believe that constraints drive better innovation. Accessible design isn't about making a website look boring or clinical; it’s about smart UX, clear typography, and strong color contrasts. Our creative team specialises in building beautiful, modern websites that don't compromise on aesthetics *or* inclusivity. How long does a digital accessibility audit take, and what do we get? The timeline depends on the size and complexity of your digital platform, but a standard audit typically takes between **2 to 4 weeks**. You will receive a comprehensive, jargon-free report mapping out where your site currently stands, a breakdown of specific barriers discovered, and a clear, prioritized roadmap of how our team can fix them. Is web accessibility a legal requirement? Yes, increasingly so. Depending on your location and sector (such as the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations in the UK, the Americans with Disabilities Act in the US, or the European Accessibility Act), failing to provide an accessible digital experience can leave your organization vulnerable to legal risk and financial penalties. Beyond compliance, however, it is simply the right thing to do. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a digital agency with expert accessibility skills near you? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # Products _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/products/_ Products # Enhance your *digital presence* with our tailored suite of solutions. Products *tailored for you*. We've put together a set of digital products that cover design, UX, brand, and strategy. These are practical tools that act as initial building blocks for more extensive projects. These products offer you a straightforward introduction to our capabilities and the tangible benefits of partnering with us. They provide you with a solid starting point for your future digital initiatives, underlining our commitment to your success. ## Products - Accessibility & creativity in your business. - Accessibility is a non-negotiable, but it doesn’t need to be complicated. Businesses that keep their teams up to date on digital accessibility out perform their competitors and better service all users. [Yoyo Accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/media/2dxlizs0/yoyo-accessibility.pdf) - Balancing sustainability with creativity. - The environmental impact of digital design is often invisible, and guidance is often too complex to action easily. Our team can help with that. [Yoyo Sustainability](https://yoyodesign.com/media/crziu1my/yoyo-sustainability.pdf) - Your brand identity health check. - Branding is a creative and intuitive art, but its success can be measured with science. Do you know what your users think of your digital branding or are you leaving it up chance? [Yoyo Branding](https://yoyodesign.com/media/bjnbb5vk/yoyo-branding.pdf) ## How to guides. - Play Combine websites after a company merger or acquisition In this guide, we'll walk you through the essential steps to ensure a smooth transition and achieve your digital integration goals. [Combine your websites after a company merger or acquisition](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/combine-your-websites-after-a-company-merger-or-acquisition/) - Play Write a killer website brief Expert tips and tricks on writing the perfect agency brief [Write a killer website brief](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/write-a-killer-website-brief/) --- # UX _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/_ User Experience # We build intuitive experiences with a *human-centred* approach to design. Our User Experience Designers are you and your users’ best friends. They are inquisitive and both small-detail and big picture-oriented by nature; keen to get to the core of your business’ and users’ needs. Utilising best practice, keeping up with trends and always searching for the next best thing; our toolbox of methods and methodologies means they are well-placed to help you [solve complex challenges](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/solving-tough-design-challenges-with-ux/) and deliver user experiences that tell stories of customer satisfaction and loyalty. From underperforming campaign landing pages to launching new digital products, our user-centred expertise is there to guide you every step of the way. We have deep experience in UX and [web design for charities](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/ "Charity Web Design Agency"), creating digital spaces that guide donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries through meaningful journeys. ## Really get to know your audience Mitigate risk, supercharge your digital experiences and really get to [know your audience](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/know-your-audience/), with a user-centred approach to design. We get under the hood of your online experiences from your target users’ perspective. Utilising research methods like user interviews, analytics reviews, persona creation and discovery workshops, we boil qualitative and quantitative data down into actionable insights that facilitate impactful design decisions and drive value for you and your users. ## Digital experiences kept in check Our usability review draws on industry-recognised design heuristics and our carefully curated [usability principles](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/yoyo-s-usability-principles-how-our-ux-team-keeps-usability-and-accessibility-simple/ "Yoyo's usability principles: How our UX team keeps usability and accessibility simple") to identify quick wins, prioritise site improvements and generate a clear road map for your team to reach your goals. This delivers recommendations to address pain points and help to optimise your user experience. ## Translate insights into reality Our UX designers are on hand to visualise your site’s content hierarchy, map the relationship between pages, and identify gaps and opportunities to continually elevate your digital experience. Their focus will be to delight your users with every single click. ## Test your design decisions You are not your users and neither are we. It's vital to test design decisions with members of your target audience to ensure you meet their needs. Avoiding user testing will only cost you time and money. We conduct moderated and unmoderated testing, remote and in-person providing you with the best opportunity to optimise your digital experience and delight your users. ## Use real data to support your ideas If you have an idea for a new feature or change but want real data to support your ideas, then A/B testing is for you. Why not challenge your users with live experiments? [A/B testing](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/how-to-use-a-b-testing-to-optimise-your-site-for-conversions/) can improve your conversion rate and reduce your bounce rate. We love the ‘always-on’ approach to optimisation and testing design as it results in you making data-informed decisions. ## Why choose Yoyo as your *user experience agency*? At Yoyo, we believe that exceptional user experiences are born at the intersection of empathy, data, and creativity. We don’t just design beautiful interfaces; we build intuitive, frictionless journeys rooted in deep user research and proven design heuristics. Whether you are a commercial brand looking to skyrocket conversions or a charity aiming to connect deeper with your community, our collaborative approach ensures your business goals align perfectly with your users' needs. We are your strategic partners, dedicated to turning complex digital challenges into seamless, joyful interactions that drive lasting loyalty. [Let's talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## FAQs What is the difference between UX (User Experience) and UI (User Interface) design? Think of UX as the framework and logic of your digital product, while UI is the visual skin. UX focuses on the overall feel of the journey, structural hierarchy, user research, and how easy it is for a visitor to achieve their goals. UI deals with the specific look and interactive elements, like colors, fonts, buttons, and animations. At Yoyo, our team excels at both, ensuring your site looks stunning and works flawlessly. Why is user testing necessary if we already know our target audience? As the saying goes: *"You are not your user."* While your team has invaluable internal knowledge, it is easy to develop blind spots or make assumptions about how people navigate your site. User testing removes the guesswork. By watching real people interact with your designs, we uncover unexpected friction points, clarify confusing layouts, and validate design decisions before spending time and budget on development. How do you approach UX design specifically for charities and non-profits? Charity websites serve an incredibly diverse audience, from tech-savvy young donors and corporate sponsors to vulnerable beneficiaries and elderly trustees. Our approach centers on creating clear, emotionally resonant, and [accessible pathways.](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/ "Accessibility") We focus on optimising donation funnels, making volunteer sign-ups seamless, and structuring complex information so that every distinct user group can find exactly what they need in as few clicks as possible. What is A/B testing and how long does it take to see results? A/B testing involves running two variations of a webpage simultaneously (Version A and Version B) to see which one performs better based on real user data. The time it takes to get conclusive results depends entirely on your website's traffic. High-traffic pages might yield definitive data in a couple of weeks, while lower-traffic sites may take a bit longer. We manage the entire process, ensuring the data is statistically significant before recommending permanent changes. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a expert UX agency near you? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # SEO Agency Services Kent _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/_ SEO Agency Services in Kent # We are a digital SEO agency based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. We provide SEO *strategies, training, and expertise* to improve your online visibility and maximise your performance. ## Why do you need to consider SEO? At Yoyo, we’re all about delivering impact, and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) plays a major role in that. If you’re looking for an SEO company, then look no further. By increasing the volume and quality of traffic, you can make sure the [right audiences](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-to-engage-the-unengaged/ "How to Engage the Unengaged") are seeing your website. Using organic search engine results can help you hit your performance targets - whether that’s more leads, more downloads, more donations, or just more site visits. In short, making use of SEO services ensures that your website is working to the best of its ability to engage and inform - ensuring that you’re [maximising your investment in digital](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/get-the-most-out-of-your-digital-investment/ "Get the most out of your digital investment"). ## The three pillars of SEO By addressing the three pillars of SEO, we can ensure that your website is recognised by search engines as valuable and useful to user search queries. More value means higher ranking and visibility, which in turn means more traffic and opportunities to engage with the right audiences. ### *On-page* SEO On-page SEO covers everything that the user might encounter on the website User Interface (UI). This includes everything from the written copy, to meta descriptions and menu structure - all of which can be optimised, so that [every piece of content is an opportunity](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-to-tell-an-authentic-brand-story-and-step-away-from-brands-that-don-t/ "How to tell an authentic brand story (and step away from brands that don’t)") to ensure that you’re directly answering queries with a high-search volume. ### *Technical* SEO Think of [technical SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/technical-consultancy-performance/ "Technical Consultancy & Performance") as the foundation of all of your work on SEO. By using [industry-standard best practice](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") to lay the groundwork, we make sure that your website is set up to rank highly for the most relevant keywords and user searches. Our team of [Umbraco-certified experts](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/) harness and implement the features of the Content Management System (CMS) to make sure your technical SEO is the best it can be. Perfecting your technical SEO will help your site be indexed more effectively and in turn help [improve organic rankings](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-seo-making-seo-friendlier/ "Umbraco SEO: Making SEO Friendlier"). ### *Outreach* SEO Also known as off-page SEO, outreach SEO works by building a portfolio of links from other websites, which are highly authoritative. We can help you to implement strategies to build backlinks, increasing search engines’ perception of the quality and authority of your website. As a digital agency, nailing outreach SEO is a crucial part of our process of [boosting the visibility of your website](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/why-is-my-website-putting-off-potential-customers/ "Why is my website putting off potential customers?"). ## Content with your *content*? ## Content Audit The importance of valuable content can’t be overstated. Great content positions your website as the leading voice for a given topic in your domain. By dominating with your specialist knowledge, search engines like Google will naturally rank your website higher. Looking at [content as a powerful brand tool](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/content-the-c-word-that-no-one-wants-to-talk-about-but-here-s-why-you-should/ "Content – the C word that no one wants to talk about… But here’s why you should"), can help you to drive growth and cultivate real change. We can help you work out a plan to [optimise your on-page content](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/five-ways-to-start-optimising-your-content-for-seo/ "Five ways to start optimising your content for SEO") - whether it's new or existing - that is grounded in our SEO expertise, keyword research, and knowledge of the current digital landscape. Our client partner team and SEO expert can also provide guidance through training so that you have the best practice for your own content writing team. SEO Training As your digital partner, we know that [the launch of your website isn’t the end](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-launch-is-not-the-end/ "The launch is not the end!"). In order to make sure your future clients and customers are finding you, we provide both face to face and virtual training sessions for: - Targeted Landing Pages: Curating specific web pages designed for a particular audience or topic to convert visitors. By focusing on one keyword or topic, they offer valuable content to engage and convert users into leads or customers. - Optimised Content: Structuring web content with relevant keywords to [improve search engine visibility](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/why-your-ppc-budget-might-be-better-spent-on-seo/ "Why your PPC budget might be better spent on SEO"). This involves quality writing, keyword incorporation, and user engagement to attract and retain visitors - all of which we can support you through. - Metadata: Optimised metadata, including title and meta description, enhances search engine rankings by accurately representing page content and incorporating relevant keywords. - Internal Linking: Linking pages within the same website for user navigation and search engine optimisation. It improves site crawlability, establishes page hierarchy, and distributes link equity to [boost rankings in search results](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/exploring-the-impact-of-google-s-new-generative-ai-on-search/ "Exploring the Impact of Google’s New Generative AI on Search"). ## How can we help Our role as an SEO agency is to identify opportunities for growth and dominance. With over a decade of experience of providing SEO services in Kent, we can improve your visibility and help you achieve higher conversion. Our SEO specialist can guide you through the entire process from start to finish, giving you tangible results that you can be proud of. If SEO performance is a KPI for you (and we think it should be!), our SEO expert can: - Audit your current content and structure - Recommend fixes and improvements to on-page and technical SEO - Set strategies for the future to maintain and increase your ranking - Report on SEO performance monthly The digital world is always changing, so our approach to search engine optimisation is constantly evolving too. As data recording and analytics platforms become [more sophisticated](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/whats-new-in-ga4/), we’re here to support you through the latest updates, to ensure you’re always getting the most from your data. ## Why choose Yoyo as your SEO agency? Yoyo is [a specialist digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home") for design, development, branding, and SEO services. Our team of experts - including our SEO consultant with over a decade of experience - can handle [every aspect of crafting your online presence](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/create-engaging-user-experiences-with-your-cms/ "Create engaging user experiences with your CMS") and make sure you’re getting the biggest return on your digital investment. Whether you feel that you’re not generating enough leads from search engines, or that your website isn’t garnering the authority and attention that it should - we are here to help. We have a proven track record of impactful, meaningful work, and as the digital partner to some of the world’s most exciting brands, we have experience with organisations of all different sizes, services and sectors. Take a look at some of our award-winning work [here](https://yoyodesign.com/work/). We work with a whole host of clients - from small local businesses in Kent, to big international companies. ## Our latest on SEO - Five ways to start optimising your content for SEO We’ve put together five of the most impactful tips for driving traffic to your website without the need for rocket science. [Five ways to start optimising your content for SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/five-ways-to-start-optimising-your-content-for-seo/) - Why your PPC budget might be better spent on SEO It’s now more important than ever to make the most of your digital presence, whether you’re a full scale e-commerce business or a start up with a sharp digital brochure. [Why your PPC budget might be better spent on SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/why-your-ppc-budget-might-be-better-spent-on-seo/) ## Sound like something you're looking for? If you want to chat more about what we can do for you as your SEO company, or how we can work with you to meet your SEO needs, [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) with us today. [Let's talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## FAQs Accordion item Accordion text Accordion item Accordion text Accordion item Accordion text Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a expert SEO agency near you? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # Web Design Agency _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/_ Website Design and Build # We are a *creative and innovative web development agency* based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. At Yoyo, we’re proud of our role in making the world a better place by helping purpose-driven brands with all of their website design and development needs. Put simply, our team of [Umbraco certified professionals](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/) create websites that capture and convey your brand, and deliver meaningful impact. Whether impact means more revenue, more eyes on your page, or a more authoritative online presence for your brand, our web design is a results-driven embodiment of your needs. We take pride in meeting you where you are to guide you through the process of [elevating your brand](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-to-tell-an-authentic-brand-story-and-step-away-from-brands-that-don-t/ "How to tell an authentic brand story (and step away from brands that don’t)"). Web development doesn’t have to be a blank slate - we can help you refresh and update an existing website, or rebuild your current one using the latest technologies We don’t just design and build bespoke websites - [we craft tailor-made experiences that inspire and delight your audience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX"), making use of the latest technologies and design trends to elevate your brand. ## Our Website Design Process We believe that every website should [*tell a story*](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/creative-storytelling-the-importance-of-your-visual-brand/ "Creative storytelling - the importance of your visual brand"). Why not let us help you tell yours? With over [fifteen years of experience](https://yoyodesign.com/about/ "About") in supporting the digital presence of a wide range of brands, we use our expertise to drive growth and delight audiences. If your current website doesn’t reflect who you are, or has [fallen behind the ever-changing digital landscape](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/umbraco-8-reaches-end-of-life-in-february-2025/ "Umbraco 8 reaches ‘end of life’ in February 2025."), we can help you to add focus, personality and energy. A Yoyo-crafted website not only looks the part, but performs too. You can rest assured that we’ve thought of it all - your site’s security, search engine optimisation, accessibility, sustainability - and the list goes on. From local Tunbridge Wells initiative [Amplifi](https://amplifi.tw/), to global company [Locate Productions](https://www.locateproductions.com/), our work spans far and wide. We are not bound by industry, or region, and love to get stuck in on projects of all different flavours. Take a look at where we’ve put all of our expertise into practice [here](https://yoyodesign.com/work/). Every web design project that we work on is infused with creative flair, a fresh feel, and the latest perspectives in the world of digital. Combined with thorough user research, and in-depth planning, the work of our in-house designers will inspire and captivate your audiences. It’s a collaborative, back-and-forth process, where [your wants and needs are taken into account at every touchpoint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/set-goals-and-expectations-when-working-with-an-agency/ "Set goals and expectations when working with an agency"); you bring the problem, and we’ll bring the expertise to solve it. Simple. ### *Discovering* your website design needs Before we do anything, we begin by immersing ourselves into your world. We kick off with a full discovery workshop to make sure we’re crystal clear on all of your requirements and really understand your brand’s goals, objectives, and pain points so we can really get to grips with what makes you (and your audience) tick. - Discovery sessions - Stakeholder interviews - Research - Content audits - Sitemaps - Moodboards ### *Defining* your website development Once we understand your brand inside out, we get to work on outlining a solution, and figuring out what we’ll need to address your brand’s needs. - Content modelling guided by [SEO best practices](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent") + facilitating content creation - Refining scope and gathering requirements - Completed creative concept - User validation - Documentation ### *Delivering* your website in sprints This is where the magic of building your website happens: our skilled web development team brings everything to life. We break the project down into bite-sized chunks and prioritise the project sprints based on your needs. - Full stack development - Testing - CMS training - Content approval - Pre-launch checks - Post-launch checks ## Website Development As a [registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://umbraco.com/partners/), web design and development is our bread and butter. The varied skill set of our Kent-based agency means we have lots of experience with both front end and back end development. Our talented team of developers are well-versed in building and delivering expertly-crafted, [sustainable websites](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/ "Websites that don't cost the earth") that consistently deliver results. Our teams are always extending their learnings with continuous training, and keep up to date on the latest technologies - not just for looks, but also to keep your site secure and continually operating at its absolute best. When it comes to Umbraco, you’re in safe hands with us. Read more about our Umbraco expertise [here](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/), or why not check out our latest expert insights into getting the most out of Umbraco [here](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/). ## Our latest on *Web Development* - Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) - 8 advantages to redesigning your website Whether you’re a large-scale corporation, an SME, e-commerce brand or start-up, the time will inevitably come for your website to undergo a redesign. [8 advantages to redesigning your website](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/8-advantages-to-redesigning-your-website/) Why choose Yoyo as your *web development agency*? Yoyo is a [website design and development agency](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home"), with a team of experts in web design, development, UX, and brand. We can handle every step of the development process - whether your goals are growth and revenue generation, or refreshing your [brand identity](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-identity-design/ "Brand Identity Design") and adding personality, we’re the agency for you. We have a proven track record of [impactful, meaningful work](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp Digital Agency"), and as the digital partner to some of the world’s most exciting brands, we have experience with organisations of all different sizes, services and sectors. Take a look at some of our award-winning work here. If you want to chat more about what we can do for you as a website design agency, or how we can work with you to meet your digital design needs, [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") with us today. ## FAQs Does Yoyo Design specialise in any specific website platforms? Yes, we specialise in two platforms: [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") CMS for content-rich websites with complex workflows, and Shopify for ecommerce stores. As a [certified Umbraco Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), we have deep expertise in building enterprise level CMS solutions. What is Umbraco and why would I choose it for my website? [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") is a flexible, enterprise-grade content management system (CMS) that's ideal for organisations with complex content needs, multiple user roles, or large amounts of content. We're a certified [Umbraco Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), which means we meet the highest standards for Umbraco development and have access to dedicated support from Umbraco HQ. Can Yoyo Design build Shopify ecommerce websites? Yes, we design and build custom Shopify stores optimised for conversion and growth. This includes bespoke theme development, app integrations and migrations from other platforms. Do you offer support and maintenance after launch? Yes. We provide ongoing Umbraco support and maintenance for London based organisations after their website goes live. This includes technical updates, security patching, performance improvements and help with new features or changes as your needs evolve. Some clients work with us on a regular support arrangement, while others prefer more flexible support depending on their internal setup. Does Yoyo Design offer website migration services? Yes, we offer both [Umbraco migrations](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-support/ "Umbraco Support") (moving to Umbraco from legacy systems) and Shopify migrations (moving from other e-commerce platforms). We handle the technical complexity to ensure your content, functionality, and [SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent") value transfer smoothly. What does a website maintenance retainer with Yoyo Design include? Our ongoing retainer packages include continuous website optimisation, performance monitoring, technical support, content updates, and dedicated account management. We keep your website performing at its best with proactive improvements built in. Does Yoyo Design create accessible websites? Yes, [accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-accessibility/ "Yoyo's Approach to Accessibility") is a core part of our web design process. We ensure websites meet WCAG standards and best practices, making digital experiences inclusive and usable for all users. We also offer standalone accessibility audits for existing websites. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated Umbraco agency near you? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # Charity Web Design Agency _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/_ Charity Web Design Agency # Designing websites for charities and non-profits that inspire action and build trust At [Yoyo Design](https://yoyodesign.com/), we design and build websites for charities and non-profits that reflect the importance of your mission and the trust of your supporters. Our work focuses on clarity, honesty and usability so supporters can quickly understand what you do, why it matters and how they can help. Charity and non-profit websites carry a unique weight. They are often the very first place a supporter goes to understand your cause, build trust, and decide to take action, whether that’s making a donation, signing up for a campaign, making a referral, or volunteering their time and energy. We believe great [charity web design](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/) shouldn’t just try to impress for the sake of it. Instead, it removes friction, explains complex missions clearly, and empowers people to make confident choices. Every design choice we make is rooted in real supporter behavior and your organization’s core goals, not passing trends or empty decoration. As one of the UK's first certified [**B Corp digital**](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp Digital Agency") **agencies**, we care deeply about doing work that leaves the world a little better. [Let’s chat about your mission](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) Why do websites for charities need a different approach to design and development? We know that leading a charity or non-profit comes with unique pressures. Your budgets are closely scrutinized, you answer to diverse stakeholders, and public trust is everything. A truly great website must beautifully balance emotional storytelling with strict accountability, accessibility, and high performance. Supporters often arrive with questions rather than a firm intent to give; they need reassurance before they commit. They are looking for genuine transparency, clear impact, and proof that their contribution matters. To achieve this, your website's design and development must work hand-in-hand from day one. As a [**web design and development agency**](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "/services/web-design-agency/")specializing in charity and non-profit websites, we understand compliance, accessibility standards, and the everyday reality of managing content with small teams. We build platforms that are easy to update, resilient under pressure, and ready to evolve as your campaigns and funding priorities shift. A great website is just the start - our [SEO for charities](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-for-charities/ "SEO for Charities") service ensures your site is found by the right donors, volunteers, and supporters at the right time. ## Helping charities connect with supporters and drive meaningful outcomes Our approach starts with understanding how your supporters actually think and behave online. We map out what people need at every stage from first discovering your cause to becoming long-term champions so your website is built on real human insights, not assumptions. We design charity websites with a clear focus on: - **Natural supporter journeys:** Helping people move seamlessly from learning about your cause to taking action, without friction. - **Clear content structure:** Making your mission and impact easy to grasp instantly, without overwhelming detail. - **Effortless donation flows:** Removing unnecessary steps so supporters can give or engage with total confidence. - **Reliable performance:** Ensuring pages load quickly and forms work flawlessly, every single time. - **Easy internal management:** Empowering your team to update content and launch campaigns without technical barriers. A well-designed charity website should quietly do its job in the background. It guides your supporters to take action and frees up your team to focus on what matters most, without adding unnecessary complexity or risk. ### Our experience working with charities and purpose driven organisations Yoyo has a rich history of partnering with charities and organizations that exist to make a positive difference. We’ve been honored to collaborate with incredible brands like: - [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/ "RNLI") - [B Lab](https://yoyodesign.com/work/b-lab-uk/ "B Lab UK") - [Marie Curie](https://yoyodesign.com/work/marie-curie/ "Marie Curie") - [IAM Roadsmart](https://yoyodesign.com/work/iam-roadsmart/ "IAM RoadSmart") - [Fight for Sight](https://yoyodesign.com/work/fight-for-sight/ "Fight for Sight") - And many many more… Years of hands-on experience have shaped how we plan projects, communicate with stakeholders, and build systems that last. We use proven, reliable processes to deliver a scalable platform tailored entirely to your organization’s growth. We know that charity teams balance multiple priorities with limited time. Our role is to bring structure and calm to the process, guiding you through choices and explaining trade-offs clearly so your project keeps moving forward smoothly. This deep understanding also guides how we approach tone and content. We believe charity websites must feel human, credible, and grounded in reality, so we help you tell your story in a way that feels genuinely authentic rather than promotional. ### *Delivering* your website in sprints This is where the magic of building your website happens: our skilled web development team brings everything to life. We break the project down into bite-sized chunks and prioritise the project sprints based on your needs. - Full stack development - Testing - CMS training - Content approval - Pre-launch checks - Post-launch checks ## Website development As a [registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), web design and development is our bread and butter. The varied skill set of our Kent-based agency means we have lots of experience with both front end and back end development. Our talented team of developers are well-versed in building and delivering expertly-crafted, [sustainable websites](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/ "Websites that don't cost the earth") that consistently deliver results. Our teams are always extending their learnings with continuous training, and keep up to date on the latest technologies - not just for looks, but also to keep your site secure and continually operating at its absolute best. When it comes to Umbraco, you’re in safe hands with us. Read more about our Umbraco expertise [here](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/), or why not check out our latest expert insights into getting the most out of Umbraco [here](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/). Why choose Yoyo as your *web development agency*? Yoyo is a [website design and development agency](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home"), with a team of experts in web design, development, UX, and brand. We can handle every step of the development process - whether your goals are growth and revenue generation, or refreshing your brand identity and adding personality, we’re the agency for you. We have a proven track record of [impactful, meaningful work](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp Digital Agency"), and as the digital partner to some of the world’s most exciting brands, we have experience with organisations of all different sizes, services and sectors. Take a look at some of our award-winning work here. If you want to chat more about what we can do for you as a website design agency, or how we can work with you to meet your digital design needs, [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") with us today. ## FAQs What CMS (Content Management System) do you use for charity websites? As a registered [**Umbraco Gold Partner**](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco"), Umbraco is our platform of choice. We love it because it is incredibly flexible, highly secure, open-source (meaning no expensive software licensing fees for your charity), and exceptionally easy for non-technical teams to use. We completely customize the backend so your team can effortlessly update content, launch emergency campaigns, and manage donation pages without needing a developer. Can you integrate our website with our existing CRM and donation platforms? Absolutely. We understand that your website needs to play nicely with your existing tech stack. We have extensive experience integrating charity websites with third-party CRMs (like Salesforce, HubSpot, or Raiser's Edge) and specialized donation/payment gateways (such as JustGiving, Stripe, PayPal, and GoCardless). Our goal is to make data capture seamless and automated for your internal team. How do you ensure our new website is fully accessible to all beneficiaries and donors? Accessibility is at the core of our design process. We design and build all our charity websites to meet **WCAG AA compliance** standards as a baseline. This ensures that everyone, including elderly donors, users with visual impairments, cognitive differences, or physical disabilities, can seamlessly navigate your site, read your content, and make donations without encountering unfair barriers. What does being a certified B Corp mean for our project? Being one of the UK’s first certified [B Corp digital agencies](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp Digital Agency")means we are legally committed to balancing purpose and profit. We have been rigorously audited to ensure we meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. For your charity, it means you are partnering with an agency that genuinely shares your values, treats its team ethically, and cares deeply about making a positive impact on the world. How do you handle stakeholder management and internal sign-offs for large charities? We know that charity projects often involve multiple stakeholders, from marketing teams and digital leads to trustees and CEOs. We bring structure and calm to this process by working in agile sprints, using visual prototypes early on, and establishing clear feedback loops. We help you present designs to your board and justify design decisions with real supporter data, ensuring everyone feels aligned and heard without delaying the project. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated agency with expertise in the charity sector? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## Our latest on *Web Development* - Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) - 8 advantages to redesigning your website Whether you’re a large-scale corporation, an SME, e-commerce brand or start-up, the time will inevitably come for your website to undergo a redesign. [8 advantages to redesigning your website](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/8-advantages-to-redesigning-your-website/) --- # Digital Strategy _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/_ Digital Strategy Services # We help you build digital strategies that drive growth, clarity and measurable impact for your organisation At [Yoyo Design](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home"), we help ambitious organisations define digital strategies that bring structure to complexity and direction to investment. Our digital strategy services are designed for brands that need clarity before committing further budget, time or internal resources to digital change. As a digital strategy consultancy, we work with marketing leaders, senior stakeholders and founders who recognise that their websites, platforms and content ecosystems are not aligned. They may be managing legacy systems, disconnected tools or underperforming digital channels. Our role is to create a clear, practical roadmap that connects business objectives with technology, user experience and measurable outcomes. ## Why every ambitious brand needs a clear digital strategy Many organisations invest in digital incrementally. A website refresh here, a new tool there, a campaign layered on top. Over time this creates fragmentation. Messaging drifts, technology becomes harder to manage and teams struggle to understand what is working. A defined digital strategy brings structure back into the picture. It connects brand positioning, audience needs and business goals with the right platforms and delivery priorities. Rather than reacting to immediate pressures, organisations can make informed decisions about what to invest in and why. Digital strategy consulting is particularly valuable for organisations operating at scale or undergoing change. Whether you are preparing for a [new website build](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency"), planning a [CMS migration](https://yoyodesign.com/services/upgrades-replatforming/ "Upgrades & Replatforming") or rethinking your digital marketing approach, strategy provides the framework that reduces risk and supports long term growth. What does a digital strategy consultant actually deliver? We believe digital strategy consultants should deliver more than a presentation. The output needs to be usable, practical and aligned with internal realities. At [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home"), our digital strategy development typically includes: - Stakeholder workshops to align objectives and surface constraints - Audience research and user journey mapping - Website strategy and structural recommendations - Content strategy and content modelling guidance - CMS and platform strategy including Umbraco planning - Technical architecture recommendations - SEO and performance strategy alignment - Data analytics and measurement planning - A prioritised roadmap for delivery Each piece of work is shaped by the organisation we are working with. Some require a full digital transformation plan. Others need a focused reset that clarifies direction before rebuilding a website or consolidating platforms. The result is a clear strategy document and delivery roadmap that internal teams and external partners can act on with confidence. Our approach to digital strategy development Digital strategy development needs structure, but it also needs flexibility. Every organisation operates within its own commercial pressures, governance model and technical constraints. Our approach is designed to bring clarity to complexity without imposing a rigid framework that ignores operational reality. We combine structured analysis with collaborative engagement to ensure the strategy reflects both ambition and practicality. Our approach includes: ### **1. Context and organisational alignment** We begin by understanding your organisation in context. This includes business objectives, growth targets, internal processes, governance structures and the current technical landscape. Establishing this foundation ensures that strategy decisions are anchored in measurable goals rather than abstract recommendations. ### **2. Digital ecosystem assessment** We conduct a detailed review of your existing digital presence. This covers website structure, user experience, content quality, performance, SEO foundations and integration with other systems. The focus is on identifying structural weaknesses and points of friction that limit performance, rather than concentrating solely on cosmetic issues. ### **3. Audience and journey clarity** We define and refine audience segments and map key user journeys. This step highlights where navigation, messaging or content hierarchy may be misaligned with user intent. Clear journeys reduce friction and support measurable outcomes across engagement, conversion and retention. ### **4. Strategic prioritisation and architecture planning** Using the insight gathered, we establish clear strategic priorities. This may involve restructuring navigation, redefining content models, clarifying platform decisions or simplifying technical architecture. Every recommendation is assessed for long term maintainability and operational impact. ### **5. Roadmap creation and stakeholder validation** Strategy is shaped collaboratively, not in isolation. We work with stakeholders to validate direction and ensure internal alignment. The outcome is a prioritised roadmap that outlines phased delivery, responsibilities and measurable benchmarks. A structured approach ensures that digital strategy is not simply a document but a practical framework for decision making. By aligning context, analysis and stakeholder input, we create a direction that reduces complexity, supports execution and gives organisations confidence in their next phase of digital investment. From insight to execution aligning strategy with delivery One of the common frustrations senior leaders express is that strategy documents often sit unused. We design digital strategy services with delivery in mind from the outset. If the strategy leads into a website redesign or Umbraco implementation, we ensure that technical architecture and content structures are defined in enough detail to guide build phases. If it informs digital marketing activity, measurement frameworks and performance benchmarks are established early. As a digital strategy specialist agency with in house development capability, we understand the practical implications of architectural decisions. That experience informs our recommendations and ensures the strategy can move directly into execution without rework. Digital strategy consulting for complex organisations and evolving brands Our digital strategy consultancy is often engaged by organisations that have reached a turning point. They may have outgrown their existing website, inherited a complex platform stack or experienced internal change that has shifted priorities. Complexity can take many forms such as multiple stakeholder groups, disconnected databases, unclear content ownership or overlapping digital tools. Strategy provides a structured way to rationalise these challenges. We work with purpose driven brands, charities and growing organisations that need alignment across departments. The objective is not simply to improve digital performance but to establish a foundation that supports governance, clarity and sustainable growth. Do you need a full digital transformation or a focused strategic reset? Not every organisation requires a complete digital transformation programme. In many cases, what is needed is a focused strategic reset that clarifies direction and addresses key structural weaknesses. A full transformation may involve replatforming, redesigning websites, redefining content governance and implementing new measurement frameworks. This level of work is appropriate when systems are fundamentally misaligned with organisational goals. A strategic reset, by contrast, might refine user journeys, rationalise content, optimise platform usage and establish clearer KPIs. The aim is to maximise existing investment while preparing for future change. As digital strategy consultants, we help you determine which level of intervention is appropriate based on evidence rather than assumption. Data technology and user experience at the core of our strategy work Effective digital strategy development integrates data, technology and user experience rather than treating them separately. We use analytics and performance data to understand how users currently interact with your website. This insight informs structural and content recommendations. At the same time, we evaluate platform capability and technical architecture to ensure proposed improvements are feasible. User experience strategy plays a central role. Clear navigation, defined content hierarchies and coherent user journeys reduce friction and support measurable outcomes. Strategy decisions are grounded in how people actually use digital platforms, not abstract models. By aligning data, technology and experience, we create strategies that are both ambitious and practical. Why choose Yoyo as your *digital strategy partner*? Choosing a digital strategy company requires confidence that recommendations will be balanced and implementable. We combine consultancy thinking with delivery experience. [Yoyo Design](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home") operates as a digital consulting agency with strong technical capability, particularly in CMS strategy, design strategy, [creative direction](https://yoyodesign.com/services/creative-direction/ "Creative Direction") and [Umbraco implementation](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco"). This means our strategy work is informed by real world development considerations rather than theoretical frameworks. We focus on clarity, structured thinking and decisions that reduce long term complexity. Our digital strategy services are designed for organisations that want direction before execution, and who value substance over presentation. If you are navigating growth, transformation or structural change and need experienced digital strategy consultants to bring alignment to your digital ecosystem, we are ready to start that conversation. [Let's talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## FAQs What are digital strategy services and why do they matter? Digital strategy services help organisations define how their digital platforms, content and technology should support wider business objectives. Rather than making isolated improvements, strategy creates a structured plan that connects user needs, internal processes and measurable outcomes. They matter because digital activity rarely exists in isolation. Websites, marketing platforms, CRM systems and content teams all influence performance. Without a defined strategy, investment becomes reactive and fragmented. A clear digital strategy provides direction, reduces wasted effort and ensures future decisions are aligned. What does a digital strategy consultant actually do? A digital strategy consultant works with senior stakeholders to clarify objectives, identify structural issues and define a practical roadmap for improvement. At [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home"), this involves running workshops, reviewing existing platforms, analysing user journeys, assessing content structure and evaluating technical architecture. We then translate insight into clear recommendations covering CMS direction, user experience improvements, content modelling, performance strategy and measurement frameworks. The outcome is not theoretical guidance. It is a defined strategy and prioritised roadmap that internal teams or delivery partners can act on. How is digital strategy different from digital marketing strategy? Digital strategy focuses on the overall structure and effectiveness of your digital ecosystem. This includes your website architecture, platform decisions, content governance, user experience and measurement approach. Digital marketing strategy, by contrast, concentrates on channel performance such as paid media, social campaigns and email marketing. A strong digital strategy creates the foundation that marketing activity depends on. If the underlying website structure, user journeys or data setup are weak, marketing performance will be limited. Strategy ensures that platforms and experience support marketing efforts rather than constrain them. When is the right time to invest in digital strategy consulting? Digital strategy consulting is most valuable at moments of change or uncertainty. This might be before a website rebuild, during a CMS migration, after internal restructuring or when performance has plateaued despite ongoing investment. It is also appropriate when organisations feel that digital activity lacks direction. If stakeholders cannot clearly articulate priorities, measurement frameworks or long term plans, strategy provides the clarity needed before further spending. Investing at the right time reduces risk and prevents costly misalignment later. Can you help if we already have a website but it is underperforming? Yes. Many digital strategy engagements begin with an underperforming website rather than a blank canvas. We review structure, user journeys, content hierarchy, technical setup and performance data to understand why the website is not delivering expected outcomes. The issue is often structural rather than cosmetic. From there, we define targeted improvements. This might involve restructuring navigation, refining content models, improving performance or clarifying calls to action. In some cases, a rebuild is necessary. In others, a strategic reset is sufficient. Do you run stakeholder workshops as part of digital strategy development? Stakeholder workshops are central to our digital strategy development process. They help surface competing priorities, clarify objectives and ensure alignment across departments. We design workshops to be focused and productive, covering areas such as audience definition, success metrics, governance challenges and technical constraints. These sessions provide insight that cannot be gathered from analytics alone. By involving key stakeholders early, we reduce resistance later and ensure the resulting strategy reflects operational realities. How do you align digital strategy with business objectives? Alignment begins with clarity around organisational goals. We start by understanding revenue targets, growth ambitions, operational constraints and brand positioning. Every strategic recommendation is then assessed against those objectives. For example, if growth in a specific audience segment is a priority, user journey mapping and content strategy will focus on supporting that goal. If operational efficiency is key, platform consolidation and governance improvements may take precedence. The strategy becomes a framework for decision making, ensuring digital investment directly supports measurable business outcomes. How do you handle complex organisations with multiple stakeholders? Complex organisations require structured engagement. We identify key decision makers early and establish clear communication channels throughout the strategy process. Workshops and interviews are designed to gather input without creating unnecessary duplication. Where priorities conflict, we use evidence from research and performance data to guide decisions. Our role as a digital strategy consultancy is to bring coherence to competing viewpoints. By focusing on shared objectives and practical constraints, we help organisations move forward with clarity rather than compromise. Is digital strategy consulting suitable for charities and purpose driven brands? Digital strategy consulting is particularly valuable for charities and purpose driven organisations. These organisations often operate with limited resources but complex stakeholder groups and high expectations around accessibility, transparency and impact measurement. A defined strategy helps align mission, messaging and technology. It clarifies how digital platforms support fundraising, engagement and communication while maintaining governance and long term sustainability. We have experience working with purpose driven brands and understand the balance between ambition and operational reality. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated agency with expertise in digital strategy? [Contact us today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # SEO for Charities _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-for-charities/_ SEO for Charities and Non-Profits # Helping charities grow visibility reach and long term impact through search At [Yoyo Design](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home"), we understand that charities operate in a competitive digital environment where attention is limited and trust matters Search engines are often the first place supporters turn when researching a cause, looking for help or deciding where to donate. Our specialist SEO for charities experience is built to increase visibility in a way that supports long term growth rather than short term spikes. We work with marketing managers, communications leads and fundraising teams who want consistent organic visibility without increasing paid media budgets. As a specialist partner delivering SEO for nonprofits and purpose driven organisations, we focus on practical improvements that connect search behaviour to meaningful action. ## Why does SEO matter for charities and non-profits? For charities and non-profits, search is not only a marketing traffic channel. It is a trust signal, when a charity appears clearly and consistently in relevant search results, it strengthens credibility and reinforces authority within its cause area. Search as a marketing channel for charity organisations supports several core objectives. It increases awareness around specific issues, drives traffic to campaign landing pages, supports local visibility for community based services and helps potential donors find the right organisation at the right moment. Many charities invest heavily in campaign activity but overlook the structural search opportunity sitting within their existing website. A well defined SEO strategy for your charity ensures evergreen pages, purposeful cause content and donation pathways are discoverable long after individual campaigns end. Our approach to SEO for charities Our approach to SEO for charities begins with understanding your mission, audiences and operational constraints. We assess your website structure, content hierarchy, technical setup and existing performance to identify structural gaps rather than surface issues. From there, we develop a tailored SEO strategy aligned to fundraising goals, awareness campaigns and supporter journeys. This typically includes: - In depth keyword research focused on donation intent, informational queries and cause awareness - Technical SEO audits and remediation plans - On page optimisation of priority pages - Content strategy recommendations for long term growth - Structured data implementation relevant to charity organisations - Accessibility aligned improvements that support both users and search engines We treat SEO for nonprofits as a strategic discipline rather than a checklist. Every recommendation is grounded in your organisational goals and internal capacity. How do we increase donations, engagement and awareness through search? Search traffic only has value if it leads to action. For charities, that action might be a donation, a volunteer sign up, an event registration or a newsletter subscription. We begin by identifying where donation and engagement pathways exist within your website. We then align keyword targeting and content structure to these pathways, ensuring that high intent queries land on pages designed to convert. This includes refining donation based pages, improving campaign landing page visibility and optimising service pages that attract local or community based audiences. We also review user journeys to reduce friction between informational content and action oriented pages. The goal of delivering [SEO services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent") for charity based organisations is not simply higher rankings but increased engagement that supports measurable growth. SEO strategy aligned with your mission campaigns and supporter journeys As SEO specialists, we understand that your SEO strategy must align directly with your charity’s mission priorities. Visibility alone is not enough, search performance needs to support fundraising, awareness and service delivery in a way that reflects how your organisation operates. To ensure this alignment, we map keyword themes against: - Your core cause areas - Active and upcoming fundraising campaigns - Service delivery priorities - Key supporter journeys This structured mapping ensures that search visibility strengthens your strategic objectives rather than sitting separately from them. Different types of charities require different search approaches. Awareness driven organisations may focus on informational queries and educational resources that build authority over time. Service based charities often prioritise local SEO and eligibility related searches to ensure those in need can find help quickly. Donation led organisations typically benefit from targeting high intent keywords linked to urgency, events or seasonal campaigns. We build your SEO strategy around what drives your organisation forward. Informational content is structured to guide users naturally into engagement pathways. Campaign pages are optimised to capture intent at the right moment. Service pages are refined to improve discoverability and clarity. The result is an SEO strategy that supports your mission in a practical and measurable way, strengthening visibility while remaining true to your purpose. Measuring impact beyond rankings how we track meaningful performance We understand that rankings alone do not reflect success. For charities and non-profits, meaningful performance includes donation growth, volunteer enquiries, event registrations and newsletter sign ups. We define KPIs that reflect your organisational goals. This includes organic traffic to key pages, engagement metrics, conversion rates and visibility across priority keyword groups. Where appropriate, we implement structured reporting dashboards to provide clarity to internal stakeholders. Our reporting focuses on insight rather than noise. We explain what has changed, why it matters and how it informs the next phase of work. Working alongside your internal teams and digital partners Through our experiences, we often find that charities often rely on small digital teams supported by external agencies. Working with Yoyo Design, we position ourselves as a specialist SEO partner who works collaboratively rather than in isolation. This may involve supporting existing web development partners, contributing to website rebuild projects or providing SEO migration support during CMS transitions. Our role is to strengthen your digital ecosystem rather than replace internal capability. Start building *sustainable organic growth* for your charity If your organisation is looking to increase visibility without increasing media spend, working with a search specialist that focuses on charities provides a long term solution to your charities marketing objectives and your charities mission. At [Yoyo Design](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home"), we support charities and nonprofits in building search visibility that aligns with mission, accessibility and measurable outcomes. If you are ready to strengthen your charity SEO strategy and drive sustainable organic growth, we would be pleased to start a focused conversation about your priorities and next steps. [Let's talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## FAQs What makes a good SEO strategy for charities and non-profits? A strong charity SEO strategy aligns search visibility with mission, fundraising and awareness objectives. It balances technical stability, clear content structure and authority building. We start by understanding your cause areas and supporter journeys. From there, we identify keyword themes across informational, local and donation intent queries. Technical audits ensure your website is crawlable, accessible and performant. Content planning then fills gaps where your organisation should be visible but currently is not. Great SEO strategies especially for charities are structured, prioritised and aligned to measurable outcomes, not simply focused on rankings. Can you improve the visibility of our existing charity website? Yes. Many charities approach us with an existing website that has grown organically over time but lacks a clear SEO foundation. We conduct a full audit covering technical health, content structure, keyword targeting and user journeys. This identifies where visibility is being limited. Improvements might involve restructuring navigation, optimising priority pages, resolving indexing issues or clarifying content hierarchy. In some cases, incremental improvements are sufficient. In others, broader restructuring may be required. Our recommendations are based on evidence rather than assumption. Can SEO help us raise awareness around a specific cause? SEO is particularly effective for cause awareness because many users search for information before they search for an organisation. We research informational queries related to your cause and develop structured content strategies to address those needs. This might involve educational guides, FAQs, campaign landing pages or resource hubs. By appearing in relevant search results, your organisation becomes part of the conversation earlier in the supporter journey. Awareness driven SEO supports long term authority while also creating natural pathways into donation and engagement content. Can you support SEO during a website rebuild or migration? Yes. SEO support during a rebuild or migration is critical to protect existing visibility and prevent traffic loss. We work alongside development teams to ensure URL structures are preserved or redirected correctly, metadata is retained, technical foundations are optimised and performance is improved. Migration support also includes reviewing staging environments and validating search engine readiness before launch. For charities undergoing CMS transitions or design overhauls, integrating SEO early avoids costly corrections after launch. Do you work with charities using Umbraco or other CMS platforms? We regularly support charities using Umbraco and other content management systems. For Umbraco based websites, we provide CMS specific guidance to ensure templates, content models and technical settings support search performance. Our experience with development teams means we can translate SEO requirements into practical implementation tasks. Where other platforms are used, we adapt recommendations to fit the technical setup rather than forcing a one size approach. The objective is to ensure your CMS works with your SEO strategy rather than limiting it. Can you help with local SEO for community based charities? Yes. Community based charities often rely on local visibility for service delivery and volunteer engagement. We optimise service pages, implement local schema markup and refine content to reflect geographic intent. This improves visibility for location specific searches and ensures your organisation appears when people are actively looking for support in their area. Local SEO for charities strengthens both accessibility and trust within the communities you serve. How does accessibility relate to charity SEO? Accessibility and SEO are closely connected. Clear content structure, descriptive headings, readable text and well labelled navigation benefit both users and search engines. Charities have a responsibility to ensure digital inclusivity. Improvements that enhance accessibility often improve crawlability, user engagement and overall performance. For example, structured content hierarchies and descriptive links make websites easier to navigate for assistive technologies while also strengthening search understanding. We approach SEO in a way that supports accessibility standards rather than working against them. Can SEO help us attract volunteers as well as donors? Yes. Search behaviour differs between donors and volunteers, but both groups actively research opportunities online. We identify keyword themes around volunteering, community involvement and service participation. Dedicated landing pages are then structured and optimised to address those queries clearly. This ensures potential volunteers find relevant information quickly and can take action without confusion. SEO that is focused around charities goals and mission should support the full supporter lifecycle, not only financial contributions. Will SEO reduce our reliance on paid advertising? SEO does not replace paid advertising immediately, but it builds an organic foundation that reduces long term dependency. Paid campaigns stop when budgets pause. Organic visibility continues to generate traffic and engagement once established. By investing in structured charity SEO, organisations create sustainable reach that complements paid activity rather than relying on it exclusively. Over time, this balance provides greater stability and allows marketing budgets to be allocated more strategically. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated agency with expertise in SEO for charities? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # Shopify Website Design & Build _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/shopify-website-design-build/_ Shopify Website Design Services # Designing Shopify websites that bring brands to life and grow ecommerce revenue Shopify websites that feel *unmistakably yours* At [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/ "yoyodesign.com"), we design and build Shopify websites for D2C brands, retailers and purpose-led organisations that need their ecommerce platform to do real commercial work. Our focus is on stores that load fast, convert well and feel unmistakably yours, not generic Shopify themes with a few tweaks bolted on. Shopify is a powerful platform, but the gap between an average store and a great one almost always comes down to design judgement, UX thinking and how well the build is set up for the way a business actually operates. We treat every Shopify project as a brand opportunity first and an ecommerce build second, because we understand that shoppers buy from brands they trust, not from templates. Our approach pairs deep UX work with hands-on Shopify development. We use Shopify's strengths where they make sense, customise where they do not and integrate cleanly with the wider tools your team already relies on, whether that is fulfillment, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), subscriptions or your marketing stack. Where Shopify is not the right answer, we will say so. As a [registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner")with hands-on Shopify development experience, our recommendations come from genuine platform comparison rather than what we happen to sell. ## Why does a great Shopify website need more than a great Shopify theme? Shopify’s accessibility is both its strength and its flaw: anyone can launch a store, but few can build a high-converting, scalable Shopify website that reflects a serious brand. The difference between an average store and a great Shopify platform isn't the software it’s the strategy, UX design, and commercial discipline behind it. Shopify projects must balance speed with the deep brand experience and conversion-led design expected of a leading digital storefront. They must respect platform constraints, like theme architecture, app integrations, and checkout limitations, while avoiding the generic, templated look of competitors. Crucially, they must prioritize real-world conversion rates over subjective design reviews. A commercial Shopify engine starts with customer shopping behaviour, identifying revenue leaks, and ensuring manageable backend workflows for your team. Decisions are driven by commercial outcomes, not basic theme libraries. That is the difference between a store that simply launches and one that truly performs. ## Shopify, your ultimate *sales engine.* Our approach starts with how your customers shop, not just what Shopify can do out of the box. We find where revenue is left on the table, eliminate friction, and design high-performing stores with a strict focus on: - **Standout Brand Experience:** Custom Shopify builds that express your identity, avoiding generic themes. - **Conversion-Led UX:** Mapping the full purchase journey to remove drop-offs where it costs you sales. - **Performance & Speed:** Lean stores that load quickly and score high on Core Web Vitals. - **SEO Visibility:** Optimizing your setup to drive long-term organic search growth. - **Scalable Structures:** Product and collection templates built to handle future catalog expansion. - **Clean Stack Integrations:** Seamlessly connecting Shopify to your fulfillment, ERP, CRM, and analytics tools. - **Developer-Free Management:** Empowering your marketing team to launch lines and update content without technical bottlenecks. The aim is a Shopify website that earns its place commercially, not one that just looks the part on launch day. ## The Industries we *partner with* We work with D2C brands, retailers, premium product businesses and purpose-led organisations using Shopify to grow online revenue. That spans wine and food brands building out direct-to-consumer arms, specialist product companies replatforming from older systems and established retailers pushing an existing Shopify store to do more. Our ecommerce, D2C and product-led experience includes: - [Vintner](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vintner/ "yoyodesign.com") for a full Shopify rebuild alongside a rebrand, taking a wine brand from a B2B model into a playful D2C business and delivering a 50% increase in time on site, a 33% drop in bounce rate and award-winning recognition across UX, UI and Innovation - [Demelza](https://yoyodesign.com/work/demelza/ "Demelza")for a new Shopify store built as part of a wider website rebuild for a children's hospice charity - [Vivobarefoot](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vivobarefoot/ "Vivobarefoot")for a UX-led digital sales tool supporting a sector-leading barefoot footwear brand - [King & Allen](https://yoyodesign.com/work/king-allen/ "King & Allen") for strategy, UX and development across a premium bespoke tailoring business If you sell online or are about to, we have likely worked on something close to your situation. ## Delivering *your shopify website* in sprints This is where the magic of the build happens. Our Shopify development team brings everything to life. We break the project down into bite-sized sprints and prioritise them based on what matters most to your launch. - Full stack Shopify development - QA and cross-browser testing - Shopify CMS training for your team - Content review and approval - Pre-launch checks across performance, payments and tracking - Post-launch checks and rapid response to anything that needs adjusting You always know what is in the current sprint, what is in the next one and what the trade-offs are if priorities shift mid-project. Shopify development *credentials* As a registered [Umbraco Gold Partner](https://umbraco.com/partners/partnerlist/yoyo-design/ "umbraco.com") with deep, hands-on Shopify development experience, we sit in a useful position. We can recommend Shopify when it is the right call, recommend Umbraco when it is not and build with equal confidence in both worlds. And if you’re a charity or non-profit, it also means we’re expertised to take on your main website as well as your Shopify store ensuring they have the perfect cohesion. Our developers stay close to Shopify's roadmap, including changes to checkout extensibility, headless options and Shopify Plus features, so the websites we build reflect how the platform works today rather than how it worked three years ago. We also take build quality seriously across performance, accessibility and sustainability, so the Shopify stores we ship hold up well after launch. You can read more about our broader platform thinking on our [Umbraco service page.](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "yoyodesign.com") Why choose Yoyo as your *Shopify web design agency*? Yoyo is a multidisciplinary [web design and development agency](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "yoyodesign.com") with in-house expertise across UX, brand, Shopify development and ongoing optimisation. We can take a Shopify project from initial discovery through to launch and beyond, without handing parts of the work to subcontractors you have never met. We have a track record of [award-winning work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/ "yoyodesign.com")across Shopify and broader digital projects, with a client mix of growing D2C brands, established retailers and purpose-led organisations. Whether you are launching your first Shopify store, replatforming from Magento or WooCommerce or pushing an existing Shopify site harder, we can help you build something that genuinely performs. If you would like to chat about what a Shopify project with Yoyo could look like, get in touch. [Let's talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## FAQs How much does a Shopify website cost with Yoyo? Cost depends on the level of customisation, the complexity of integrations and whether brand work is part of the scope. A lightly customised theme-based Shopify build sits at the lower end. A heavily bespoke Shopify Plus project with multiple integrations sits much higher. We will give you a clear, itemised proposal after an initial discovery call so you can see exactly what is included and what is not. How long does it take to build a Shopify website? Most of our Shopify projects run between 8 and 16 weeks from kick-off to launch, ultimately, every project is different. Smaller theme-led builds can move faster. Larger Shopify Plus projects with integrations to ERP, fulfilment or subscription systems take longer. Our sprint-based delivery means you see meaningful progress every two weeks rather than waiting for a big reveal at the end. Should I choose Shopify or Umbraco for my website? If your website is primarily an ecommerce store, Shopify is usually the stronger choice for speed of delivery, ease of management and built-in commerce features. If your website is content-led with secondary ecommerce, [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") gives you far more editorial flexibility. We work in both and will recommend whichever fits the way your business actually operates, not whichever is easier to sell. Can you migrate my existing website to Shopify? Yes. We handle replatforming from Magento, WooCommerce, BigCommerce and other platforms onto Shopify and Shopify Plus, including product data, customer accounts, order history, URL redirects and SEO preservation. Migrations are one of the higher-risk moments in an ecommerce business's life, so we plan them carefully rather than rushing them. Do you build on Shopify Plus? Yes. Shopify Plus is the right fit for higher-volume merchants who need advanced checkout customisation, B2B functionality, multi-store setups or deeper API access. We will help you assess whether Shopify Plus is genuinely needed or whether a well-built standard Shopify store will do the same job at a fraction of the cost. Will my Shopify website be good for SEO? Yes. SEO is considered on every Shopify project as standard, not bolted on at the end. We build with clean URL structures, proper metadata, structured data, fast page speeds and accessibility in place from the start. We also have SEO specialists in-house, so the level of SEO work can be dialled up or down depending on how important organic search is to your business. For some clients that means solid technical foundations and nothing more. For others it means a deeper SEO engagement covering migration planning, redirect mapping and ranking protection post-launch. Can you integrate Shopify with our existing systems? Yes. Common integrations include ERP, fulfilment platforms such as Mintsoft or Linnworks, subscription engines such as Recharge, email and CRM tools such as Klaviyo or HubSpot, reviews and loyalty platforms and bespoke internal systems through Shopify's APIs. Do you provide Shopify support after launch? Yes. Many of our Shopify clients move into an ongoing optimisation partnership after launch, where we continue to iterate on UX, run conversion experiments, support new product launches and respond to platform changes. Some prefer ad-hoc support. We can shape post-launch support around what works for your team. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated shopify agency near you? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # Digital Strategy & Consultancy _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy-consultancy/_ Digital Strategy & Consultancy # Digital strategy that turns scattered priorities into a clear plan for growth Making better *digital decisions* At [Yoyo Design,](http://www.yoyodesign.com "www.yoyodesign.com") we help organisations make better digital decisions. Most of the businesses and charities we work with are not short of digital activity. They are short of a clear, agreed plan for where that activity should be going and why. A good [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy") is not a 60-page document that sits in a drawer. It is a practical, commercially grounded plan that tells you what to prioritise, what to stop doing and how each decision connects to the outcomes your organisation actually cares about. We work across B2B, charity, membership and professional services organisations, often where digital sits across several teams and no single person has the full picture. Our job is to bring that picture together and turn it into something your team can act on. Because we also design and build the things we recommend, our strategy work is grounded in delivery reality rather than theory. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "yoyodesign.com") with deep brand and development experience, we know what it takes to actually ship the plan, not just present it. ## Why do most digital strategies never translate into results? The problem is rarely a lack of ideas. It is that most digital strategies are created in isolation, kept too abstract and never connected to the people or budgets that would make them real. A strategy that cannot be delivered is just an opinion with a deadline. Good digital strategy sits at an awkward intersection. It has to be ambitious enough to matter, specific enough to act on and realistic enough to survive contact with your actual team, budget and timelines. It also has to be owned internally, because a plan nobody believes in does not get followed once the consultants leave. A [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy") that earns its place starts somewhere different to one that just looks impressive. It begins with your commercial goals, an honest view of where you are now and what your organisation can realistically deliver. From there, every recommendation is tied to an outcome and an owner. That is the difference between a strategy that informs decisions and one that gathers dust. ## Turning digital strategy into *measurable growth* We start with the outcomes your organisation is measured on, not with a list of digital tactics. Then we work back to the decisions, priorities and capabilities that will actually move those numbers. We shape every [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy") engagement around: - A clear, prioritised roadmap - replacing a long wish list with a sequenced plan that shows what to do first, what can wait and why. - Strategy tied to commercial goals - connecting every recommendation to revenue, efficiency, reach or whatever your organisation is actually trying to achieve. - An honest view of where you are - auditing your current digital estate, data and capabilities so the plan is built on reality, not assumptions. - Decisions your team can own - building the strategy with your people, so it sticks once we step back rather than stalling. - A measurement framework that proves it - defining the metrics and tracking up front so you can see whether the strategy is working. - A plan that can actually be delivered - shaping recommendations around your real budget, team and timelines, not an ideal world. The aim is a digital strategy that changes what your organisation does on Monday morning, not one that gets admired and ignored. ## The Industries we *partner with* We work with B2B organisations, charities, membership bodies and professional services businesses, often where digital responsibility is spread across teams and the strategy has never been pulled together in one place. That spans organisations going through digital transformation, brands scaling into new markets and teams that need an external, commercially honest view of where to focus next. Our digital strategy and transformation experience includes: - [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/ "RNLI") for leading a large-scale digital transformation for one of the UK's best known charities - [IAM RoadSmart](https://yoyodesign.com/work/iam-roadsmart/ "yoyodesign.com") for driving digital transformation across a national membership organisation - [Zoonou](https://yoyodesign.com/work/zoonou/ "Zoonou") for brand and digital transformation for a growing technology business - [B Lab UK](https://yoyodesign.com/work/b-lab-uk/ "B Lab UK") for UX and digital strategy supporting the growth of the B Corp movement - [Gigzzee](https://yoyodesign.com/work/gigzzee/ "Gigzzee") for strategy and brand work scaling a global fintech proposition If your digital activity has outgrown the plan behind it, we have likely worked through something similar. ## Delivering your *digital strategy* in sprints Strategy work can drag on for months if it is not managed properly. We run our digital strategy engagements in focused sprints so you get to clear decisions quickly and see momentum rather than a long silence followed by a big document: - Discovery and stakeholder interviews - Audit of your current digital estate, data and performance - Strategic workshops with your team - A prioritised roadmap with clear owners - A measurement and reporting framework - Handover and enablement so your team can run with it You always know what the current sprint is focused on, what comes next and where the trade-offs sit if priorities change. Digital strategy *credentials* Plenty of agencies will sell you a strategy. Far fewer can stand behind it through delivery. As a Registered [Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "yoyodesign.com") with in-house brand, UX and development teams, our recommendations are grounded in what it actually takes to build and run digital products, not just present them. That matters because the weakest digital strategies are the ones written by people who never have to deliver them. We have led digital transformations for national charities and membership organisations, so we understand the gap between a confident slide and a working result. And if you are a charity or non-profit, it also means we can take the strategy through to the [website](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "yoyodesign.com"), brand or platform work that follows, with one team and no handover gaps. You can read more about how we think about digital across sectors in our writing on [AI in digital marketing](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/5-different-ways-to-think-about-ai-in-your-digital-marketing-strategy/ "yoyodesign.com") strategy and [digital transformation in the charity sector](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-poor-digital-knowledge-is-preventing-digital-transformation-in-the-charity-sector/ "yoyodesign.com"). Why choose Yoyo as your *digital strategy agency?* Yoyo is a multidisciplinary [web design and development agency](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "yoyodesign.com") with strategy, brand, UX and development expertise under one roof. That means we can shape the plan and deliver it, without passing you between a strategy team that does not build and a delivery team that was not in the room when the thinking happened. We have a track record of [award-winning work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/ "yoyodesign.com") across digital transformation, brand and platform projects, with a client mix of B2B organisations, charities and membership bodies. Whether you need a full digital strategy from scratch, a second opinion on an existing plan or a roadmap to guide a major project, we can help you get to a clear, commercial direction. If you would like to talk through what a digital strategy engagement with Yoyo could look like, [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact"). [Let's talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## FAQs What does a digital strategy engagement with Yoyo involve? It usually starts with discovery and an audit of where you are now, followed by stakeholder workshops to align on goals and constraints. From there we build a prioritised roadmap tied to commercial outcomes, a measurement framework and a clear handover so your team can act on it. The exact shape depends on whether you need a full strategy or a focused second opinion. How much does digital strategy consultancy cost? Cost depends on the scope, the size of your organisation and how much delivery support you want afterwards. A focused strategy sprint sits at the lower end. A full transformation roadmap involving multiple stakeholders and detailed auditing sits higher. We will give you a clear, itemised proposal after an initial conversation so you know exactly what is included. How long does a digital strategy project take? Most projects run between 4 and 10 weeks depending on the size of the organisation and the number of stakeholders involved. Focused pieces of work can move faster. We deliberately work in sprints so you reach clear decisions early rather than waiting months for a single document. What is the difference between digital strategy and digital marketing strategy? Digital strategy is the wider plan for how digital supports your organisation's goals, covering platforms, data, UX, content and capability. Digital marketing strategy is a part of that, focused specifically on how you reach and convert audiences. We can work at either level, and we will be clear about which one you actually need rather than overselling the bigger piece. Do you only advise, or can you deliver the strategy as well? Both. Unlike consultancies that hand you a plan and leave, we have in-house brand, UX and development teams who can deliver the work the strategy recommends. You can use us purely for the thinking, or take it through to delivery with the same team that shaped it. Can you work alongside our internal team or existing agencies? Yes. We often work as an extension of an internal team or alongside other agencies. We are comfortable being the external, commercially honest voice in the room and we are not precious about who delivers what, as long as the plan gets executed properly. How do you measure whether the strategy is working? We define the metrics that matter up front and build a measurement framework into the roadmap, so success is not subjective. That usually means tying recommendations to specific commercial or engagement outcomes and making sure the tracking exists to actually report on them. Do you work with charities and non-profits on digital strategy? Yes. A significant amount of our strategy and transformation work is in the charity and non-profit sector, including national organisations. We understand the constraints these organisations work within and we are a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner,](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "yoyodesign.com") so we can take the strategy through to platform delivery where that is the right next step. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a strategic digital partner near you? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # SEO & GEO _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-geo/_ SEO & GEO # SEO and GEO that keep your brand visible in search and in AI answers The difference between *SEO and GEO* At [Yoyo Design,](http://www.yoyodesign.com "www.yoyodesign.com") we help organisations stay visible as search changes. People still use Google, but a growing share of questions are now answered directly by AI, whether that is Google's AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity. Being found today means two things, ranking in search and being the source AI tools quote. That is the difference between SEO and GEO. SEO is the work that earns visibility in traditional search results. GEO, or generative engine optimisation, is the work that makes your brand a clear, trusted source that AI systems pull from when they answer a question. They share foundations, but they are not the same job, and treating them as one is where most organisations go wrong. Our approach pairs solid technical SEO with content and structured data built to earn both rankings and citations. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner") with in-house development, the recommendations we make are things we can actually implement, not a wish list handed to a developer who never returns it. This is our SEO and GEO hub. It covers how we think about visibility across both. For deeper detail you can read our writing on [what AI means for SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/what-does-ai-mean-for-seo/ "yoyodesign.com") and u[sing structured data to win AI Overview citations](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/schema-for-good-using-structured-data-to-win-ai-overview-citations/ "yoyodesign.com"), or talk to us about where your organisation should focus first. ## Why does being found now mean optimising for both search and AI? A growing number of searches never reach a blue link. The answer appears at the top of the page or inside a chat window, drawn from a handful of sources. If your brand is not one of those sources, you can rank well and still be invisible at the moment the decision is made. SEO and GEO overlap but reward different things. Strong technical foundations, clear authority and trustworthy content help both. Beyond that, classic SEO still drives the clicks AI does not capture, while GEO rewards clean structure, factual accuracy and being a source worth quoting. You cannot do one and assume the other follows. The organisations that stay visible build a single approach that earns rankings and citations together, grounded in technical SEO rather than chasing whatever tactic is trending that month. That is the difference between being busy with SEO and actually being found. ## Helping brands and charities stay visible across *search and AI* We start with where your visibility actually stands across both search and AI, then work back to the technical, content and structural changes that will move it. No tactic list for the sake of activity. We shape SEO and GEO work around: - Technical SEO foundations - making sure your site can be crawled, indexed and understood before anything else is built on top. - Content built to rank and be cited - clear, factual, well-structured content that earns search positions and is easy for AI systems to quote. - Structured data and schema - giving search engines and AI models the explicit signals they need to understand and reference you. - Authority and topical depth - building the credibility and subject coverage that both rankings and AI answers consistently reward. - Measurement across search and AI - tracking visibility beyond rankings, including presence in AI answers, not just positions and clicks. - Clear priorities, not a tactic list - telling you what genuinely moves visibility for your organisation and what is noise. The aim is durable visibility that survives algorithm updates and the shift to AI search, not a short-term spike that disappears at the next change. ## The Industries we *partner with* We work with B2B organisations, charities, membership bodies, professional services firms and ecommerce brands, usually where trust, authority and clear messaging matter as much as raw traffic. That spans organisations going through digital transformation, charities competing for attention against far bigger budgets and brands that need to stay visible as search moves toward AI. Our digital and visibility-related experience includes: - [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/ "RNLI")for leading a large-scale digital transformation for one of the UK's best known charities - [IAM RoadSmart](https://yoyodesign.com/work/iam-roadsmart/ "yoyodesign.com")for driving digital transformation across a national membership organisation - [Zoonou](https://yoyodesign.com/work/zoonou/ "Zoonou") for brand and digital transformation for a growing technology business - [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/ "Worldwide Cancer Research")for a charity website built with search visibility and accessibility in mind We also write regularly on this area, including [how charities can harness Google's AI Overviews](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-charities-can-harness-googles-new-ai-overviews-for-seo-success/ "yoyodesign.com") and the [impact of Google's generative AI on search.](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/exploring-the-impact-of-google-s-new-generative-ai-on-search/ "yoyodesign.com") Delivering your SEO and GEO work *in sprints* EO and GEO are ongoing, not a one-off project. We still run the work in focused sprints so you see momentum and clear priorities rather than a vague retainer with nothing to point at. - Technical and visibility audit across search and AI - A prioritised roadmap tied to commercial outcomes - Implementation sprints across technical, content and structured data - Content optimisation and creation built to rank and be cited - Measurement and reporting across rankings, traffic and AI presence - Ongoing iteration as algorithms and AI models change You always know what the current sprint is focused on, what comes next and where the trade-offs sit if priorities change. SEO and GEO *credentials* The weakest SEO is a list of recommendations nobody implements. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner") with in-house development, brand and content teams, our technical SEO is grounded in how sites are actually built, so what we recommend is what we can ship. You can read more about how we approach this in our writing on [making SEO friendlier](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-seo-making-seo-friendlier/ "yoyodesign.com") in Umbraco. We also stay close to how search and AI are shifting rather than treating GEO as a buzzword. Our team writes practically on the topic, from f[ive ways to start optimising content for SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/five-ways-to-start-optimising-your-content-for-seo/ "yoyodesign.com") to [why your PPC budget might be better spent on SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/why-your-ppc-budget-might-be-better-spent-on-seo/ "yoyodesign.com"). If you also need a clear digital direction first, our digital strategy work sets the priorities that SEO and GEO then deliver against. Why choose Yoyo as your *SEO and GEO agency?* Yoyo is a multidisciplinary [web design and development agency](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "yoyodesign.com")with SEO, content, technical and development expertise under one roof. That means we can find the issues, recommend the fixes and actually implement them, without passing you between an SEO team that does not build and a development team that was not in the room. We have a track record of [award-winning work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/ "yoyodesign.com")across digital transformation, brand and platform projects, with a client mix of B2B organisations, charities and membership bodies. Whether you need a full SEO and GEO programme, a technical audit or help staying visible as AI search grows, we can give you a clear, honest direction. You can also see our wider [SEO services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "yoyodesign.com")for more detail. If you would like to talk through what SEO and GEO with Yoyo could look like, [get in touch.](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") [Let's talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## FAQs What is GEO and how is it different from SEO? SEO is the work that earns visibility in traditional search results. GEO, or generative engine optimisation, is the work that makes your brand a clear, trusted source that AI systems quote when they answer a question. They share foundations like strong content and technical health, but GEO puts more weight on clean structure, factual accuracy and being genuinely citable. Most organisations need both, working together rather than in isolation. Is SEO still worth it now that AI answers so many queries? Yes. AI answers are often built from the same content that ranks well, so strong SEO feeds your AI visibility rather than competing with it. There is also still a large volume of search where people click through to sites, which AI does not capture. Abandoning SEO to chase AI would weaken both. The sensible move is to do them as one connected programme. How do you get a brand cited in AI Overviews and tools like ChatGPT? There is no guaranteed placement, and anyone promising one is overselling. What genuinely helps is clear, factual, well-structured content, strong topical authority, clean technical foundations and structured data that makes your information easy to interpret. We focus on the things that consistently improve your chances of being the source AI pulls from, rather than chasing tricks that do not last. How do you measure SEO and GEO success? We measure beyond rankings. That includes organic traffic and conversions, visibility for the topics that matter commercially and, for GEO, whether your brand is appearing and being cited in AI answers for relevant questions. We agree what success looks like up front so reporting is tied to outcomes, not vanity metrics. How long does SEO and GEO take to work? Meaningful movement usually takes a few months, depending on the starting point, the competitiveness of your space and how quickly fixes can be implemented. Technical issues can show improvement faster. Authority and content gains build over time. We are honest about timelines rather than promising quick wins that do not hold. Do you do the technical implementation or just advise? Both. Unlike agencies that hand over a document and leave the hard part to you, we have in-house development, content and design teams who can implement the work. You can use us purely for strategy and audit, or take it all the way through to delivery with the same team. Should we move our PPC budget into SEO and GEO? Sometimes, but not always. PPC and SEO do different jobs and the right balance depends on your goals, margins and timeframe. We will give you a clear view rather than a blanket answer, and we have written about when reallocating the budget makes sense. The point is to spend where it actually returns, not to follow a rule of thumb. Do you work with charities and non-profits on SEO and GEO? Yes. A significant amount of our work is in the charity and non-profit sector, where organisations often compete for visibility against far larger budgets. We understand those constraints, and as a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner")we can take recommendations through to implementation where that is the right next step. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated SEO & GEO agency near you? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # Hosting & Migrations _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/hosting-migrations/_ Hosting & Migrations # Reliable website hosting and careful migrations, *powered by 100% renewable energy* Making better *digital decisions* At [Yoyo Design](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home"), we provide hosting and migration services for organisations that need their websites to stay live, fast and secure. For most of our clients, the website is the front door of the business or charity. Hosting is what keeps that door open. Hosting is invisible when it is done well and catastrophic when it is not. We work with a Cyber Essentials certified hosting partner whose infrastructure runs on 100% renewable energy, with on-site solar, Tesla batteries and custom low-voltage servers that cut energy use by 70%. The result is hosting that meets the strict security standards your IT team will ask about and the sustainability standards your board increasingly does. Yoyo is a [B Corp](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp Digital Agency"), which means our green hosting choice is not a marketing line. [Digital services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ "Services") have one of the highest levels of energy use of any industry. Choosing renewable partners is one of the most practical ways an agency like ours can reduce the impact of the work we put into the world. We also handle hosting migrations. Migrations are one of the higher-risk moments in a website's life. We plan them carefully, protect rankings and traffic, minimise downtime and stay accountable from cutover through to post-launch monitoring. ## Why is hosting one of the most underrated decisions an organisation makes? Hosting choice is usually made quickly, often late in a project, and rarely reviewed again until something breaks. By then the cost is visible. Downtime, security issues, slow pages, lost search visibility and the panic of trying to switch hosts mid-crisis. Good hosting is a quiet investment that only becomes obvious when it is not in place. Reliable hosting sits at an awkward intersection. It has to be fast, secure, resilient, scalable, accountable and increasingly sustainable. Most cheap hosts cut corners on at least one of those. Most managed providers charge a premium without owning the relationship with you. The right hosting partner makes the trade-offs visible and tells you what your site actually needs. A hosting service that earns its place starts somewhere different to one that just runs the servers. It begins with accountability, includes proper security and monitoring as standard and is honest about both performance and environmental impact. That is the difference between a host that takes your payment and one that keeps your site live. ## Helping organisations keep their websites fast, secure and online We start with what your website needs to do, not with a hosting tier. Then we recommend the setup that supports it properly, whether that is shared, dedicated, cloud or managed hosting, and we run the relationship so your team does not have to. We shape every hosting and migration engagement around: - **Reliable hosting with guaranteed uptime** - Infrastructure built to deliver 99.9% uptime, so your site stays live at the moments it matters most. - **Green hosting on renewable energy** - 100% renewable power, on-site solar and Tesla batteries, and custom low-voltage servers that cut energy use by 70% without compromising performance. - **Security as standard, not as an upsell** - SSL, firewalls, malware protection and regular server patching, delivered through a Cyber Essentials certified hosting partner. - **Smooth, low-risk migrations** - Careful planning, staged cutovers, redirect mapping and SEO preservation so the move does not cost you visibility or sales. - **One accountable point of contact** - We act as the single owner of hosting issues, dealing directly with the host so your team does not have to chase support tickets. - **Scalable when you actually need it** - Upgrades and resource changes recommended when the site genuinely needs them, not pushed before it does. The aim is hosting that you forget about, in the best possible way. ## The Industries we *partner with* We work with B2B businesses, charities, membership organisations, professional services firms and mission-led brands. The common thread is that the website matters, downtime has a real commercial cost and sustainability is increasingly part of the conversation. That spans charities running fundraising and campaigns, membership bodies whose websites are the day-to-day operational hub for their members, B2B businesses where lost uptime means lost enquiries, and brands whose values demand a hosting partner whose values match. Examples of our wider work include: - [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/ "RNLI")for one of the UK's best known charities, where a national audience relies on the website being available - [B Lab UK](https://yoyodesign.com/work/b-lab-uk/ "B Lab UK") for the B Corp movement, where mission and operational reliability sit side by side - [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/ "Worldwide Cancer Research") for a charity website built around donor trust and sustained reliability - [IAM RoadSmart](https://yoyodesign.com/work/iam-roadsmart/ "IAM RoadSmart") for a national membership organisation where day-to-day member access depends on the site staying live - [The Sustainable Restaurant Association](https://yoyodesign.com/work/the-sustainable-restaurant-association/ "The Sustainable Restaurant Association") for a sustainability-led organisation whose digital footprint mattered to the brief These are the kinds of organisations that need hosting to be invisible because it just works. ## Delivering your *hosting* *and* *migrations* Hosting is ongoing, migrations are a project. We run both with the same focus on accountability, so you know exactly what is happening, who owns it and what to expect next. Across hosting and migration work, we cover: - **Hosting setup and configuration** - matching the environment to what your site actually needs rather than upselling capacity you will not use. - **Continuous uptime monitoring** - proactive monitoring with first-point-of-contact accountability when anything looks off. - **Security management** - SSL, firewalls, malware protection, server software patching and ongoing vulnerability reduction. - **Backup and recovery** - scheduled and managed backups, with prompt recovery if anything goes wrong. - **Hosting migration planning and cutover** - staged planning, full QA, careful go-live and post-launch monitoring to minimise downtime and protect rankings. - **Technical liaison with the hosting provider** - we manage the relationship with the host so your team does not have to chase tickets or escalate problems. You always know who owns what and where to come if something is not right. Hosting and migration *credentials* Yoyo is a [B Corp](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp Digital Agency"), which means our hosting choices reflect the same commitments we make in the rest of the business. Our hosting partner runs on 100% renewable energy, with on-site solar, Tesla batteries and a 100% renewable backup electricity provider. Server components are custom built and low voltage, cutting energy use by 70%. The data centre is itself carbon neutral, with any residual carbon offset through projects focused on preventing Amazon deforestation. There is a natural gas standby generator on site for power outages, and the data centre is located in South East England. Our hosting partner is Cyber Essentials certified, a UK government information assurance scheme operated by the National Cyber Security Centre, awarded only to providers who can demonstrate they meet strict security standards. You can read more about how we think about all of this in our writing on [why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/ "The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority"), [selecting the right hosting provider](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/select-the-right-hosting-provider/ "Select the right hosting provider") and [keeping your website's digital carbon footprint low](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/ "Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint"). And as a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner") with in-house development, our hosting and migration work is grounded in real platform knowledge. We know what to check, what tends to break and what good looks like, especially for Umbraco-based sites. Why choose Yoyo as your *hosting and migrations agency?* Yoyo is a multidisciplinary [web design and development agency](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") with hosting, development, security and sustainability expertise under one roof. We can take responsibility for the website and the infrastructure it runs on, without you having to manage two different relationships when something needs fixing. We have a track record of [award-winning work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/ "Work") across digital transformation, brand and platform projects, with a client mix of B2B organisations, charities, membership bodies and mission-led brands. Whether you need new hosting, a migration off an old provider or a single accountable partner to take the headache off your team, we can help. If you would like to talk through what hosting and migrations with Yoyo could look like, [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact"). [Let's talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## FAQs What is included in your website hosting service? Reliable hosting with a 99.9% uptime guarantee, continuous uptime monitoring, security management including SSL, firewalls, malware protection and server patching, scheduled backups and recovery, scalability recommendations as your site grows, and a single accountable point of contact for hosting issues. We act as the intermediary with the hosting provider, so your team does not have to chase support tickets. Do you offer green hosting? Yes. Our standard hosting infrastructure runs on 100% renewable energy, with on-site solar, Tesla batteries, custom low-voltage servers that cut energy use by 70%, and a carbon neutral data centre. Residual carbon is offset through projects focused on preventing Amazon deforestation. As a [B Corp](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp Digital Agency"), sustainability is part of how we operate rather than an add-on. What is your uptime guarantee? Our hosting comes with a 99.9% uptime guarantee. We back that up with continuous monitoring, security maintenance and proactive issue resolution, so the rare occasions something does go wrong are caught and resolved quickly rather than escalating. Do you handle hosting migrations from other providers? Yes. We migrate websites from a wide range of hosting providers onto our managed hosting setup. The process covers full planning, staging, redirect mapping, DNS management, careful cutover, post-migration monitoring and SEO preservation. Migrations are higher-risk by nature, so we plan them properly rather than rushing the go-live. How do you minimise downtime during a hosting migration? Through proper preparation. That means staging the new environment fully, testing thoroughly before cutover, scheduling go-live for the lowest-traffic window when possible, monitoring closely during the switch and being ready to respond instantly if anything needs adjusting. The aim is a migration your users do not notice. Do you protect SEO during hosting migrations? Yes. We treat SEO preservation as a core part of any migration. That includes redirect mapping, preserving URL structures where possible, maintaining metadata and structured data, and monitoring rankings closely post-migration. If you also need a deeper [SEO and GEO engagement](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-geo/ "SEO & GEO") alongside the migration, we can run both as one connected piece of work. Are Umbraco CMS updates included in hosting? No. Hosting covers the infrastructure your site runs on. Updates to the Umbraco CMS itself, including testing and implementation, are scoped and quoted separately as part of [Umbraco support and development work](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco"). We will always be clear about which falls where so there are no surprises. Do you provide out-of-hours support? Our standard support hours are 9.00am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday. Out-of-hours cover can be arranged through a separate agreement where it is genuinely needed, for example for sites where weekend or evening traffic is mission critical. We will be honest about whether out-of-hours support is actually warranted for your situation. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated agency that can support your hosting and migration needs? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # Technical Consultancy & Performance _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/technical-consultancy-performance/_ Technical Consultancy & Performance # Get under the hood of your website to make it faster, smoother and more accessible Making better *digital decisions* At Yoyo Design, we provide technical consultancy and performance work for websites that need a check-up, a tune-up or a thoughtful second opinion. Most sites we look at are doing things technically that are quietly slowing them down, costing them search visibility or making them harder to maintain. Our team gets under the hood of your Umbraco, Shopify or other website to find the real issues, not just the obvious ones, then either fixes them, recommends what to prioritise or builds the case for the wider work that is genuinely needed. We work fast, we work practically and we work in plain language. Technical work goes wrong when it disappears into jargon, so we keep our findings clear, our recommendations actionable and our reporting honest. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner") with [in-house development](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency"), design and SEO expertise, our technical recommendations come with the ability to implement them. Not a list handed over to someone else to figure out and quietly forget. ## Why do websites quietly get worse over time? Most websites go live in good shape and slowly drift. Every new integration, plugin, content addition or platform update introduces a bit of weight, a bit of friction or a bit of risk. Performance creeps down. Accessibility issues build up. Technical debt accumulates. None of it is dramatic enough to demand attention until something genuinely breaks or rankings start dropping. The other half of the problem is that technical work rarely gets the time it needs. Marketing teams ship campaigns. Product teams ship features. The quiet, foundational work that keeps a site fast, accessible and clean tends to wait until it cannot wait any more, by which point the cost of fixing it is far higher than the cost of staying on top of it would have been. A technical engagement that earns its place starts with what is actually wrong, what it is costing you and what to fix first. That is the difference between an audit that ends up in a folder and one that genuinely makes your website better. ## Helping organisations keep their websites *fast, accessible and built to last* We start with what your website is meant to do and where it is falling short, not with a generic checklist. Then we work back to the technical changes that will actually move the things you care about. We shape every technical and performance engagement around: - **Honest technical audits** - finding what is genuinely holding your site back, not generating a long list of things that look impressive but do not matter. - **Real performance gains** - faster page loads, better Core Web Vitals and a smoother experience on the devices your users actually use. - **Accessibility that genuinely works** - improvements that meet WCAG standards and, more importantly, work for real people in the real world. - **Cleaner technical foundations** - simpler architecture, fewer dependencies and lighter integrations that are easier to maintain and extend. - **Recommendations you can act on** - clear priorities tied to commercial outcomes, not a 60-page document full of jargon. - **Implementation, not just advice** - the same team that finds the issues can fix them, so nothing gets lost in translation between agencies. The aim is a website that is genuinely better after we have worked on it, not just better documented. ## Our *technical services* Technical consultancy and performance work cover a wide field. Our offering focuses on the areas where we see organisations getting the most lift, and we will be honest if your situation does not need all of them. **Technical Audits & Health Checks** A thorough look under the hood of your [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco"), [Shopify](https://yoyodesign.com/services/shopify-website-design-build/ "Shopify Website Design & Build") or other website to identify what is slowing it down, breaking accessibility, harming search visibility or creating risk. We test on real devices, dig into the code, architecture and integrations, and come back with a clear, prioritised set of findings rather than a long list of things to maybe fix one day. Useful when something isn't right, when you have inherited a site or when you just want a confident, [performance-aware second opinion](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-behind-the-scenes-magic-of-your-performance/ "The behind-the-scenes magic of your performance"). **Performance & Speed Optimisation** Focused work to make your website genuinely faster. That means lifting Core Web Vitals, reducing page weight, cleaning up scripts, optimising images, improving caching and addressing whatever else is slowing the experience down. Faster sites convert better, rank better and feel better to use, so the gains compound across SEO, UX and commercial performance. **Integrations & Technical Architecture** Work to connect your website cleanly to the systems you already rely on, whether that is a CRM, ERP, subscription engine, marketing platform or bespoke internal tool. We also help with the wider technical architecture, so integrations do not compound complexity or hurt maintainability. Useful when you are adding new tools, replacing old ones or finding that everything technically works but nothing quite fits together. **Technical Consultancy** Strategic technical advice without the immediate need to build anything. We help you assess a platform decision, scope a technical project, address a specific limitation or get an honest second opinion on a roadmap your team has already drafted. Useful when you do not yet know whether the answer is a new build, a focused fix or a different platform entirely. If you also need a wider commercial view first, our [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy") work sets the priorities that technical consultancy then delivers against. Industries we partner with We work with B2B businesses, charities, membership organisations, professional services firms and ecommerce brands. The common thread is that the website is doing real commercial or operational work and the technical state of it actually matters. That spans organisations that have inherited a site they did not build, brands whose technical estate has grown faster than the thinking behind it and teams that need a confident technical view to support a decision. Examples of our wider work include: - [Vintner](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vintner/ "Vintner") for a Shopify rebuild that delivered a 50% increase in time on site and a 33% drop in bounce rate, with award-winning recognition across UX, UI and Innovation - [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/ "RNLI") for a large-scale digital transformation across one of the UK's best known charities, where technical scale and reliability mattered at every step - [IAM RoadSmart](https://yoyodesign.com/work/iam-roadsmart/ "IAM RoadSmart") for digital transformation across a national membership organisation with deep operational integration needs - [Zoonou](https://yoyodesign.com/work/zoonou/ "Zoonou") for brand and digital transformation for a growing technology business - [Vivobarefoot](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vivobarefoot/ "Vivobarefoot") for a UX-led digital sales tool supporting a sector-leading barefoot footwear brand If your website has technical debt that is starting to show, or you want a clear view of what is actually slowing it down, we have likely worked through something similar. ## Delivering your technical and performance work Technical work is most useful when it is structured. We deliver in focused phases so you see progress, clear findings and real change rather than a vague retainer with nothing to point at. - Audit and assessment of where your site actually is - Prioritised recommendations tied to commercial outcomes - Implementation across performance, accessibility, integrations or architecture - QA, testing and validation of the changes that are made - Reporting on impact, not just on activity - Optional ongoing technical retainer where it is the right fit You always know what is being worked on, what is coming next and what the trade-offs are if priorities shift. Technical and performance credentials As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner") with in-house development, design, [UX](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX") and SEO expertise, our technical work is grounded in real platform knowledge, not detached advice. We have done the implementation many times, which is what makes our recommendations credible. We write regularly on the technical work we do, from [the behind-the-scenes magic of website performance](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-behind-the-scenes-magic-of-your-performance/ "The behind-the-scenes magic of your performance") to [how to optimise your website for accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-to-optimise-your-website-for-accessibility/ "How to optimise your website for accessibility") and [the European Accessibility Act and what it means for you](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-european-accessibility-act-and-what-it-means-for-you/ "The European Accessibility Act and what it means for you"). If you need accessibility work specifically, we also offer dedicated [accessibility services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/ "Accessibility"). We also stay close to the platforms we work on, including Umbraco's roadmap. You can read our take on the latest in [Umbraco 17 LTS: stability, speed and security](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-17-lts-is-here-stability-speed-and-security/ "Umbraco 17 LTS is here: Stability, Speed, and Security.") and [making SEO friendlier in Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-seo-making-seo-friendlier/ "Umbraco SEO: Making SEO friendlier"). Why choose Yoyo as your technical consultancy and performance agency? Yoyo is a multidisciplinary [web design and development agency](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") with technical, performance, accessibility and SEO expertise under one roof. That means we can find the issues, recommend the fixes and actually implement them, without you having to manage two or three different relationships every time something needs work. We have a track record of [award-winning work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/ "Work") across digital transformation, ecommerce and platform projects, with a client mix of B2B businesses, charities, membership bodies and product-led brands. Whether you need a one-off audit, a focused performance project or a longer technical partnership, we can help you build something genuinely better. If you would like to talk through what a technical or performance engagement with Yoyo could look like, [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact"). [Let's talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## FAQs What does a technical audit cover? Performance, accessibility, technical SEO, code quality, architecture, integrations and any platform-specific concerns relevant to your stack. The point of the audit is to surface what is actually holding your site back, in priority order, rather than producing a long generic checklist. We will be clear about what is critical, what is nice-to-have and what does not matter. How do you make a website faster? By working through the things that genuinely slow sites down. That includes reducing page weight, optimising images, cleaning up scripts and third-party tags, improving caching and CDN setup, fixing render-blocking issues and addressing whatever is dragging Core Web Vitals down on real devices. We focus on the gains your users will actually notice. Do you work with Shopify and Umbraco websites? Yes, both. Our team includes [hands-on Shopify developers](https://yoyodesign.com/services/shopify-website-design-build/ "Shopify Website Design & Build") and we are a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco"), so technical work on either platform is grounded in real experience. We also work on other platforms where it makes sense for a specific engagement. Can you fix accessibility issues on our existing website? Yes. We audit and remediate accessibility issues on existing sites, aligned to WCAG and the practical needs of real users. For deeper, dedicated work we also offer separate [accessibility services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/ "Accessibility"). The European Accessibility Act has made this a more pressing topic for many organisations, which we have written about in detail. Do you handle integrations with third-party tools? Yes. Common integrations include CRMs, ERPs, marketing automation, analytics, payment platforms, subscription engines and bespoke internal systems. We approach integrations with the wider architecture in mind, so adding a new tool does not compound complexity or slow the site down. Will you actually implement the changes or just advise? Both options are available. You can use us purely for audit and advice if you have an internal team to implement, or take it all the way through to implementation with the same people who found the issues. We are honest about which makes more sense for your situation rather than always selling the bigger piece. How long does a technical audit take? Most audits run between two and four weeks depending on the size and complexity of the site, the platform and the depth of work you need. Smaller, focused reviews can be faster. Larger estates with several integrations and a long history take longer. We will agree on the scope and timing up front so there are no surprises. How do you measure performance improvements? With real numbers, not vibes. That means before and after measurements on Core Web Vitals, page speed metrics, accessibility scores, real-user data where available, and ultimately the commercial outcomes the work was meant to improve. You can read more on how we approach this in our writing on [tracking real performance in Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-to-add-google-analytics-to-umbraco-and-track-real-performance/ "How to add Google Analytics to Umbraco and track real performance?"). Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated technical consultancy expert near you? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # Upgrades & Replatforming _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/upgrades-replatforming/_ Upgrades & Replatforming # Upgrade your CMS or move to Umbraco, without losing what works Making better *digital decisions* At Yoyo Design, we handle upgrades and replatforming for organisations stuck on aging or limiting CMS platforms. The work has a similar shape, moving a working website onto a better technical foundation, but the reasons vary. Some clients are on end-of-life Umbraco versions. Others are moving off Sitecore, Kentico, Drupal or WordPress because the platform no longer fits how the business operates. What good replatforming and upgrades have in common is the outcome. You end up with a website that is faster, more secure and easier to maintain, and you have not lost your content, your search visibility or your team's confidence in the process. What bad ones share is also similar. Rushed migrations, broken integrations, lost traffic, disengaged editors, scope creep and a project that takes twice as long as it should. We have been brought in to clean up enough of these to know the patterns. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner") with [in-house development](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency"), content, SEO and design expertise, we treat every upgrade or replatform as a managed migration. Structured planning, controlled environments, careful cutover and clear accountability throughout. ## Why do upgrades and replatforming projects so often go badly? Most of the time, the problem is planning. The technical complexity is real but manageable. What kills projects is underestimating the discovery work, missing critical integrations until late in delivery, or skipping the content audit and finding 800 unused page types in week 12. The second cause is unclear scope. Upgrades and replatforms get sold as like-for-like when the reality is closer to a rebuild with a content migration on top. Setting honest expectations up front, and adjusting scope when discovery reveals more, is what keeps these projects on track. A successful upgrade or replatform starts with proper discovery, runs in controlled environments and preserves what is already working. Content, rankings, integrations and editor workflows. That is the difference between a project your team dreads and one they remember as a relief. ## Helping organisations onto a CMS that actually fits We start with what your website needs to do, not with the destination CMS or the latest version. Then we work back to whether an upgrade, a replatform or simply a different scope is the right answer for your situation. We shape every upgrade and replatforming engagement around: - **A safe path off an unsupported or limiting platform** - upgrading Umbraco or replatforming to it without the risks that come with rushed or under-planned migrations. - **Content preserved properly** - careful mapping of content types, structures and relationships so nothing important is lost in transit, and editors recognise what they are working with. - **SEO protection as standard** - URL structures, redirects, metadata and structured data treated as essential, not bolted on at the end. - **Integrations handled deliberately** - existing CRM, marketing, analytics and bespoke connections planned for, tested and rebuilt where needed, not discovered mid-cutover. - **Honest about scope** - clear discovery up front, and clear conversations when discovery reveals more, so scope changes get planned rather than scrambled. - **An editor experience that is actually better** - your team gains a CMS that is easier to use day-to-day, not just a newer version of the one they already disliked. The aim is a website your team is genuinely glad to have moved to. ## Our upgrades and replatforming services Upgrades and replatforming cover a wide range of project types. Our offering focuses on the three areas where we see the most demand, and we will tell you honestly if the answer for your situation is not one of these. **Umbraco Upgrades** Moving your website from an older Umbraco version, typically Umbraco 7 or early Umbraco 8, onto a current long-term-supported release. Delivered as a managed migration with proper environment setup, content and integration handling, performance work and SEO preservation. We typically recommend Umbraco 17 LTS for stability and future support, with Umbraco 10 or 13 as alternatives where they fit better. You can read more in our detailed [Umbraco Upgrades service page](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/ "Umbraco Upgrades") and our take on [Umbraco 17 LTS](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-17-lts-is-here-stability-speed-and-security/ "Umbraco 17 LTS is here: Stability, Speed, and Security."). **CMS Replatforming to Umbraco** Moving your website to Umbraco from another CMS, whether that is WordPress, Drupal, Sitecore, Kentico or a bespoke legacy system. We handle content audit and mapping, redirect strategy, integration planning, build, migration and post-launch support. Replatforming is rarely about the CMS alone, it is a chance to fix the things the old platform made hard. If you are weighing up the decision, our writing on [Umbraco vs WordPress](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-vs-wordpress-everything-you-need-to-know/ "Umbraco vs WordPress: Everything you need to know"), [Umbraco vs Drupal](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-vs-drupal-the-choice-for-human-centred-digital-experiences/ "Umbraco vs. Drupal: the choice for human-centred digital experiences"), [Umbraco vs Sitecore](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-vs-sitecore-everything-you-need-to-know/ "Umbraco vs Sitecore: Everything you need to know") and [Umbraco vs Kentico](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-vs-kentico-the-core-metrics-that-define-long-term-value/ "Umbraco vs. Kentico: the core metrics that define long-term value") sets out the honest comparison. **Replatform Discovery & Planning** For organisations not yet ready to commit to a full replatform. We help you assess whether to move, when, to what and at what scope. That includes platform options, risk assessment, content and integration audit, indicative timelines and a clear recommendation rather than a glossy proposal. Useful when you need to make the case internally or sense-check the work before committing budget. If you also need a wider commercial view first, our [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy") work sets the priorities that the replatform then delivers against. ## The Industries we *partner with* We work with B2B businesses, charities, membership organisations, professional services firms and ecommerce brands. The common pattern is a website doing serious work, a platform that no longer fits and a real need to move without losing momentum. That spans organisations on end-of-life Umbraco versions, brands reconsidering Sitecore or Kentico after licensing or roadmap changes, charities on aging WordPress sites that have outgrown the platform and B2B businesses on bespoke systems that have become a maintenance burden. Examples of our wider transformation work include: - [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/ "RNLI") for leading a large-scale digital transformation for one of the UK's best known charities - [IAM RoadSmart](https://yoyodesign.com/work/iam-roadsmart/ "yoyodesign.com") for driving digital transformation across a national membership organisation - [Zoonou](https://yoyodesign.com/work/zoonou/ "Zoonou") for brand and digital transformation for a growing technology business - [B Lab UK](https://yoyodesign.com/work/b-lab-uk/ "B Lab UK") for UX and digital strategy supporting the growth of the B Corp movement If your platform has stopped fitting how your organisation actually works, we have likely worked through something similar. ## Delivering your upgrade or replatform in sprints Upgrades and replatforms are projects with real consequences if they go wrong. We run them as managed migrations in structured phases, so progress is visible, risks are caught early and decisions are made on the right information. - Initial assessment of your current platform, codebase and integrations - Strategy, target version selection and clear scope agreement - Build and migration in a separate staging environment - Content, SEO and integration migration with full QA - Pre-launch testing across functionality, performance and search behaviour - Planned cutover with minimal downtime - Post-launch monitoring and handover into ongoing support You always know what is being worked on, what comes next and where the trade-offs sit if priorities or scope need to shift mid-project. Upgrades and replatforming credentials Yoyo is a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner") with in-house development, content, design and SEO teams. That mix matters here. Upgrades and replatforms touch every layer of a website, so doing them well requires the people who handle each layer to be in the same room rather than spread across three agencies. Our team regularly upgrades clients from legacy Umbraco versions onto modern long-term-supported releases, and we replatform clients onto Umbraco from a wide range of starting points. We also write extensively on the topic, including [making SEO friendlier in Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-seo-making-seo-friendlier/ "Umbraco SEO: Making SEO friendlier"), which covers a lot of what makes a replatform succeed or fail from a search visibility perspective. For deeper detail on upgrades specifically, see our [Umbraco Upgrades service page](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/ "Umbraco Upgrades"). Hosting migrations, which are a different thing entirely, are covered on our Hosting & Migrations service. We are clear about the distinction so the right work gets scoped correctly from the start. Why choose Yoyo as your upgrades and replatforming agency? Yoyo is a multidisciplinary [web design and development agency](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "yoyodesign.com") with the development, content, SEO and design expertise to deliver an upgrade or replatform end to end. One accountable team, one project plan, no handovers between specialists who have never spoken to each other. We have a track record of [award-winning work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/ "Work") across digital transformation and platform projects, with a client mix of B2B businesses, charities, membership bodies and product-led brands. Whether you need a careful Umbraco upgrade, a full replatform off another CMS or just the strategic work to make the right call, we can help. If you would like to talk through what an upgrade or replatform with Yoyo could look like, [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact"). [Let's talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## FAQs What is the difference between an upgrade and a replatform? An upgrade moves your website onto a newer version of the CMS it is already on. A replatform moves it to a different CMS entirely. The technical work is similar in shape, careful content migration, integration handling, SEO preservation and structured testing, but the strategic questions are different. We help you work out which one your situation actually calls for, rather than assuming. Why do organisations move to Umbraco from other CMSs? Common reasons include licensing changes or cost escalation on Sitecore or Kentico, frustration with WordPress as the site grows beyond what it was built for, the operational burden of maintaining bespoke or legacy systems, and a need for a more flexible, .NET-based open source platform that scales with the organisation. The right reason varies, and we will be honest if Umbraco is not the right answer for you. Can you migrate from WordPress, Drupal, Sitecore or Kentico to Umbraco? Yes. These are the four most common starting points we see. The complexity depends on the size of the site, the customisation involved and the integrations in place, but the methodology is consistent across all of them. We always start with a proper discovery to scope the work realistically rather than quoting blind. How do you preserve SEO during an upgrade or replatform? By treating SEO preservation as a core part of the project rather than a final-stage check. That includes URL structure mapping, redirect strategy, metadata and structured data migration, internal linking integrity and post-launch ranking monitoring. We can also pair the project with a deeper [SEO and GEO engagement](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-geo/ "SEO & GEO") where the SEO stakes are particularly high. How long does a CMS replatform take? Most projects run between three and nine months end to end, depending on the size of the site, the number and complexity of integrations and how much new design or build work is included alongside the migration. Smaller, content-focused sites move faster. Larger sites with complex integrations and active stakeholder groups need more time. We agree on timelines after proper discovery rather than upfront guesswork. Will our existing content survive the move? Yes. Content is mapped carefully from your old CMS to the new content model, preserving structure, relationships and editorial workflows where it makes sense. A replatform is also a good moment to retire content that is no longer used and tidy what is, which we will recommend where appropriate rather than carrying old debt across to a new platform. Can our team continue using the website during the project? Almost always, yes. We build and migrate in a separate staging environment, so your live website continues to operate as normal throughout. Content changes made during the project are managed carefully so nothing is lost at cutover. The final switch is planned and scheduled with you so the team is ready. What if we are not sure whether to upgrade or replatform? Start with discovery. Our Replatform Discovery & Planning engagement is designed exactly for this situation. We assess where you are, what your options realistically are, what each would involve in scope and risk, and what we would recommend. The output is a clear decision, not a sales pitch. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated Umbraco agency near you? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # Creative Direction _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/creative-direction/_ Creative Direction # Creative direction for brands, campaigns and digital, with *a clear point of view* Creative Direction is a strategic and aesthetic service, where the thinking decides what the work should look, feel and behave like before the making starts. We offer creative direction services as a standalone engagement and as part of the wider projects we deliver. Some clients bring us in specifically to direct a piece of work being built by their in-house team or another agency. Others use our creative direction embedded in a brand identity, website build or campaign we are leading end to end. Both work. What good creative direction does is quietly obvious. It gives a project a genuine point of view, resolves the trade-offs that would otherwise stall the team and makes sure the finished work actually says what it needs to say. What weak creative direction does, or the absence of it, is also familiar. Work that is technically fine but forgettable. Committees rewriting the brief through Slack. Design that reflects the last stakeholder to speak rather than the audience it is for. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "yoyodesign.com") with strategy, brand, UX and development teams under one roof, we can direct the work and make it, which usually removes the biggest source of friction. [Let’s chat about your mission](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) Why is creative direction the difference between good work and forgettable work? Most creative work fails at the direction layer, not the execution layer. Talented designers can produce excellent output in almost any style you point them at. The real question is whether you are pointing them at the right one, and whether you can hold the line long enough for the work to land. Creative direction is the discipline of making those calls. The other half of the problem is context. A creative decision that makes sense in isolation can be wrong in the context of the audience, brand, sector or commercial goal. Good direction means holding all of those in view at the same time, and having the confidence to reject work that only satisfies one of them. Creative direction that earns its place starts with the audience and the outcome, not with visual mood boards. It defines the point of view, sets the parameters and stays in the room to protect them as the work moves through design, review and production. That is the difference between direction that shapes the work and direction that only signs it off. ## Helping organisations produce work that stands out for the right reasons We start with what the work actually needs to do and who it is for, not with a visual reference file. Then we work back to the point of view, aesthetic parameters and standards that will get the work there. We shape every creative direction engagement around: - **A clear creative point of view -** Direction that gives the project something distinct to say, not a lowest-common-denominator style. - **Direction that survives the process** - Protecting the creative intent through review, revision and production so it does not get eroded on the way to launch. - **Senior craft judgement** - Visual, verbal and interaction craft calls made by people who have been making the work for years, not sourced from templates. - **Balanced with commercial outcomes -** Creative decisions weighed against what the work needs to achieve, not what looks best in a portfolio. - **Consistent across touchpoints** - Direction that holds up across brand, website, campaign, product and comms so the whole picture feels cohesive. - **Grounded in the audience** - Direction shaped by who the work is actually for, not by internal preference or design trend. The aim is work that feels considered, distinctive and unmistakably yours, and the confidence that comes from knowing it is directed properly. ## Our Creative Direction Services Creative direction covers a wide range of work. Our offering focuses on the four areas where we see organisations getting the most from it, and we will tell you honestly if your situation calls for something different. Website & Digital creative direction Setting the creative direction for a website, digital product or wider digital experience. Includes visual direction, interaction language, tone of voice and how the whole thing feels to move through. Useful when you have a website or digital product being built and want senior direction to make sure it lands rather than only functions. Brand creative direction The creative direction that sits above and around a brand identity project. Establishing the point of view, the aesthetic territory and the visual and verbal parameters the identity will occupy. Useful for organisations undertaking a brand build or evolution where the direction needs to be sharp before design begins, and protected as the work develops. Campaign creative direction Direction for a campaign, the idea, the tone, the visual expression and how it works across channels. Distinct from campaign asset design, which is the production of the assets themselves. Useful when you need someone to shape the creative idea and hold it through delivery, whether we are producing the campaign ourselves or directing your team. Creative direction consultancy Senior creative direction alongside your in-house team or existing agency. This is advisory and collaborative rather than delivery-led. Useful when you have designers and producers already in place but need a more senior creative voice in the room, for a specific project, for a period of transformation or as ongoing support. ### *Industries we partner with* We work with B2B businesses, charities, membership organisations, professional services firms and product-led brands. The common pattern is an organisation that has creative capability but needs a stronger direction layer, or a project where direction is the piece that will make or break the outcome. That spans organisations building a new digital product, brands running a campaign that needs to cut through, teams undergoing a wider evolution where creative choices need consistency, and organisations that have inherited work from multiple sources and need direction to pull it together. Examples of our wider work include: - [Kurtosys](https://yoyodesign.com/work/kurtosys/ "Kurtosys") for interactive [brand guidelines](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-guidelines-systems/ "Brand Guidelines & Systems") and an AI-integrated expressions library, where creative direction shaped how the brand would express itself at scale. - [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/ "Worldwide Cancer Research")for the creative direction that shaped a brand and digital platform rooted in empathy and action. - [Zoonou](https://yoyodesign.com/work/zoonou/ "Zoonou") for creative direction across a full brand evolution and Umbraco build. - [Gigzzee](https://yoyodesign.com/work/gigzzee/ "Gigzzee") for Digital Brand Guidelines, where creative and structural direction was the deliverable. If you have a project where direction is the piece that needs to be right, we have probably done something in the same shape. Delivering your Creative Direction Creative direction is most effective when the process is structured. Not because creativity needs rules, but because direction needs consistency, the same standards applied at each review, the same intent held from brief to production. - Immersion and brief interrogation - understanding the audience, the outcome and the constraints before opening any design software. - Strategic direction and creative territory - establishing the point of view, aesthetic parameters and where the work should sit. - Direction across execution - senior craft judgement at every review, protecting the intent as designers, developers or copywriters build the work. - Production oversight - staying in the room as the work moves through delivery so nothing drifts in translation. - Handover and rollout support - making sure the direction survives after we have stepped back, whether that is briefing a team or documenting the intent. You always know where the creative direction is going, why decisions are being made and where you can push back. ### Creative direction *credentials* As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "yoyodesign.com") with in-house brand, UX, design and development teams, we can direct creative work and produce it. That combination matters because most creative direction goes wrong in translation, the direction is right on the moodboard and wrong on delivery. Doing both, we close that gap. Our creative direction sits inside [award-winning work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/ "yoyodesign.com") across brand, digital and campaign projects. If you want a wider commercial view first, our [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy") work sets the direction that creative then interprets. Why choose Yoyo for your creative direction? Yoyo is a multidisciplinary [web design and development agency](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") with senior creative direction as one of the disciplines we cover. That means the direction you buy from us comes with real production experience behind it. We know what works because we have had to make it work. We have a track record of award-winning work across brand, digital and campaign projects, with a client mix of B2B businesses, charities, membership organisations and product-led brands. Whether you need direction on a piece of work in flight, direction for a project we are delivering or ongoing creative direction alongside your team, we can help. If you would like to talk through what a creative direction engagement with Yoyo could look like, [get in touch.](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") ## FAQs What is creative direction and how is it different from design? Creative direction is the strategic and aesthetic thinking that shapes what the work should be. Design is the execution of that thinking. A creative director makes the calls about point of view, tone, visual territory and how the work behaves. A designer builds it within those calls. Good work needs both, but they are distinct disciplines. Can we hire Yoyo for creative direction on a project we are building elsewhere? Yes. This is one of the most common ways we work. You have an in-house team or another agency doing the delivery, and you want senior creative direction sitting alongside to make sure the work lands. We can direct without needing to touch the production if that is the right fit. How does creative direction fit into a full brand or digital project? On projects where Yoyo leads the whole thing, creative direction shapes the work from the brief onwards and stays in the room through design, review and production. It is not a phase you sign off and move past. It is the discipline running underneath everything else. That is usually why the finished work holds together. What is the difference between creative direction and brand creative direction? Creative direction is the wider discipline and can apply to a website, campaign, product or piece of comms. Brand creative direction is a specific application: setting the creative point of view that a brand identity will express, before and around the identity work itself. Brands need both the direction and the identity, but they are different services. Do you offer creative direction on an ongoing basis? Yes. Some clients use us for a specific piece of work. Others bring us in as ongoing creative direction alongside their internal team, reviewing work, chairing crits and holding standards over months rather than weeks. Both models work and we can shape the engagement around what your organisation actually needs. How long does a creative direction engagement take? It depends entirely on the scope. Direction on a defined project sits alongside the project timeline. Standalone creative direction consultancy can be as short as a workshop or as long as a rolling monthly engagement. We agree the shape up front so expectations are clear. Will you actually direct the work or just provide feedback? Direct. Feedback is one part of it, but real creative direction means shaping the work from the brief, setting parameters and making the calls that keep the work on track. If the work you need is closer to written feedback than active direction, we will be honest and tell you. Can you provide creative direction for campaigns as well as brand and digital work? Yes. Campaign creative direction is a distinct part of our offer, sitting alongside our brand and digital direction work. It is distinct from the actual campaign asset design, which is a separate service focused on producing the assets themselves. Both often go together. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated agency with expertise in the charity sector? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## Our latest on *Web Development* - Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) - 8 advantages to redesigning your website Whether you’re a large-scale corporation, an SME, e-commerce brand or start-up, the time will inevitably come for your website to undergo a redesign. [8 advantages to redesigning your website](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/8-advantages-to-redesigning-your-website/) --- # Brand Identity Design _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-identity-design/_ Brand Identity Design # Distinctive brand identity design built to be used, *not just admired* Designing brand identities for organisations that need their brand to actually *mean something* At [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home"), we design brand identities for organisations that need their brand to actually mean something, and actually get used. That covers the full identity build, the strategic thinking, the visual system and the verbal language that make a brand recognisable, as well as identity work for sub-brands and product brands sitting within a wider parent. We take brand identity work seriously because we have seen what happens when it is done badly. A logo everyone loves in isolation and no one knows how to use consistently. A brand palette that dies at week two of the first campaign. A tone of voice document that lives in a folder while every team writes in a different register. Beautiful in the deck, invisible in practice. Our approach pairs strategic brand thinking with design craft. We spend real time on the brand's point of view before we open anything visual, and we design the identity as a working system rather than a moment. That is the difference between an identity that stands up on launch day and one that stands up three years in. We offer brand identity design services as a standalone engagement and as part of the wider projects we deliver. Whether you need the identity for a launch, a growing sub-brand or a wider transformation, we design it to be genuinely used across your organisation. If your existing identity needs refreshing rather than rebuilding, our [Brand Refresh & Modernisation service](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-refresh-modernisation/ "Brand Refresh & Modernisation") handles that specifically. And as a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco"), we can take the identity straight through into the website or digital product it needs to live on. [Let’s chat about your mission](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) Why do so many brand identities fail to actually get used? Most identities that fail to land fail because they were designed as a set of assets rather than a system. A logo, a colour palette and a typeface are outputs. What a brand actually needs is a coherent visual and verbal language that people across the organisation can pick up, understand and apply confidently to work the designers never see. The second cause is internal buy-in. An identity that is chosen by two people and imposed on twenty rarely gets used properly. We involve the people who will actually use the brand in the process, not as a design-by-committee exercise but so the final identity is one the organisation genuinely owns. A brand identity that earns its place starts with what the organisation stands for, is designed as a system rather than a moment, and comes with the guidelines and enablement to make it usable everywhere. That is the difference between an identity that gets celebrated at launch and one that quietly disappears three months later. ## Helping organisations create brand identities that hold up We start with what the organisation stands for and what the identity will actually need to do, not with a moodboard. Then we work back to a visual and verbal system designed to survive the reality of how it will get used. We shape every brand identity design engagement around: - **Strategy before design -** A clear point of view, audience read and brand territory before anything visual is opened. - **Identities designed as systems** - Visual and verbal languages that flex across use cases, not one-off compositions. - **Craft you can see** - Real design judgement across logo, colour, typography, illustration, photography and motion, not template polish. - **Built for the way you will actually use it -** Identities scoped to the touchpoints, teams and rhythms your organisation actually has. - **A tone of voice that behaves like one** - Verbal identity created alongside the visual, not bolted on later. - **Internal ownership from the start -** Identities developed with the people who will use them, so the launch is a milestone rather than a mystery. The aim is an identity your team is proud of and confident using, on the work that matters most. ## Our brand identity design services Brand identity work covers a range of project types. Our offering focuses on the three areas where we see organisations getting the most from it, and we will tell you honestly if your situation calls for something else. Full brand identity creation The complete build. Strategy, verbal identity, visual identity system, guidelines and rollout, everything an organisation needs to launch or relaunch a brand that actually works. Suits organisations creating a new brand from scratch, spinning up a distinct entity within a wider group or committing to a wholesale rebuild. Sub-brand & product brand development Identity work for brands that live within a wider parent, a product line, a service brand, a campaign sub-brand or an event identity. This is a distinct discipline. The identity needs its own personality and shelf presence while sitting coherently within the parent brand's architecture. We handle that balance carefully. Brand extension For organisations with an existing brand identity that need to extend it into new territory, a new channel, market, product category or audience. Distinct from refresh work, which changes the identity itself. Brand extension keeps the existing identity intact and builds the additional design language it needs to work in the new context. ### *Industries we partner with* We work with B2B businesses, charities, membership organisations, professional services firms and product-led brands. The common thread is that the brand identity is doing serious work, supporting fundraising, building trust with a technical audience, competing in a crowded market or holding an organisation together through change. That spans organisations building a first proper brand identity, established brands adding new sub-brands, product companies launching new lines and mission-led organisations whose identity is central to how they raise funds and build support. Examples of our brand identity work include: - [Zoonou](https://yoyodesign.com/work/zoonou/ "Zoonou")for a refreshed brand identity that gave a technology business a more distinctive market presence alongside a scalable Umbraco platform - [The Sustainable Restaurant Association](https://yoyodesign.com/work/the-sustainable-restaurant-association/ "The Sustainable Restaurant Association")for a bold, tactile brand identity paired with an eco-conscious digital rebuild - [Just Roof Lanterns](https://yoyodesign.com/work/just-roof-lanterns/ "Just Roof Lanterns") for a new brand identity and website for a specialist manufacturer - [The Mole Resort](https://yoyodesign.com/work/the-mole-resort/ "The Mole Resort") for an evolved brand identity that reflected a premium hospitality offering - [Research Live](https://yoyodesign.com/work/research-live/ "Research Live") for an evolved identity and web experience for a digital publishing leader If the identity itself has to earn its keep, we have likely done something in a similar shape. Delivering your brand identity in phases We deliver brand identity work in structured phases so the strategic thinking is grounded before design begins, and the design decisions are made against clear criteria rather than personal preference. - **Discovery and immersion** - Workshops, stakeholder conversations and outside-view research to understand the audience, sector, ambitions and constraints. - **Strategic direction** - A clear articulation of the brand's point of view, positioning, personality and tone, agreed before design begins. - **Creative concepts** - Initial visual and verbal territories developed against the strategic direction, explored through logo, colour, typography and application scenarios. - **Design development** - The chosen route refined into a full identity system with visual language, iconography, photography direction, motion and application examples. - **Guidelines and rollout support** - Documentation, templates and practical enablement so the identity is genuinely usable by the people who will apply it day to day. You are involved throughout, so the launched identity is one the organisation owns rather than one that is handed over. ### Brand identity design *credentials* Yoyo is a multidisciplinary brand and digital agency with in-house strategy, brand, UX and development capability. That means our identity work is grounded in real use. We know how brands behave across digital products, campaigns and websites because we build all of those things ourselves. We have a track record of [award-winning brand identity work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/ "Work") across sectors, and our clients include national charities, membership organisations, B2B businesses and product-led brands. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner,](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") we can also take a brand identity through into the website, product or platform work it needs to live on, with one team and no handover gap. If deeper guidelines and design systems are the next step after the identity, our [Brand Guidelines & Systems service](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-guidelines-systems/ "Brand Guidelines & Systems") covers that in depth. Why choose Yoyo as your brand identity design agency? Yoyo is a brand and digital agency with senior craft, strategic depth and end-to-end delivery under one roof. That combination matters for identity work because identities that do not get built into real touchpoints tend to drift. We can design the identity and take it straight through into the [website](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "yoyodesign.com")or digital product it needs to live on. We have a track record of award-winning work with a client mix spanning B2B, charity, membership and product-led brands. Whether you need a full identity build, work on a sub-brand or a brand extension into new territory, we can help. If you would like to talk through what a brand identity project with Yoyo could look like, [get in touch.](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") ## FAQs What does a brand identity design project with Yoyo include? Strategic thinking, verbal identity, visual identity system, guidelines and rollout support. Exactly what is included depends on your scope. A full identity build covers all of it, whereas sub-brand or brand extension work is scoped to the specific need. We will agree the deliverables clearly up front. How long does a brand identity project take? Most identity projects run between 12 and 20 weeks depending on scope, the number of stakeholders and the depth of application work needed. Sub-brand and extension work can be faster. Larger transformations with heavy internal engagement take longer. We agree timelines after discovery, not before. Do you handle the strategic side of brand identity or only the visual? Both. We treat strategy and design as the same discipline. You cannot do good identity design without a clear strategic point of view, and strategy that does not translate into design has done half the job. Our identity engagements always start with the strategic work. Do you include tone of voice and verbal identity? Yes. Verbal identity is developed alongside the visual system as part of every full identity project. That includes tone of voice principles, key messaging territories and, where relevant, naming for products, sub-brands or campaigns. Can you work on identities for sub-brands or product lines? Yes. Sub-brand and product brand work is a distinct part of our offer. It is a different discipline from a parent brand build. You are designing an identity with its own presence that also fits within an existing architecture. We handle both sides. What happens after the identity is designed? We deliver brand guidelines and rollout support so the identity actually gets used. That can include templates, digital and physical asset design, team enablement sessions and, if the work is part of a wider engagement, application across the website, product or campaign. If deeper guidelines and design systems are needed, our Brand Guidelines & Systems service covers that in depth. Can you build our website on the new identity? Yes. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") with in-house [Shopify](https://yoyodesign.com/services/shopify-website-design-build/ "Shopify Website Design & Build")capability as well, we can take the brand identity through to the website or digital product it needs to live on. One team, one process, no handover. What if we need to update our existing brand rather than start from scratch? That is a Brand Refresh & Modernisation project, a distinct service we offer for organisations whose identity is broadly working but needs to evolve. If the refresh reveals deeper issues that actually require a rebuild, we will be honest about that rather than doing a light refresh that will not hold up. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated agency with expertise in the your sector? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## Our latest on *Web Development* - Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) - 8 advantages to redesigning your website Whether you’re a large-scale corporation, an SME, e-commerce brand or start-up, the time will inevitably come for your website to undergo a redesign. [8 advantages to redesigning your website](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/8-advantages-to-redesigning-your-website/) --- # Brand Refresh & Modernisation _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-refresh-modernisation/_ Brand Refresh & Modernisation # Brand refresh and modernisation that *keeps what works* Sharpening what works, resetting what doesn’t. At Yoyo Design, we help organisations refresh and modernise brands that are broadly working but no longer quite fitting. Sometimes that means an evolutionary update, same equity, sharper execution. Sometimes it means a deeper reset that pulls the brand into a digital-first, modern-audience context. Both are distinct from a full new identity, which is a different service. Refreshing a brand well means understanding what is worth keeping. Every established brand has equity, recognition, associations, expectations, that took years to build. A refresh that throws all of that away because a new leadership team wants something fresher often costs more than it delivers. Our brand refresh services start with what is genuinely working, what is not and what will move the needle. Brand modernisation is usually a bigger reset. It is the right answer when the brand was built for the organisation you used to be, for a print-first world, for a market that has shifted or for audiences that have changed. Modernisation keeps the strategic core intact and rebuilds the expression around it. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco")with strategy, brand, UX and development teams under one roof, we can refresh or modernise the brand and take it straight through into the website, digital products and touchpoints it needs to live on. If you actually need a full new identity rather than a refresh, our [Brand Identity Design](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-identity-design/ "Brand Identity Design")service handles that instead. [Let’s chat about your mission](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) Why is a brand refresh often harder than a full rebuild? Rebuilding a brand from scratch is, in some ways, the simpler creative challenge. Blank page, clear intent, no legacy to respect. A refresh is harder because it requires judgement about what to preserve and what to evolve. Get that wrong and you either throw away years of equity or leave the refresh so light it does not actually change anything. The other complication is stakeholder alignment. Refresh projects often surface disagreement inside the organisation. Some people want a bolder update, some want minimal change, some do not want to be involved until the day it launches. Good refresh work makes those disagreements productive by structuring the conversation around real evidence rather than personal preference. A refresh that earns its place is honest about what needs to change, ambitious enough to make a real difference and restrained enough to keep the equity intact. That balance is what we spend most of our time getting right. Helping organisations evolve their brand without losing what works We start with what your brand equity actually is and what audiences currently associate it with, not with mood boards. Then we work back to the specific changes that will refresh the brand meaningfully without throwing away what people already recognise. We shape every brand refresh and modernisation engagement around: - **Clear-eyed audit of what is working** - Understanding what equity you have before deciding what to touch. - **Evolution not erosion** - Refreshing decisively so the change is felt, without discarding recognition. - **Modernisation with a strategic core** - Deeper resets grounded in the strategic identity rather than driven by aesthetic trend. - **Stakeholders aligned around evidence** - Refresh decisions made against audience insight and business direction, not internal politics. - **Rolled out with care** - Refresh and modernisation projects planned across every touchpoint so the change lands consistently. - **Honest about scope** - If what you actually need is a rebuild, we will say so rather than sell you a lighter refresh. The aim is a brand that feels genuinely current and unmistakably still yours. ## Our brand refresh and modernisation services Brand refresh work looks different depending on how much needs to change. Our offering focuses on the three shapes we see most often, and we will tell you honestly if your situation calls for something else. Visual brand refresh Updating the visual identity, logo, colour, typography and application language, without changing the underlying brand strategy. Suits organisations whose brand still stands for the right things but is expressing them in a way that feels dated or off-target. Typically the fastest way to make a meaningful change while keeping recognition intact. Brand Modernisation Deeper evolution that goes beyond visual refresh. Rebuilds the expression of the brand, visual system, verbal identity, application language and sometimes tone and messaging, while keeping the strategic core intact. Suits brands that were built for a different era, market or audience and now feel out of step with where the organisation actually is. Brand Architecture Review For organisations with a fragmented brand estate, multiple sub-brands, acquired brands, product brands, campaign brands, that need reviewing and simplifying. We assess how the brand architecture is working, where it is causing confusion or waste, and recommend a simpler structure. Often the first step before a refresh or modernisation project. ### *Industries we partner with* We work with B2B businesses, charities, membership organisations, professional services firms and product-led brands. The common pattern is an established organisation whose brand has been in place long enough to build real equity, and long enough for parts of it to stop working. That spans organisations that have grown or shifted since their brand was designed, brands whose audiences have changed, businesses that have been through mergers or acquisitions, and organisations preparing for a strategic moment where the brand needs to keep up. Examples of our brand refresh and evolution work include: - [Zoonou](https://yoyodesign.com/work/zoonou/ "Zoonou") for a refreshed brand identity that gave a growing technology business a more distinctive, cohesive market presence - [The Mole Resort](https://yoyodesign.com/work/the-mole-resort/ "The Mole Resort")for an evolved brand identity that reflected a premium hospitality offering - [Research Live](https://yoyodesign.com/work/research-live/ "Research Live") for an evolved identity that positioned a market research platform as a leader in digital publishing - [Kurtosys](https://yoyodesign.com/work/kurtosys/ "Kurtosys") for brand work that distinguished a growing business in a category prone to visual sameness If your brand still means the right things but is starting to feel like the wrong version of itself, we have likely worked through the same shape of problem. Delivering your brand refresh or modernisation Refresh and modernisation projects are managed carefully because the risks and the rewards both live in the detail of what changes and what stays. - **Brand audit and equity assessment** - Understanding what is working, what is not and what audiences currently associate the brand with. - **Strategic direction -** Clear articulation of what stays, what evolves and what gets rebuilt, agreed before design begins. - **Creative concepts and design development** - Refresh or modernisation routes explored, chosen and refined into a complete updated identity. - **Verbal identity refresh** - Tone of voice, messaging and language principles updated where they need to be, or preserved where they still work. - **Application across key touchpoints -** The refreshed brand applied to the website, primary collateral and other high-priority touchpoints as part of rollout. - **Guidelines update and rollout support -** Documentation and enablement so the refresh is genuinely adopted rather than partially applied. You are involved throughout, so the refreshed brand is one your organisation genuinely feels ready to move forward with. ### Brand identity design *credentials* Yoyo has led brand refresh and evolution work for growing businesses, national organisations and mission-led brands. That range matters because refresh work looks different when the brand serves a founder-led team of 30 than it does when it serves a nationally recognised organisation with decades of equity. We scope to the reality of what needs to change and what does not. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") with in-house design, UX and development capability, we can also take a refreshed brand through into the website, digital products and application work it needs to live on, without the handover gap that refresh projects so often trip over. If deeper guidelines or a design system are the next step, our [Brand Guidelines & Systems](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-guidelines-systems/ "Brand Guidelines & Systems") work covers that in depth. Why choose Yoyo for brand refresh? [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home") is a multidisciplinary brand and digital agency with senior brand craft, strategic depth and end-to-end delivery under one roof. That combination matters for refresh work because refreshes so often fall apart at the rollout stage, when the brand looks great in the guidelines and inconsistent everywhere else. We can handle both. We have a track record of [award-winning brand work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/ "Work") across B2B, charity, membership, hospitality and product-led sectors. Whether you need a light visual refresh, a deeper modernisation or a review of a fragmented brand estate, we can help. If you would like to talk through what a brand refresh or modernisation project with Yoyo could look like, [get in touch.](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") ## FAQs What is the difference between a brand refresh, a modernisation and a rebuild? A refresh is an evolutionary update, keeping the strategic core and most of the visual equity while sharpening the execution. Modernisation is a deeper reset that rebuilds the expression of the brand around the strategic core. A rebuild is a full new identity from scratch, which is our [Brand Identity Design service.](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-identity-design/ "Brand Identity Design")The right choice depends on what is genuinely working and what is not, which we help you assess. When is a brand refresh the right choice rather than a full rebuild? When your brand still stands for the right things and has meaningful equity, but the execution is holding it back. A refresh is the right call when audiences still recognise and trust the brand and the strategic direction is intact. A rebuild is the right call when neither of those is true. We will always be honest about which one your situation actually calls for. How long does a brand refresh or modernisation take? Most refresh projects run between 8 and 16 weeks. Modernisation projects tend to sit at 12 to 20 weeks. Timelines depend on the scope, the number of stakeholders involved and how much application work is included alongside the identity update. We agree on timelines after discovery, not upfront. Will our existing brand equity be preserved? Yes, that is the point of a refresh. We spend real time understanding what audiences currently associate with your brand before recommending what to touch. Where recognition is doing valuable work, we preserve it. Where it is doing the opposite, we evolve it. The decisions are made on evidence, not aesthetic preference. Do you handle the internal rollout of a refreshed brand? Yes. Rollout is where most refresh projects stand or fall. We handle guidelines updates, template design, working sessions with internal teams, briefings for external suppliers and the practical support to launch the refresh well. For deeper enablement, our Brand Guidelines & Systems service covers the full rollout in depth. Can you refresh a brand you didn't originally design? Yes. A significant proportion of the refresh and modernisation work we do is on brands designed by other agencies or built in-house. We treat that as its own discipline, understanding the original intent and equity before recommending what to evolve. What if we are not sure whether to refresh or rebuild? Start with the audit. We can run a focused brand assessment before committing to a full refresh or rebuild, which gives you a clear-eyed view of what is working, what is not and what your best next step actually is. The output is a genuine recommendation, not a sales pitch. Do you also update the website as part of the refresh? Yes, where it makes sense. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco")with [Shopify](https://yoyodesign.com/services/shopify-website-design-build/ "Shopify Website Design & Build") capability, we can take a refreshed brand straight through into the website it needs to live on. Some clients pair the refresh with a [website rebuild](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency"). Others apply the refresh to the existing website. We will recommend what fits your situation. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated agency with expertise in the your sector? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## Our latest on *Web Development* - Play Increase conversions by optimising for e-commerce Here’s how to turn more browsers into buyers by optimising your site for conversion. [Increase conversions by optimising for e-commerce](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/increase-conversions-by-optimising-for-e-commerce/) - Play Set goals and expectations when working with an agency Here are our top considerations to set you up for success [Set goals and expectations when working with an agency](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/set-goals-and-expectations-when-working-with-an-agency/) --- # Brand Guidelines & Systems _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-guidelines-systems/_ Brand Guidelines & Systems # Brand guidelines and design systems that make your identity easy to use *everywhere* Bringing structure and clarity to your *brand* At Yoyo Design, we design brand guidelines and design systems that turn an identity into something a whole organisation can actually use. Whether we are documenting an identity we have designed ourselves or bringing structure to one that has been in place for years, the goal is the same. Clear, usable, consistent brand execution across every team and every touchpoint. Brand guidelines do not fail because the design is bad. They fail because the document sits in a folder, the wrong pages get referenced and the actual work gets made without them. Our brand guidelines design and systems work is built to be picked up and used, not admired. We work across the spectrum, from concise digital-first brand guidelines that give small teams what they need, to comprehensive brand books, interactive guidelines and full design systems for larger organisations with distributed teams and multiple agencies. The right shape depends on how your brand actually gets applied. We offer this work as a standalone service and as the natural follow-on from brand identity or design projects. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") with in-house brand, UX, design and development teams, we can build the guidelines and the digital tools that make them genuinely usable, the design system components, the asset libraries, the searchable digital brand hubs. [Let’s chat about your mission](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) Why do most brand guidelines end up unused? The most common reason is format. A 100-page PDF nobody can find, referencing rules nobody remembers, in a tone written for design agencies rather than the actual audience, marketing managers, PA teams, external suppliers and junior designers on their second week. Good guidelines meet those people where they are. The second reason is scope. Guidelines that try to document every possible use case end up documenting none of them well. Guidelines that document only the essentials leave too much open to interpretation. The right balance is specific to how the brand actually gets used, and we scope guidelines against that reality rather than a template. Guidelines and systems that earn their place are structured for the way people actually work, updated as the brand evolves, and paired with the assets, templates and enablement to make application easy. That is the difference between a brand book that lives on a bookshelf and one that is open in a tab every day. Helping organisations make their brand actually usable We start with who applies your brand today, where it is going wrong and what tools they actually use, not with a design template. Then we work back to the guidelines, systems and enablement that will fix the specific problems. We shape every guidelines and systems engagement around: - **Guidelines that meet users where they are** - Built for the marketing managers, agencies and internal teams who will actually apply the brand, not just the design leadership signing them off. - **Right-sized documentation -** Concise where concise works, comprehensive where the brand is complex, never bloated for the sake of it. - **Design systems that work in practice -** Component libraries, patterns and rules that keep digital work consistent without slowing designers or developers down. - **Digital brand hubs where they add value** - Interactive, searchable guidelines and asset libraries for organisations where a static document will not cut it. - **Templates and assets for the day to day** - Social templates, presentation templates, letterheads, whatever your teams reach for most. - **Rollout that sticks** - Guidelines paired with training and enablement so the launch actually changes what gets made. The aim is brand consistency your teams achieve without thinking about it, rather than compliance you have to police. ## Our brand guidelines and systems services Guidelines and systems work looks different for every organisation. Our offering focuses on the four shapes we see most often, and we will tell you honestly which one is right for your situation. Digital brand guidelines Concise, digital-first brand guidelines built for small-to-mid teams and organisations who need clear rules without the weight of a full brand book. Covers logo usage, colour, typography, tone of voice, imagery and application principles, delivered in a format your team can find, share and update. Comprehensive brand guidelines Extensive brand documentation for organisations with complex needs, multiple sub-brands, distributed teams, international rollout, high-frequency campaign activity or heavy external agency use. Covers everything in the digital guidelines and adds detailed application rules, motion and photography direction, verbal identity depth and sub-brand architecture. Design systems & component libraries Design systems for digital products and websites, the components, patterns and rules that keep digital work consistent while letting teams move quickly. Built to be usable in Figma and reflected in code, so designers and developers work from the same source of truth. Distinct from static brand guidelines, and often the right answer for organisations with active digital roadmaps. Brand rollout & team enablement The practical work that gets the identity actually adopted. Working sessions with your team, external supplier briefings, template libraries, launch collateral and post-launch support. Useful whether we designed the identity or you did, and especially valuable when the rollout has to reach teams and suppliers who were not part of the design process. ### *Industries we partner with* We work with B2B businesses, charities, membership organisations, professional services firms, financial services and product-led brands. The common thread is a brand that has to be applied consistently across a distributed set of teams, agencies and channels, where getting the guidelines and systems right saves everyone time and stops the brand from drifting. That spans organisations with new identities that need to be rolled out well, established brands whose existing guidelines have stopped working, financial and professional services businesses with strict consistency needs across regulated communications, and product-led brands whose digital estate has grown faster than the design system supporting it. Examples of our brand guidelines and systems work include: - [Kurtosys](https://yoyodesign.com/work/kurtosys/ "Kurtosys")for interactive brand guidelines and an AI-integrated expressions library that lets a growing business self-serve consistently. - [Vintner](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vintner/ "Vintner") for a brand identity brought to life through a Shopify site that used the brand guidelines to inject personality and playfulness into the purchasing experience. - **J.P. Morgan** for Digital Brand Guidelines that gave the client's digital team and partners a consistent UX framework. If your identity is only as consistent as the last person applying it, we have probably worked through the same shape of problem. Delivering your brand guidelines and systems Guidelines and systems work is most useful when it is built around how the brand actually gets used inside your organisation, rather than around what a design agency thinks should be documented. We shape the engagement around the real users first. - **Discovery** - Who applies the brand today, where it is going wrong and what tools and formats they actually use. - **Scope and structure** - Agreeing what needs to be documented, at what depth and in what format. - **Content and design** - Writing, art directing and designing the guidelines or system itself. - **Digital delivery** - Where relevant, building the interactive guidelines, brand hub or design system in the platform of your choice. - **Rollout and enablement** - Working sessions with your teams, briefings for external suppliers and the practical support to launch it well. - **Ongoing evolution** - Guidelines and systems age. We can maintain them or leave you with the structure to do it yourself. You end up with guidelines your team actually uses, not just a document your design lead signs off. ### Brand guidelines and systems *credentials* Yoyo has designed brand guidelines and systems for organisations ranging from national charities to global financial services businesses. That range matters because guidelines for a 20-person mission-led team need to look and behave differently from guidelines used by hundreds of stakeholders and multiple agencies. We scope to the reality. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") with in-house design, UX and development capability, we can also build the digital tools that guidelines increasingly live inside, interactive brand hubs, asset libraries, integrated design systems. That combination matters because static guidelines are becoming less useful the more distributed teams get. If your guidelines and system are part of a wider brand identity build, our [Brand Identity Design](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-identity-design/ "Brand Identity Design")work handles the identity itself, and this work is the natural next step. If you already have an identity and need it made usable, we can pick up from there. Why choose Yoyo to help create your brand guidelines? Yoyo brings brand design craft, digital delivery capability and a genuine focus on what makes guidelines and systems actually get used. We are less interested in producing the most beautiful brand book and more interested in producing one that people open every day. We have a track record of [award-winning work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/ "Work")with a client mix spanning B2B, charity, membership, financial services and product-led brands. Whether you need concise digital guidelines, a comprehensive brand book, a design system or the enablement work to roll it all out, we can shape the engagement around what your organisation actually needs. If you would like to talk through what a brand guidelines or systems project with Yoyo could look like, [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact"). ## FAQs What is the difference between brand guidelines and a design system? Brand guidelines document how the brand should look, sound and behave across all channels, logo, colour, typography, tone of voice, imagery and application rules. A design system focuses on digital products and websites specifically, reusable components, interaction patterns and code libraries that keep digital work consistent while letting teams move fast. Many organisations need both. Do we need comprehensive guidelines or will something concise do? It depends entirely on how your brand actually gets used. Small teams with a tight scope often work better with concise digital guidelines. Organisations with distributed teams, multiple agencies, complex sub-brand architecture or high campaign volume usually need comprehensive documentation. We will be honest about which is right for your situation rather than overselling. Should our brand guidelines be a PDF or something interactive? Increasingly, interactive. A PDF is still fine for organisations that do not update the brand often and have a small internal audience. For larger organisations with active brand use across teams and agencies, an interactive brand hub tends to work better, searchable, always current, easier to link to and share. We can build either. Can you create brand guidelines for an identity you didn't design? Yes. A significant proportion of our brand guidelines design work is on identities designed elsewhere. We treat that as its own discipline, understanding the existing intent, documenting it accurately and, where necessary, tidying up inconsistencies that have crept in. Do brand guidelines cover written tone of voice as well as visual? Yes. Verbal identity, tone of voice, language principles, key messaging and terminology are documented as thoroughly as the visual identity. Written brand consistency matters as much as visual consistency and is often where inconsistency creeps in first. How do you help our team actually use the guidelines? Through rollout and enablement work. That can include working sessions with your internal team, briefings for external suppliers and agencies, launch collateral and post-launch support. Guidelines only work if the people applying the brand know how to use them and where to find them. What if we have brand guidelines already but they are not being followed? That is a common starting point. The problem is usually format, findability or fit rather than the guidelines themselves being wrong. We can audit what you have, work out why it is not being followed and reshape it. That might mean a lighter interactive version, updated templates, better enablement or a full redesign of the document. Can you turn our guidelines into a proper digital brand hub? Yes. This is becoming more common. Instead of a static PDF, we design and build a digital hub where guidelines, templates, assets and application examples live in one place, searchable, versioned and easy to update. Especially useful for organisations with distributed teams or multiple agencies applying the brand. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated agency with expertise in the your sector? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## Our latest on *Web Development* - Play Get the most out of your digital investment How can you manage the challenges of maintaining and improving a digital presence, while working to stay aligned with changing needs and goals? [Get the most out of your digital investment](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/get-the-most-out-of-your-digital-investment/) - Play How to design sector-specific websites that meet user expectations Is your "one-size-fits-all" website hurting your bottom line? Here are 3 expert tips to change that. [How to design sector-specific websites that meet user expectations](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/how-to-design-sector-specific-websites-that-meet-user-expectations/) --- # Brand Application & Collateral _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-application-collateral/_ Brand Application & Collateral # Bringing your brand to life across every touchpoint your organisation needs. Activating your identity across all channels. At Yoyo Design, we design the collateral, materials and applications that turn a brand from a set of guidelines into work you can actually publish, print, install or share. That covers print and editorial, environmental and exhibition, digital and social, and internal enablement work. Brand application is the layer where identities either come to life or quietly disappear. A perfectly designed logo means nothing if the sales team is still using the wrong deck template. A tone of voice document is invisible if every email gets written the same way as before. Application is where brand consistency actually happens and where it usually breaks down. We offer brand application and collateral services in two shapes. End-to-end brand application when we have designed the identity ourselves and are rolling it out. Standalone brand application when you have an existing brand and need specific pieces of work produced to a high standard. Both work. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") with in-house design and development, we can also take brand applications into the [website](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency"), product or wider digital estate. One team producing consistent work across every channel is the fastest way to make sure a brand actually holds together in the wild. [Let’s chat about your mission](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) Why does brand application often let good brand identities down? Most application problems come from the same place, pressure. Deadlines make people reach for the nearest template rather than the right one. Non-designers make design decisions because the designer is booked. Brand consistency slips one piece at a time until nobody is sure what the current standard actually is. The second cause is scope. Brand applications rarely exist in isolation. An annual report needs the same visual language as the fundraising campaign that needs the same visual language as the office signage that needs to work in a two-metre-high format. When these get treated as separate projects by separate suppliers, small inconsistencies stack up quickly. Application work that earns its place is designed with the whole ecosystem in view, produced by people who understand the brand deeply and scoped to help your team move faster rather than slower. That is how identities stay consistent as they scale. Helping organisations apply their brand consistently across every touchpoint We start with how your brand actually gets used day to day, what your team produces, what suppliers touch it, where consistency is slipping, not with a portfolio piece we would like to make. We shape every brand application and collateral engagement around: - **Design that is true to the brand** - Work produced by designers who understand the identity system, not adapted from a stock template. - **Consistency across formats** - The same considered application whether it is a small print piece or a large environmental install. - **Templates that get used** - Collateral built so your team can produce work themselves without every piece needing a designer. - **Speed where you need it** - Fast-turn application work where the deadline is real, without dropping the standard. - **Scoped to your rhythm** - Application work sized for your actual volume, from single pieces to ongoing partnerships. - **Grounded in the guidelines** - Work that reinforces the identity rather than quietly deviating from it. The aim is a brand that turns up consistently everywhere it matters. ## Our brand application and collateral services Brand application covers a wide range of work. Our offering focuses on the four areas where organisations get the most from a design partner, and we will tell you honestly if your specific need falls outside those. Print & Editorial Collateral Design for printed and editorial materials, annual reports, brochures, publications, impact reports, sales collateral and editorial design. Whether you need a single high-quality piece or a coordinated set, we produce print collateral that reinforces the brand and stands up alongside it. Environmental & Exhibition Design Brand applied to physical spaces and events. That includes office branding, wayfinding, signage, exhibition stands, event graphics and installations. Physical application is a different discipline from digital and requires design thinking that accounts for scale, distance, materials and context. Digital & Social Collateral Design of digital assets, templates and toolkits, social media templates and posts, email templates, digital advertising assets, ongoing content templates and digital brand toolkits. Built for the way your team actually produces work, so the brand stays consistent across daily output. Presentation & Sales Enablement Design of presentation templates, pitch decks, one-pagers, sales collateral and internal enablement materials. Often the most-used and least-considered application of a brand, where every stakeholder becomes a designer for a moment. We make that easier and more consistent. ### *Industries we partner with* We work with B2B businesses, charities, membership organisations, professional services firms and product-led brands. The common thread is an organisation that produces enough branded work for consistency to matter, and where the brand crossing multiple formats, teams and suppliers has started to show cracks. That spans organisations rolling out a new identity across a full set of touchpoints, established brands with active campaign and content rhythms, and product-led businesses whose brand needs to show up consistently across digital, print and environmental. Examples of our brand application work include: - [Kurtosys](https://yoyodesign.com/work/kurtosys/ "Kurtosys")for brand application at scale, with interactive guidelines and an AI-integrated expressions library that rolled the identity across multiple touchpoints - [Vintner](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vintner/ "Vintner") for a brand applied through an award-winning Shopify site that used the guidelines to inject personality into every part of the purchase experience - [Zoonou](https://yoyodesign.com/work/zoonou/ "Zoonou")for a brand rolled out across a component-based Umbraco CMS that gives the team full control to produce consistent content - [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/ "Worldwide Cancer Research") for a brand applied across a fundraising-focused digital platform, supporting a 225% increase in donations If your identity is only as consistent as the last person applying it, we have probably worked through the same shape of problem. Delivering your brand application and collateral work Application work is structured around what you actually need to produce, on what timeline and by whom. We scope every engagement to fit the reality of your calendar rather than an idealised project shape. - **Discovery and scope** - Understanding the touchpoints, formats, volumes and rhythms your brand actually has to show up in. - **Design** - Producing the piece or coordinated set of pieces, with the identity system applied properly rather than approximated. - **Production and delivery** - Print production, digital delivery and physical fabrication managed to the standard the brand deserves. - **Handover of editable files** - Where relevant, we hand over editable files and templates so your team can produce related work themselves. - **Ongoing support** - Where useful, we can operate as an ongoing design partner rather than only on defined projects. You always know what is being produced, when it lands and where the trade-offs sit if scope needs to shift. ### Brand application and collateral *credentials* Yoyo works across the full spectrum of brand application, from single high-craft print pieces through to large-scale digital rollouts and integrated multi-channel work. That range matters because application is where identities either scale properly or quietly drift, and knowing how to hold the standard across formats is the whole job. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco")with in-house [Shopify capability](https://yoyodesign.com/services/shopify-website-design-build/ "Shopify Website Design & Build") as well, we can take brand applications into digital destinations that reinforce the identity rather than clash with it. And if the application work highlights a gap in the wider identity or guidelines, our [Brand Guidelines & Systems](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-guidelines-systems/ "Brand Guidelines & Systems")service can address that. Why choose Yoyo for brand application and collateral? [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home") combines senior design craft with the operational reliability application work needs. That combination matters because the application is delivered under real deadlines and, done well, has to be produced quickly without ever looking like it was. We have a track record of [award-winning work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/ "Work") across B2B, [charity](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/ "Charity Web Design Agency"), membership and product-led sectors. Whether you need a single high-craft piece, an ongoing collateral partnership or a coordinated rollout across every touchpoint of a refreshed identity, we can help. If you would like to talk through what a brand application project with Yoyo could look like, [get in touch.](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") ## FAQs What is the difference between brand application and campaign work? Brand application is business-as-usual work that applies your identity across evergreen touchpoints, annual reports, brochures, presentations, environmental branding, ongoing content. Campaign work is time-bound and campaign-specific, produced to support a launch, awareness push or fundraising drive. We handle both. Campaign asset production sits on our [Campaign Assets](https://yoyodesign.com/services/campaign-assets-design/ "Campaign Assets Design") Design service. Do you work on ongoing brand applications or only one-off projects? Both. Some clients use us for a defined piece of work, an annual report or a specific rollout. Others use us as an ongoing design partner for the steady flow of application work their brand needs. Ongoing partnerships tend to produce more consistent work because the same designers stay close to the brand over time. Can you produce brand collateral for a brand you didn't design? Yes. A significant proportion of our application work is on brands designed by other agencies or built in-house. We treat that as its own discipline, spending time understanding the identity, the guidelines and the intent before producing the work. Do you do environmental and exhibition design? Yes. Environmental and exhibition design is a distinct part of our offer. It requires design thinking that accounts for scale, materials, sight lines and context, which is different from print or digital work. Can you build template systems our team can use? Yes. Well-designed templates are one of the most valuable outputs of brand application work. We build presentation templates, social templates, editorial templates and other reusable formats so your team can produce brand-consistent work without needing a designer for every piece. What sort of turnaround times can you support? It depends on the piece. Simple assets can turn around in days. Complex publications take weeks. Large integrated rollouts take longer. We are honest about timelines rather than promising what we cannot deliver, and where speed genuinely matters we scope capacity to protect it. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated agency with expertise in the your sector? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## Our latest on *Web Development* - Creating a playful experience for a playful brand A brand new online presence that celebrates the colourful world of wine. [Creating a playful experience for a playful brand](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/creating-a-playful-experience-for-a-playful-brand/) - Creative storytelling - why your visual brand is the foundation for telling engaging stories Your visual brand is more than just a pretty face - learn about how you can leverage it for digital success. [Creative storytelling - the importance of your visual brand](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/creative-storytelling-the-importance-of-your-visual-brand/) --- # Brand Accessibility Audits _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-accessibility-audits/_ Brand Accessibility Audits # We audit your brand for accessibility so it reaches every audience it needs to reach. Brand accessibility audits that make your identity work for *everyone* We specialise in auditing brands for accessibility across every layer that matters, visual identity, verbal identity and digital application. The goal of a brand accessibility audit is to identify where the brand is quietly excluding audiences and what needs to change to fix it. Brand accessibility is broader than digital accessibility. WCAG compliance on your website is essential, and covered separately. Brand accessibility asks a different question. Does the brand itself, logo, colour, typography, tone of voice, language complexity, application choices, work for the full range of audiences you need to reach? This matters more than it used to. Regulatory pressure is increasing, the [European Accessibility Act](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-european-accessibility-act-and-what-it-means-for-you/ "yoyodesign.com")is a real deadline for many organisations. Audience expectations have shifted, inclusion is no longer a nice-to-have. And for mission-led organisations, an inaccessible brand is directly at odds with the mission. We audit the brand as it stands, produce a prioritised report of what is working and what is not, and recommend the specific changes that would fix the issues. If the audit shows deeper work is needed, we can take the recommendations through to implementation, either as part of a brand refresh or through our dedicated [accessibility services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/ "Accessibility"), which cover digital accessibility in depth. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") with in-house brand, UX and development capability, we can move from audit to fix without a handover. [Let’s chat about your mission](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) Why can a well-designed brand still be inaccessible? Because accessibility is not primarily a design competence, it is a research and testing competence. Brands get designed by people with typical vision, typical language ability, typical device and typical context, and they get signed off by people in the same category. The result is brands that look great in a design review and fail in a real user's hands. The other cause is that accessibility is layered. A brand can pass visual contrast checks and still fail on cognitive accessibility. Or pass on the website and fail on print. Or work for one audience segment and quietly exclude another. Meaningful accessibility means looking at all the layers together rather than one at a time. A brand accessibility audit that earns its place looks at the identity itself, how it is being applied, who it is being used with and where it is actually falling short. That is the difference between a compliance tick-box and a brand that genuinely reaches everyone it needs to. Helping organisations reach every audience their brand needs to reach We start with who your brand is actually meant to reach, what accessibility gaps exist today and what the real cost of those gaps is to your organisation. Then we work back to a prioritised set of recommendations you can act on. We shape every brand accessibility audit engagement around: - **Clear diagnostic of where the brand is failing accessibility** - Not just compliance status, but real usability across audiences. - **Layered assessment** - Visual, verbal, digital and application layers reviewed together, not in isolation. - **Prioritised, actionable recommendations -** What to fix first, what can wait, what needs a bigger rethink. - **Grounded in real accessibility standards** - WCAG for digital, plain language principles for verbal, established contrast and legibility standards for visual. - **Honest about what needs deeper work** - Some accessibility issues are surface fixes, others need a refresh or rebuild. We will say which. - **Practical support for implementation** - The recommendations can stay recommendations, or we can help you deliver them. The aim is a brand that reaches everyone it needs to reach, without needing anyone to work around it. ## Our brand accessibility audit services Brand accessibility audits vary in depth depending on what you already know, what you are preparing for and how the brand is being used. Our offering focuses on three shapes, and we will scope to your specific situation. Full Brand Accessibility Audit The complete assessment. Visual identity, verbal identity, digital application and physical application all reviewed against accessibility standards and real audience needs. Delivered as a prioritised report with clear recommendations and rationale. Suits organisations wanting a comprehensive baseline before a refresh, a launch or a compliance milestone. Visual & Verbal Identity Accessibility Review Focused audit of the brand identity itself, colour contrast, typography, iconography, logo variations, tone of voice, plain language and readability. Excludes the digital application layer for organisations whose digital accessibility is separately covered. Suits organisations preparing for a rebrand or wanting to understand the identity's accessibility in isolation. Digital Brand Accessibility Audit Focused audit of how the brand behaves online, website, digital assets, social content, email design and digital application. Sits alongside our wider [accessibility services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/ "Accessibility") and can be scoped either as a standalone brand-specific review or as part of a broader digital accessibility engagement. ### *Industries we partner with* We work with charities, membership organisations, professional services firms, healthcare, public sector and mission-led brands, and B2B businesses in regulated sectors. The common thread is an organisation where reaching the full audience matters, whether for legal, mission or commercial reasons. That spans mission-led organisations whose values demand an accessible brand, organisations preparing for European Accessibility Act deadlines, and brands whose audiences include people the design world routinely overlooks. Examples of our work in sectors where accessibility genuinely matters include: [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/ "Worldwide Cancer Research") for a brand and digital platform built with global accessibility (WCAG AA) as a core requirement [Fight for Sight](https://yoyodesign.com/work/fight-for-sight/ "Fight for Sight")for a charity website design for a sight-loss charity, where accessibility sits at the heart of the mission [Royal Voluntary Service](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rvs-shaping-the-future/ "RVS - Shaping the Future")for a charity website for a national organisation with a wide, mixed-need audience [Demelza](https://yoyodesign.com/work/demelza/ "Demelza")for a children's hospice charity website where reaching families in vulnerable circumstances matters at every touchpoint If reaching every part of your audience is not optional, we have probably worked through the same shape of problem. Delivering your brand application and collateral work Audits are only useful if they are structured, prioritised and actionable. We deliver every brand accessibility audit as a clear diagnostic with a genuine path forward, not as a compliance document that ends up in a folder. - **Discovery and scope -** Understanding the brand, the audiences you need to reach and where you already suspect accessibility is falling short. - **Layered assessment** - Visual, verbal, digital and application layers reviewed against accessibility standards and real user needs. - **Real-user testing where relevant** - Assessments grounded in how real users experience the brand, not only in what the standards say. - **Recommendations report** - Prioritised findings with rationale, distinguishing quick fixes from deeper work. - **Optional implementation support** - We can hand over the report or take the recommendations through to implementation with you. You end up with a clear view of what to fix, in what order and what it would take. ### Brand accessibility audit *credentials* Yoyo works regularly in sectors where accessibility is not a compliance line, it is the point. Our work for charities, mission-led organisations and public-facing brands has included accessible identity work delivered to WCAG AA, and we write regularly on the topic, including [how to optimise your website for accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-to-optimise-your-website-for-accessibility/ "yoyodesign.com")and the [European Accessibility Act](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-european-accessibility-act-and-what-it-means-for-you/ "yoyodesign.com") and what it means for you. If the audit reveals digital accessibility issues that need dedicated work, our [accessibility services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/ "Accessibility") cover digital accessibility in depth. And as a Registered Umbraco Gold Partner with in-house design and development capability, we can take the recommendations through to implementation with the same team. Why choose Yoyo for brand accessibility audits? [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home") brings brand craft, digital delivery capability and genuine accessibility experience together. That combination matters because most brand accessibility audits are done by either brand people who lack the accessibility rigour or accessibility people who lack the brand judgement. We are honestly comfortable in both. We have a track record of [award-winning work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/ "Work") across charity, membership, public sector and mission-led brands. Whether you need a full brand accessibility audit, a focused visual and verbal review or a digital brand assessment, we can shape the engagement around your actual situation. If you would like to talk through what a brand accessibility audit with Yoyo could look like, [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact"). ## FAQs What is brand accessibility and how is it different from digital accessibility? Digital accessibility asks whether your website and digital products are usable for people with disabilities, measured against WCAG. Brand accessibility asks a broader question, whether the brand itself, the identity, the language, the application choices, works for the full range of audiences you need to reach across every touchpoint. Many organisations need both. Our dedicated [accessibility services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/ "Accessibility") cover digital accessibility in depth. Do we legally need a brand accessibility audit? There is no legal requirement for a brand accessibility audit specifically, but regulatory pressure on digital accessibility is increasing sharply, including through the [European Accessibility Act](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-european-accessibility-act-and-what-it-means-for-you/ "yoyodesign.com"). If your brand and digital touchpoints are inaccessible, you are exposed. A brand accessibility audit is a practical way to understand where the risks and gaps actually sit before compliance becomes urgent. What accessibility standards do you audit against? WCAG for digital, established colour contrast and legibility standards for visual, and plain language principles for verbal identity. We also assess against real audience needs beyond the standards, because standards are the floor rather than the ceiling. Do you audit brands you didn't design? Yes. Most brand accessibility audit work is on brands designed elsewhere. We treat the audit as its own discipline, understanding the intent behind the identity before assessing where it is or is not working accessibly. How long does a brand accessibility audit take? Most audits run between two and six weeks depending on the depth of scope and the size of the brand estate being reviewed. Focused reviews can move faster. Larger brands with multiple sub-brands and extensive application take longer. We agree scope and timing after an initial conversation. What happens if the audit reveals we need to refresh or rebuild? We will say so clearly. Where the accessibility issues are surface-level, we recommend fixes that keep the brand intact. Where they are structural, we will be honest that a [brand refresh or modernisation,](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-refresh-modernisation/ "Brand Refresh & Modernisation") or in some cases a full [brand identity rebuild](https://yoyodesign.com/services/brand-identity-design/ "Brand Identity Design"), is what your situation actually calls for. The audit is where that decision gets made honestly. Do you help implement the recommendations? Yes, where useful. You can stop at the audit and hand the recommendations to an internal team, or take them through to implementation with us. Both models work, and we will help you decide which is right for your situation rather than defaulting to the bigger scope. How is this different from your accessibility service? Our [accessibility service](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/ "Accessibility") covers digital accessibility in depth, focused on websites and digital products meeting WCAG and beyond. Brand accessibility audits are wider in scope. They cover the identity and application across every touchpoint, not just the digital layer. Many organisations end up needing both, and we can run them together or separately. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated agency with expertise in the your sector? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## Our latest on *Web Development* - Yoyo's usability principles: How our UX team keeps usability and accessibility simple We explain Yoyo's five key usability principles, how they guide our UX processes, and why every UX team needs them. [Yoyo's usability principles: How our UX team keeps usability and accessibility simple](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/yoyos-usability-principles-how-our-ux-team-keeps-usability-and-accessibility-simple/) - Why accessibility should be a priority in your digital marketing strategy While talk of accessible marketing campaigns has got louder in recent years, it’s more than a trend - it’s a fundamental shift that’s here to stay. [Why accessibility should be a priority in your digital marketing strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/why-accessibility-should-be-a-priority-in-your-digital-marketing-strategy/) --- # Campaign Assets Design _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/services/campaign-assets-design/_ Campaign Assets Design # Campaign assets designed to cut through and convert Execution that matches your *ambition* We design and produce the assets that campaigns need to actually land, paid media, social, landing pages, print, environmental and integrated multi-channel work. This is production and execution work, distinct from the [campaign creative direction](https://yoyodesign.com/services/creative-direction/ "yoyodesign.com") that shapes the idea in the first place. Campaigns live and die at the asset level. A brilliant campaign idea executed with weak, off-brand or inconsistent assets will underperform. A merely good campaign idea executed with sharp, well-designed, well-produced assets often outperforms expectations. Production quality is not the fun part of campaign design, but it is usually the deciding factor. We work in two shapes. End-to-end campaign design where we shape and produce the whole campaign, including the campaign creative direction that sits above it. And asset-only production where the campaign concept exists and we deliver the design and production at pace. [Let’s chat about your mission](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) Why do campaign assets so often underperform the campaign idea behind them? The most common reason is timing. Campaign work is deadline-driven, and production quality slips when time gets tight. Assets get produced by whoever is available. The tone drifts. The design gets copied from the last campaign and lightly tweaked. What launches is not quite what was planned. The other reason is fragmentation. A single campaign often involves multiple asset formats, channels and specialisms. When those get produced in silos, social by one team, print by another, landing page by a third, the cohesion the campaign relied on quietly disappears. What was meant to feel like one idea across every channel starts to feel like several loosely related ones. Campaign asset work that earns its place is coordinated across every format the campaign will appear in, produced to a consistent standard by people who understand the concept deeply, and delivered on time without dropping quality. That is how campaigns land. Helping organisations produce campaigns that actually land We start with what the campaign needs to achieve, where it needs to appear and what production reality has to be delivered on. Then we work back to the coordinated set of assets that will get the campaign there. We shape every campaign design engagement around: - **Coordinated across every channe**l - One design team producing every asset so the campaign holds together across paid, organic, print, environmental and digital. - **Quality that does not slip under deadline** - Production capacity scaled to the campaign, so tight timelines do not compromise the work. - **Grounded in the brand** - Campaign assets that reinforce the brand rather than sitting awkwardly next to it. - **Data-informed decisions** - Creative decisions weighed against what actually performs, not what looks best in a mood board. - **Landing pages that convert** - The campaign destination built with the same care as the campaign itself. - **Post-campaign learning -** Reporting and analysis to inform what comes next. The aim is a campaign that lands cleanly across every channel and pays back the investment behind it. ## Our campaign assets design services Campaign work looks different depending on what you are launching, who you are reaching and where the campaign will live. Our offering focuses on the four shapes we see most often, and we scope to the specific campaign in front of us. Paid Media & Advertising Assets Design and production of paid media assets, digital display, social ads, video, print advertising and out-of-home. Built to spec for each format, coordinated across the media mix and produced to the standard that paid budgets deserve. Includes multiple variants for A/B testing and iterative optimisation. Organic Social Campaign Assets Design of social-first campaign content, feed posts, stories, reels, carousels, animations and video snippets. Built with the platform behaviour and campaign narrative in mind, so the content works with the algorithm rather than against it. Campaign Landing Pages & Microsites Design and build of campaign destinations, landing pages, microsites, digital hubs and campaign-specific experiences. Distinct from your main website, built quickly and to a specific purpose. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") with [Shopify capability,](https://yoyodesign.com/services/shopify-website-design-build/ "Shopify Website Design & Build") we can build the destination on whichever platform makes sense. Integrated Campaign Design End-to-end campaign design across multiple channels, paid, organic, environmental, print and digital coordinated as one campaign. Suits product launches, awareness pushes, fundraising campaigns and any moment when the campaign needs to feel like one idea across every touchpoint. ### *Industries we partner with* We work with B2B businesses, charities, membership organisations, professional services firms and product-led brands. The common pattern is a moment when the organisation needs a campaign to actually break through, whether that is a launch, a fundraising drive, an awareness push or a positioning move. That spans charities running fundraising campaigns where every asset has to earn its place, membership organisations building awareness among specific audience segments, product-led brands launching new lines and B2B businesses running integrated campaigns across paid, content and event. Examples of our campaign work include: - [Marie Curie](https://yoyodesign.com/work/marie-curie/ "Marie Curie")for a digital campaign page for a leading UK charity - [University of Southampton](https://yoyodesign.com/work/university-of-southampton/ "University of Southampton")for a digital campaign supporting a major UK institution - [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/ "Worldwide Cancer Research")for a digital platform that supported a 225% increase in donations and a 244% increase in transactions - [Vintner](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vintner/ "Vintner")for a Shopify launch that used campaign-level creative execution to turn purchase into an experience If your campaign has to work hard to break through, we have probably worked through something in the same shape. Delivering your campaign assets Campaign delivery lives or dies on structure. We run campaign engagements as clear phases with visible progress at every stage, so you always know what is being produced, when and to what standard. - **Briefing and campaign objectives** - Understanding what the campaign has to achieve, who it is for and what success looks like. - **Concept alignment or creative direction** - Either working within your existing campaign concept or providing the creative direction ourselves. - **Asset design across all formats** - Coordinated design across every channel the campaign needs to live in. - **Production and delivery -** Assets produced to spec, on time, ready for the media and channels they need to appear in. - **Launch support** - Hands-on support around the launch moment where useful, from asset trafficking to last-minute adjustments. - **Reporting and iteration** - Post-launch reporting and creative iteration to inform ongoing performance. You always know what is in production, what is next and where the trade-offs sit if scope needs to shift. ### Campaign design *credentials* Yoyo has produced campaign work across sectors where campaigns actually have to work, national charities running fundraising campaigns, universities running recruitment campaigns and product-led brands running launches. That range matters because campaign design is deadline-driven and format-heavy, and knowing how to hold the standard across formats at pace is the whole discipline. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") with in-house Shopify capability, we can also take the campaign creative through landing pages and digital destinations that carry the same standard as the campaign itself. And where you also need the strategic direction that shapes the idea in the first place, our creative direction service covers [campaign creative direction](https://yoyodesign.com/services/creative-direction/ "Creative Direction") as a distinct offer. Why choose Yoyo for brand accessibility audits? [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home")combines campaign craft, brand rigour and digital delivery under one roof. That combination matters because campaigns fragment easily when different specialisms are handled by different suppliers, and cohesion is usually the piece that determines whether the campaign actually lands. We have a track record of [award-winning work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/ "Work") across B2B, charity, membership, education and product-led sectors. Whether you need a fully integrated campaign, focused paid or social production or a landing page that converts, we can shape the engagement around the campaign you actually have to launch. If you would like to talk through what a campaign assets project with Yoyo could look like, [get in touch.](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") ## FAQs What is the difference between campaign assets design and campaign creative direction? Campaign assets design is the production of the assets themselves, paid media, social, print, digital, environmental. Campaign creative direction is the strategic and aesthetic thinking that shapes what the campaign should be in the first place, which is covered on our [Creative Direction page.](https://yoyodesign.com/services/creative-direction/ "Creative Direction") Many campaigns need both. Some come to us with the concept already agreed and only need production. Both work. Do you handle the campaign concept as well as the assets? Yes, where you need both. We can shape the campaign concept and creative direction, or we can work within a concept that has already been agreed with your team or another partner. We are honest about which model your situation calls for rather than defaulting to the larger scope. Can you produce campaign assets to a tight deadline? Yes. Campaign work is deadline-driven by nature, and we scope production capacity to fit the launch date rather than the other way around. Where speed genuinely matters, we structure the engagement so quality does not slip, which is where most campaign asset work falls down. Do you build the campaign landing page as well? Yes. As a [Registered Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") with in-house [Shopify capability,](https://yoyodesign.com/services/shopify-website-design-build/ "Shopify Website Design & Build") we can build campaign landing pages and microsites on whichever platform fits. Handling the campaign creative and the destination in one team usually produces a cleaner result than splitting them. Do you handle both digital and print campaign assets? Yes. Modern campaigns rarely live in only one channel. We produce coordinated assets across digital, print, environmental, video and audio as a single connected set, so the campaign holds together regardless of where the audience meets it. How do you handle asset production across multiple ad formats? Systematically. Paid campaigns typically require dozens of format variants, sizes, ratios and platform-specific specs. We build the design system for the campaign first and then produce variants against it, so the creative stays consistent across every placement and platform. Can you produce ongoing campaign work rather than just one campaign? Yes. Some clients bring us in for a single campaign moment. Others use us as an ongoing campaign design partner, producing the steady flow of campaign work their marketing calendar requires. Ongoing partnerships tend to produce more consistent campaigns because the same designers stay close to the brand and the audience over time. Do you work on fundraising campaigns specifically? Yes. Fundraising campaigns are a significant part of our campaign work, and require particular craft, striking creative that respects the sensitivity of the ask, clear conversion architecture and honest reporting on what actually delivered. We understand the discipline. Contact us ## Start your next project with us today. Want to work with a dedicated agency with expertise in the your sector? [Get in touch today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## Our latest on *Web Development* - Creating a playful experience for a playful brand A brand new online presence that celebrates the colourful world of wine. [Creating a playful experience for a playful brand](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/creating-a-playful-experience-for-a-playful-brand/) - Creative storytelling - why your visual brand is the foundation for telling engaging stories Your visual brand is more than just a pretty face - learn about how you can leverage it for digital success. [Creative storytelling - the importance of your visual brand](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/creative-storytelling-the-importance-of-your-visual-brand/) --- # About _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/about/_ About us # A passion for *people* who are powered by *creativity.* Our digital design and brand services are built for purposeful organisations *just like yours*. Mission Our mission is to create impactful experiences and grow our people, clients and the environment. Our brand and digital services are geared towards helping give our clients more impact, exposure, and greater engagement with the right audiences. Clients choose us because of our desire to be part of a revolution that uses creative thinking and digital experiences to bring about more social and environmental change in the world. And we want to do it all while growing a profitable business that prioritises our people and the planet. From our studio in Kent we support organisations across the UK, including as [our Umbraco team in London](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-london/ "Umbraco London") works with capital-based clients on digital platforms built for scale. ## Our approach. Expect us to work closely with you and spend time building a strong partnership. Our aim is to challenge you, and offer fresh perspectives, so you can create an even bigger impact. We're an extension of your team, a trusted digital partner offering quality creative, like-minded values and reassuring nudges that push you in the right direction. We pride ourselves on our expertise, continually building on our approaches to [AI](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-ai/ "Yoyo's approach to AI"), [sustainability](https://sustainable-digital-design-guide.yoyodesign.com/), and accessibility. [Our Services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) ## Awards & recognition. - Lovie People's Choice x1 - B Corp Certified 107.1 Overall B Impact Score x1 - Awwwards Honourable Mention x5 - CSSDA Site of the Day x3 - FWA Site of the Day x1 - Umbraco Awards Best Designed Design x3 - Indigo Design Best Website Design x3 - The Drum Top 5 Small Agency in UK x1 - The Drum No.1 for Client Satisfaction x1 - Wirehive Awards Website of the Year x1 - Wirehive Awards Best Content Creation x1 ## Our team ^(19)^ ### Design & UX ^(3)^ - Gregg Lawrence Founder / Creative Director - Ellie Barrett Senior UX Designer - Ben Holness Senior Designer ### Development ^(6)^ - Calvin Davis Technical Director - Stephen Coventry Senior Developer - David Monk Developer - Jack Barden Developer - Jono Powell Developer - Jonathan Woolley Developer ### Client Services ^(5)^ - Hannah Lawrence Head of Operations - Anna Dixon Head of Client Strategy - Moses Alausa SEO Director - Megan Howden Senior Project Manager - Megan Deefholts Senior Project Manager ### Growth ^(5)^ - Jenny Kitchen Chief Executive Officer - Daniel Barron Business Development Manager - Harriet Dolton Head of Marketing - Emma Edwards Financial Controller - Emily Ball People & Operations Manager ## Yoyo timeline - ## 2026 - Attended Umbraco Spark Bristol 2026 - Demelza and Yoyo nominated for Best Designed Website in the Umbraco Awards 2026. - ## 2025 - Named Best Charity & NPO Brand & Digital Agency 2025 - Hosted another Yoyo Marketing Lunch centred around Strategic Roadmapping for Charities. - ## 2024 - Yoyo launches our own not for profit, [amplifi](https://amplifi.tw/), to bring together local businesses around climate change. - Our first quarterly team day spent debating, planning, and learning at Kingdom. - Yoyo wins the Jury's choice at the Umbraco Awards at Codegarden, recognising the work we did for [Society](https://www.society-search.com/) for its sustainability. - Our Client Strategy team host another successful Marketing Lunch for B Corps. - Yoyo sponsors the first ever B Corp Festival and get to attend as participants and volunteers. - Yoyo celebrates another two Lovie Awards, winning in Website Design and People's Choice - Yoyo wins Ethical Business of the Year at the very first Tunbridge Wells Awards - ## 2023 - Yoyo visits Hethel to see the heart of Lotus Cars - Jen speaks all things B Corp at The Good Agencies Summit. - We win our first LOVIE for The Sustainable Restaurant Association's new website. - Yoyo completes B Corp Re-Certification and improves score by 7 points. - Yoyo named "Most Admired Agency" for Purpose in 2023. - Yoyo appointed by Worldwide Cancer Research as lead Digital Agency. - Yoyo joins the celebration of 1000 B Corps at the National History Museum - Yoyo takes on Edinburgh to visit partners at Worldwide Cancer Research - ## 2022 - Harvest charity run with Calvin - The first "Bettering your B Corp: Female Lead [Event"](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/ "Events") - Yoyo commits to being a Living Wage Employer - Our first Yoyo[B Corp Breakfast Event:](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/b-corp-breakfast-greenwashing-the-grey-areas/ "B Corp Breakfast: Greenwashing, the grey areas")Greenwashing, the grey areas. - ## 2021 - Yoyo becomes digital partner for B Lab UK - Vivobarefoot chooses Yoyo as their digital partner - ## 2020 - Yoyo certifies as one of the first B Corp digital agencies in the UK - Yoyo goes into lockdown. You're still on mute - Remote working - lockdown days - Yoyo partner with Mercedes-Benz World and make things official with a site visit. - ## 2019 - Our annual 27-mile charity walk around the Weald - Yoyo Becomes Official Umbraco Partner - Yoyo invests in allotment to keep our team's bodies and minds healthy. - ## 2018 - Yoyo Wins "Outstanding Business of the Year" - ## 2016 - We're a little too well known for throwing a great party - Jenny being named Young Business Person of the Year - RNLI appoints Yoyo as Lead Digital Agency - ## 2013 - V2 of yoyodesign.com - Yoyo awards were born - ## 2002 - ![This is a test](https://yoyodesign.com/media/gzvd22i5/2011-01.jpg?width=100&quality=10&v=1da010a918b30d0) The very first Yoyo HQ - Founder Gregg learning his trade as a Flash™ designer We want to be a *force for good* and take you on that journey. Yoyo Design became a Certified [B Corp](https://bcorporation.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAjwkY2qBhBDEiwAoQXK5U1RPAGj1DcJH0cnmP4_TeywtOmT_BVZwZX-jUCQzX8Fsb_8zLszbRoChCIQAvD_BwE) in 2020. B Corp is a third-party certification aimed at identifying companies that have met high levels of performance, accountability, and transparency in the areas of our environment, community, employees, and customers. By joining the network we’ve formalised our commitment, but our journey doesn’t end there. We’re working every day to be a force for good - how? Take a look at our [Approach to Sustainability.](https://yoyodesign.com/media/zqvjpf1r/yoyo-approach-to-sustainability.pdf "Yoyo Approach To Sustainability") [Our B Corp journey](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/) Careers ## Want a job with purpose and to join a team committed to *making a difference?* [Our careers](https://yoyodesign.com/careers/) ## FAQ's How long does a typical website project take with Yoyo Design? Project timelines vary depending on complexity, but a typical [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") or Shopify website build takes us 12-16 weeks from kickoff to launch. This includes discovery, design, development, content migration, testing, and training. We provide detailed timelines at the start of every project. Does Yoyo Design work with clients outside the UK? Yes, whilst we're based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent and[London](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-london/ "Umbraco London"), we work with clients internationally. We've delivered projects for organisations across Europe, the US, and Africa, and we're experienced in remote collaboration. What makes Yoyo Design different from other digital agencies? We're one of the first [B Corp certified](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp Digital Agency") digital agencies in the UK, and we specialise in working with purpose-led organisations. We're also a [certified Umbraco Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner")with deep platform expertise. But what really sets us apart is our collaborative approach, clients describe us as an extension of their team, not just a supplier. How much does a website project with Yoyo Design cost? Website projects vary significantly based on complexity, platform, and requirements. A typical [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco")or Shopify website build starts from £25,000-£50,000+, depending on scope. We provide detailed proposals after an initial discovery conversation to understand your needs. Does Yoyo Design offer training after launching a website? Yes, we provide comprehensive training for your team on how to manage and update your website. For Umbraco sites, this includes CMS training tailored to your content workflows. We also offer ongoing [support](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-support/ "Umbraco Support") through our retainer packages. --- # B Corp Digital Agency _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/_ B Corp digital agency # As one of the first UK B Corp digital agencies, you can be confident that we share your passion for *purpose* We have made a legally binding commitment to manage the business using the triple bottom line: *Profit, People, and the Planet*. In the past, we didn't have the right language to convincingly describe what we believe in: doing right by people and achieving meaningful things in the world. Over the years, when advisors talked about profit, we talked about how to bring more happiness and fulfilment into our daily lives, how we could inspire the next generation of digital talent, how much engagement our latest client campaign generated, or our latest fundraising adventures. Our confidence grew, as the business grew. But we were still lacking a unified language to bring the business together around these different values. Until we officially became part of the hugely exciting, global movement of the B Corp community. ## What is *B Corporation*? A B Corporation is a business that balances purpose and profit, and one legally required to consider the impact of its decisions on employees, customers, suppliers, its community and the environment. ### "B Corp certification turns the ambiguous concepts of "going green" or "being a good corporate citizen" into something tangible and measurable that people can identify, trust, and support." bcorporation.net ## What does this mean for Yoyo? - 1. - Looking after our people. They are the most important part of the business. And the business needs to work for and look after all of us. - 2. - Investing in our community. What we call home. We need to keep nurturing, learning from and investing in it. - 3. - Going further for our clients. The work we deliver to our clients has meaning and we need to continue to offer this value to the world. - 4. - Empowering our suppliers. We want our suppliers to subscribe to the same values as us, so we continue to empower them to do so. - 5. - Taking care of our environment. We want to minimise the impact we have on our world so we implement activities that reverse some of the damage we cause. - 6. - Honouring our legal commitment. We have made a legally binding commitment to manage the business using the triple bottom line: Profit, People and the Planet. ### "B Corps are leaders of a global movement of people using business as a force for good." bcorporation.net ## How to become certified? Obtaining B Corporation certification was a mammoth undertaking requiring months of late nights and relentless focus. It took a lot of soul searching and reflection and involved every single one of our team. It’s essentially broken down into two parts: 1. Our impact and performance We went through a rigorous [impact assessment](https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/programs-and-tools/b-impact-assessment/) undertaken by [B Lab](https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/movement/about-b-lab/) in which we were measured and scored our impact to people and the planet. We were asked a huge range of questions in relation to our employees, our governance, our impact on the community, environment and our customers. In order to be certified, we needed to achieve a score of 80 across all the impact areas. So we were even more thrilled when we saw we had achieved an impact score of 100 on our first attempt. We will undergo a review every three years to ensure we continue to meet these exacting standards. 2. A legal change to our Governance We amended our legally binding, existing governing documents to explicitly state that we now had to consider all stakeholders in our decision making. This includes employees, suppliers, clients and even our ecological footprint. ## What are the Yoyo benefits? - Community - We aspired to be B Corp certified because we wanted to be part of a community of leaders and innovators. We wanted to collaborate with the best, to build a network of like-minded businesses to support and grow alongside. - Strategy focus - The B Corp certification process is all-encompassing and touches on all aspects of our business. By committing to this rigorous process once every few years, we have clarity on where we can improve our business, where we can take things to the next level and plan strategically for the future to make us stronger. - Attracting talent - We know that the issues that B Corp tackles are close to the heart of many people. We want to ensure that we attract the best talent and that the values of the business reflect those of our employees. ### "Verification is a rigorous process. It is not uncommon for companies to earn a reviewed score of less than 80 on their first assessment." bcorporation.net ## What are the client benefits? - Transparency - We’ve always been about transparency in our business, with our clients and anyone we work with and with B Corp, it’s the same - our assessment, scoring and all the details are there for anyone to see. You can understand exactly the type of agency that you are working with. - Security - You have clarity and peace of mind that our supply chain is ethical, that it strives to do good for our communities - no nasty surprises. We don’t shy away from scrutiny, we welcome it. This attitude permeates everything we do, we tackle challenges, collaborate, work and learn together. - Trust - There are plenty of agencies that like to talk the talk. At Yoyo, we hold ourselves to the highest standards. When we make promises, we deliver. - Pioneering spirit - The B Corp community provides us with benchmarks for what the best looks like. We are proud to be part of a small but growing movement with a pioneering spirit - we feel this reflects the way we approach our work and our partnerships. - Empathy - Half of global consumers are "belief-driven," meaning they buy from companies who share their values, according to a 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study, which surveyed 14,000 people in 14 countries. By working with a B Corp certified company, you ensure you work with an agency that understands and aligns itself with consumers. ### Being a B Corp business proves we’re not just in it for the money. It’s reassurance that we’re an authentic agency that has the right intentions. As a B Corp, we get the opportunity to re-certify every three years and improve upon our previous score. In the two years in between, we are also legally required to write and publish an annual impact report for every financial year whilst certified. Our reports don't just measure and showcase the impact over the past year but they also make it clear how we intend to improve our impact in the future and our plans on how we tackle issues surrounding the climate crisis. [2021 Impact report](https://bcorpreport2021.yoyodesign.com/) [2022 Impact report](https://yoyodesign.com/media/m0if5zrc/impact-report-2022.pdf "Impact Report 2022") [2023 Impact report](https://yoyodesign.com/media/r3qkvjt5/impact-report-23.pdf "Impact Report 23") [2024 Impact report](https://yoyodesign.com/impact-report-2024/ "Impact Report 2024") This includes our [SEO support for charities](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-for-charities/ "SEO for Charities"), helping mission-led organisations grow their organic reach and connect with more supporters. Play “ > > ### Becoming a B Corp has given us a framework and an incredible global community, to help us use our business as a force for good. We believe this is how all businesses should be run. Our goal is to grow this community, and learn from one another. Jenny Kitchen - CEO If you’re interested in the process or want to compare notes, [email](mailto:hello@yoyodesign.com) us, or get in contact with Jen [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-kitchen/) to chat all things B Corp ## Latest - Be more eco-friendly this year. Want to be more eco-friendly in 2021? Here’s a rundown of some excellent brands for you to try. [Be more eco-friendly this year](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/be-more-eco-friendly-this-year/) - B Corp Breakfast A breakfast event for senior leaders from B Corp businesses on the topic: Greenwashing, the grey areas. [B Corp Breakfast: Greenwashing, the grey areas](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/b-corp-breakfast-greenwashing-the-grey-areas/) --- # Latest _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/_ # Latest All ^(119)^ - [All ^(119)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/) - [News ^(72)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) - [How to ^(18)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) - [Events ^(6)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/) - [Umbraco ^(23)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) News ### Yoyo sponsors the Saltways Charity Film Festival 2026. Because every great story needs a great digital stage. [Storytelling that sparks action: why we’re sponsoring the Saltways Charity Film Festival 2026](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/storytelling-that-sparks-action-why-we-re-sponsoring-the-saltways-charity-film-festival-2026/) How to ### How to turn casual scrollers into committed donors with impact content Is your charity's incredible work getting lost in dry PDFs? Discover the six pillars of digital impact content and learn how to transform casual website scrollers into committed donors. [How to turn casual scrollers into committed donors with impact content](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/how-to-turn-casual-scrollers-into-committed-donors-with-impact-content/) News ### A guide to managing project stakeholders without the stress Struggling with internal alignment on digital projects? Discover 3 practical ways to manage project stakeholders, avoid delays, and ensure stress-free delivery! [A guide to managing project stakeholders without the stress](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/a-guide-to-managing-project-stakeholders-without-the-stress/) News ### Award win: celebrating Best Designed Site at the 2026 Umbraco Awards! A fantastic win for Yoyo & Demelza - Celebrating Best Designed Site at the 2026 Umbraco Awards! [Award win: celebrating Best Designed Site at the 2026 Umbraco Awards!](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/award-win-celebrating-best-designed-site-at-the-2026-umbraco-awards/) News ### Overcoming fears and raising £2.5K: our team’s incredible charity abseil! Our team Yoyo took to the Leadenhall Building in London for a incredible charity abseil for Demelza. [Overcoming fears and raising £2.5K: Our team’s incredible charity abseil for Demelza](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/overcoming-fears-and-raising-25k-our-team-s-incredible-charity-abseil-for-demelza/) News ### Giving Time Back: 5 AI Tools That Can Seriously Help Your Charity Comms Team Juggling social media, newsletters, and admin? Learn how AI tools can handle the mundane tasks so you can focus on what matters. [Giving Time Back: 5 AI Tools That Can Seriously Help Your Charity Comms Team](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/giving-time-back-5-ai-tools-that-can-seriously-help-your-charity-comms-team/) News ![An elderly woman speaking out loud into her phone, whilst writing something down.](https://yoyodesign.com/media/fg3mnrc5/lady-using-screen-reader.jpg?width=100&height=75&quality=10&v=1dc9a83f9d8cac0) ### Optimise your website for accessibility When you optimise your site for accessibility, you’re not just helping people with disabilities. You’re making your digital experience clearer, faster, and more usable for everyone. [How to optimise your website for accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-to-optimise-your-website-for-accessibility/) News ### The Future of Checkout: Leveraging AI to Personalise the Shopify Journey Discover how AI is transforming the Shopify checkout from a technical process into a smart, psychological tool that fights cart abandonment and boosts conversions. [The Future of Checkout: Leveraging AI to Personalise the Shopify Journey](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-future-of-checkout-leveraging-ai-to-personalise-the-shopify-journey/) 1 of 15 [Next](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/?page=2) --- # News _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/_ # Latest All ^(119)^ - [All ^(119)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/) - [News ^(72)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) - [How to ^(18)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) - [Events ^(6)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/) - [Umbraco ^(23)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) News ### Yoyo sponsors the Saltways Charity Film Festival 2026. Because every great story needs a great digital stage. [Storytelling that sparks action: why we’re sponsoring the Saltways Charity Film Festival 2026](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/storytelling-that-sparks-action-why-we-re-sponsoring-the-saltways-charity-film-festival-2026/) News ### A guide to managing project stakeholders without the stress Struggling with internal alignment on digital projects? Discover 3 practical ways to manage project stakeholders, avoid delays, and ensure stress-free delivery! [A guide to managing project stakeholders without the stress](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/a-guide-to-managing-project-stakeholders-without-the-stress/) News ### Award win: celebrating Best Designed Site at the 2026 Umbraco Awards! A fantastic win for Yoyo & Demelza - Celebrating Best Designed Site at the 2026 Umbraco Awards! [Award win: celebrating Best Designed Site at the 2026 Umbraco Awards!](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/award-win-celebrating-best-designed-site-at-the-2026-umbraco-awards/) News ### Overcoming fears and raising £2.5K: our team’s incredible charity abseil! Our team Yoyo took to the Leadenhall Building in London for a incredible charity abseil for Demelza. [Overcoming fears and raising £2.5K: Our team’s incredible charity abseil for Demelza](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/overcoming-fears-and-raising-25k-our-team-s-incredible-charity-abseil-for-demelza/) News ### Giving Time Back: 5 AI Tools That Can Seriously Help Your Charity Comms Team Juggling social media, newsletters, and admin? Learn how AI tools can handle the mundane tasks so you can focus on what matters. [Giving Time Back: 5 AI Tools That Can Seriously Help Your Charity Comms Team](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/giving-time-back-5-ai-tools-that-can-seriously-help-your-charity-comms-team/) News ![An elderly woman speaking out loud into her phone, whilst writing something down.](https://yoyodesign.com/media/fg3mnrc5/lady-using-screen-reader.jpg?width=100&height=75&quality=10&v=1dc9a83f9d8cac0) ### Optimise your website for accessibility When you optimise your site for accessibility, you’re not just helping people with disabilities. You’re making your digital experience clearer, faster, and more usable for everyone. [How to optimise your website for accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-to-optimise-your-website-for-accessibility/) News ### The Future of Checkout: Leveraging AI to Personalise the Shopify Journey Discover how AI is transforming the Shopify checkout from a technical process into a smart, psychological tool that fights cart abandonment and boosts conversions. [The Future of Checkout: Leveraging AI to Personalise the Shopify Journey](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-future-of-checkout-leveraging-ai-to-personalise-the-shopify-journey/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) 1 of 9 [Next](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/?page=2) --- # The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/_ # The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority News Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. We need to talk about where your website actually lives. When we discuss sustainability in the charity sector, we focus on supply chains, plastic use, or travel. We rarely look at the "cloud." The name suggests something weightless and invisible, but the reality is much heavier. The internet is powered by massive, industrial data centers that run around the clock. They require enormous amounts of electricity to power the processors and even more to keep the hardware from overheating. Currently, the IT sector’s carbon footprint rivals the global aviation industry. Every time a supporter loads your homepage, they are pulling energy from a server. If that server is powered by fossil fuels, your digital presence is quietly working against your mission. The Integrity Gap: When Tech Contradicts Purpose For a commercial brand, green hosting is a "nice to have" for their CSR report. For a non-profit, it is a matter of integrity. The Brand Risk If you are a charity fighting for environmental justice, wildlife conservation, or public health, your digital infrastructure should reflect those values. Using "dirty" hosting creates a disconnect between what you say and how you operate. It’s a strategic inconsistency that savvy donors are starting to notice. The Trust Factor Supporters are looking closer at the ethics of the organizations they fund. Being able to demonstrate that your digital house is in order builds a level of trust that generic marketing cannot buy. It shows you are a responsible steward of both donor money and the planet. The Efficiency Link Sustainable hosting isn't just about the power source. It's about performance. Modern, green data centers are often the most efficient. When combined with a lean Umbraco build, you get a site that is faster, more secure, and cheaper to run. What Green Hosting Actually Means We don’t believe in "greenwashing" or complex offsets. When Yoyo advocates for green hosting, we look for two specific standards: 1. Direct Renewable Energy: Data centers that are powered directly by on-site or regional wind, solar, or hydro power. 2. High-Efficiency Infrastructure: Centers designed with advanced cooling and hardware that minimize energy waste from the start. This isn't about compromising on power. You get the same high-speed, 99.9% uptime performance you expect, just without the environmental hangover. The Yoyo Approach: Sustainable by Design At Yoyo, we believe that "doing good" should be baked into your code. We don't just move your files; we optimize your entire digital footprint. Lean Code, Less Energy A bloated website requires more server power to process. By building on [Umbraco 17](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-17-lts-is-here-stability-speed-and-security/ "Umbraco 17 LTS is here: Stability, Speed, and Security.") and using clean, component-based modeling, we reduce the "weight" of your site. This means fewer server requests and a lower carbon cost per visit. Optimized Assets We use tools like ImageSharp to ensure your images are perfectly sized and compressed. This doesn't just help your [SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-for-charities/ "SEO for Charities") and load speeds; it reduces the amount of data transferred across the network, saving energy at every step of the journey. Ethical Hosting Partners We have vetted a shortlist of hosting providers who lead the industry in transparency and renewable energy use. We handle the technical migration, ensuring your site moves to a cleaner home without any downtime or data risk. The Outcome: A Positive Digital Legacy Switching to green hosting is perhaps the single easiest sustainability win your organization can achieve this year. It delivers tangible results: - Mission Alignment: Your tech stack finally matches your message. - Improved UX: Eco-friendly sites are, by nature, faster and more efficient. - Future-Proofing: Stay ahead of carbon reporting regulations before they become mandatory for the third sector. ## Ready to lower your digital footprint? Most organizations have no idea how much energy their website is consuming or where their servers are located. Let’s change that. We can run a digital [sustainability](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-sustainability/ "Yoyo's Approach to Sustainability") audit on your current site, identifying the "heavy" areas that are costing you energy and performance. From there, we’ll provide a clear roadmap to move your site to a faster, greener, and more ethical foundation. Let's [talk.](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Quality Assurance Shouldn’t be an Afterthought In this article, we’ll explain how vital quality assurance (QA) is to our process and its importance to delivering Yoyo products. [Quality Assurance Shouldn’t be an Afterthought](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/quality-assurance-shouldn-t-be-an-afterthought/) --- # Quality Assurance Shouldn’t be an Afterthought _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/quality-assurance-shouldn-t-be-an-afterthought/_ # Quality Assurance Shouldn’t be an Afterthought News In this article, we’ll explain how vital quality assurance (QA) is to our process and its importance to delivering Yoyo products. In the fast-paced world of web development, delivering a flawless product is not just a goal - it's a necessity. With competition growing fiercer by the day, a single glitch or bug can turn potential customers away for good. That’s why at Yoyo, we understand that quality assurance should never be an afterthought. Let’s dive into five essentials when it comes to QA. ## Continuous Process Throughout Development It is easy to confine QA to a single phase of development or to be considered towards the end of a project. It’s definitely not the first thing you’d think of when imagining the development of a digital product. However, we believe it should be seamlessly integrated into the entire development lifecycle. This means that from the initial definition stages to deployment and post-deployment, QA should be ongoing. By incorporating QA into each development sprint, you can identify and address issues as they arise, preventing them from snowballing into pretty major problems later down the road. This iterative approach allows for quicker identification and resolution of bugs, user experience (UX) conflicts and ensuring a more streamlined and efficient development process. Happy days. ## Quality is Vital to a Yoyo Product Your website or digital product is often the first point of contact between you and potential clients. It serves as a brand new shiny digital shop window, with all the bells and whistles. You’re excited to show it off to everyone, and it’s open day! But what’s that? There’s a loose window in the corner letting in a draft? That light fitting is exposing some electrical work? That wall isn’t the shade of green we agreed?! Just as clients expect a clean and well-organised physical shop, they expect a smooth and error-free online experience. Any bugs, broken links, poor UX, confusing UI or other issues can damage your reputation and deter visitors from returning. We all know that online reviews are hugely important when potential clients are doing product research - one negative experience can spread like wildfire and tarnish your brand's image.That is why maintaining a high level of quality is not just a matter of preference, it's essential for protecting and enhancing your reputation. ## Time and Cost Savings in the Long Run One common misconception is that QA is a time-consuming and expensive process that slows down development. Constantly testing your work can come across as over-the-top, and begs the questions, ‘is it really needed?’, ‘can we not just save some time and money and skip QA?’. We know the opposite is true. By interweaving testing throughout development sprints, you can save time and money in the long run. When QA is left as an afterthought, it often results in a backlog of bugs and issues that need to be addressed all at once. Not only is this overwhelming, but it can lead to extensive delays and increased costs as developers scramble to fix problems that could have been prevented or addressed earlier in the process. A continuous QA approach identifies and resolves issues incrementally, reducing the likelihood of major setbacks and costly last-minute fixes. ## Enhanced UX UX is at the heart of any successful digital product. You could say it courses through its veins. Your users expect a seamless, intuitive, and error-free experience, and any deviations from this expectation can drive them away. By integrating QA into your development process, you can ensure that your web application meets or exceeds user expectations. QA doesn’t just ensure a high-quality product from a development point of view, it also makes sure that the UX principles are met too. Regular testing and user feedback can help you identify areas where the user experience can be improved. Whether it's optimising load times, exceeding accessibility standards, or enhancing navigation, addressing these issues during development will result in a more satisfied user base. ## Compliance and Security In today's digital landscape, data privacy and security are paramount. Neglecting QA can lead to vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit, potentially compromising sensitive user information and damaging your company's reputation. Regular security testing and compliance checks should be part of your QA strategy to safeguard both your users and your business. ## Conclusion QA should never be considered an afterthought in the development process. It is a continuous, ongoing effort that is essential for maintaining the quality of your web application, protecting your brand's reputation, and ensuring a positive user experience. By interweaving QA throughout development sprints, you not only save time and money but also demonstrate a commitment to delivering a top-notch product that users can trust and rely on. In today's competitive digital landscape, QA is not just a best practice - it's essential for success. Want to know more? [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") with a member of the team. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Websites that don't cost the earth _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/_ # Websites that don't cost the earth News We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably As the world becomes more conscious of environmental issues, it's important to consider the impact of everything we do - even beyond straws, coffee cups and air miles. Sustainable web design is an approach to web design that minimises the environmental impact of having user’s load and use your website, and having data centres host it. In this blog post, we'll explore why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably, what types of design changes make websites more sustainable, and why more sustainable websites are beneficial for businesses. ## Why is it important that websites are designed with sustainability in mind? The internet has a surprisingly large environmental impact. Every time we visit a website, data is transmitted from servers to our devices, using energy and contributing to carbon emissions. In fact, it's estimated that the carbon emissions generated by the internet are equivalent to those of the aviation industry. By making only a handful of more sustainable design choices, we can reduce this impact and help to mitigate climate change. “ > > Sustainable web design isn't just good for the environment - it's also good for businesses. ## What types of design changes make websites more sustainable? There are a number of design changes that can make websites more sustainable. One of the most important is reducing the size of web pages. This is done by optimising images to load only at exactly the size needed by the user, compressing code and making sure unused code isn’t loaded, and reducing the number of overall requests a page makes to a server when used. Other strategies include colour palette choices, sustainable typeface choices, using green hosting, only using animations and videos that have real impact and purpose, and taking advantage of tools like carbon offsetting. For a deep dive into all of these strategies, including exactly what you can do to get the ball rolling in your business and more, you can check out Yoyo’s [sustainable guide to digital design guide](https://sustainable-digital-design-guide.yoyodesign.com/). ## Why are more sustainable websites beneficial for businesses? Sustainable web design isn't just good for the environment - it's also good for businesses. By reducing the size of web pages, businesses can improve the performance of their websites, leading to faster load times and, if done right, a better overall user experience. This can translate into wins like increased engagement, higher conversion rates, and improved search engine rankings. And of course, by demonstrating a commitment to sustainability, businesses can appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. Sustainable web design is an important consideration for anyone involved in web design, whether you're a marketing team, development team, UX team or CEO. By taking small steps to reduce the environmental impact of our websites and digital experiences, we can help to mitigate climate change and improve the performance of our sites. If you're interested in learning more about sustainable web design, we offer UX and sustainability reviews that offer a prioritised roadmap of actionable improvements - organised for your teams in order of urgency and impact. [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") with us to find out more. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### 10 website “icks” that turn us off We asked the studio to share the shallowest, brightest, yet unsettling true icks that they've found online. [10 website “icks” that turn us off](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/10-website-icks-that-turn-us-off/) --- # Five ways to start optimising your content for SEO _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/five-ways-to-start-optimising-your-content-for-seo/_ # Five ways to start optimising your content for SEO News Written by: Ellie Barrett We’ve put together five of the most impactful tips for driving traffic to your website without the need for rocket science. Search engine optimisation (SEO) can be a daunting task. The algorithmic gods that decide each web page's fate can be both mysterious and cruel to novices. Below are five of the most impactful tips for driving traffic to your website without the need for rocket science. ## 1. Find your key words. Key words are the crux of SEO. When looking for a new vacuum cleaner, you might search “vacuum cleaner”, and expect to see a list of web pages that mention them. However, in that sea of vacuum cleaner search results, you might narrow down your investigation by adding words like “pet-hair friendly” or “cheap”. In those extra words lies the [SEO secret to success](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent"), ensuring that products and pages appear in as many relevant searches as possible, no matter how niche. Otherwise, every site will be competing for the top spot on a select few, very broad searches - which is less than ideal for both users and businesses. Whether you’re writing about dishwashers or dinosaurs, it’s essential to include the same words that users will be searching for in your content. You can likely guess a fair few of the most relevant words to describe the content on your webpage but, to take your SEO practice to the next level, try tools like ahrefs.com and Google’s Search Console to see essential stats. These tools enable you to see how many users are searching the terms you’re mentioning, find other words that you may have missed, and can even show a score detailing how difficult it is to rank highly, with each word on Google’s search results listings. Repeating key words is great, as pages that mention them most will appear more useful. However, Google isn’t stupid, and sites that appear to spam a term without making any sense are likely to be penalised as users land and bounce away again. “ > > all this hard work is worthless if your users land, only to find content that doesn’t satisfy their query, or a user experience that leaves them bored - or worse, frustrated. ## 2. Headings, headings, headings. As your school teacher likely told you, titles are important, and they need to be written well to ensure that your audience knows what it is they’re about to read. If users land on your page and the title is too vague, unnaturally long or just plain gibberish - they won’t risk wasting their time reading your page when there are millions of safer bets a click away. Google (unsurprisingly) knows this too, and uses the content of your headings to decide how useful your content is likely to be. That means that pages with clear h1 headings, that contain the key words users are looking for, and subheadings that neatly and informatively break up sections of your page using more of those key words, (Those are your h2, h3, h4 headings onwards) will appear sooner (or higher) in search results. FAQs are a great way to implement this, by asking the same questions your users do. Frequently asked question sections are a great place to use plenty of key words and increase your chances of being the source that search engines surface to answer user’s woes and curiosities. Google might even pull out your question and show your answer as a top search result, just like the one shown below. ## 3. Betta' check your Meta-tags. Meta is a nice futuristic prefix, the brand formerly known as Facebook obviously agrees. So it can cause some to groan at the idea of getting unnecessarily technical. But fear not, meta-tags are no more complex than the hashtags we’ve been tweeting for over a decade and a half (I just Googled it - scary, I know). Within your site’s HTML, or more likely these days accessible somewhere in your site’s CMS, are your meta tags. These are a list of words or phrases describing the content on your webpage, letting search engines know what kind of content this site contains. A lot like the ingredients on a food label. These ingredients are whispered quietly to Google, and if added correctly, won’t appear at all on your webpage. This is because they live in what's known as the “head” of your webpage, where all the less glamorous admin is done, such as telling Google which language your webpage appears in. Which words should be used as meta-tags? See what I did there? There are four types of meta-tag, but three we’ll discuss here. - ### Meta Key Words - The Meta Key words Attribute is made up of, you guessed it, the relevant key words you lovingly researched earlier. This is less important than you’d expect however, as due to people including key words that are completely irrelevant to their site’s content in order to try to increase their search rankings, Google has devalued the meta key words attribute in its search rankings. The moral of the story is, only use relevant key words, spamming irrelevant ones is bad for everyone. - ### Meta Titles - The Meta Title tag is not devalued, because it’s very important. The words assigned to this tag appear on tabs as the title of your webpage, and in Google’s search results. This is the sign above your shop door. It needs to be clear, concise, and armed with key words. Although Google says there’s no official title tag character limit, the industry standard and recommended length is 50-60 characters. This is partly to ensure the most useful parts of your title can be seen in Google’s search results, and not cut off with a dreaded “...”. It doesn’t need to include full sentences, which is why you’ll often see sites use key words, separated by the “**|**”, or pipe symbol, like so. - ### Meta Descriptions - Finally we have the Meta Description tag. This is used by Google to determine your webpage’s relevance using key words, and also to form the description of each website seen in Google’s search results. Google determines the most important “snippet” of text from your description to display on search results, by looking at which part of it mentions what users are searching for. The guidance here, is to utilise your key words, but keep sentences concise and to the point, as Gucci demonstrates below. There are some clever extra tags you can use, to beef up your meta-descriptions without showing it all to users, such as the [data-nosnippet](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/special-tags#data-nosnippet) attribute - but this usually isn’t necessary as there’s no limit to how long a meta-description should be. Just be aware that Google will interrupt your description with an ellipsis at roughly at least 160 characters. ## 4. Who’s got your back-links? As one of the most important search engine ranking factors, back-links do what they say on the tin, they’re instances where other webpages link back to your page. The logic here is that websites that have lots of other websites linking to them are likely to be good sources of information and more trustworthy. Pages with a lot of back-links benefit from higher organic search rankings and, if all goes well, higher traffic. It’s often compared to votes, or recommendations. Sadly, utilising back-links isn’t as simple as setting up one hundred unlisted fake websites and linking them all to your target webpage. Google can see, and cares, how credible the web pages linking back to your site are. This means that a back-link from BBC News will boost your site's search rankings much more than a back-link from your uncle's pet-friendly-vacuum-cleaner review blog. Savvier still, Google also cares how contextually relevant the back-linking websites are. A cookie recipe page back-linking to a page about cooking gluten-free food will benefit far more, then a plumbing blog back-linking to a page about the top 10 lipstick colours of 2023. ## 5. All traffic and no experience can do more harm than good. [Why does search engine optimisation matter?](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent")Why optimise web pages for Google’s search result rankings at all? Well, the obvious answer is to increase overall traffic to your site. However, all this hard work is worthless if your users land, only to find content that doesn’t satisfy their query, or a user experience that leaves them bored, frustrated, or with "the ick". Lots of users bouncing away from your site suggests that your content is low-quality, and less useful than other sites. This is another factor Google is wise to, and without improvement over time Google will take back the SEO ranking spot you worked so hard for. There’s no point hanging up a beautiful sign for a restaurant that serves terrible food, after that initial spike in footfall, people always catch wind that the staff are rude and the chairs are uncomfortable. If your team could do with support to achieve this delicate balance between [technical SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/technical-consultancy-performance/ "Technical Consultancy & Performance"), excellent interactions and best in-class content, to create experiences with impact - get in touch with us at Yoyo for a chat about how we can help. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # How to write a killer website brief _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-to-write-a-killer-website-brief/_ # How to write a killer website brief News Expert tips and tricks on writing the perfect agency brief. Getting the right agency for your new website project is critical to its success, and this all starts by writing a great brief. So, here’s our expert advice on how to craft one. ## The four-step basic framework We find this broad framework works well as a structure for most website briefs, breaking down all the key information into easy-to-reference sections: **1. About us** Provide a high-level introduction about you and your brand. **2. Project detail** Give an overview of the project and all you want to achieve. **3. Project timeline** Outline the go-live date, plus any other key milestones. **4. Proposal detail** Detail submission deadlines and agency criteria. ## The 'must haves' Once you have your broad framework, you can start adding the detail. Here are some crucial bits we would encourage you to add: ### 1. Company background What does your business do? What is the history of the business? These questions are so important for creating a striking site. As an outsider, agencies can often spot interesting nuances about your brand that can be used to help you stand out from your competitors. So, the more context you can share, the better. ### 2.  Project background Why has the brief come about? And why now? Knowing *why* a project has got the green light helps an agency to understand the bigger picture and the pressing issues within your world. For instance, if poor site functionality is impacting on a specific marketing process, then lay these out clearly. ### 3. Project Objectives What will make this site ‘successful’ and how will you measure it? Consider including here both your short and long-term objectives. If you can, outline how these objectives fit into the wider marketing/business strategy. Knowing the wider strategy is key, even if the objective isn’t commercial. ### 4. Target audience / personas Who is your audience? And why do they use your site? If you’ve done work developing key personas for your brand already, then detail that within that brief. However, if you need help narrowing your audiences, outline that too. This means you won’t go over old ground unnecessarily. ### 5.  Competitors Who are your main competitors? When mapping out your competitor landscape, it’s a good idea to include any strengths and weaknesses, plus any detail which shows the competitive pressures of your business. Other areas might include lost customer feedback and site functionality you want to replicate. ### 6. Project management and timelines When does the project need to be completed by? And why? **** The ‘why’ is the critical one here. If the website launch needs to coincide with a fixed event for example, then it’s always good to know about this at the start. This ensures the right resource and time management is put in place from the very beginning. ### 7. Budget What budget are you comfortable working within? The budget is a ‘must have’ because agencies simply can’t prepare a realistic proposal without it. If you haven’t scoped one yet, then even a ballpark figure is sufficient to get started. Choose from £0k - £15k, £15k - £30k, £30k - £50k or £50k+. ### 8. Technical requirements Does the site require integration? And what are the technical requirements? Functional requirements – such as contact form and CRM system integration are critical for the brief because they are fundamental to the scope of the project. Other technical requirements might include admin permissions and multi-language pages. ### 9. Brand guidelines Do you have any? And do they cover digital brand assets? If a business has guidelines, often they don’t extend to digital assets such as animation and video. Digital style guidelines can be developed as part of a website project, so if that’s needed, include it within the brief so it can be scoped. ### 10. Content build and migration Who will be responsible for copywriting and populating the new site? Copywriting and content migration is not usually included, as standard, as part of a website project. If you have the required resource in-house, make a note in the brief of who will be responsible, or alternatively specify what support you need. ## The ‘nice to haves’ ### 1. Hosting Do you require it? And what is your current hosting environment? Hosting is a question often asked by clients during a project, but if you need help with it, it’s well worth mentioning it, so it can be factored-in from the beginning. Sustainable hosting is however more important to know at the very outset. ### 2. Stakeholder management Who is going to be involved? Website projects are huge undertakings and getting agreement from multiple stakeholders takes time. Knowing what stakeholders will be part of the sign-off process, and how they like to work, is always helpful to know, so they can each be factored into the proposed timeline. ### 3. Agency requirements What are you looking for in an agency? If you’re keen to secure an agency that has a proven track record within a particular sector or working with a specific platform, then make sure you outline this clearly. Similarly, if it’s important to have an agency that mirrors your own company values, then say that too. ### 4. SEO support Do you have any SEO support in-house, or do you work with an agency? SEO is likely to be a key part of your site delivery, so understanding how you currently manage it is helpful, as SEO-support can be built into the scope, if it’s required. Or, if there is a third-party agency to liaise with, this can be built into the proposed timeline. ### 5. Support and maintenance Will you need ongoing support? Site maintenance is crucial for keeping your site in tip top condition post-launch. If you know your business is going to need ongoing support after the go-live, include this in the brief, and the proposal can then include an indication of what investment this would involve. ## The icing on the cake Feeling confident you’ve included everything? Here are just a few extra tips to consider before submitting. ### Less is not more. The more information you can give, the better. Not only does it mean you get a proposal that meets your expectation (hopefully first time), but if an agency is fully versed about your brand, it helps to avoid any annoying bumps in the road after a project has begun. ### Don’t assume anything. It’s easy to assume that: ‘X comes as standard as part of the project, because that’s what our last agency did’. Agencies don’t know what they don’t know, and whatever specifications you have, it’s always better to lay them out, no matter how obvious they seem. ### Prioritise Writing briefs can sometimes end up being a bit like a shopping list – long and unwieldy – so prioritising is critical. New site objectives might include improving accessibility, driving traffic, or even improving sustainability. Make it clear which one should be focused on the most. ### Include the ‘no-nos’ Saying what you *don’t want*, is just as important as saying what you *do want*. If you’ve done something before that wasn’t quite right, then include it. Or, if perhaps you have a real desire to step away from anything your brand has done before, then include that too. ### Write honestly. What we mean by this, is write unequivocally about what you *really want*. If you need an agency that will work hard to challenge your ideas and push the envelope, then say it! The best client relationships are built on openness, and the brief is no better place to start. ## Want to know more? [Book a meeting with a member of the team today](mailto:newbusiness@yoyodesign.com) ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Be more eco-friendly this year _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/be-more-eco-friendly-this-year/_ # Be more eco-friendly this year News Want to be more eco-friendly in 2021? Here’s a rundown of some excellent brands for you to try. ### More people than ever are making a conscious decision to buy from companies who are openly committed to using their position/profit/product in a way that gives something back and doesn’t further contribute to damage our environment, our planet or other people. There are so many ways in which we can make these choices, in all areas of our lives. Granted, it may take a bit more conscious effort, but these small purchasing decisions make such a huge difference to the world that we live in. The cars we drive, the bank we use, the pension options we invest in, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the energy providers, the household products - even the loo roll. It all makes a difference. Whilst choosing to buy your fruit and veg from Oddbox rather than your local supermarket might seem like a drop in the ocean, when this becomes thousands and perhaps even millions of similar decisions across the world, this amounts to an incredibly powerful message to organisations of all sizes and across all industries to be making cleaner, kinder and more ethical business decisions. Since becoming a B Corp last year, it has raised our awareness of all the amazing brands out there, doing amazing things for the planet, and the people within it. Hunting these brands down and sharing them across the team has even become a part of our culture. If, like us, you want to seek our more eco-friendly companies, we’ve made it a little bit easier by putting together a list of some of our favourites. This is just the tip of the iceberg but we hope it inspires you to dig a little deeper and start demanding more from the companies you buy from, work with and endorse. ### Food Oddbox As mentioned, Oddbox is a great alternative to buying your fruit and veg from the supermarket. The produce is either rescued, odd or surplus, directly from the farm to your plate! https://www.oddbox.co.uk/ ### Rubies in the Rubble Rubies in the Rubble are a pioneering voice in food sustainability. Their delicious condiments are packed with ingredients that would otherwise go to waste. https://rubiesintherubble.com/ ### Divine Chocolate ##### The decision to buy from a B Corp like Divine doesn’t just feel amazing, but it tastes amazing too. Driven by a social mission to empower producers and consumers, Divine is the only Fairtrade chocolate company co-owned by farmers. https://ukshop.divinechocolate.com/uk/shop/ ### Proper This popcorn and snack company believe in doing business the right way - for their team, the planet and the people within it. We love what they do…and we love their snacks! https://proper.co.uk/ ### Tony's Chocolonely Another chocolate brand we love. As it stands, the chocolate supply chain is unequally divided - farmers are forced to live in poverty, leading to illegal child labour and modern slavery. This fellow B Corp’s mission is to make 100% slave free chocolate. https://tonyschocolonely.com/uk/en ### Drink Good Things Brewery As their name suggests, Good Things Brewery does good for the world, as the first fully sustainable brewery. They bore their own water, create their own power and turn their spent brewer’s grain into flour. https://goodthingsbrewing.co/ ### Small Beer This brewery aims to never waste a single drop. From the start, they cut down the water needed to brew their beer and only rely on recovered energy. https://theoriginalsmallbeer.com/ ### Horsham Coffee Roaster Horsham Coffee Roaster focuses on ethical sourcing of speciality coffee combined with sustainable environmental practices. All of their coffee is roasted on a low emissions roaster and delivered in fully recyclable packaging. https://www.horshamcoffeeroaster.co.uk/ ### Coaltown Coffee As you can tell, the team love their coffee (and beer)! Based in the South of Wales in a former mining community, Coaltown was set up with the ambition to bring industry back to their hometown. https://www.coaltowncoffee.co.uk/ ## Household Products, Sanitary Products & Cosmetics ### Who Gives A Crap As a result of roughly 40% of the global population not having access to a toilet, there are hundreds of thousands of deaths by diseases caused by poor water and sanitation each year. Launched in 2012 with a crowdfunding campaign, Who Gives a Crap sell plastic-free toilet roll, donating 50% of their profits to help build toilets and improve sanitation in the developing world. https://uk.whogivesacrap.org/ ### Arbonne This purpose-driven health and beauty company is committed to being accountable for their actions to the planet, through greener packaging and responsible operations. All of their products are 100% vegan and cruelty-free. [https://www.arbonne.com](https://www.arbonne.com/pws/homeoffice/tabs/home.aspx) ### Dame Dame’s mission is to make sanitary products that are sustainable and accessible for all. They seek to change the conversation to bring periods into the 21st century for all people whatever their gender, creed or colour. https://wearedame.co/ ### Huskee Huskee’s reusable coffee cup is made from (otherwise wasted) coffee husks. The clever design has a number of benefits from hotter coffee for longer, to a more comfortable hold. It is also purpose-built to be recycled at the end of its life. https://uk.huskee.co/ ### Method Their household cleaning products are eco-friendly and non-toxic and are always tested by people, never on animals. From sourcing to manufacturing and distributing, Method is responsible. https://methodproducts.co.uk/ ### Haeckels Haeckels household and beauty products are all natural and made from sustainable ingredients. They also have a number of sustainable incentives, such as picking up litter from the beach and bringing in-store for free products. Oh, and we love their branding and packaging! https://haeckels.co.uk/ ### Agreena food wraps We love these reusable food wraps from Agreena, an eco-friendly substitute for cling film, foil and baking paper. https://www.agreena.world ### Freecycle Freecycle is a grassroots nonprofit global movement of people giving (and getting) stuff for free. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. From wardrobes to toilet roll holders to bikes, you can find some great items. https://www.freecycle.org/ ### Clothing ### Patagonia Patagonia fight irresponsible, fast-fashion manufacturing. They believe in buying quality, used and multifunctional gear - to be worn and to be repaired, repeated. https://eu.patagonia.com/gb/en/home/ ### Alpkit Alpkit is a small and independent outdoor clothing and equipment company. They have 6 sustainability principles that guide everything they do and have recently joined the B Corp community! https://alpkit.com/ ### Batoko Batoko make swimwear out of recycled plastic - they have recycled the equivalent weight of 300,000 plastic water bottles! Their incredible prints use non-toxic inks and are created digitally (which saves water and energy and produces little waste). https://www.batoko.com/ ### Vivobarefoot Their ethos is to create shoes with minimal bio-mechanical interference, so our feet can do its natural thing. They are serious about sustainability, as they research and invest in new, cleaner and greener materials to reduce their carbon and landfill footprint. https://www.vivobarefoot.com/uk/ ### Finisterre This outdoor clothing company, and fellow B Corp, design functional and sustainable products for those who love the sea. They use ‘leave no trace’ packaging, which are water soluble, recyclable and biodegradable. https://finisterre.com/ ### People Tree Every fashion product of theirs is made to the highest ethical and environmental standards, from start to finish. People Tree are an active member of many Fair Trade, social justice and environmental networks. https://www.peopletree.co.uk/ ### TOMS This shoe and clothing company’s mission is to use business to improve lives and to take care of the place we all call home. They are committed to making choices that benefit customers, employees and the planet. https://www.toms.com/uk ### Raeburn Design Raeburn Design is a responsible fashion designer company, guided by their ‘Remade, Reduced, Recycled’ principles. Christopher Raeburn, owner and designer, grew up in our hometime of Tunbridge Wells! https://www.raeburndesign.co.uk/ ## Finance ### Triodos Triodos is one of the worlds most sustainable banks, making money work for positive social, environmental and cultural change. We love what this banks does; enabling individuals and organisations to use their money in ways that benefit people and the environment. https://www.triodos.co.uk/ ## Travel ### Asilia Africa Asilia Africa is one of East Africa’s long-standing Safari companies. They believe that tourism should be used for good and, when practiced responsibly, can be a driving force in both the conversation and development of East Africa. https://www.asiliaafrica.com/ If you have any other suggestions for eco-friendly brands that we can add to our list, or want to know more about the ones we have listed, please [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # 8 advantages to redesigning your website _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/8-advantages-to-redesigning-your-website/_ # 8 advantages to redesigning your website News Whether you’re a large-scale corporation, an SME, e-commerce brand or start-up, the time will inevitably come for your website to undergo a redesign. We don’t think twice about updating our wardrobe, upgrading to a new phone or redecorating the spare bedroom in an effort to keep up to date with changing styles or functionality – and refreshing your business website should be no different. After all, your business will evolve a great deal in a fairly short period and it’s likely that your website doesn’t reflect those changes. Whether you’re a large-scale corporation, an SME, ecommerce brand or start-up, the time will inevitably come for your website to undergo a redesign. So, how will you know when the time is right, why is it important – and what will be the benefits to your business? (Spoiler: there are lots!). ## How often should your website be redesigned? Very few websites are perfect. Most will require regular improvement and should be continually evolving to provide a better UX/UI. As well as simply updating pages to keep them fresh and current, this can be achieved by optimising your existing design and analysing certain aspects of your website on a regular basis – SEO rankings and security measures and monitoring analytics for conversion rates. First impressions are everything, and, using analytic tools, you can check to see how customers are reacting to your current website. if you discover that your site is no longer reaching its maximum potential, indicated by a steep decline in web traffic for instance, then it’s time for a redesign. However, there’s no standard for evaluating if your website needs a redesign and no rule on how frequently it needs one;  that really depends on the nature of your site, your business and the technology advances in that time – but it should be as soon as it isn’t meeting yours, or your customer’s needs – usually between every 2-5 years. ## The importance of redesigning your website. Your business relies on its identity and if the vision for the business has shifted and evolved, yet your online presence still shows your original brand messaging, then a redesign can help get it back on track, by updating the aesthetics (colours, fonts, imagery) or the content. After working hard to grow your business and keep your online presence updated, if you find that it’s simply not delivering results, your website probably needs to be built better to drive more of those all-important conversions. Analyse the metrics, measure which areas of the site people are reacting to (or not) - and see what that tells you. If the overall purpose of the website has shifted – say, you’ve added an ecommerce functionality to the website or multi-language options - chances are you’ll need to redesign it to reflect the new objectives. Perhaps you’ve made some changes to the products or services you offer or some important staff changes, which are not yet reflected on your site. Either way, your website should give your customers an accurate picture of your business as it stands today – you can’t expect visitors to trust an outdated website, so ensuring that blogs and news pages are current is vital. As technologies improve and adapt, redesigning your website is a great opportunity to keep up to date, to improve functionality and boost SEO performance, mobile browsing capability and enhance security features – easily achieved through a website redesign. ## Why is updating your CMS important? A new website redesign also tends to follow with a new CMS – the platform which essentially operates the backend interface and frontend design of a website and which is responsible for the creation, management, distribution and publishing of digital content. A CMS platform helps your website to perform successfully and is designed to make your website management easier. It’s important to keep it up to date to ensure there are no compatibility issues. ## An updated CMS can also help with: - ### Improved User Experience & trust. - By improving integration with systems such as mobile and social platforms, your CMS will provide a better [user experience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX") which in turn builds engagement and trust. - ### New features and functionality. - If you’re stuck on an older version of your CMS, you’re probably missing out on new features. An update will provide new product capabilities, with innovations, performance improvements and enhanced functionality. - ### Saves Time & Costs. - Upgrading your CMS becomes harder the longer you leave it and a very outdated version will require a considerable amount of time to bring it back to full, modern functionality. And just as an old car can become a money pit, there’s little point pouring money into an outdated CMS which might be losing you precious revenue through outages and downtime, when you could easily invest in a newer, safer and faster version. - ### Security. - Keeping your CMS software up to date can help to increase security with technical issues such as bugs, coding errors and faulty plugins that are present in the current version of your CMS, resolved through a simple update. ## 8 benefits of redesigning your website. Rebuilding your website from the ground-up requires a significant investment, but as it’s often the very first point of contact for potential customers, it’s critical in making that first impression. A website redesign is no different to refurbishing a physical storefront or office; it represents the identity of your business and by improving its look and feel, enhancing it with new features, and adhering to industry best practices, it will result in more leads and ultimately drive better business results. Here are just some of the benefits of a website redesign for your business: ### 1. Improve conversions of the actions you want consumers to take. Whether you want to collect a visitor’s email or phone number, drive them to book an appointment, sign up for a subscription or purchase an item, converting visitors is the ultimate goal of any website. But if you’ve noticed conversion rates have been dipping over the past few months, it could be due to a number of reasons: the navigation may be confusing, you’re missing some essential calls to action or the checkout process could be old and outdated. Whatever the case, a website redesign will help to resolve these issues and make your visitors more likely to convert. ### 2. Opportunity to start again. As styles and trends evolve and new developments in web technology continue to emerge, the original vision for your website may seem outdated and you’ll want to launch a completely new site. Maybe you’ve seen how a competitor’s site appears more compelling, slick and user-friendly. Learning from previous mistakes by starting from scratch with a brand new website will bring your online presence into the 21st century, help to refocus your brand and promote trust and engagement with a more aligned audience. ### 3. Brand Consistency. Your brand is essentially what connects people to the products and services you offer and your website is the shopfront, your corporate online presence. It needs to portray your brand positively and a redesign will prompt you to re-evaluate and strengthen it, to help keep your business relevant, consistent and engaging. And it goes beyond aesthetics - revisit your target market and whether the website reflects your brand mission and values and use the opportunity to adapt the tone of voice in your brand messaging if necessary. ### 4. Update for new functionality and technology. New website technology is emerging all the time and by updating your website, your customers will benefit from an improved user experience – through enhancements to the functionality of the site, its speed, SEO, security and responsiveness. ### 5. Helps to keep your business relevant A good business website should accurately and consistently communicate your mission and keeping it fresh will prevent it from becoming stagnant. Updating it with well-executed, useful, relevant, and up-to-date information is key in attracting new visitors and retaining existing users – and maintaining that all-important competitive advantage. ### 6. Improve user experience You have between 10 and 20 seconds of a user’s attention before they decide whether to stay on your website or leave. Your users will expect your website to do exactly what they need it to do and it’s all too easy for your potential customers to go elsewhere if they don’t quickly get what they need from your website.  By redesigning your website you can re-evaluate strategies to keep visitors’ attention longer, while generating new prospects and revenue. Use the latest plugins and navigation features to improve the UX by creating intuitive navigational structures, signposting key content and giving visitors clear calls to action. This will help reduce bounce rates, increase retention and ultimately boost sales leads. ### 7. Improve for Mobile Responsiveness There’s no excuse these days for a website *not* to be optimised for seamless mobile browsing and one that is easy to navigate on a phone with a mobile menu, whether it’s achieved via a stand-alone mobile version of your site or one that is coded with responsive or adaptive design. In the first quarter of 2021, mobile devices (excluding tablets) generated 54.8 percent of global website traffic – a statistic that makes mobile responsiveness an extremely compelling reason to redesign your website. It is also increasingly important to maintaining or improving your rankings in search engines. ### 8. Easier implementation of content Content is the foundation of every website and as soon as a site is live, clients want to feel in control of updating their service or product pages or creating and publishing blog posts. There’s little excuse these days for content management to be onerous or confusing and if it is, then a web redesign can help resolve that. At [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/), we build websites on [Umbraco’s CMS platform](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/), whose user-friendly admin interface makes uploading content and editing and maintaining client websites very simple, even for non-technical users with basic browser skills. ## Conclusion At [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/) we understand that good business websites take time and money to design and build, but we also know that having a robust, attractive, flexible online presence can make all the difference when it comes to converting website traffic into meaningful customer engagement or sales. As a [Umbraco development agency](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/), we don’t believe in a ‘one size fits all’ approach which is why clients have come to us to create and deliver a bespoke website, fit for the future. Staying relevant and competitive lies at the heart of any successful business; if your website is looking a bit unloved, running slower than it should, lacking mission-critical functionality – or it’s simply not giving you the sales opportunities it should, get in touch to find out how we can help. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # 10 website “icks” that turn us off _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/10-website-icks-that-turn-us-off/_ # 10 website “icks” that turn us off News We asked the studio to share the shallowest, brightest, yet unsettling true icks that they've found online. Icks, we all have them. If you think you don’t, I don’t trust you. You’re too nice. When, not if, you find yourself on TikTok, you may have come across people declaring the oddities which kill the romantic spark with that person they’re dating. Spoiler: they’re usually quite irrational but for some reason make total sense. Nevertheless some of them are daft - “When they lose their footing as the tube starts moving” - and some are just downright cruel - “When they have to repeat themselves in a group because nobody heard them.” Ouch. "Ick /ɪk/ Used to express disgust" Whether or not an ick aligns with your moral compass, I’m all for the subjectivity of human experience. At Yoyo, we endeavour to put users and their unique perspectives at the heart of our experiences and, if we didn’t empathise with and design for your customers’ wants, needs and expectations, we wouldn’t be doing our jobs. Take a second; I hope you noticed that bumbling segue into website-relevant content… we got there in the end. With this trend sweeping the world wide web we decided it would be a shame not to get involved. We’re not that into judging others for simply being themselves, though; so we asked the agency what gives them the ick about digital experiences to make it a bit more Yoyo. The result; a list of pet peeves that Yoyo-ers have experienced online which make them put their head in their hands, shout at their laptops, or smash that back button. Although some might seem irrational at first glance, we’ve given some thought about just how these icks have wandered into the darkness of website no-nos with little promise of returning. - ### When a website auto-plays videos with the sound on - Right, this is a good one to kick us off. If you’ve ever been in the library, on the train or in the office, even, and your laptop spontaneously transforms into a foghorn you’ll know what this Yoyo-er is on about. That said, there are plenty of pros to autoplaying videos. If your goal is to grab your audiences’ attention when they first land on your site, for example, then video is great. With this in mind there are certain occasions when it is appropriate - context is key. It also depends on how you want to use this type of media. When it comes to accessibility, if your site auto-plays a video which lasts longer than 3 seconds you are required to provide functionality to stop or mute it if you want to achieve at least [W3 Level A compliance](https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/act/rules/80f0bf/proposed/). It appears as though this ick has the potential to have a tangible impact on your user experience. So perhaps it’s worth noting this one down! - ### When you are spammed with pop-ups as soon as you land on a site - Pop-ups, who honestly likes them? They’re like that old bloke in a trench coat outside Charing Cross station (don’t ask - it was traumatic). This one cropped up a couple times amongst the Yoyo team, but a special mention goes out to the popups that stop you from browsing or reading the rest of that article before you’ve even begun. The marketing team might like them because they’re an easy way to offer discounts, encourage sign ups and make announcements, but do they improve the user experience? In our opinion, not really. Users are incredibly likely to scramble to close a pop up without engaging at all. If you want to use pop ups, consider when they appear, who you are talking to, and make sure to keep your ask succinct. For instance, it makes more sense to chance your arm with a pop up after a user has spent a couple of minutes on your site; when you’ve personalised the message based on content, and you’re not looking for reams of personal information. Here's a great example of popup overload on Best Buy's site found by NN/g. - ### When a site uses Corporate Memphis illustrations or stock photography - Thank you, Anon Yoyo-er. Let’s keep this one short and sweet. If you want your brand and digital experiences to stand out from the crowd, you’re going to need to try harder than settling for a popular illustration library or using images from the top row of search results on Shutterstock. Done. Your users have seen it all before. Anon Yoyo-er would know, they’re an expert. Seen these guys before? - ### When a site’s content is gated - Ok, I can keep this one even shorter. It’s a pain but this Yoyo-er is just salty… Nothing in this life is free. Unless you speak to a Developer and find out how to get around that big gate and over the moat without raising an alarm. Who said that?! - ### When my laptop can’t handle a site’s content - Now this one I’m sure we can all relate to. You’ve landed on a site and the video won’t load or your laptop sounds like it’s about to take-off. Take 3D renders for example - rocket fuel! Whilst this one is icky as, there are some real consequences for poor [website performance](https://yoyodesign.com/services/technical-consultancy-performance/ "Technical Consultancy & Performance"). You only have to do a quick Google search to see how milliseconds can make or break millions in terms of revenue for your business. We’d also recommend taking a look at [Web Vitals](https://web.dev/vitals/) to understand how you can optimise your site’s performance and, as a result, the [User Experience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX"). “ > > With a 0.1s improvement in site speed across four specific site speed metrics we observed that retail consumers spent 9.2% more. The Drum - ### When platforms don’t make it easy for you to simply copy URL links - This one’s nice and niche. Niche enough to find its way to be immortalised in Hall of Icks but relatable enough for us to nod our heads in agreement. Ever tried to share a lamp with your flatmate on Facebook marketplace? They obviously don’t want you to leave Facebook or would rather you at least hop over to another corner of the Meta ecosystem, but there are approximately 3 clicks involved if you want to grab the elusive URL. I can imagine this is even more frustrating for a Yoyo-er if they find themselves sharing content on the daily. This sounds like a good candidate for the [dark pattern](https://darkpatterns.uxp2.com/) list, too. - ### When a site is littered with ads - Yuck, ads. As I’ve already mentioned, nothing in life is free; especially when it comes to digital. If you’re not buying something, your attention is the product being sold. Sometimes display ads are great if they help you find the perfect Christmas gift but that’s rare and, more often than not, they ad (pun absolutely intended) to your users’ cognitive load, distract them from the main content and evidently tarnish their experience. Users just want to find out how to make a pumpkin soup from their old jack-o’-lanterns, not have to scroll through stacks of ads, let alone the keyword stuffing. - ### When you can tell a site is templated - This Yoyo-er is adamant that there is a time and place for templates and I think we would all agree. There’s little more jarring than a template that forces a brand to shoe-horn content into components which aren’t tailored to the contents’ and users’ needs. If you’re keen to find out more about the pros and cons of templated websites or bespoke builds, here’s [everything you need to know](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/custom-websites-vs-template-websites-everything-you-need-to-know/). - ### When a site has poor colour contrast - I was expecting irrational icks when I opened the floor to the agency, but this one makes total sense. This Yoyo-er is even giving each site 100 extra points if a site’s inline text links have poor colour contrast (P.S. that’s not a good thing). It goes without saying that accessibility should be at the forefront of your design process. If it isn’t, you run the risk of excluding members of your target audience - I’d hate to know how that correlates to your brand’s positioning and bottom line <insert :grimacing: emoji>. - ### When websites ask to use my location or send me notifications without telling me why - This one is borderline creepy. Nearly up there with Dahmer asking you for one more whisky and coke. Ok, I wouldn’t go that far but you can see where this Yoyo-er is coming from. These browser pop-ups not only interrupt the user experience of your site but can negatively affect the level of trust you instil in your audience. Think twice before asking your users for personal information without a clear and obvious reason why. You might scare them off. Jokes aside, icks are evidently real; even when it comes to websites. Be aware and be sure to have a chat with those whose job it is to design and build experiences with impact! ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # Yoyo's usability principles: How our UX team keeps usability and accessibility simple _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/yoyos-usability-principles-how-our-ux-team-keeps-usability-and-accessibility-simple/_ # Yoyo's usability principles: How our UX team keeps usability and accessibility simple News We explain Yoyo's five key usability principles, how they guide our UX processes, and why every UX team needs them. Change your opinions, keep to your principles; change your leaves, keep intact your roots”, is a famous quote by french poet, Victor Hugo. Victor had a lot to say about philosophy, death and literature, which I’m sure was riveting, but as a UX practitioner this particular quote resonates with me. Usability principles are the guiding constant that make it possible to indulge and enjoy the breakneck innovations constantly flowing into UX from psychology, computing, design and the infinite industries it touches. ## Change your opinions, keep to your principles. Principles are essential to consistent and focused work. With new ideas and research pouring out of universities, agencies and tech firms at an ever growing speed, it’s easy to get lost trying to examine every possible usability factor that could blow your users off course. Guiding principles are key to refocusing usability analysis. Respected usability principles are used by everyone from students tackling their first UX projects, to industry experts at Google and Microsoft as they pioneer products to solve problems only our grandchildren will know. By adhering your analysis process to agreed UX principles, UXer’s, designers, developers, business strategists, SEO gurus and everyone else on your team understands what fundamental usability is, and what everyone needs to be on the lookout for. This leaves space for collaboration and discussion of unique ideas, because everyone can be assured the basics are covered. It’s not useful mulling over which shade of pink will increase your conversion rate if, like [60% of homepages](https://bighack.org/accessibility-and-disability-facts-and-figures/), your images have no alternative text and [285 million people](https://www.hobo-web.co.uk/how-many-words-in-alt-text-for-google-yahoo-bing/) worldwide have no way of knowing what your brand is about. ## Change your leaves, keep intact your roots. User experience has always been about people, and the impact that digital experiences have on their lives. Since its establishment as a non-negotiable part of the design pipeline, UX has expanded to include goose-bump inducing interaction techniques and stunning interface trends, and manipulative dark patterns that encourage addiction. Similarly, but not so forebodingly, Yoyo has always been driven by people. Over the years our teams have expanded to include more and more creativity, resourcefulness and tenacity to problem solve. Their clients’ needs have expanded to include everything from promoting hair-raising driving experiences to designing pandemic-proof spaces to talk about bereavement. What remains a constant is people, and as a [B Corp,](https://yoyodesign.com/about-us/b-corp-digital-agency/) Yoyo has committed to put people at the forefront of what they do, not below profit. When thinking about our Yoyo usability principles, this made it easy to stick to our roots as user experience practitioners, and Yoyo’s roots as a company, as our lives, and the work we do changes. “ > > We wanted a language that would make our principles and analysis accessible to all, without compromising on depth of analysis. ## Our Usability Principles ## Our Usability Principles # Our principles encompass [Jakob Neilson’s](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/) famous 10 usability heuristics for user interface design, but are also influenced by [Weinschenk & Barker’s](https://www.heurio.co/weinschenk-barker-classification) usability guidelines. This is to make sure we were influenced by traditional (but withstanding) and contemporary usability principles that are proven. Another Yoyo principle is the importance of *keeping things* *simple*. We wanted a language that would make our principles and analysis accessible to all, without compromising on depth of analysis. Without any further ado, or quotes from poets, here they are: ### 1. Prevent slips and falls This is all about having effective, accessible and easy to understand help and documentation. This refers to everything from error messages, to FAQ’s. It also examines the way that any product or service helps users to prevent, recognise or recover from mistakes and slips, recognising the two most [common types](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/slips/#:~:text=Slips%20occur%20when%20users%20intend,another%20%28often%20similar%29%20action.&text=Mistakes%20are%20made%20when%20users,will%20result%20in%20an%20error.) of “stuck” users can find themselves. ### 2. Make it fast, flexible, and free This is broad, but it’s where we consider how a product could better meet the needs of all users, from novices to power-users, by providing the user with flexibility, control and freedom without causing confusion. This is also where we would think about how our product aligns with what users are already familiar with, and what else we could be doing to speed up use and minimise frustration. ### 3. Keep it simple This is where cognition comes in. This principle asks whether or not the site could be better utilising existing mental models, progressive disclosure, “chunking” information effectively and recognition rather than recall to only present the user with what they need. ### 4. Design with purpose Our production team consists of both creative web designers and UX designers who inform each other's best work. This principle is about ensuring that the design is aesthetically pleasing and minimal to such a degree that it communicates exactly what the user needs to know about the site they’re on and the brand they’re engaging with. ### 5. Accessibility matters This is where we refer to standards of accessibility such as those provided by the W3C, as well as our collective expertise as developers, designers and usability experts to ensure we have not left anyone behind. This takes into account the needs of those with physical disabilities, cognitive disabilities or differences and the wide variety of backgrounds users can come from. The more brilliant and creative a team is, the more essential it is to have tailored systems for making principles easy to follow and understand. This lays the foundations on which to brainstorm and create truly innovative, nuanced and delightful digital experiences that don’t compromise on, but maximise impact. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Why your PPC budget might be better spent on SEO _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/why-your-ppc-budget-might-be-better-spent-on-seo/_ # Why your PPC budget might be better spent on SEO News It’s now more important than ever to make the most of your digital presence, whether you’re a full scale e-commerce business or a start up with a sharp digital brochure. Your digital footfall is, now more than ever, likely one of the most important aspects of your business. So, if you're looking to increase traffic to your website, you might be considering investing in either pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, search engine optimisation (SEO) or both. But how much budget should you assign to each, and which business can bring you the most success? While both can be effective strategies, there are some key differences between the two that are important to consider. ## What is the difference between PPC and SEO? PPC advertising involves paying for ad space, and can refer to doing this in a few different places - but let’s focus on search engine results pages.  You can gain brand visibility, instantly, and appear in the top spots, if you’re willing to pay more than your competitors.  You bid on keywords and pay each time someone clicks on your ad. SEO, on the other hand, involves [optimising your website to rank higher in organic search results](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent"). This involves a variety of tactics, like creating high-quality content, building backlinks, and optimising your website's structure and code to meet Google’s ever changing standards. ## What is the difference between PPC and SEO? PPC advertising involves paying for ad space, and can refer to doing this in a few different places - but let’s focus on search engine results pages.  You can gain brand visibility, instantly, and appear in the top spots, if you’re willing to pay more than your competitors.  You bid on keywords and pay each time someone clicks on your ad. SEO, on the other hand, involves optimising your website to rank higher in organic search results. This involves a variety of tactics, like creating high-quality content, building backlinks, and optimising your website's structure and code to meet Google’s ever changing standards. “ > > ...if you're looking for a more sustainable, long-term strategy that will help your website rank higher in search results over time, SEO is likely your best bet. ## Why is organic web traffic more useful than web paid traffic? While PPC can be a great way to drive traffic to your website quickly, there are some benefits to focusing on [SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent") instead. For one, organic search results are viewed as more trustworthy by users. In fact, according to a recent study, organic search results are clicked on 94% of the time, compared to just 6% for paid search results. Additionally, organic search traffic tends to have a higher conversion rate than paid traffic.  And whilst it takes longer to get the results, if you continue to optimise your relevant content pages, you can stay in the most sought after ranking positions long-term. ## When to choose one versus the other So, when should you choose PPC over SEO, or vice versa? It really depends on your goals and your budget. If you're looking for quick results and have a larger budget to work with, PPC might be the way to go. However, if you're looking for a more sustainable, long-term strategy that will help your website rank higher in search results over time, SEO is likely your best bet. It’s also an option to additionally invest small amounts of money into PPC, to get great results over a longer period of time. While both PPC and SEO can be effective strategies for driving traffic to your website, there are some key differences between the two that are important to consider. Ultimately, your decision should be based on your goals, your budget, your timeline, and your competitor landscape. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each approach, you can make an informed decision that will help you achieve your marketing goals. The Yoyo team are here to help, whether you have just a few questions, need a long-term precision roadmap for optimisation and everything in between - [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") for a chat about how we can help. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # Why is my website putting off potential customers? _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/why-is-my-website-putting-off-potential-customers/_ # Why is my website putting off potential customers? News Here are six key things that can help. ## High Bounce Rates If your website has a high bounce rate, it means that users are leaving your site after only viewing one page. This is a strong indicator that your website’s content is not engaging or relevant to the traffic you’re attracting. This could be because your homepage doesn’t shout  loudly, or clearly enough about exactly what you offer, and why it’s better than your competitors. Consider updating your content, adding some jaw-droppingly exciting hero content or rethinking what it is that your target audience really needs. Are you overwhelming your audience with wordy copy when they really need speed and convenience? At Yoyo we offer UX reviews of whole websites, or just homepages and everything in between, so get in touch if you’d like some help decoding those high bounce rates. ## Low Conversion Rates Low conversion rates mean that users are not taking any action on your website, such as making a purchase or filling out a form. This can be a sign that your website’s user experience is poor or that your calls-to-action are not effective. User’s could be confused, getting stuck in a loop of murky call-to-action buttons and pages before they give up and run into the arms of a competitor. You could have a problem with error prevention making your forms impossible to submit correctly, or your value proposition just isn’t strong enough in your content. Consider having a professional look at your most critical user journeys, to find pain-points and opportunities for improvement that can crank up your conversion rates. You might want to consider A/B testing a few approaches to find the best solutions as efficiently as possible. ## High Exit Rates Exit rates refer to the percentage of users who leave your website after visiting a specific page. If you notice high exit rates on a particular page, it could be a sign that the content is not relevant or there are technical issues. You may find that a high exit rate makes total sense in some places, for example if you’re asking your user’s to leave the site and check something out elsewhere, or read a download you’ve provided them. If not though, you’ve likely found the exact location of whatever it is turning your user’s off - check your copy, and have an expert user test this page to find out exactly what’s going on. ## High Cart Abandonment Rates If you run an e-commerce website, high cart abandonment rates can be a major issue. This means that users are adding items to their cart but not completing the checkout process. This can be a sign that your checkout process is too complicated or that your website’s trust signals are not strong enough. Consider simplifying your checkout process by adding flexible payment methods - stopping the need for user’s to go rummaging around for their credit card and getting distracted. You could also consider adding more trust signals, such as social proof testimonials, and customer reviews. ## Low engagement rates Low engagement rates mean that users are not interacting with your website in the way you intended. This can be a sign that your content is not engaging or that your website’s design is not user-friendly. This is often down to some simple prioritisation problems, where users are being led in too many directions, instead of directly to conversion. It could also be that your content is overwhelming and asks for too much cognitive effort from your users, without providing some mental rest and reward. If you’ve thoroughly examined your user journeys, and page designs - consider adding things like progress bars and animation, which help users feel a sense of feedback and progress as they move toward their goal. ## Low returning users Google Analytics defines a returning user as "a user who has visited your website and has initiated at least one session, and then returned to your website and initiated another session." So, a returning user is someone who has visited your website more than once within a certain time frame. This might not be a problem per-say, if your website is aimed at users with a one-off need. For example users may visit a website with a specific need in mind, such as finding a phone number or address. Once they have found what they are looking for, they may not have a reason to return. If not though, your users may be simply visiting your site as part of their wider research for the right solution to their problem - and deciding that you're not it. A competitor analysis can be a great way to explore the ways you can overtake the competition by offering what they can, and more. By paying attention to these key indicators, you can identify areas for improvement and make changes to optimise your website. However, analytics can be word salad, and more data certainly isn’t always better. Everyone is looking for better user engagement and higher conversion rates - but try not to look at any one metric in isolation. Think carefully about your own context, your audience, your specific user journeys and calls to action, and combine these to plan your approach strategically. If you could do with some support to get to the heart of what your website needs, [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") with the team at Yoyo. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # What is cognition and why does it matter to my website? _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/what-is-cognition-and-why-does-it-matter-to-my-website/_ # What is cognition and why does it matter to my website? News We explore how cognition underpins how we interact online and what we can do to design usable and accessible experiences. When I think about cognition, I literally visualise cogs turning in the brain. That might sound daft, but perhaps not if you also see the brain as a biological machine. Cogs aside, cognition broadly refers to knowledge and understanding, and there are a bunch of psychological principles which we use to conceptualise how we process information. In the context of website design these include, but are not limited to, cognitive barriers and cognitive load, which we can use to significantly improve your website’s user experience (UX). ## Let's think about cognitive psychology When I say knowledge and understanding, what I really mean is human mental processes such as attention, perception, memory and problem solving to name a few. Cognitive psychology, then, which is simply the study of these processes, is relevant to your website because we can leverage these processes to produce intuitive interfaces. You tend not to even notice intuitive interfaces as designers who pay attention to usability, navigation, readability and accessibility lean into cognitive psychology to enable businesses and users alike to achieve their goals quickly and without friction. “ > > Although the above may seem like a no-brainer, there’s more to it than reducing the number of clicks or making something shorter to improve the user experience ## What are Cognitive barriers? What on earth does friction have to do with my website, I hear you cry. Two words - cognitive barriers. These are things which slow down your users when taking an action that is required to achieve their goals; and they slow your users down because they require them to process information. The more information they need to process, the longer they are likely to need to complete their goal. There are three ways we can conceptualise cognitive barriers: - Number of steps I expect to take - Perceived length of steps - Perceived difficulty of steps Although the above may seem like a no-brainer, there’s more to it than reducing the number of clicks or making something shorter to improve the user experience. As a Designer you need to tap into cognitive and behavioural psychology to understand when to add/remove, lengthen/shorten, and increase/decrease steps. Too little and you potentially lose trust and loyalty or create a laborious scrolling experience. Too many and you’re left with you risk your users’ attention. ## Hello and goodbye, Cognitive Load So then, whilst cognitive barriers are the perceived obstacles in the way of your users, cognitive load essentially refers to the amount of working memory needed to overcome said obstacles. This means that, although the obstacles may stay the same, cognitive load is subjective and it pays - quite literally - to know where your users struggle or excel in achieving their goals on your website. There are three types of cognitive load that designers must consider when designing a website: - ### Intrinsic cognitive load - Intrinsic cognitive load refers to the inherent difficulty of a task. We can look to reduce this by only providing the necessary information required for a user to complete the task in hand. - ### Extraneous cognitive load - Extraneous cognitive load, on the other hand, refers to the non-essential information that requires working memory to process. - ### Germane cognitive load - Finally, germane cognitive load refers to the processing of information into schemas to form long-term memory. Awareness of these concepts allow us, as designers, to leverage cognitive psychology to improve usability and accessibility of digital experience. Let’s take a look at a couple of examples. The trusty accordion, for instance, utilises a concept called ‘progressive disclosure’ to provide the least amount of information necessary until the user interacts with it. Burger menus - another common design pattern - tap into germane cognitive load and reduce the need to process information and learn how the interface functions. Chunking and signposting content throughout your website also improves the scannability of your website and reduces the cognitive effort required to process information. In summary, understanding cognition is crucial to creating an intuitive interface and improving your user experience. By considering cognitive load and cognitive barriers, UX designers can optimise user interfaces, present content effectively, and reduce cognitive overload, making it easier for users to achieve their goals. [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") with a member of the team to find out how we tap into cognitive psychology and supercharge your user experience. ### Sources https://www.uxpin.com/studio/blog/cognitive-psychology-for-ux-design https://uxplanet.org/cognitive-psychology-in-ux-cd7afed87886 https://uxmag.com/articles/cognition-the-intrinsic-user-experience https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2016/09/reducing-cognitive-overload-for-a-better-user-experience/ ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # Create engaging user experiences with your CMS _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/create-engaging-user-experiences-with-your-cms/_ # Create engaging user experiences with your CMS News 5 not-so-secret top tips to create engaging user experiences with your CMS. These days, it goes without saying that a digital presence is key to business success. Trust us. As a digital design agency we live online and bear witness to the good, the bad and the ugly of websites across the wild west of the web (that’s what www. stands for, right?!). Put simply, it pays to have a bespoke, user-friendly website. But what happens when your agency has delivered a beautifully-crafted website? What about the content?! We know creating a new campaign landing or updating your service pages can seem like daunting tasks, but that’s where a content management system (CMS) comes in. ## What's a CMS? Before we get into the good stuff, if you haven’t come across the almighty CMS, let’s rewind for a sec. A Content Management System is a piece of software that allows you to create, manage, and modify digital content without the need for extensive technical expertise. Think of a CMS as the layer between your content and the front end of your website. Flavoursome content spices go in, a tasty front end meal comes out. There. Done. Finito. From Wordpress to Umbraco, these nifty pieces of kit make it easy for your website to grow with your business, providing a centralised platform to collaborate on and efficiently manage content. They also usually have built-in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) functionality to add metadata and supercharge your content. ## How to create engaging user experiences with your CMS With great power comes great responsibility and the same goes for websites as it does for spider-bitten super heroes. In the hands of the wrong content editor, your digital content can go awol and the fate of your customers’ loyalty hangs in the balance. Never fear, Yoyo is here with some top tips on how to use your CMS to create engaging user experiences. ### 1. Choose suitable components Choosing the most suitable component for your content is the first step to creating an engaging user experience with your CMS. This may seem straightforward but it isn’t the easiest thing to get right. Components are the sections, or rather building blocks, of a page. You should be able to look at most websites, split them into visible sections, and there you have your components. It all starts with your content, though. Is there a lot of it? Can I break this down into sections? Do my users need to read it all at once? These are all questions we can ask ourselves as content editors when choosing which component to house your content. If you’re uploading frequently asked questions, for instance, an ‘accordion’-style component allows you to hide your answer content and reveal it when a user interacts with the component. If you want to signpost your users to a specific page on your website, avoid simply hyperlinking text and use a component that features heading copy and a prominent call-to-action button. ### 2. Utilise theme and layout options All components are born equal but some are more equal than others. I’m not going all Orwellian on you, but rather hinting at the various theming and layout options available in your CMS. Do you want your text left, centre, or right-aligned? Can you apply your primary brand colour to the background? A CMS gives you the flexibility to explore the endless possibilities of your design system with the click of a button. It is this flexibility which allows you as a content editor to grab and guide your users attention through your content. Our not-so-secret top tips for using theme and layout options effectively are to pay close attention to the page as a whole and use the ‘preview’ functionality to make sure you’re happy with how things come together before publishing. ### 3. Personalise your content Personalisation means a lot of things to different people. Whilst powerful content management systems like Sitecore allow you to serve relevant content tailored in real-time, there are simpler ways to personalise content for your audience. It is, however, essential that you know your audience. Understanding their wants and needs will help you serve content to your users at the right time in their experience. Predicting the questions that your audience will be asking and the actions they likely want to take will enable you to structure your content accordingly. The bottom of your page is a prime example where we can apply this approach by signposting to content which answers those questions and facilitates the next stage in their customer journey - moving closer towards their goal. ### 4. Create page templates Uploading content to your website can seem like a pain. Whether you don’t know where to start, which components to use, or aren’t that confident with the CMS, here’s a sure fire way to make your life a little easier. Page templates. These are pages within your CMS that you can duplicate and use as a starting point for your content. Nobody likes a blank canvas! This will certainly speed up your content workflow and support the consistent use of components across your website’s [user experience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX"). Taking this a step further, we recommend you create a template for all types of your content - from generic content and landing pages to article and product pages. ### 5. Test & Learn Your website is a living breathing thing - it will grow and shrink with your business depending on your content needs. That means you’re undoubtedly going to have a long-term relationship with your CMS. Some content will be popular, improve your conversion rate, and help users achieve their goals. Some will be less impactful. As a result, there is an opportunity to test and learn with each upload. Tap into the data available at your fingertips, conduct usability testing and translate your learnings into design interventions that ensure your user experience is as engaging as possible. ## Want to use your CMS to supercharge your website? Don't hesitate to get in touch with a member of the Yoyo team! ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # How to Engage the Unengaged _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-to-engage-the-unengaged/_ # How to Engage the Unengaged News A look into connecting with audiences, who are more savvy, flighty, cynical and distracted than ever before. This topic fascinates me. It’s at the heart of many of the campaign briefs that we are seeing from our clients both in the profit and not-for-profit sector. How do you connect with audiences, who are more savvy, flighty, cynical and distracted than ever before? How do you hold their attention for long enough, so that they listen to what you say and maybe even take the action you want them to take? And how do you build deep and long-term engagement? Many of your target audience won’t be ready to buy, donate, choose at this time, but when they are, will you still be top of their mind? Creating impact in a sea of average customer engagement campaigns should actually be a fairly easy feat. Most content falls flat; it’s dull, uninspiring and safe. None of the ingredients needed for a campaign to be effective (if you want some pointers around how your content could be more effective, listen to our [webinar](https://yoyodesign.com/thoughts/news/2019/february/so-you-re-saying-my-content-is-useless-go-on/)). So if the bar is set so low, how come more companies aren’t seizing the opportunity to create more engaging campaigns to entice their audiences? The reality is that most companies are trying, but it turns out that creating compelling, convincing and authentic content is actually pretty damn hard. So this year, we’ve made it our mission to share as much as we can from what we’ve learnt over the years. We’ve got a whole series of blogs, videos and events planned in. So if you find it as interesting as me, make sure you [join us](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) for the ride. People are not sold to anymore, they are engaged with I came across this statement a few years ago and it stuck with me. Sales and marketing tactics are always evolving but this idea of putting engagement at the heart of your strategy feels like a significant shift in thinking and focus. Given how our society is developing and how technology has changed every interaction we have with each other, it does make for a compelling argument. Facts, features and benefits and even pure logic don’t have the same appeal anymore. There is so much competition in every sector, and the internet gives the customer the chance to easily locate them in one place. This holds true for buying a picture, choosing a university or getting a loan. Unless the person is in the absolute final stages of the purchasing process, people dislike being sold to. Maybe this always held true, but in recent times, it’s become even more apparent. People want to be in control, they want to seek out information on their terms. They don’t mind a touch of intrusion as long as it’s a fair balance - they must be benefitting from the interaction, e.g. through pleasure, learning or being inspired. So how do you shift the balance between engaging with and selling to your audiences? Invest time in creating THE BIG IDEA Given the fact that most campaign budgets aren’t endless, marketing teams and their agencies need to apportion the right amount of funding to each part of the project. Without careful budget planning, this can result in underfunding in areas like THE BIG IDEA. [The creative](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency"), the storytelling, the experience, the actual engagement factor itself. Trends around UX, data and the desire to measure every single tiny detail mean that a significant part of the budget is invested in these areas. I’m certainly not saying that audiences and hard data should be ignored and we shouldn’t measure anything. But I am saying that if you want your brand to be noticed and be remembered, you can’t focus all your energy here. That’s what your competitors are doing, and guess what? They are coming up with exactly the same customer experience maps and exactly the same measurement frameworks as you. And your audiences are getting a bunch of homogeneous campaigns being thrown at them with no real engagement factor. So how can you be different? 1. Be very clear on your brand positioning. What makes it unique? Why is it compelling? What do you want to say? What is the experience that you want to create? With the rush to create user-first design, we see a lot of companies relegating their brand to second place. This can be a huge blow to innovation and originality. Remember what *you* stand for. “ > > This is a very complicated world. This is a noisy world. And we are not going to get a chance to get people to remember much about us – no company is. And so we have to be really clear on what we want them to know about us Steve Jobs - CEO, Apple 2. Bring in the voice of your audience at the right stage. Listen, seek to empathise and draw insight from the research, but don’t be led blindly. Researchers can never recreate the real-life experience of someone engaging or not engaging with a particular campaign, no matter how good the questions are or how non-intrusive the testing environment is. I’m reminded of the story of Jack Dee. He spent ages trying to make it as a comedian. He, like most comedians, tried to get the crowd to like him. Tried to work out what the audience wanted, through assumptions and research. After losing his girlfriend, drinking far too much and running out of money, he decided to give up comedy. He had a week left of gig bookings to get through. He’d given up already, so he thought ‘I’ll just be me and have fun.’ He didn’t smile, he didn’t try to be cheerful or get the audience to like him, he was rude, dismissive and himself. Crowd loved it and the rest is history. We all know how successful Jack Dee is. 3. Identify the emotion that you want your audience to feel and keep that front and centre throughout the campaign. This is top of the list for successful campaigns but it’s often forgotten, normally after months of debate and stakeholder involvement. You need to get your audience to feel something - happiness, excitement, amazement, surprise, anger, sadness, disgust - it can be positive or negative. If you touch an emotion, you are more likely to create action. Scientists have discovered that people feel first, think second. When your audience sees sensory information, the emotional side of the brain can process the information in one-fifth of the time the cognitive section requires. Remember how busy and flighty we are, and what limited time we, as marketeers, have to engage with our target audience. If you’re still not convinced, Nielsen released a study which showed that ads with an above average emotional response from consumers caused a 23% increase in sales compared to average ads. That’s a pretty convincing number. So make it easier on yourself. Build emotion and feelings into your campaign. 4. Be clear about who your audience is and where they are in the engagement funnel. The goal is to shift an audience segment from unengaged to engaged, but you need to know their current and likely levels of engagement before you plan out a campaign. Once you get down into this nitty, gritty detail, you’ll need to do some segmentation. Marketing 101: campaigns fail when you try to appeal to everyone. You need to be targeted on a particular segment - even if that is high-level, e.g. 16-24 male adventurer with limited awareness of our brand. Only then can you create an engaging experience that will appeal. Sometimes you get surprising consequences and the campaign will appeal to a wider segment, but don’t let that possibility distract you from creating laser-focused campaigns designed for a very specific audience. This is the only way to get consistent results from your engagement campaigns. Always start with a blank slate. 5. Once you’ve gained absolute clarity on the campaign strategy, look at the tactics and channels to activate your campaign. Always start from a blank slate here as the mix of tactics changes so quickly. The landscape in 2019 will be different than 2018. Social media algorithms change, new technology emerges, new legislation comes into play (GDPR anyone?) and audience habits and behaviours develop in different ways. In terms of the use of emerging technology, for engagement campaigns, AR and VR technology continue to grow allowing brands to connect with audiences in new ways. Immersive experiences can tap into emotions in a powerful way. But like with all projects, the technology has to be right for the campaign strategy. And it should be a secondary consideration. Try not to start with ‘hey, how about using AR for this campaign?’. Engagement is arguably the most vital part of your marketing strategy. An engaged audience is a receptive audience, and that’s when your messages or asks have a far greater impact. Ever tried to motivate an unengaged audience into taking action? It’s tough. Have a think about how you’re building audience engagement into your 2019 marketing plans. We’ll be diving into this topic much further at our next Yoyo Presents event in London on 6th March, with presentations from University of Southampton, Marine Conservation Society and other experts. [View more details and register for the event.](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/yoyo-presents-engaging-the-unengaged-tickets-55895845980) I’ll finish on how I started this article. I absolutely love this topic. So as always, you can reach me on jenny@yoyodesign.com if you want to chat further. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Creating a playful experience for a playful brand _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/creating-a-playful-experience-for-a-playful-brand/_ # Creating a playful experience for a playful brand News A brand new online presence that celebrates the colourful world of wine. ## Our friends at [Vintner](https://vintner.london), wanted us to redevelop their e-commerce platform to reflect their new brand identity. The brand refresh is playful, yet sophisticated, with a vibrant colour palette, new logo, updated photography style and one key belief - great wine shouldn’t be complicated. It was this belief that underpinned everything throughout our design process of the project. We immediately knew this experience needed to be engaging, playful and feel unique to the brand. But it also had to be easy to use, raise brand awareness and most importantly of all - sell wine. The UI Vintner celebrates the colourful and joyful world of wine and simplifies how you enjoy it and how you buy it. This was something we wanted to reflect both internally and externally for Vintner - from adding content to the site - to their customers and partners purchasing wine. When designing the site, we made sure to fully utilise the vibrant colour palette to reflect the brand identity and keep users engaged throughout their experience. We certainly didn’t want customers to feel like they were on any ‘normal’ e-commerce site that had a ‘plain white’ background. It was within the UI that we also looked at adding small and subtle details to help bring through the personality of the brand, such as using the ‘V’ from the logo as an arrow, to indicate to the user it’s a call to action. It’s these little details that can really enhance and give your users much more of a branded UI experience. With the brand belief of simplifying ‘how you buy wine’, we ensured there was always a clear call to action on every component. This was clear right from us starting the project, not only from a brand perspective, but also from the target audience. By keeping it simple, you can create a more enjoyable experience. Whilst creating the designs throughout the project, there was also another thing we constantly considered - interactions. This was a great opportunity to add brand personality and create a more enjoyable experience. After all, interactions are needed. Interactive experiences are great at encouraging users to engage with your site. And the more users engage with your site, the better chance you have at converting them, which was important for Vintner. They can elicit strong feelings and emotions in a user, and it means they aren’t simply looking at a lifeless website. It’s through these interactions where you create a more unique and enjoyable experience. Inspiration in our interactions I’m going to share a few examples of some of the hover state interactions we crafted for Vintner as well as the inspiration and rationale behind our thinking. Hover states were vital to indicate to the Vintner audience that they can interact with the component or button and be taken off to a new page. But they needed to be aligned with the brand identity and the products. For our primary call to actions, we were inspired by the shape and motion of a wine droplet. As the user hovers over the button, it evokes the feeling of the droplet being lifted and reveals the window to the next page within the user journey. The secondary call to actions needed to behave differently due to the aesthetics of the button itself. As the user hovers over the button, the arrow moves off to the side, giving a playful nod towards a cork of champagne bottle being ‘popped’ whilst the return state was inspired from the wine bottle lid being screwed back on. Encouraging the user The next example showcases the product cards, used to drive customers through to the product page of the wine itself. Whilst we wanted the product card to showcase the wine in a way that was simple and easy to digest the key information, it was the interaction state where we could make this component come alive. We drew our inspiration from the motion of somebody about to pour the wine into their glass. While the coloured background growing in size creates a playful feel to the card, the tipping motion was used to create the gesture of the product itself and direction users would be taking to see the product in more detail. To encourage customers through to each wine category, we created coloured windows that could fully utilise the different styles of photography that is used within the Vintner brand. As this is a digital experience, we were inspired from the many things we do as humans when looking at wine in real life - from looking at the bottle label up close to pouring the wine into a glass. When users hover over each category, the image quickly flashes to that next moment after seeing the wine bottle itself, creating an engaging and joyful experience. We also introduced the use of GIFs to the digital world of Vintner. Inspired by the audience's love of life and everything that wine pairs well with, we created a bold asset that provides a playful approach that keeps users engaged throughout their shopping experience. Creating an experience that relates to your brand and audience is important, and prioritising interactions will help create emotions, something that will stay in people's minds. It’s important to always think about the brand and how you can take that information and use it to inspire you. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # First goal triggered: extending Sitecore xDB _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/first-goal-triggered-extending-sitecore-xdb/_ # First goal triggered: extending Sitecore xDB News Get under the hood of Sitecore xDB and explore its powerful goals and architecture. At Yoyo, we love pushing technology to the limits and taking a creative approach to problem-solving. Yoyo is a Certified Sitecore Partner and, as is often the case when working with any 3rd party platform, we regularly get under the hood to better understand how it works at a low level and how Sitecore themselves would like it to be used. Despite being an extremely flexible and powerful content management system and digital marketing suite, occasionally our customers would like it to work in a way that it wasn’t designed for, in order to achieve their own business objectives. Fortunately, Sitecore usually has an answer to this, or at least enough flexibility to allow you to adapt it to meet your needs. In this article, I will describe one such real-world scenario. I should also mention that this article is largely technical in nature and assumes you already have a basic understanding of Sitecore and its experience platform (XP) architecture, including concepts such as Renderings, Goals, Campaigns and Engagement Plans. ## First, a bit of context. Out of the box, Sitecore doesn’t care what order goals get registered by visitors, as conceptually goals are designed to help measure a user’s engagement value over time. However, sometimes you need to take action based on the first goal (or one of a number of potential goals) registered for a given campaign. For example, an email campaign might contain multiple calls to action in a single mailshot, each with its own landing page with page view goals associated with it. In this scenario, you would typically have a single Sitecore campaign and engagement plan to handle your remarketing and overall engagement experience for the user, with different actions triggered based on the first goal registered. This is a problem as, at best, your engagement plan would only be able to process its goal-based rules in order, top to bottom and just by clicking around from page to page, a campaign user might inadvertently trigger multiple campaign goals in a single visit. ## So, what to do? A solution to this is to do away with standard page view goals and create a custom rendering on your landing pages instead which would programmatically register a campaign goal, based on specific criteria. As mentioned, this is a real-world scenario and it just so happens that we recently built such a rendering for a high-profile Sitecore customer who happens to also use the Sitecore Email Experience Manager (EXM) module to send out their email campaigns. We called it the Campaign Goal rendering. This rendering can be added to any content page in Sitecore (but would typically be reserved for email landing pages), whereby the content editor can specify the goal to be fired when a user is enrolled in a certain Sitecore campaign browses to it, or is sent via an email link that page, assuming they have not already triggered one or a number of other specified goals. Furthermore, due to the transient nature of sessions, we have added the option to force Sitecore to take into account historical interaction data, rather than just in-session interactions, for that user. The new rendering is designed to be entirely programmatic, but show its configuration information to the content editor when viewed within the Sitecore Experience Editor (nothing will be rendered on the web page itself when the web page is viewed by a standard user, however). When adding the component to a page, the editor is asked to choose a data source for the component. They choose the goal they want to be triggered on the page. Once added to the page, the editor can further configure the rendering within the Component Properties. We created a custom rendering parameters template to the rendering such that the following additional values can be set at design time: 1. Applicable Campaign; the specific Sitecore campaign the user must belong to. 2. Invalidating Goals; a list of goals that, if at least one has already been triggered by the user, would prevent the page goal from being registered. 3. Include Historical Data; a checkbox to control whether or not to take into account all historical interactions, or just the user’s current session. This is in terms of checking what Sitecore campaigns they are enrolled in and what goals they have registered. ## Anything else? Anecdotally, it’s worth considering the Sitecore cache. Being a Sitecore rendering, it’s possible for it to be cached by Sitecore, either at the rendering or the instance level. In which case, the rendering logic may not execute on every page load – which is another problem. One way to get around this is to bypass the Sitecore cache entirely for this rendering. Again, there’s no out of the box way to do this in Sitecore but there are a couple of hacks you can try, including temporarily disabling the Sitecore CacheManager for the page in question. However, it’s a sledgehammer approach and it’s not a very good idea to disable the entire cache at any time, as Sitecore relies heavily on its various caching layers for performance. Instead, a nice approach we employed is detailed [here,](https://mikael.com/2016/12/sitecore-mvc-controller-cache-vs-error-handling/) whereby you intercept the Sitecore MVC render rendering pipeline to disable HTML caching only for your specific controller rendering, rather than the entire page. Big thanks to Mikael Högberg for posting his work. ## To wrap up. So all of this is just one way you can achieve a first-past-the-post approach to acting on registered goals in Sitecore. Another advantage of this approach is that the Campaign Goal rendering can be extended to include other fields you might want to consider, such as including an external redirect URL. This could be used to have a Sitecore page acting as an interstitial page for redirecting to an external website that, perhaps, is not a Sitecore site (and isn’t running the Sitecore FXM). In this scenario, the Sitecore page goal could still be potentially registered prior to the user being redirected to the external website in question, meaning they could still be entered into an engagement plan for processing, even though they were sent to an entirely different website. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # Custom Websites vs Template Websites: Everything you need to know _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/custom-websites-vs-template-websites-everything-you-need-to-know/_ # Custom Websites vs Template Websites: Everything you need to know News We take a closer look at the pros and cons of custom vs template websites When it comes to deciding on the best approach for your business website, the choices can be overwhelming as you’ll need to consider your budget, vision, skill set, business model and online requirements. Website design is all about building brand identity, customer loyalty and optimising the user experience – and, generally-speaking, it falls in two categories: custom websites and templated websites. The majority of websites today are built using a content management system (CMS) - such as Umbraco or Wordpress. These CMS frameworks allow web developers to create a bespoke website from scratch and for businesses to subsequently update their sites, easily and quickly, often without the need for ongoing technical support. A great example here is ourselves, Yoyo, we’re a [Umbraco development agency](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/) who use the Umbraco CMS to build bespoke websites for clients. Template-based websites, however, are essentially pre-designed webpages or sets of webpages that are clones of a website’s main core framework elements. These can then be marginally customised with your business brand identity and populated with your own content. In this blog, we'll take a closer look at the pros and cons of each option. ## Why have a custom website built? No matter whether you’re a global multinational, a small to medium business – or even a start-up, no two businesses are *exactly* the same – and so, no two websites should be the same. One of the major benefits of a [custom website design](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") is that it’s entirely bespoke, built around your business specifications - and will bring that unique quality to your online presence, allowing your business identity and personality to shine through. But choosing a custom-built website, using a CMS such as Umbraco, goes beyond simply the ‘look and feel’ of your website. There are also a number of very *practical benefits*: A custom website will be tailored entirely to meet your current business needs and, thanks to its flexibility, custom features can be added over time, allowing it to adapt in line with future growth and to help achieve the best results for your business. This makes it an ideal solution for businesses looking to scale and grow. By allowing you to integrate additional tools, custom-built websites can become part of your wider business ecosystem, to help develop and expand your business. This might be through the addition of custom advanced functionality such as ecommerce features, integration with third-party APIs or lead management tools to allow you to track engagement, performance and [user experience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX"). For businesses working with a web development agency such as [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/), with a long history of experience in building custom websites from scratch, not only do you have access to skilled developers, in the case of an [Umbraco registered agency](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/), you can also access a wealth of resources and tools to ensure your website is up-to-date, secure and meeting [SEO performance benchmarks](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent"). ## When should you consider using a template website? A website template is a pre-designed layout for a page or set of pages of a website and is a relatively simple way to plug content into a website without having to build it from the ground up. Pre-built web templates come in a variety of designs and build qualities. Some designs are generic static pages - simple enough to set up and use yourself and ideal for smaller budgets. Other templates allow users without any prior experience of web design or coding knowledge to create a website through easy-to-use ‘WYSIWYG’ drag and drop features for adding and manipulating web elements; while the layout, design and navigation may be pre-set, you can make it your own through a choice of different colours, fonts and imagery. Pre-built templates not only provide you with all the tools required to get your site launched, the development time of building a new website will be significantly faster – ideal for start-ups, for instance, who need to launch their online presence quickly and at low cost. Some web development agencies will also offer an option of using a pre-existing template they have built in house. ## What are the main differences between custom websites and templated websites? In most cases, the primary consideration when choosing between custom and template websites is *budget* and *development time*, so let’s start by looking at both those key differences before moving on to some of the others… Budget A high-quality website will always be a sound investment and it’s fair to say that, in most cases, a quality custom website will be a more expensive option than a pre-built template. Because they’re built from the ground up, they will offer more design flexibility and advanced functionality and with that comes more web development hours - and cost. But not every business is in a position to afford a bespoke, customised website so, while templated websites offer less flexibility in design and function capabilities, they usually have a cheaper cost upfront and are well suited to businesses working on a tighter budget. ### Time ### Alongside the issue of budget is time - and it’s no surprise that a custom website takes longer to design and build, depending of course on the size and complexity of its features. While most web design agencies have their preferred pre-designed elements such as contact forms, image sliders, and navigation layouts, custom-built websites mean a more intensive planning/design process to customise the website to the needs of the business. Producing a visually stunning, secure and scalable website is an all-hands job and will require a greater level of client input/approval in order to successfully craft a website that meets the client’s needs. The processes involved are complex and include the initial planning stage, through to wireframes, design, development, content and copywriting, photography, testing and search engine optimisation. Using a template dramatically simplifies the website design and development process and will almost certainly to be quicker to design and build. Working from a pre-built layout, you simply need add content - text, image, videos - ideal for budget-conscious businesses. The compromise lies in the limitations that come with a templated website – and the knowledge that someone, somewhere else probably has an almost identical website to yours… ### Brand The purpose of a website will differ, depending on your business model, but for most, your online presence serves to position your brand, to become more visible and build trust, to engage with clients and customers and generate leads. Done well, your website will become your most credible, purposeful marketing asset. A custom website enables businesses to start with a blank slate on which to create a bespoke experience and create an emotional connection with customers which in turn builds brand loyalty. At Yoyo, the journey begins with an in-depth analysis of your brand’s unique personality before our web developers get to work, designing a site that is a reflection of your brand identity, ensuring its relevance and consistency. With web templates, you can select from a number of designs, features and add-ons to match your requirements, but there are limitations and you may risk missing out on the level of personalisation that truly brings your brand to life (as well as the risk of using the same template as another business). ### Functionality Before you embark on creating your online presence, it’s essential to understand what you need from it. Your goals at the outset may be relatively modest – maybe you just need a simple ‘brochure-style’ site with no customisation or special functionality needed – or perhaps you want something more bespoke and complex, say, for a global website with multiple pages and an eCommerce functionality in multiple currencies. Both options clearly have very different requirements. One of the obvious strengths of a custom website is that there are almost no limitations on design and functionality. As long as you can imagine it, a custom site can be programmed to do it. A template site does exactly what it says on the tin - it is purely a template for the user to change the text and images, but the layout and colours etc are fixed; because of this limited functionality, template-based websites tend not to offer the flexibility to accommodate more complex requirements such as eCommerce. ### Security Ensuring the security of your business website is critical and no-one can afford to be open to cyber-attack. Thanks to the unique development of custom sites, they are generally less vulnerable to attacks while, unfortunately, hackers are drawn to template-based sites because one single piece of malicious code can be used to hack multiple sites at once. In addition, if you choose a template that isn’t regularly updated, the site will soon become more vulnerable to hackers. ### Mobile Responsive With mobile traffic accounting for [more than half of all internet](https://www.broadbandsearch.net/blog/mobile-desktop-internet-usage-statistics) use these days, it’s paramount that websites work seamlessly across all devices and browsers – it could make all the difference when it comes to a potential sale. Thankfully the functionality required to be mobile responsive is made simple with a custom-built website as this can be coded from the outset. The limitations of website templates mean that not all pre-designed templates work as well on mobile devices as they do on a desktop – due in part, because some templates have been around a while and haven’t necessarily taken advantage of the latest technology or trends. Definitely worth checking this before you embark on using a website template. ### Search Engine Optimisation Web development agencies, such as [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/), which specialise in delivering custom websites have the resources and the budget required to adhere to SEO best practices. Built from scratch by experienced web developers, these sites will be carefully optimised for search engines, using the latest code to the highest standards. Template-based websites are effectively a blank canvas with a basic framework onto which third-party optimisation tools are added, such as UX, search engine, speed and [performance optimisation](https://yoyodesign.com/services/technical-consultancy-performance/ "Technical Consultancy & Performance"). Due to the lower cost of web templates, these optimisation mechanisms tend to be fairly basic; coding on templates can even become outdated, meaning that they can’t always take advantage of the latest way search engines such as Google rank websites. ### Ecommerce With the UK boasting the most advanced ecommerce market in Europe, a good ecommerce website needs to manage complex ordering systems, multi-currency, language and shipping and will require a sophisticated custom online solution to handle them. Although this requires increased time and financial investment, custom ecommerce websites offer greater return in the form of greater control, flexibility, security and scalability. However, there are also some excellent template sites which host a wide collection of free and paid ecommerce themes to suit your brand and with all the tools and services you need to start, run, and grow your business - including Shopify, one of the biggest and most profitable ecommerce platforms in the world. ### Flexibility & Scalability As we’ve seen, a custom-built website is built from scratch and coded entirely around your business needs without the inherent limitations of a template to hold you back. An experienced web developer can build a site to cater specifically to your current objectives and budget but which will also be easy to expand and modify as your business grows, adding more features as you need them, ensuring that the site is easily scalable as you grow. Template websites can’t really offer scalability. Instead, they are essentially a “one size fits all” solution, offering a range of additional features which you may or may not need but which can significantly slow your site’s loading time as traffic to your site grows. If your business improves and expands, you might want to scale up your website too, in which case a custom-built site will make it much easier to update. ## Conclusion ## While it’s true that pre-built web templates have improved vastly in recent years, most will struggle to incorporate advanced functionality simply because their goal is to keep costs low for the customer. ## In our opinion, to achieve a powerful, credible online expression of your brand, which offers unlimited web optimisation and personalisation, functionality, flexibility and features which can be scaled as your business grows, a custom website can’t be matched by a pre-designed template. Yoyo’s dedicated team of [Umbraco-certified web developers](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/) have many years’ experience of creating beautiful, bespoke websites. A great deal of work, care, expertise and budget goes into the design and development processes of building a custom website – but the cost will most often be offset by other financial returns in the long run. Once their site is completed, our clients can be confident that it will need little or no modifications or support afterwards - including support with hosting, speed, performance, SEO and other integrated third-party services. [Contact us](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) to find out how we can design a robust, manageable, bespoke website to suit your business, your budget and your future growth ambitions. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # Jenny Kitchen - Young Business Person of the Year _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/jenny-kitchen-young-business-person-of-the-year/_ # Jenny Kitchen - Young Business Person of the Year News Our MD Jenny Kitchen is named Young Business Person of the Year The Times of Tunbridge Wells announced the launch of the RTW Business Awards towards the end of last year, with the objective to recognise excellence in local businesses. The event was held at Salomon's Estate and was hosted by former government minister Edwina Currie. It gives us great pleasure to announce that our MD, Jenny Kitchen, has been crowned as the Young Business Person of the Year for 2016! Jenny is a huge inspiration to us all here at Yoyo, recognising each team member's strengths and pushing for us all to produce the best work that we possibly can. Despite her busy schedule, she always manages to keep the office a happy, motivated and fun environment to be working in, even when the pressure is on. Jenny has achieved a tremendous amount over the course of her career through sheer hard work and determination; this award proves that it has all paid off, and how worthy she is of it! We're all unbelievably proud of you Jen, keep rocking! ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # Yoyo around the weald 2019 _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/yoyo-around-the-weald-2019/_ # Yoyo around the weald 2019 News The team took on an epic 27.5-mile charity challenge around Tunbridge Wells. Overwhelmed, hugely relieved and a little delirious, we’re incredibly happy to announce that all of the team completed the Around the Weald challenge of 27.5 miles in just 10 hours and 50 minutes. We can’t thank everyone enough for the generous donations and support provided in the last few months as we prepared for this huge challenge. Our final total comes to £1470 and every single penny will go towards supporting **[Mind](https://www.mind.org.uk/)** and ensuring no one has to face a mental health problem alone. So once again, thank you. A few photos to show you what we got up to throughout the day. Hill climbing and a view for miles - just keep going. Man down - Still laughing with a face full of rapeseed. Pit stop for Jen - the desperation had kicked in by this point. Random portaloo to the rescue. A pub, a pub! - Finally, after 15 miles, some lunch. Groombridge Place - Still smiling Animal therapy - Mile 21, are we nearly there yet? Mile 24 - resorted to "i-spy" games to keep everyone going. #everythinghurts Final stretch - Mile 26, lots of laughter, pain, yelping, and delirium. At this point, not even the awesome views could help. The end - we did it! 27.5 miles in 10 hours 50 minutes. The whole team, knackered, relieved, but ecstatic. If you've not sponsored us yet - there is still time, check out our JustGiving page and [donate here](https://www.justgiving.com/page/yoyo-design-1694438600664). ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # In a Flap with Flappy Bird _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/in-a-flap-with-flappy-bird/_ # In a Flap with Flappy Bird News Guest blog from Dan Pryce: A post-mortem of the latest gaming fad Flappy Bird. Statistically speaking, there’s a decent chance you’ve got Flappy Bird on your smartphone right now. The latest in a long line of short-lived mobile game phenomenons (that wailing you hear is a million abandoned Draw Something chains crying out), Flappy Bird was actually released by developer Dong Nguyen in May of last year – it’s only recently that it’s soared to 50 million downloads across iOS and Android. The actual reason it accrued those installs is a bit of a mystery – whether it was a huge marketing push, bots downloading the app over and over, word of mouth or dark magic, no one’s quite sure what made it soar to the top of the App Store and Google Play charts. If I was cynical man (oh wait, I am!) I’d say it probably had something to do with it being free and having Bird in the title. I don’t know if you heard, but birds are pretty serious business on the App Store. So when Nguyen took the app down from the App Store a couple of days ago, citing that he couldn’t take the pressure any more, the world went a little bit mad; endless clones were instantly released in its place, and iPhones with Flappy Bird installed are selling on eBay for millions (which reminds me, I’m due an upgrade…). It’s hard not to scoff at Flappy Bird at first. The whole thing feels like the result of the tutorial project of a game builder program. No music to speak of – just a couple of royalty-free sound effects to flesh out the experience. The UI is chunky and inelegant, but the art assets are familiar; the iconic green pipes and the beige ground with a green bar of grass are different enough that it can’t be accused of directly plagiarising Super Mario World, but are close enough that it can’t be a coincidence. If it hadn’t been taken down, I wouldn’t have been surprised if we saw an update that completely overhauled the look of the game to stop Nintendo’s lawyers from jumping on Nguyen’s head. As a piece of game design, Flappy Bird is basic. You tap the screen to keep a bird in the air and navigate it through the gaps in a gauntlet of pipes extruding from the top and bottom of the screen. Each pipe you pass is worth one point, and the objective is to score as many points as you can before you hit something. That’s IT. There’s no difficulty settings (except HARD AS NAILS, but I’ll get to that), no alternative modes or levels. The lack of features is particularly conspicuous. Part of the reason it got so popular can probably be attributed to that simplicity. It’s a free game where the concept is grasped in the first ten seconds, so there’s pretty much no barrier to entry. Remember when Snake on the Nokia 3210 was the height of mobile gaming? Flappy Bird is pure ‘pick-up-and-play’ in the same way. Easy to get into, but difficult to tear yourself away from. You’ll play a round, get to a certain number of points and think ‘I can do better than that’ – luckily, a retry is only two taps away. It’s made too easy to spiral into that all important compulsion loop; flap through some pipes, crash, go again. Repeat until your battery runs flat. The impetus to keep trying is fuelled by the gameplay which is, whether the developer meant it to be or not, obnoxiously difficult. The bird’s hitbox is unfairly large, meaning that you can collide with a pipe that the bird didn’t actually touch and it makes judging when to tap as you arc between a pipe hard. Making it to your highest score – that one, glorious run where you glided through perfectly - proves an elusive feat to repeat. Old tricks It’s one of the oldest tricks in the book to make a game artificially difficult, but crucially for Flappy Bird the challenge is not insurmountable – it’s not fair either, but you can do it if you’re skilled enough. You keep playing because you’re subconsciously telling yourself that it’s easy, and when you eventually do beat your high score you’re euphoric – potentially hours of build-up lead to that one magical attempt. Competition isn’t built into the mechanics, but it’s encouraged. It’s only got that one mode, so there’s a level playing field and it’s easy to get into contests with your friends – if you tell them you’ve got a number of points on Flappy Bird, because they’ve all experienced the same thing they’ll know what a rad dude you are (or look at you funny). It’s also refreshing, in a free-to-play games market mired in microtransactions, energy mechanics and premium currencies, to play a game that eschews all of that (although there is an ad bar across the top which was generating a cool $50k a day in revenue at the time of writing, which I can only assume is down to people accidentally tapping it during particularly frenzied play. Presumably, that ad bar still works). Although I admired Flappy Bird for providing a compelling gameplay experience, the fact that it was wrapped in such cynical and derivative presentation (that, and a nagging feeling that I’ve played this before, somewhere)makes it feel more disposable and fleeting than it deserved to be. But it undoubtedly tapped into something with people, and I like to think that it was down to a product doing the thing it was good at very well. Never mind, eh? Back to flinging birds at pigs in poorly-constructed shacks. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Code Garden 2019 _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/code-garden-2019/_ # Code Garden 2019 News Our Developer Mike visited CodeGarden and came back as an MVP (Most Valuable Person). When I first started getting this post out of my head I began it with "My whirlwind recount of an amazing 5 days in Denmark". Then I got a little carried away and it kept growing. So with that in mind, I hope you enjoy my musings around what I feel is one of the best developer conferences around. It’s 4am in the morning and I’m blurry eyed, having just woken up to begin my journey to Denmark to take part in the biggest Umbraco Developer Conference / Festival of the year. Am I tired? A little bit. Am I bothered? Hell no. This is the 4th time I’ve been fortunate enough to experience CodeGarden in all its splendour, and the simple thought that soon I’ll be reunited with my friends from all over the world has me buzzing. By the time I left the airport in Copenhagen I’ve already joined up with a small flock of fellow Umbracians. As I took an early flight this year, I had some time to kill and decided to make it a mission to finally go to [Warpigs](https://warpigs.dk/eat-drink/) for lunch. Having only heard great things about it, it felt like the right thing to do and thankfully it met all expectations. A perfect start for the week ahead. Fed and watered, our blessing of Umbracians (did you know a group of unicorns is called a blessing?) hopped on the train to Odense so everyone could get checked in to their various accommodations, grab some food from the wonderful Storm Pakhus and head over to the CodeGarden pre-party at Umbraco HQ. Greeted with high fives, buckets of drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, a magnificent glitter ball and a multitude of friendly faces, the feeling of community instantly washed over me. It was lovely to finally meet some of the new friends that I’ve made online since the last CodeGarden, and was also delightful to see the branded car that the folks from the [Dutch Umbraco User Group](https://www.duug.nl/) drove over in. ## Day 1 & 2 Alongside the visit to Warpigs, I had a number of other achievements I wanted to unlock this year, including attending CGRunners. As someone who doesn’t run, I’ve been trying to push myself into going more often when the opportunity arises, and having run at the [Umbraco UK Festival](https://umbracofestival.co.uk/) and [CODECABIN](https://codecab.in/) I decided that I’d squeeze my trainers into my bag to get involved once again. Starting at 7am, and with a fantastic turn out, it proved to be a brilliant way to begin the day. We did a 4.5km (ish) route that took us alongside the beautiful canal and I also managed to have a good conversation with Rachel Andrew around the work she does. As someone who’s followed her work for many years it was quite a treat. After that it was a quick stop back at my Airbnb to have a shower and I was off to DOK 5000 to register and pick up my name badge for the next few days. This year, Umbraco had scheduled a pre-keynote session for the first timers to CodeGarden. Led by the ever encouraging Umbraco community members Carole Logan and Doug Robar, newcomers were treated to an insightful introduction to the Festival, being told about what to expect, things that have happened in the past that have become a meme and more. It was a brilliant way to get everyone really introduced into what it means to be at CodeGarden. After the introduction session it was time for the keynote. Starting off with the signature Level 5 Good Morning, there were loads of interesting announcements to be made. Here are just a few of the things that were mentioned. - Automated CDN and Cloud Indexes - The start of a Roadmap - Plans to update the Rich Text editor - Request for Contributions (RFCs) - A rethinking of the grid editor - A migration tool for Umbraco 7 to Umbraco 8 - And more We also got something else new for this year, a few minutes of breathing exercises by Kris Demnick to get everyone energised. I thought introducing the mindfulness sessions to all 700+ attendees at the start was a fantastic idea. Alongside the news from HQ we also got to see some highlights from [Nathan Wolfes’ Preflight content app](https://github.com/nathanwoulfe/preflight) which looks like the perfect tool for editors to refine their content. It was also great to see recognition to the numerous community efforts, from [CODECABIN](https://codecab.in/) and [Umbraco Virtual](https://twitter.com/UmbracoVirtual) to the [UPractitioners](https://twitter.com/UPractitioners) and the work we’ve been doing in the [Accessibility Team](https://github.com/umbraco/Umbraco-CMS/issues/5277). Every year Umbraco HQ also nominates and selects people in the community who have added "extraordinary value to the project" and award them an [MVP](https://our.umbraco.com/community/most-valuable-people/) (Most Valuable People) award. This year I was incredibly humbled to be presented with one of the awards, along with 13 other amazing Umbracians who have contributed in so many different ways, from helping other people via the forums, submitting pull-requests, creating packages, organising meetups and much more. It was an amazing way to start the conference and the good feelings stuck with me throughout. With the keynote finished, I headed over to the Barn to get started with the uBuddy program, in which 26 volunteers from the Umbraco community could help introduce some first timers to CodeGarden, helping to answer any questions, and providing a friendly face should they need it (you’d be hard pressed to find a non-friendly face in the Umbraco community to be fair). Meeting new people and bringing them into the world of Umbraco is such a rewarding thing to do, twitter handles were exchanged and we caught up throughout the conference (we even encouraged one of the uBuddies to get their nails painted with the CG colours, thanks to Emma Bustov for that). Now introduced to some friendly new Umbracians, it was straight on to the next session. Pretty much every single session left me with a serious dilemma. There were simply too many talks that I wanted to see that overlapped throughout whole conference. There are definitely worse problems to have and I can do nothing but applaud Umbraco and the team who organised CodeGarden for creating such a stellar lineup. Every year the variety of topics seems to get more and more diverse, from frontend focused talks such as [Rachel Andrew's](https://twitter.com/rachelandrew) [Grids All The Way Down](https://codegarden19.com/sessions/grids-all-the-way-down/), and [Tim Kadlec's](https://twitter.com/tkadlec) [The Long Tail of Performance](https://codegarden19.com/sessions/the-long-tail-of-performance/) to people centric subjects such as [Accessibility is for Everyone](https://codegarden19.com/sessions/accessibility-is-for-everyone/) by [Tiffany Prosser](https://twitter.com/TiffanyMProsser), [Developing Talent](https://codegarden19.com/sessions/developing-talent/) by [Emma Burstow](https://twitter.com/EmaBurst) and [Empathy in Tech](https://codegarden19.com/sessions/empathy-in-tech/) by [Carole Logan](https://twitter.com/crgrieve). Of course there were many Umbraco and backend related talks too, with [Lars-Erik Aabech](https://twitter.com/bleedo) educating us on [Automated Testing with Umbraco](https://codegarden19.com/sessions/automated-testing-with-umbraco/), [Sebastiaan Janssen](https://twitter.com/cultiv), [Jan Skorvaard](https://twitter.com/TheRealBatJan) and [Kenn Jacobson](https://twitter.com/KennJacobsen_DK) encouraging contribution in [Building Umbraco - With a little help from our friends](https://codegarden19.com/sessions/building-umbraco-with-a-little-help-from-our-friends/), and an inspirational look into [Jeffrey Schoemaker's](https://twitter.com/jschoemaker1984) [Dreams about Umbraco 8.x](https://codegarden19.com/sessions/i-have-a-dream-about-umbraco-8x/). This doesn’t even begin to cover the multitude of talks that I missed due to clashes. Thankfully all of the talks are recorded so I’m looking forward to catching up when the videos are released. [Beyond Copy + Paste: Interactive documentation](https://codegarden19.com/sessions/beyond-copy-plus-paste-interactive-documentation/) by [Maria Naggaga](https://twitter.com/LadyNaggaga), [You don't know GIT](https://codegarden19.com/sessions/you-dont-know-git/) by [Damiaan Peeters](https://twitter.com/dampeebe) and [Enhancing the Umbraco Experience using machine learning](https://codegarden19.com/sessions/enhancing-the-umbraco-experience-using-machine-learning/) with [Steve Temple](https://twitter.com/Steve_Gibe) are just a few of the talks I’d like to check off the list. One of the other reasons for missing some of the talks was due to spending some time in the [Dream Corner](https://umbraco.com/blog/codegarden-2019-introducing-the-dream-corner/), a new introduction to CodeGarden this year where people could bring their ideas for Umbraco to the table, get help with PRs or find out more about starting a meetup with help from Umbraco HQ friends [Ilham Boulghallat](https://twitter.com/ilhamaa), [Niels Lyngsø](https://twitter.com/nielslyngsoe) and [Sebastiaan Janssen](https://twitter.com/cultiv). Although I only managed to spend a small amount of time in the space, it felt like a brilliant initiative. I can’t wait to see some of the ideas come to fruition in the future. Another part of CodeGarden is the Umbraco Awards. In 2017, Yoyo were nominated in the Jury’s Award category, and with one submission put forward for this year I attended once again with my fingers crossed. We were up against some fantastic submissions so I was absolutely thrilled when they called out that we had won **Best Designed Site** for the website [astoryabouttrusts.co.uk.](https://astoryabouttrusts.co.uk/) Then just as the shakes of nervousness and excitement were starting to wear off, we were awarded with**Best Certified Partner Solution**. Myself and the rest of the team at Yoyo are ecstatic. Another highlight for me this year was finally meeting some of the people in the Accessibility Team that I have been working with for the past few months. It felt like our efforts to raise awareness around accessibility, both in general and in regards to the Umbraco backoffice have been noticed. The subject was raised in many of the talks and I had some great conversations with a number of people throughout the conference. As is tradition, the first two jam packed days of talks are followed by the infamous Umbraco Bingo. It is said that the reason it’s so hard to describe is simply because it’s such a bizarre and entertaining event, explaining it to someone tends to result in a confused or bewildered expression. I figured I’d try and let the photos try to tell some of the story here. ## Day 3 I ended up waking fairly early on the third day of CodeGarden, and thought I’d help wake myself up by going for a swim in the open air pool that is on the way to DOK 5000. The water was beautifully refreshing and cool, and sauna afterwards put me in a fantastic mood. After the swim I headed over to the venue for a morning session of mindfulness and some tasty energy snacks. The final day of CodeGarden is all about the Open Circles. For those who don’t know, the open circle concept provides all members of the community with the opportunity to open up a discussion around something they are passionate about in the Umbraco ecosystem. The ideas get fed around the community and can be incredibly influential into the future of Umbraco. This year the ideas and discussions formed in the retreat helped to provide a focus for the open circles, and lead to a lot of great sessions focused around backend and frontend development, the editor experience, community and more. With the end of the 3rd day came the inevitable goodbyes, with hugs and high fives all round. I came away from this years CodeGarden feeling recharged and enthusiastic. The conference/festival feels like it’s constantly improving, evolving and maturing and this year was no exception. Umbraco have managed to find a brilliant balance between fun, friendliness, community, sharing of knowledge, support and zaniness among all the other things that make CodeGarden stand out from other conferences. In particular, their dedication to making the event a more diverse and welcoming place for all always shines through. Last year, for example, the male to female speaker ratio was 8:1, this year it was 4:1. Obviously it’s not perfect, but it shows another step in the right direction. It’s also been really inspiring to see the number of women attending CodeGarden increase year after year in the 4 years I've been attending. Just looking at the comparison between then and now. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to become friends with so many people in the Umbraco community, many of which are in the photos above. All of them have helped form the way I think about my role as a developer, from technical ability to viewing the world with a greater level of empathy and beyond. So I’d like to finish up by thanking all of those people and of course Umbraco for creating something that goes beyond a CMS. High Five, You Rock Umbraco Community! ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # Kent developer meetups _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/kent-developer-meetups/_ # Kent developer meetups News Two new tech meetups come to Tunbridge Wells, designed to support both front end and Umbraco developers It was after attending my first conference about 2 years ago that I started to understand what a developer community looked like. It was fantastic to see so many like minded people in one place, sharing ideas and conversing on all manner of developer related concepts. We then started to attend more monthly meetups which was great, but there was one slight issue. They were usually always in London, not the end of the world but could sometimes be inconvenient. So I decided to try and fill the gap for Kent and started my first meetup. That was a year and a half ago, and now there are two monthly meetups (I might be a glutton for punishment). This short post should fill you in on the details of both of them. Both events follow a similar foundation. We want to encourage conversation and discussions, so whilst we do have speakers, the idea is that if at any point you have a question you can ask it. No waiting for the end of the talk when you have forgotten what you were going to ask. All skill levels are welcome and there is no such thing as a bad question. ## Front End Kent (previously Internet Explorers) **When: 2nd Tuesday every month** Focused at Front End web developers, we talk about a wide range of topics from SVG’s to Progressive Web Apps. Each month alternates between a talk led event at The House on Monson Road, and a more casual meetup at Sankeys pub, both in Tunbridge Wells. Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/Front-End-Kent/ ## Kent Umbraco Meetup **When: 4th Tuesday every month** Developers, project managers, content editors, designers you name it, if you work with the Umbraco CMS, you’re welcome. We cover all areas of Umbraco from packages, hosting solutions, code etc. Each month we meet at the Yoyo HQ on Calverley Road in Tunbridge Wells. Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/Kent-Umbraco-Meetup/ ## Call for speakers We are always on the hunt for speakers, If you’ve never spoken and want to give it a go, these meetups are a great start as they are fairly intimate and everyone is super friendly. If you’re interested please [get in touc](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact")h. If you would like some help with your talk just let us know. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # A new look for ITV. A complete rebrand _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/a-new-look-for-itv-a-complete-rebrand/_ # A new look for ITV. A complete rebrand News One of the UK's biggest television networks unveils a new logo and bold rebrand. One of the UK's biggest Television networks ITV, has recently unveiled a new logo with all of the supporting channels for the rebrand to be rolled in January next year. The last time ITV had a rebrand was back in 2006 and it's starting to show its age already. I can see why they wanted a fresher new look for the brand, especially as the television market is always changing. The logo is definitely an improvement on the current 'corporate' looking logo, it's a lot more fun, happy and seems to have huge potential for expanding across the rest of the brand. It supports the companies commitment to being at the "heart of popular culture" with the use of overlays and rounded typeface. I think the main element that is not working for me are the colours, though this an easy fix and I am looking forward to seeing how the rest of the brand unfolds and is applied on our tv screens! Read more about the changes over at [Digital Spy](https://www.digitalspy.com/media/a438502/itv1-to-become-itv-in-major-corporate-rebrand/) ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # What's new in GA4 _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/whats-new-in-ga4/_ # What's new in GA4 News We’ve put together some highlights for you and your team about the latest updates to GA4 Businesses across the world rely on Google Analytics to track, measure, and analyse website and app traffic and user behaviour. This means that when the platform changes or updates its features or platform, it has a big, rippling effect. If you didn’t already hear - and the likelihood is you’ve received a lot of emails making sure you do - Google Analytics is retiring its last iteration Google Universal Analytics (or UA) and has released its newest iteration Google Analytics 4 (GA4). But what does this mean for businesses using the platform? As always with anything surrounding data, there’s too much to fit into one article - but, we’ve put together some highlights for you and your team to be aware of. ## Wait, what’s Google Analytics? For those new to the platform, businesses can get set up by inserting a code snippet, usually called a tracking code, into their web pages. Your team can then gather valuable data about your audience, including details like the number of visitors coming in, their geographic locations, browsing patterns, referral sources, and much more. Google Analytics helps businesses and website owners gain insights into how users interact with their online content, which pages are performing well, and which ones might need improvement. This data can then allow you to make data-driven decisions to optimise your website's performance, enhance your user’s experiences, and ultimately achieve your business objectives whether that means increasing sales, generating leads, or improving user engagement. ## Okay, so do I have to make the switch to Google Analytics 4? Yes, and if you’re reading this - you’ve already missed the deadline to do so yourself. Businesses that haven’t yet made the switch will find that no data has been collected since July 1st 2023, when Universal Analytics properties stopped processing data and (we assume) retired to a timeshare in Florida. ## Will all my past data work the same in GA4? Around March of this year, the powers that be will have already created a GA4 property for you, based on the settings in your Universal Analytics property, unless you opted out. This however, doesn’t mean your UA data will be carried over to the new platform. UA data doesn’t use the same model as GA4 - and so you can no longer rely on that data in the new update. If you’re late to the game, ensure GA4 is set up correctly - and wait for new data to come in. ## Fine, what do I need to know about GA4? ### It uses an event-based data model While UA uses a session based data model, GA4 uses an event-based model. This event-based data model is like having a detailed map of how users navigate through your website or app. It lets you see which actions are popular and which ones are not, so you can focus on what's working well. It's like having a treasure map to find the hidden gems of your site that people love. With this detailed information, you can make your website or app even better by improving the parts that users love and fixing the ones they don't. This is good, because it makes data less confusing - focusing on what it can tell us about what users are and aren’t doing and providing a more granular insight into your user’s journeys and where they can be improved most effectively. ### Enhanced user tracking across devices In keeping with our own tendencies to use many different devices in any given day - Google Analytics 4 has been built with enhanced cross-platform user tracking capabilities. Gone are the days of mobile users and desktop users being considered two separate tribes (an odd idea in the first place really). ### Updated user privacy and data protection features GA4 places a stronger emphasis on user privacy and data protection. It has been designed to help businesses to align with updated privacy regulations and stay compliant with new features such as enhanced data deletion controls. ### More customizable analysis and reporting GA4 introduces a more flexible and customizable approach to data analysis and reporting. It offers a more usable and pleasant user interface design, to minimise cognitive overload (we’ve all been there with UA) and more intuitive data exploration and visualisation options. This should make it a lot easier to navigate, train newbies and adjust your reporting for your business needs. The Yoyo team are here to help, whether you have just a few questions, need more help with GA4 specifically or anything in between - get in touch for a chat about how we can help. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # Five ways to get the biggest returns from your digital investment _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/five-ways-to-get-the-biggest-returns-from-your-digital-investment/_ # Five ways to get the biggest returns from your digital investment News We've put together five of our most effective recommendations for getting the best possible return on investing in digital With the economy still in a tricky place, businesses everywhere know they need to invest in digital - but want to know how to get the best possible return on investment. With social media thought leaders churning out a sea of contradictory and definitive answers that fit nicely on to image posts - we thought we’d put pen to paper and gather five of our most effective recommendations. ## 1. Practice user-centred thinking, don’t follow the crowd. With stakeholders, managers and investors impressing the importance of targets and values on us every day, it can be hard to quiet the noise when it comes to decision making. Luckily, there is one voice we can tune into to get the best possible return on investment from digital investment. While we may start with a business need, like an increase in sales, we can only achieve that by thinking about the ways we can attract, help and retain your users. User experience designers’ main job is to interrogate what your business and users need and find a way to delight everyone. When collaborating, start with asking what user behaviour you are looking to encourage - and what might encourage people to behave in this way. Often, businesses approach us by saying they need a shiny new expensive feature, and we challenge them by asking, why? Is it because someone senior likes the idea on a competitor's website? Is it because others seem to be doing it? None of that will matter if your user’s don’t really want it. You may not have the same audience as your competitors, and even better - you may well be able to find a much cheaper and simpler way to reach the same goals. If you’re unsure of how to get started, feel free to cheat - and have a look at [the UX principles that guide us here at Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/yoyo-s-usability-principles-how-our-ux-team-keeps-usability-and-accessibility-simple/). ## 2. Define your goals: Pleasing everyone, usually delights no one. Speaking of stakeholders, decide who they are. Every team has its own goals and success metrics - as is totally expected and healthy. However, projects can stretch over budget if stakeholder expectations aren’t managed. Every project should start with a gathering of requirements from the stakeholders involved, but what many don’t spend enough time on, is prioritising these. Maybe telling an authentic brand story is an essential focus, but conversion is what you need to focus on to keep the lights on - and newsletter sign ups are critical to your marketing team. That might mean that all three are factored in as key project goals - but with everyone understanding that when it comes to decisions making - the options that benefit conversion need to come first. ## 3. Good digital experiences are almost never one-and-done. The reason that the most powerful companies in the world invest in full-time digital teams - and don’t kick them to the curb after their website goes live - is because iteration is absolutely essential. If you’re not a digital conglomerate, or are not keen to scale internally, that can look like working with your agency to regularly assess and improve your website at quarterly, monthly or even bi-annual intervals. Every new digital product or space is a starting point, and can only reach its full potential by adapting over time and listing to real users. ## 4. Use real data, but don’t let it get the best of you. Nowadays everyone loves data, and rightfully so. It’s the way to listen to the needs and wants of thousands of people all at once and avoid a lot of trial and error. To get the best out of your digital investment, include setting up useful analytics and event tracking. This will make iteration a breeze, and decision making much easier for a long time to come. Don't, however, fall into the pitfall that is looking for quantitative promises that your exact plan and solution will definitely produce perfect results, down to the pixel. Data is a guide, not an oracle. Be wary of anyone who promises otherwise. ## 5. Ensure you’re investing in high-quality traffic. As many distraught teenagers come to understand, you can plan the most beautiful party - but if the wrong people turn up, it can go far from as planned. Optimise content for ranking for the key-words and searches that are being made by the users you really want to attract. Invest carefully in [SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent") with a strategy in mind to target the right users for your business. High traffic, but low quality traffic will simply mean high bounce rates - and a waste of investment in other areas as they remain unseen by the people that matter. We know this is a complex topic in its own right, but if you’d like some more information - here’s a recent article our team put together [on balancing SEO and PPC spend](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/why-your-ppc-budget-might-be-better-spent-on-seo/). ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # Unstoppable sales: four ways to improve customer engagement and conversions from your digital presence _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/unstoppable-sales-four-ways-to-improve-customer-engagement-and-conversions-from-your-digital-presence/_ # Unstoppable sales: four ways to improve customer engagement and conversions from your digital presence News In this article we’ll break down four ways you and your team can improve conversion rates and increase engagement As ever, a strong online presence is pivotal for businesses hoping to thrive. One of the key metrics that define success in the online realm is the conversion rate – the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action, like making a purchase. This could also look like signing up for a newsletter, or downloading a resource but for the purposes of this article we’ll focus on purchase. In this article we’ll break down four ways you and your team can improve conversion rates and increase engagement. Conversion only works in context The first thing to clear up when it comes to conversion, is that maximising conversion rates is not about attracting traffic; it's about turning that traffic into loyal customers. Conversion is measured as a percentage of all your users, so you could have only eight online sales, and as long as only ten users visited - that’ll look like a crackin’ 80% conversion rate. Likewise, if most of your customers return your product because it’s not what they expected, that's likely to cause a net loss in profit. So, whilst conversion is a helpful metric - don’t use it out of context. With that out of the way, let’s dive in with some places your team can start. ## 1. The Art of First Impressions First impressions are lasting impressions, and in the digital realm, your website's design is the first point of contact with potential customers. A clean, intuitive, and visually appealing website not only enhances user experience but also builds credibility. Users are discerning, and don’t want to part with their hard-earned cash if a website looks less than professional -  with a growing awareness of not only poor products but data scams, growing user’s wariness. A cluttered and confusing website can drive visitors away before they even get a chance to explore your offerings. Invest in responsive design, clear navigation, and captivating visuals to ensure your website makes a positive first impression that entices visitors to stay. All of that being said, it’s easier said than done. Depending on your audience, brand, product and business’ complexity - the best way to get the most return on your investment is to let a professional take the reins. At Yoyo we work on projects end-to-end, defining the direction, best course of action and executing those actions with visual designers, UX designers and developers on hand. We also work with  some  businesses to simply assess their situation and put together a detailed and prioritised roadmap for clients to execute in their own time and when their own budgets allow. ## 2. Be clear on what you’re offering, and why it’s the best choice. Capturing users' attention can be tough, but once you have it it’s easy to let it slip right back out of your hands if they can’t ascertain exactly what you are offering quickly. Long introductory text that builds tension is best left in novels as users are likely in a hurry or comparing you to competitors who can beat you to the punch with straight forward copy. A great rule of thumb is, your website should state exactly what problem you solve and for whom - before making user’s scroll or click anywhere. For example, you could be a logistics company. Or, are you “a supplier of highly efficient transport solutions for UK businesses.” or, “The most efficient supplier of tailor-made transport solutions - preventing wastage and keeping businesses moving.”. Think about the way your opening paragraph describes your business then asks users to explore, you should use this opportunity to quickly describe what sets you apart from your competition. That might be because of an accolade, “As the only logistics company to win the Best Logistics Company Award three years in a row…” or maybe you have an impressive stat to provide heaps of credibility, “90% of our customers say they would work with us again.”. This is also where investment in powerful hooks and delightful hero content can save the day. This also helps to keep your brand at the top of Google’s search results. ## 3. Don’t send users to dead ends. We see this a lot, as brands carefully plot out what they want their website to say, and what they’d like their users to know - it’s easy to overlook how user’s will navigate all this information. Pages of content that end abruptly, without providing users with a clear next step towards conversion - are a killer. That’s why we call them dead ends. If your website features delicious recipes, those pages should end with a call to action to buy your recipe book. Your website’s team page, showing off all your smiling faces, should end with a call to action to get in touch - or browse new roles. Whatever your goal, don’t leave user’s with nowhere to go. ## 4. Make conversion easy. This one sounds obvious, but in practice it’s often overlooked. Our own websites are where we become the most biassed, and become blind to the possible pain-points and barriers we may be placing between our users and conversion. This is where user-centred design is critical. You may be able to list your bank or credit card details from memory, however most of your users can’t. You may be able to speed through a five-step checkout process, but that doesn’t mean your users can - or are willing to. Remove friction at the point of conversion by enabling users to use a variety of payment methods, Google Pay, Apple Pay and Debit/credit card are a great start, with it being likely that at least 50% of your users will be using a mobile device. Save returning user’s details and don’t make them enter them a second time unless necessary. Allow users to enter only their post/zip code to look up their address, and save them the hassle of entering it in full. This all cuts down on cognitive load, time taken to convert and margin for error. It’s win-win-win, and all adds up to better overall conversion rates. Every business and every website is different, and has a unique set of users with their own challenges and opportunities. That’s why a tailored approach to research and design is critical to avoid the painful and expensive trial and error that comes from going it alone. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # How to tell an authentic brand story \(and step away from brands that don’t\) _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-to-tell-an-authentic-brand-story-and-step-away-from-brands-that-don-t/_ # How to tell an authentic brand story (and step away from brands that don’t) News Let’s explore what authentic storytelling is, and how you can begin to explore what that means for your brand Somewhat ironically, businesses and teams who have the most genuine and authentic story to tell - seem to often struggle to tell it the most. When we’re out at a restaurant or a party, it can be either a re-charging and inspiring honour to listen to someone who is truly passionate talking about their life's purpose, or their favourite hobby. However, as much as it can be all of those things, context matters. Let’s explore what authentic storytelling is, and how you can begin to explore what that means for your brand. ## Authenticity is all about context When we aren’t at a social event, and instead looking to have a need met - (and the likelihood is, your users are) we seek something else. If I were to go to the pharmacy  in need of allergy medication I would need to communicate with the pharmacist behind the desk. As I stand before them, snotty and red-eyed - I likely do not want to hear at that moment, all about why they became a pharmacist or the history of antihistamine. What I need is certainty, clarity and reassurance. I need to hear, “This tablet is called “snot-away”, it should help with your symptoms in 30 minutes from taking it. It can be taken alongside your other medications. If this doesn’t work you can return to take this other tablet - the reason this tablet is the best for you is because it won’t make you drowsy.” To extend the metaphor further, if I were to walk into that same pharmacy to be told, “This super-pill was crafted in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, by a crack team of environmental scientists - it is a toxin release, super-vitamin that doctors HATE!” I’m going to turn around and leave. Because it reeks of inauthenticity. So, what can businesses be on the lookout for when it comes to the quest for authenticity? Here are three places to start. ## 1. Does your inconsistency stink of instability? One big sign of an inauthentic brand story is inconsistency. If your messages and values change a lot, you have no chance of competing with the brands that know who they are. It feels obvious that a consistent message should be your goal, but the main cause of confused messaging is usually polarised stakeholders and too many cooks stirring the pot. If your digital and marketing teams are flying from pillar to post trying to please a myriad of higher-ups that don’t agree with each other, it tends to show. Nail and prioritise what you want your users to know about your brand. Prioritise what users need to see and hear, and mix in a dash of what you love telling people. Agree to stick to that core brand story and simplify your messaging. ## 2. Are you casting a wide net with forced messaging? Another sign is when a brand story feels fake or forced to fit a particular niche. Examples of this you may have seen in the wild include greenwashing brands crow-barring words like “green” and “sustainable” into businesses that do nothing in particular to support these claims. You may also have read articles that are so search engine optimised that they read like absolute word salad. In either case, someone has made casting a wider net and reaching particular audiences that aren’t really relevant to their brand - above telling the most authentic brand story. ## 3. Have you used a cookie cutter approach? There is nothing wrong with using tried and true approaches to business and design. In fact, utilising interactions that are familiar to users will speed them up and create a feeling of ease. However, the magic ingredient that many brands miss is creativity. This sounds sentimental but it isn’t - the brands and digital experiences we remember are the ones that showed us something we haven’t seen anywhere else. What’s amazing about this, is when you show something that only your business has - it’s likely to be super-authentic. If your product is a shoe with a patented shock-absorbing sole, invest in showing that off with a 3D animation that users can interact with. Is your brand helping to build houses in places that struggle with homelessness? Invest in having drone footage taken of the sites where this is happening. Whatever it is that makes you genuinely unique, apply creativity generously. ## 4. Does your brand look like it is run by robots? In the age of A.I. and procedurally generated imagery, many brands are trying to save time and money by using assets that weren’t crafted by human hands. This isn’t a problem at all, when used in moderation and vetted by skilled creatives. In the wrong hands content like this has an icy feel. A similar example of this feeling might be when brands provide users with chat bots that are pretty useless if you have even a mildly exceptional problem - and no easy way to reach a real human being to chat to. This immediately makes a brand feel distant, cold and uncaring. On a smaller scale, content that simply contains no content showing human-beings using or interacting with your product will stop users from being able to view your product or service as something that can fit into their own (very human) lives. If your brand story isn’t currently capturing your passionate team, or your stellar product the way it should, get in contact with us at Yoyo. We can help you to define your brand and develop your brand story into something you and your users can be proud to share. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # What is the best CMS for charities? _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/what-is-the-best-cms-for-charities/_ # What is the best CMS for charities? News In this article, we will explore why Umbraco is the best choice for charities and non-profit businesses looking to maximise their impact online In today's digitally-driven world, [establishing a robust online presence](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") is critical for charities and non-profit organisations to connect with supporters, communicate their mission, and manage their most important calls to action for donations and support. A Content Management System (CMS) is the backbone of your team's digital presence, and selecting the right one is paramount, but not always easy. In this article, we will explore why Umbraco, a versatile and user-friendly CMS, is the best choice for charities and non-profit businesses looking to maximise their impact online. ## 1. User-Friendly Interface Umbraco prides itself on its user-friendly interface, making it an ideal choice for non-profit organisations that often have limited technical resources. With Umbraco, even individuals with minimal technical expertise can easily add, edit, and manage content. Its intuitive dashboard, drag-and-drop functionality, and straightforward navigation make it a standout CMS for nonprofits. ## 2. Cost-Effectiveness Non-profits often operate on tight budgets, and Umbraco's cost-effectiveness sets it apart. While Umbraco itself is free, its extensive community of developers offers an array of plugins and themes, enabling non-profits to create professional, functional websites without breaking the bank. This affordability ensures that resources are directed toward the organisation's core mission, rather than expensive website development. ## 3. Responsive Design In today's mobile-centric world, responsive design is non-negotiable. Umbraco excels in this area, allowing non-profits to create websites that adapt seamlessly to various screen sizes and devices. A responsive website enhances user experience and improves search engine rankings, ensuring that potential supporters can easily find and engage with the charity online. ## 4. Accessibility Features Umbraco is committed to inclusivity, making it an excellent choice for non-profits that need to ensure their websites are accessible to individuals with disabilities. It offers robust accessibility features such as alt text for images, proper heading structure, and keyboard navigation. By adhering to web accessibility standards like WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), Umbraco helps non-profits fulfil their moral and legal obligations. ## 5. Security Non-profits often handle sensitive donor and supporter information, making security a paramount concern. Umbraco takes this seriously, regularly updating its software to patch vulnerabilities, supporting HTTPS, and offering robust user authentication options. Choosing Umbraco assures both the organisation and its supporters that their data is protected from cyber threats. ## 6. Integration Capabilities To streamline their operations, nonprofits rely on various software tools for fundraising, donor management, and communication. Umbraco's seamless integration capabilities simplify data sharing and ensure a cohesive online presence. Whether it's integrating with fundraising platforms or CRM systems, Umbraco is a versatile partner for non-profits. ## 7. SEO-Friendly Features Umbraco understands the importance of visibility in the digital landscape. It provides built-in SEO tools, including customizable meta tags, clean code, and automatic sitemap generation. By choosing Umbraco, nonprofits can enhance their online visibility and reach a broader audience, ultimately furthering their mission. ## 8. Scalability As non-profits grow and evolve, their website needs to adapt. Umbraco's scalability ensures that nonprofits can easily add new features, pages, and content without the hassle of a complete website overhaul. This scalability ensures that the website remains an effective tool in supporting the organisation's changing goals. ## Conclusion In the world of CMS options, Umbraco stands out as the ideal choice for nonprofits and charities seeking to establish a strong online presence. Its user-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, responsive design, accessibility features, security measures, integration capabilities, SEO-friendliness, and scalability make it the perfect partner for organisations dedicated to making a positive impact on the world. By choosing Umbraco, nonprofit can confidently embrace their digital journey and ensure that their online platform supports their mission to the fullest. Want to know more about how Umbraco can support your charity? Get in touch with a member of the team today. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Websites that don't cost the earth We take a look at why it's important that websites are designed more sustainably [Websites that don't cost the earth](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/websites-that-dont-cost-the-earth/) --- # Debunking 5 Myths of Quality Assurance _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/debunking-5-myths-of-quality-assurance/_ # Debunking 5 Myths of Quality Assurance News There are several misconceptions about QA that need to be debunked in order to understand its significance. In this article we'll discuss five of them. We’ve spoken before about how the importance of quality assurance (QA) cannot be overstated. It's the backbone of a successful online presence, ensuring your digital product is functional, user-friendly, and bug-free. However, there are several misconceptions surrounding QA that need to be cleared up to better understand its significance. In this article, we’ll debunk five of these myths. ## 'QA is Only About Finding Bugs' One of the most common misconceptions about QA is that it's solely about bug hunting. Whilst our QA team do test our products’ robustness through vigorous test-to-break methods, QA encompasses a much broader scope. It also includes [assessing user experience (UX)](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX"), checking for accessibility issues, ensuring compatibility across devices and browsers, and validating the overall quality of your digital product. Effective QA is not just about finding problems, it's about preventing them. It’s about being proactive rather than reactive. ## 'QA is a One-Time Activity' Another myth that needs to be dispelled is that QA is a one-time activity that happens only during the development phase. Can you imagine how short-sighted that would be? In reality, QA is an ongoing process that should be integrated throughout the entire development life cycle. It starts from the initial design phase, continues during development, and persists after the website is launched. Regular maintenance and updates require consistent quality assurance to adapt to evolving user expectations and technology changes. ## 'QA is Only for Big Companies' Smaller businesses and startups often believe that QA is a luxury reserved for larger corporations with bigger budgets. Some see it as an unnecessary cost (insert Face With Rolling Eyes emoji). This couldn't be further from the truth. QA is a necessity for organisations of all sizes. It ensures that your online presence is professional and reliable, which can significantly boost your brand's reputation. In fact, for smaller companies, maintaining a bug-free website can be even more critical, as a single bad experience can drive potential risk-averse customers away. Investing in QA is an investment in the success and growth of your business. ## 'Automated Testing Replaces the Need for Manual Testing' No, this isn’t a timeline where Skynet has taken over the world. Despite what some might think, AI is limited where it comes to testing. The advent of automated testing tools has led to the misconception that manual testing is no longer necessary. While automated testing is a valuable component of QA, it cannot entirely replace manual testing. Automated testing is excellent for repetitive, rule-based tasks but may not catch nuanced issues that a human tester can identify, such as design inconsistencies or user experience problems. I’d like to see Arnold’s attention to detail with padding misalignments. The most effective approach is to strike a balance by combining automated and manual testing, allowing the strengths of each method to complement one another. ## 'QA is a Cost Centre, Not a Value-Adding Activity' Some consider QA as an expense rather than an investment. This myth stems from the idea that QA merely consumes resources without providing any tangible benefits. We’ve met these people, and yes, they’re ideas are still stuck in 1984 (last Terminator reference, I promise). In 2023, QA is a value-adding activity. A high-quality website improves user satisfaction, reduces the risk of costly post-launch bug fixes, and ultimately leads to increased revenue. QA is a strategic investment that ensures your online platform serves its purpose effectively and generates a positive return on investment. We don’t want to be constantly fixing things for you, our time is better spent brainstorming your next digital journey. ## Conclusion Web quality assurance is a critical component of web development and maintenance that dispels several myths. It's not just about finding bugs; it encompasses [user experience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX"), compatibility, and overall quality. QA is an ongoing process that applies to businesses of all sizes, and it involves both automated and manual testing. Most importantly, it is not a cost centre but a value-adding activity that can significantly impact your brand's reputation and revenue. Still curious about QA? Let’s chat! [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") with a member of the team here. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Influence and impact for female marketing leaders _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/influence-and-impact-for-female-marketing-leaders/_ # Influence and impact for female marketing leaders News Our CEO, Jenny, shares why reducing self-doubt is so important, and how we can act on it. For almost half of women in leadership positions, feelings of self-doubt come from never expecting to reach the level that they have. Continuously not believing that success is deserved or genuine, or that you truly belong, is all too true for many women in senior roles, and acts as an invisible barrier to fully flourishing at work. Our CEO, Jenny, shares why reducing self-doubt is so important, and how we can act on it. ## Where does self-doubt come from? From an academic perspective, marketing is about profit, revenue, resources, and seeing human beings as a means to make more profit. Taking the humanity element out of work matters because of the way in which women lead - with empathy, creativity, and an emphasis on connections. With a workplace that is used to the reactive leadership style of men which is aligned with rules and conditions, it is no surprise that women doubt their ability to lead. Coupled with the lack of female role models and archetypes of what the C-Suite should look and act like, it’s no surprise that female leaders often question their abilities. The gap between your experience as a woman, and what seems to be expected of you becomes one that feels huge. The supposed need to have “masculine” traits of assertiveness, firmness, and showing no weakness is confusing, especially when it goes against your instincts. Gone are the days when a CEO was only ever a middle-aged man in a suit, and it’s about time that imposter syndrome went too. ## What can you do? ### Take the step While self-doubt in men might manifest in different ways, or simply ignored entirely, for women, it frequently shows up as overthinking, over-analysing and a crippling fear of failure. Putting one figurative foot in front of the other is necessary to get yourself out there and build confidence. Sitting out of pitching because you don’t have all the answers, or not putting your hand up for speaking at conferences; these avoidance tactics come from a place of self-doubt. Ultimately this prevents you from having new experiences and reaching new heights. Confidence is grown through practice and repetition, so avoiding these experiences means feeding the loop of self-doubt. ### Shift your mindset It all comes down to perception. Although being one of very few women on a leadership team or at a networking event can feel exclusionary or intimidating, reframing it turns it into an advantage instead. Standing out, and not being the same as everyone around you makes you more memorable. You can look around and see the difference you’re adding by being visible, and being present, which is rewarding in itself. ### Have the conversation Being aware of the barrier that self-doubt creates for women, and the impact that it has is the first step to making change. Even so, it’s still a difficult balance. Many can feel excluded by these conversations, which can very easily descend into man-bashing. It’s important to remember that it’s about equity, not equality. Issues like the lack of role models, and different styles of working mean women may need more of a helping hand to get to the same level. Bringing these problems to the fore is beneficial to everyone in the team. Having a balance of men and women on a team makes everyone more successful - leading to more innovative thinking, increased market value and revenue, and better perceptions of the organisation, both internally and externally. ### Find your tribe Different aspects of identity can harbour self-doubt in different ways. Someone of a different sexual orientation, race, background, or with different interests can also feel hugely excluded. Finding those that understand your values and what’s important to you allows for better conversations, and dynamics that flow better - regardless of who they are. Not everyone will fulfil this and that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Historically, women have not been in positions of leadership, so ensuring they have individuals to look up to and aspire towards is key in making it known that they can indeed do it, that they are qualified and that they deserve their role. So many networks are dominated by men and so our Female Lead lunches and dinners allow women at different stages of their careers to come together in an environment where they are surrounded by peers, for support, growth, mentoring, and a space to be heard. ## What can your organisation do? ### Lead thoughtfully Understanding involves having adult conversations about the fact that life is messy, and evaluating how work can work for life, and not the other way around. Considering the needs of others and promoting kindness permeates an organisation and contributes to wellbeing and business success. Whether it’s making sure meetings aren’t happening during the school run, or fitting working hours around home commitments, acknowledging that life happens creates an internal culture where people can thrive. A mix of thoughtful men and women on the leadership team enable this to be a reality at Yoyo. On a larger scale, providing the freedom to pursue goals and fulfilment outside of work is part of a commitment to champion individuals and shows how business goals can work with life goals. We’ve introduced a Life Leave policy, where anyone can request extended time off, and we figure out how to make it happen, together, and make sure they have their job waiting for them. ### Provide space to grow People feel better when doing things for other people. From paddleboard litter-picking to raising money for charity, being part of something bigger than you as an individual builds skills, confidence, and happiness - and contributes to the community and the planet in the process. If we’re helping people to build themselves up through support, time, and training, ultimately we’re removing that self-doubt and instead building skills and resilience. Mental Health First Aid training, Personal finance training, or external courses and education are all ways in which we can support our teams to be their best. ## Conclusion It’s not a male vs. female matter, nor is it a leadership vs. team matter - it’s about individualised understanding, maintaining strong values, and putting people first. Creating personalised flexibility and support isn’t always easy, but it’s the right move to make - for the individual, for the team and for the business. From a commercial perspective, it builds retention and engagement, and from a personal perspective, it makes for a nicer place to work. It really boils down to treating teams well: do good to others, and they will do good for you. Celebrating women, and making them feel valued and supported does wonders for eliminating self-doubt and empowering women to succeed. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Are you the tortoise or the hare? Why a focus on “fast results” always loses in the long run _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/are-you-the-tortoise-or-the-hare-why-a-focus-on-fast-results-always-loses-in-the-long-run/_ # Are you the tortoise or the hare? Why a focus on “fast results” always loses in the long run News Here’s why the Need for Speed is best reserved for the 90s video game… Today’s world is fast-paced. Everyone knows that. In the era of same-day delivery and gratification at the swipe of a thumb, it’s hard for any business to escape the pressure of delivering everything immediately - strategies, designs and, most worryingly, results. But speed is too often being conflated with optimisation. And many companies are rushing processes in the name of fast results - getting distracted by quick fixes instead of focusing on long-term gains (we’ve all been there). This is leading to digital design which isn’t effective, and brands which don’t achieve their purpose. It’s a race to the bottom. Here’s why the Need for Speed is best reserved for the 90s video game… ## Your audience deserves your time Chasing fast results almost always means overlooking your user’s needs. That’s because it takes time with a capital ‘t’ to understand what people really want, and to craft digital experiences which actually solve their problems. Operating on 2x speed might give you and your team a quick serotonin hit, but it also risks creating collateral that doesn’t resonate with your audience. Think websites with high bounce rates and videos with low views - it’s a no from us. ## Creativity can’t be rushed Creativity is key to most good things in life - the best films, your fave songs and yep, you guessed it, successful digital design. But this is soon forgotten when tight timelines come into play. With rushed deadlines comes restricted creativity. And that leads to generic brands which struggle to stand out in the crowded digital landscape. ## Fast results sacrifice strategy From brand guidelines to marketing campaigns, your designs are about more than just aesthetics. They’re integral parts of your company’s identity which should be informed by your long-term strategy. You know that already, but without carving out enough time to consider it, you’ll end up with disjointed designs and an incohesive narrative. So take a breath, pour a cuppa and make time to align all you create with your business’ values and objectives. ## Optimisation should be ongoing You might not want to hear it, but there’s no quick fix when it comes to digital design (we’re sorry!). It’s a process that requires constant iteration and improvement. Fast-paced projects ditch testing and optimisation in favour of turnaround times. But without time for proper refinement, mistakes will be missed, accessibility compromised and the [user experience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX") weakened. And nobody wants that. ## Feedback is fundamental In the same way your business is nothing without its customers, your website and brand are nothing without audience feedback. In fact, with no feedback you risk launching digital experiences that fall flat. Setting aside time to gather user insights and bake them into your brand is the only way to avoid an alienated audience and bag yourself long-term success. ## Quickly won, quickly lost We get that quick results can be exciting initially, but they fade faster than a suntan in the English rain. As errors are discovered, user engagement drops off and you find yourself sliding back down the SERPs, your speed-driven designs will end up having to be, well… redesigned. Ultimately costing you more money and more time. It’s kind of a lose-lose. ## Speed isn’t sustainable If fast results are still sounding tempting then it’s worth mentioning that hurrying also means overlooking sustainability considerations… Research and time are needed to work out the potential impact of your project and deliver [eco-friendly digital and brand solutions](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) that guarantee online reliability. Need we say more? ## It’s not all bad news… We know it can feel frustrating, but it takes real time to cultivate real change - ya know, the type your business is worthy of. You might get ok results with a focus on speed, but your good brand deserves great. And more exposure, bigger impact and higher engagement (with the right audiences) can only come from a considered and considerate approach. So as people around you continue to automate, quicken and rush, keep a steady pace. Be part of a revolution, not a passing trend, by dedicating time to crafting designs that last and shaping a brand that’s loved. Need a little support slowing down the pace to turn up the results? That’s why we’re here. We’re a [B Corp certified digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) helping purposeful brands to do amazing things and [we’d love to chat](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/). ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Umbraco 7 Reaches End-of-Life: What You Need to Know _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/umbraco-7-reaches-end-of-life-what-you-need-to-know/_ # Umbraco 7 Reaches End-of-Life: What You Need to Know News Umbraco 7 will no longer receive support or security updates. Here's why that matters. As of 30th September 2023, [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") 7 has reached its End-of-Life (EOL) phase. This means that Umbraco 7 will no longer receive support or security updates, making it crucial to consider migrating to the latest version of Umbraco if your site is currently running on this version. ## What Does EOL Mean? When a software product reaches its End-of-Life (EOL), it signifies that its development team will no longer provide support for that major version, as they focus their efforts on maintaining and improving newer versions. That means no further feature development, no bug fixes, and no security updates. EOL is the final stage in the life cycle of any software product, following a phase of security-only updates, where only critical fixes are made. ## Is It Safe to Use Umbraco 7 After EOL? While it is still possible to continue using Umbraco 7 in its EOL phase, it's important to consider the potential risks: ### 1) Security Umbraco will no longer provide fixes for security issues, making your website more vulnerable to threats. Umbraco is a super safe CMS, with only a handful of security advisories over the last few years. However, EOL means that any potential issues won’t be patched automatically, with no fixes released, so for the extra peace of mind, it’s worth keeping up-to-date. ### 2) Compliance Using EOL software may violate compliance rules in various industries, potentially leading to security issues. Migrating your existing site, or rebuilding it using the latest version of Umbraco is the best way of mitigating this risk. For instance, integrating data protection by making sure systems are supported is a legal requirement as part of GDPR, so staying updated is important from a legal perspective too. ### 3) Outdated Features Staying on an outdated version means missing out on new features, improvements, and patches available in the latest Umbraco releases. Since version 9, Umbraco regularly releases new major versions, minor updates every six weeks, and patches as needed to ensure optimal performance, security, and functionality. Updates to Umbraco 7 have been limited security-only since 2019, so even though it’s still technically usable, it might not be at its best. ## Migrating to Umbraco 13 Given the risks associated with using Umbraco 7 after its EOL date, we ([and Umbraco themselves](https://umbraco.com/products/knowledge-center/long-term-support-and-end-of-life/umbraco-7-end-of-life-eol/)) strongly recommend considering a migration to Umbraco 12. This latest version will provide you with cutting-edge features, enhanced security, and a reliable platform for your website. You can read more about these features in our recent "[What's the future of Umbraco?](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/what-s-the-future-of-umbraco-what-s-in-and-what-s-out-what-do-you-need-to-know/)" blog post. Migration is right up our street at Yoyo.  Our team of Umbraco certified professionals work with the latest version and updates to Umbraco as standard, so we’re well-placed to make sure your site is as good as it can be . As an [Umbraco partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), we have the expertise and experience to ensure a smooth process that preserves your website's content, functionality, and design, while making sure it enjoys the best security, compliance, and latest updates too. Want to know more about us, or about your migration options and how to take advantage of the latest version of Umbraco? [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) for a chat about how we can help. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Has a focus on vanity metrics killed your brand? _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/has-a-focus-on-vanity-metrics-killed-your-brand/_ # Has a focus on vanity metrics killed your brand? News Why more businesses need to get back to brand We’ve all been there, buzzing about the likes on our latest post, obsessed by our growing follower count. But while undeniably initially satisfying, these numbers are a distraction. And focusing on them means forgetting your brand - the real driving force behind your growth. At best fickle and at worst misleading, vanity metrics stroke our egos, telling us we’re doing a great job (and who doesn’t want to hear that) without actually offering any meaningful insights. Often unactionable, these sorts of stats aren’t related to anything we can control or repeat. Plus, they’re not indicative of success in the long-run. Sure, a high social media following might feel fun to brag to your mates about, but it doesn't necessarily translate to engaged customers or increased impact. Even viral posts, hailed as the holy grail, might temporarily spike your website traffic, but if those visitors don't convert into paying customers it ultimately doesn't contribute to your company’s development. Enter brand. The not so basic we should all be going back to. ## The power of brand From internal strategy through to external campaigns, your brand has the power to build trust and create connections - the two things you need to do to amplify your impact. It's not just about having a recognisable logo or catchy slogan, it's about creating an entire brand world that stands out from competitors and resonates with your target audience. A [well-defined brand](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) communicates at every single touch point what your company stands for, why it exists and how it adds value to customers' lives (read: why they should choose you). While social media followers can disappear overnight, investing in brand-building leads to long-term benefits. Earning loyal customers who don’t just come back time and time again, but become brand advocates - spreading your positive impact even further. ## Cultivating lasting relationships Especially as a change-making brand, your customers are everything. And one of the key benefits of branding is that, when done well, it has your audience at its heart. The brands which customers can’t get enough of all have one thing in common - every element of them has been crafted with their audience in mind. Think: art direction based on their taste, marketing campaigns which address their needs, promotional videos that engage them. All cemented in solid guidelines which empower their whole team to maintain the brand and ensure it always connects with customers. The best of this group take their brand one step further and make their connections even deeper by incorporating audience feedback into their designs. This authentic interaction both engages people and guarantees the end-result is a brand they’ll truly love. Just look at [Locate Productions](https://yoyodesign.com/work/locate-productions/) - their rebrand drove 200k page visits, crucially with a bounce rate of just 5%. Not just getting eyeballs, but genuinely engaging people, helping turn them from casual browsers into loyal customers. Proving the true power of a brand designed for its target audience and applied consistently. ## Driving sustainable growth Vanity metrics might be your quick-fix to securing a serotonin hit, but what they don’t secure is sustainable growth. Nope, a well-established brand is what you need to drive long-term success. By focusing on branding efforts that prioritise authenticity, relevance and (most importantly) your audience, you can differentiate yourself even in the most crowded of markets. While you can’t control your industry, your customers or the world, a strong brand gives you stability. Acting as a beautifully designed anchor and enabling you to weather both inevitable and unforeseen market shifts - ya know global pandemics, that kind of thing. The positive impact of a strong brand extends way beyond immediate sales or conversions, too. It attracts top talent, encourages partnerships and opens doors to new opportunities. Pushing your company forward and allowing you to create the change you want to see in the world. Want proof? Check out the work we did with [Kurtosys](https://yoyodesign.com/work/kurtosys/). Celebrated for its impactful and simple design, their suite of flexible brand assets helped the company to gain new ground in key markets. You’re not alone in falling into the vanity metrics trap, but it’s time to shift your focus away from these superficial figures back to meaningful brand work. In fact, getting back to brand is the only way to achieve more impact, exposure and engagement with the right audiences. Do it and pretty soon you’ll have some stats actually worth bragging about in the pub. So, what ya waiting for? You want to do great things and we want to help you. We’re Yoyo, [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to creating and reshaping brands for good. And [we’d love to chat](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) about your ambitions and how we can support you to achieve them. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Future-forward Websites _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/future-forward-websites/_ # Future-forward Websites News How we incorporate our B Corp values into our website design and development process ## People Putting people first is a core principle of being a B Corp, and when it comes to [creating websites that engage and excite](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency"), the crossover is clear. We take a human-centred approach to design, so that experiences are intuitive and feel natural. Prioritising usability, accessibility, and inclusion not only makes for great user experience, but also reinforces our commitment to do right by people. And though it’s nothing new, it’s only becoming more important. For every website we craft, we carry out extensive discovery and definition, to make sure that we truly understand the needs of the client, the business, and their users. “ > > When you put people at the heart of things, or frame things from a more human perspective, you can almost always find a better way. You’ll make connections. You’ll build confidence. You’ll collaborate and grow as a community. Jenny Kitchen - CEO, Yoyo ## Planet Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword to us: it’s a [guiding principle](https://sustainable-digital-design-guide.yoyodesign.com/) that informs how we work and what we create. From opting for colours that are easier on your screen; to optimising code for energy efficiency and reusability; to delivering green hosting solutions, we embrace eco-friendly practices at every phase of the development process. It’s never a tradeoff between design and sustainability because we believe that the two go hand in hand - what’s good for the planet is good for people too. For instance, an overly complex website means more convoluted user journeys, which means more energy is required to run it, leaving nobody happy. “ > > I always remember the story in 2014, 14-year-old Suvir Mirchandani from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania found that he could save his school $21,000 a year – simply by changing the font they used on their hand-outs to Garamond. This methodology is exactly the same principle for digital. Gregg Lawrence - Creative Director, Yoyo ## Purpose More and more consumers are “belief-driven”, meaning they choose to buy from companies who share their values. When you work with an organisation that’s B Corp certified, you’re working with an organisation that understands, prioritises, and aligns itself with what’s important to you. Put simply, our aim is to help you achieve your purpose - we help to realise the ambitions of brands and causes that promote positive change, and make sure that their purpose shines through. To keep purpose at the core of our work, we work closely with our clients to build a strong partnership, where we can offer fresh perspectives - even if this challenges pre-existing beliefs. “ > > B Corps commit to positively impact all stakeholders – workers, communities, customers, and our planet B Lab UK ## What next? B Corp certification is a journey, not a destination. Doing good has always been our modus operandi at Yoyo, and our B Corp certification gives us both the framework to do so, as well as the legal commitment to follow through. Our [UX](https://yoyodesign.com/media/2dxlizs0/yoyo-accessibility.pdf) and [sustainability](https://yoyodesign.com/media/crziu1my/yoyo-sustainability.pdf) audits can help you review how well your website is working for people and the planet respectively, leaving you with a roadmap of actionable improvements. If you’re interested in making your digital presence more inclusive and eco-friendly, why not [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") with a member of the team today? ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Female Lead Lunch: A Recap _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/female-lead-lunch-a-recap/_ # Female Lead Lunch: A Recap News Reflecting on the discussions around personal growth at March’s Female Lead Lunch Our Female Lead Networking lunches are an opportunity for women from across the B Corp and purpose-driven community to come together in a safe space to connect, share, and uplift one another. These intimate conversations range from recounting relatable lived experiences to offering tips and advice for the specific challenges women in senior positions often face. The gathering last month was no different: tucked away in the heart of Central London at Chief, a membership club designed exclusively for executive women, and over a lovely selection of food and drink, our March attendees chatted through all things Work-Life Balance. Wellbeing in the world of work was very much a fitting topic considering the ambition and leadership shared by all at the table. At these lunches, vulnerability, openness and raw honesty are all very much encouraged, so we won’t go into specifics here - but a few of the general bits of advice were too good not to share. Here are five ways that you can create harmony between work, life and everything in between: ## Whatever you practice, do it every day Being consistent and intentional is key. Whether it’s meditation or a morning crossword, having a daily practice builds momentum and allows you to embrace the power of habit. All big things come from small beginnings - even small efforts add up over time, and you might surprise yourself with what you can achieve and how it makes you feel. Commit to showing up daily, and that dedication will pay off. ## Block out time for you In the hustle and bustle of work life and balancing a million different tasks at once, don’t forget to make space for yourself. Mark yourself as busy and set aside unmovable “me time” on your calendar. Give yourself the gift of uninterrupted time for self-development and self-improvement. That could look like a workout, or reading a favourite book, or learning a new skill. It’s not selfish to prioritise yourself - it’s essential for recharging your batteries and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. ## Keywords can be better than goals Leave that list of overwhelming goals in the past, and instead focus on a keyword (or a few!) that embodies your intentions. This could be absolutely anything - “focus”, “consistency”, “joy”,  “growth”, “inspire”, “confident” - as long as it’s aligned with your aspirations, then it works. While goals can often be rigid, having a “word of the year” gives you a unifying theme for steering your professional journey. Choose your words wisely and let them inspire your actions. ## Finish every day on a positive No matter how chaotic your day may be, always strive to end it on a positive note. Leaving your desk feeling annoyed, bitter, or disappointed will bleed into your home life and have negative knock-on effects. Reflect on your accomplishments, big or small; celebrate all your wins; learn from your challenges; and let go of any lingering negativity. By cultivating a positive mindset at the end of each day, you can move forward with gratitude rather than frustration and set the stage for a fresh start tomorrow. ## Let yourself be playful Children learn through play - and maybe they’re onto something. Allow yourself to let your guard down and inject some fun into your day. Embracing a playful attitude can spark creativity, which is the key to new ideas, innovation, and collaboration. Try brainstorming wild ideas that you’d dream of bringing to life, or experimenting with technology to see what you can create. All work and no play can make you both bored and boring. ## Still want more? If you or someone you know would like to come along to a Female Lead Lunch and get involved in these conversations, then [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") - we’d love to hear from you. These gatherings are invite-only ticketed events, with only a small number of spaces available, so let us know if you’d like to join our next lunch this June. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Digital Fundraising Done Right: A recap We’ve wrapped up some of the key takeaways and advice that will help you do more - and raise more - with digital. [Digital Fundraising Done Right: A recap](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/digital-fundraising-done-right-a-recap/) --- # Content – the C word that no one wants to talk about… But here’s why you should _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/content-the-c-word-that-no-one-wants-to-talk-about-but-here-s-why-you-should/_ # Content – the C word that no one wants to talk about… But here’s why you should News If everything is apparently content, what does it even mean anymore? And crucially, how can we work out its value? Ah content… Everyone’s favourite-worst C word has become somewhat unavoidable in recent years, used to describe everything from your favourite influencer’s Insta stories to Radio 4 documentaries. But with so much today labelled as content, the term has become almost meaningless. If everything is apparently content, what does it even mean anymore? And crucially, how can we work out its value? We’ve got your back. As firm believers in using the C word, we’re here to explain why, when done right, content is far from meaningless. In fact it’s a powerful brand tool that can help you drive real growth and cultivate real change. ## Let’s start with what content actually is… To put it simply, content is information. And we all like that, right? Where content can get confusing is that it’s all lazily brushed under the same umbrella term, when actually there’s many different kinds. Here are the biggies: - Written content - articles, blogs, newsletters - Visual content - all things image-based - Audio content - podcasts etc - Video content - TikTok anyone? Now we’re clearer on what content is, here’s why we should be embracing it like the first pint on a Friday night. ## Creating deeper connections Good content tells stories. And what do stories do? Create connections. Yep, turns out our brains aren’t that different from our caveman ancestors’, and we still bond in the same way we did sat around fires thousands of years ago - through stories. Evoking emotions, encouraging empathy and inspiring action, stories are exactly what change-making brands like yours need. Whether it’s a [video with a clear message](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) or web copy with a narrative arc, these stories humanise your brand. Proving that you’re not just your product or service, but a vehicle for change and progress. And forging deeper connections with existing clients and potential prospects alike. ## Setting you apart What’s given the C word a bad rep, is lazy content. But carefully thought out and meticulously crafted content is invaluable - setting you apart from your competitors by reflecting who your brand really is. Got a value of sustainability? Reflect it in your visuals. Believe in corporate social responsibility? Create a video about it. But make sure you’re crafting the type of content that your target audience enjoys. Perhaps they love podcasts or maybe they’re article addicts. Whatever it is, showing up on the platforms they use in a format they consume means that you can share your unique mission and value with them in a way which they’ll genuinely find engaging. ## Providing real value Content gives you a chance to, not just sell yourself, but actually help people. Just like your brand solves your audience’s problems, your content should too. Consider what questions your clients are asking and try to create content that answers them. Remember, unlike your break up, it’s about them not you. ## Educating audiences Focus on why you exist. You believe change is possible and sure, some people might already agree with you, but not everyone does. That’s where content comes in - giving you an opportunity to educate a wider audience about what your brand cares about, and why they should too. You can use content of all kinds to shed light on the challenges you’re addressing, the root causes behind them and your proposed solution. For those who already support your brand’s purpose, expand their knowledge with educational infographics and insight-filled articles. This will empower your existing audience, nurture their loyalty and encourage them to become brand advocates. Did we mention it will position you as a reliable authority in your sector, too? Not too shabby, eh? ## Inspiring action But awareness alone isn’t enough, it’s action we need. Luckily, content primes people for this. Great content can be a catalyst for change - turning people from passive observers into active participants, and motivating your audience to take meaningful steps towards the better world we all want to see. So make sure you’re encouraging next steps by embedding calls to action throughout your social posts, newsletters and videos. And ensure your audience’s journey to them is smooth. For example, if you’re encouraging action through social media content, make sure your bio and links are all up-to-date. ## Building community Yep, we know some may say community is just another buzzword, but you can believe the hype on this one. Particularly for change-making brands like yours, community really is key. No matter where you share your content, you have an opportunity to bring like-minded people together. Allowing your audience to connect in the comment section of your videos, across your social media accounts or even on a dedicated website fosters a sense of belonging. Cultivating loyal communities of supporters who are passionate about the same things your brand is. This open dialogue doesn’t just benefit your customers, but allows you to gather more insights to inform future content and business decisions. It’s kind of a win-win. ## Measuring impact While we love a story, sometimes data is what you need. Well guess what? Offering insights into engagement, reach and impact, content’s got you covered. Today’s analytics tools make tracking the performance of your content simple. Giving you valuable stats about what resonates with your audience and what doesn’t, so you can craft even more effective content. So forget all the C word critics, because content is an amazing way to amplify your brand’s impact. It’s not just the initial engagement you’ll drive - the best content gets shared time and time again, turning prospects into fans and growing your audience (and your brand) organically. The good news is it can easily be repurposed, too. From turning whitepapers into shorter blogs to resharing infographics with more recent stats, investing time into [crafting quality content](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) now gives you a foundation for the future. But if you need a little support knowing where to start, that’s why we’re here. We’re a [B Corp certified branding and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) crafting award winning brands, websites and digital campaigns for brilliant purpose driven brands and charities, and [we’d love to chat](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/). Need a helping hand when it comes to the copy for your content instead? Make sure you check out our pals over at [the Creative Copywriter](https://www.creative-copywriter.net/). From email newsletters to podcasts scripts, they craft [copy-based content](https://www.creative-copywriter.net/content) of all kinds (and they’re pretty bloomin’ amazing at it). ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Is your tech stack up to scratch? _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/is-your-tech-stack-up-to-scratch/_ # Is your tech stack up to scratch? News In this article, we look at how Umbraco can help you scale up for success. ## What is a tech stack? Put simply, your tech stack is the set of technologies, platforms, and services that come together to form your online presence. Picture it as a deliciously intricate sandwich - each layer serves a purpose, and they all come together to make an experience worth coming back for seconds. Your tech stack should be tailored to you and your audience - it’s important to get the mix right so that you’re winning where it matters most: engagement, interaction, and experience. Why does it matter? Lots of factors impact which technologies you choose, so thinking some distance ahead can help inform your tech stack. Prematurely outgrowing your platform could double your investment; while making decisions based on guesses about your needs ten years down the line doesn’t help your short-term goals, and a lot can change in between. Taking some time to consider what you might need, and how that might change over time is worthwhile to ensure  you’re getting the most out of your stack. A cohesive tech stack that fits your business is cost-effective, greener, and a better experience for your users - what’s not to love? “ > > There is no good example of having to choose between performance and sustainability. They just go together Calvin - Head of Development ## Signs you need to scale up: It’s important that your CMS can grow with your business, without compromising on performance. The same indicators that your end-users are seeing are the same red flags that’ll be waving at developers behind the scenes. Here are a couple things to look out for that might mean it’s time to start thinking about an [website upgrade](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/ "Umbraco Upgrades"): ### Your website feels sloooow If it feels like your website is taking forever to load, or you start noticing lags, it could be a sign that our current infrastructure is struggling to handle the volume of users and content. Increases in traffic and engagement is a good thing - it means that your site is doing what it’s meant to do. But if that comes at the price of poor performance, you’ll need to take a look at your CMS. ### Your costs are increasing More traffic means more pressure on servers. Significant changes to how much it costs to run and maintain your current tech stack could indicate that it would be more cost-effective to scale up. ### You want more out of your analytics Your CMS and overall tech stack may need upgrades if you’re having trouble managing and analysing increasing amounts of data. Scaling up can provide new and enhanced analytics capabilities, providing more insight into the behaviour and preferences of your audience. ## Where does Umbraco come in? Flexibility and scalability are built into [Umbraco](http://umbraco.com), and is another reason why we love it as our CMS. Here are just a few ways Umbraco can contribute to your scalability: ### Customisation Umbraco is open source, which provides the ultimate freedom to tailor your system exactly as you need it. The wealth of packages available also allow you to extend the functionality of Umbraco to suit your specific requirements. This is especially handy for integrating other tools and systems as your business grows, keeping your tech stack in harmony. ### User-friendly interface As your bank of content grows, allowing your team to manage and organise it efficiently becomes even more important to ensure you’re not drowning in files and fighting through a tricky system. If it’s your team that’s growing, Umbraco’s content workflow and version control features allow for productive collaboration: multiple editors, managing content for multiple channels, in multiple languages. Talk about seamless. ### Security and updates Having a secure CMS is crucial for safeguarding sensitive data, and maintaining the trust of your users - especially as your business grows and becomes more of a target for threats.. Umbraco’s built-in security features work to protect your tech stack, and the regular updates to the system ensure you’re alway up-to-date with the latest protective features. ## How can we help? As a [certified Umbraco Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), we can help you think about leveraging Umbraco to get the most out of your tech stack. Whether that’s performance enhancement, migrating your existing site over to Umbraco, or starting fresh - [we can help](https://yoyodesign.com/services/). Or if you want to get a better idea about your current site, we can carry out a [technical audit](https://yoyodesign.com/services/technical-consultancy-performance/ "Technical Consultancy & Performance"), giving you a full rundown of changes you can make that will have the biggest impact. [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) with a member of the team to find out more. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # The launch is not the end! _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-launch-is-not-the-end/_ # The launch is not the end! News 10 steps for continually improving your site. You made it! After months of carefully crafting your new digital baby, with the click of a button your website is finally live. Now the office champagne has gone warm and flat, you’re probably wondering “what next?”. Well, it turns out the work isn’t over yet. To make the most out of your [shiny, new site](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") you’re gonna need to continually improve it. But we promise it’s not all bad - follow these 10 steps and you’ll be on track to having [a website that consistently drives the impact you really want](https://yoyodesign.com/services/). ## 1. Dive into data There’s a reason people bang on about data so much - it really is the cornerstone of informed decision-making. And today’s analytics tools make gathering data easier than ever. So hop on to your analytics platform of choice and check out how your website visitors are behaving, where they’re coming from and what content they’re loving. Then use this to inform the next evolution of your site, spotting pages which could use a little extra work and making plans to create more of the content people are connecting with. ## 2. Listen to your audience Once your site goes live, the juicy bit begins. Before then, you can only assume how people will interact with it. So now it’s live, it’s time to conduct user testing and gather real feedback. There’s loads of usability testing tools out there today, but what’s even better is speaking to your audience directly. Ask them what they like, what they’d change and update your website accordingly. The best part of this is that it helps to build connections, turning people into brand advocates and encouraging them to share the link with friends and fam when they see their suggestions brought to life. ## 3. Monitor performance metrics Your metrics will let you know if your site is performing the way you want it to. Load times, bounce rates and conversion rates all reflect user experience, so monitoring them regularly is key. It might sound obvious, but amidst the buzz of post-launch excitement it’s easy for this to slip through the net. Make sure you know who’s going to be responsible for checking site metrics and put regular slots in the diary so it doesn’t get missed. These stats are what’ll enable you to continually improve your site instead of it slowly gathering dust. ## 4. Keep your content fresh Sure, you probably had a bunch of new blogs ready for launch, but have you been keeping up with them? The humble blog often becomes an afterthought once the new site party hats have been taken off and you’re back to business as usual. But they’re a powerful tool for SEO - signalling to search engines that your site is active and relevant. Plus, when people navigate to your news page it’s reassuring for them to see that it’s being regularly updated. So it’s time to get writing, using your blog page to reflect industry trends, address audience queries and shout about your latest successes. ## 5. Optimise for search engines [SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) is a continuous process, not a one-time task. Search engine algorithms are constantly updating which means your site needs to, too. Even after launch, keep up with your keyword research, refine your meta tags and play with your site structure to boost organic traffic and increase visibility. Because even the most beautifully designed website is a waste if nobody can find it. ## 6. Enhance user experience [User experience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/) is something that’s always evolving. How people behave today isn’t the same as last year or even last month, so it requires constant monitoring. Stay up-to-date with both UX trends and how your specific site visitors are behaving. Are they navigating to all your pages successfully? Are they filling in your forms? If not, you might wanna dig into why. Learn from the stats you're seeing and tweak your site in line with them. For example, if people are abandoning forms, try reducing the number of questions you’re asking or experiment with how they’re phrased. ## 7. Stay secure It might not be the sexiest topic, but security is essential. And it’s another thing that’s constantly developing. GDPR and CCPA are more than just alphabet soup, they’re privacy regulations we’ve all got to adhere to. So make sure you’re regularly updating your software, plugins and security protocols in line with legal requirements. ## 8. Look for inspo For your website to stay ahead, you’ve got to stay on top of trends. That means connecting with industry peers, reading articles and attending events to help you keep a handle on what’s best in the world of websites right now. Look further afield too, seeking design inspiration outside of your industry to inspire visuals that truly stand out. Then collaborate with [designers and developers](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) to bring them to life on your own site. ## 9. Be accessible In 2024 accessibility should be a given, but sadly it’s still not. Be a pioneer for positive change and ensure your site is accessible to users of all kinds by following the latest Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. These’ll help you to implement proper heading structure, colour contrast considerations and keyboard navigation ability. Making your website fully accessible to even more people and hopefully encouraging others in your industry to follow suit. ## 10. Check out competitors Of course your own site should be your focus, but it’s always worth keeping one eye on the competition. Check if they’re following in your footsteps and switch things up if so. Or spot any cool features they’ve got on their site and steal like an artist - studying, remixing and transforming their ideas into your own fresh ones. There, we’ve said it. Launching your website isn’t the end, it’s actually the first step in a continuous journey of improvement. But don’t be mad at us, this is where the fun really starts. Sure, watching your new site go live is good, but there’s nothing more satisfying than taking control of its performance, spotting insights and implementing changes your visitors love. So embrace the change, update your site often and make sure it always prioritises people. That’s how you’ll have a website which continues to resonate with your audience and cultivate positive change long after launch. Need a lil’ help? We’ve got your back. We’re Yoyo, [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to creating and reshaping brands for good. And [we’d love to chat](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) about your website and how we can make sure it’s driving the growth your brand deserves. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Umbraco 8 reaches ‘end of life’ in February 2025. _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/umbraco-8-reaches-end-of-life-in-february-2025/_ # Umbraco 8 reaches ‘end of life’ in February 2025. News It's time to buckle up and plan to rebuild your website onto the latest Umbraco version. As of February this year, Umbraco has shifted to a security-only phase, meaning for any website on Umbraco v8 or earlier, only security fixes and updates are now served. That's why it's high time to buckle up and plan to rebuild your website onto the latest Umbraco version. The good news? Umbraco's later versions, especially from version 9 onwards, have been engineered to make maintenance a breeze, so no more banging your head against the wall with [major upgrades](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/ "Umbraco Upgrades"). With Umbraco 9 and beyond, staying up-to-date is a walk in the park, thanks to some nifty changes in the core coding. Now, here's the catch: because of the major code shift in version 9, there's no direct upgrade path from version 8 to version 13. Yep, you read that right. If you’re on version 8 or earlier, you'll need to roll up your sleeves and embark on a rebuild journey. But luckily you have the perfect digital partner in Yoyo to help guide you through it. To soften the blow, just think of it as a chance to give your website a fresh coat of paint and unlock all the new features Umbraco has to offer. So, if you’re on Umbraco 8 or earlier and need s[upport upgrading](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/ "Umbraco Upgrades"), just [drop us an email](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact us") and we will be happy to get you switched over. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Exploring the Impact of Google’s New Generative AI on Search _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/exploring-the-impact-of-google-s-new-generative-ai-on-search/_ # Exploring the Impact of Google’s New Generative AI on Search News In this update, we take a closer look at how Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) could be transforming the way we search. In the ever-evolving world of online search, Google's newest innovation, generative AI, is leading us toward a more personalised and enriching experience. In this update, we take a closer look at how Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) could be transforming the way we search. After testing in the US, Google announced that they would be trialling SGE in the UK earlier this month. Here are four of our key takeaways from potential changes you could see if the update eventually rolls out. ## Understanding You Better The traditional search methods that we all know and love rely solely on keywords - you get what you ask for, even if it isn’t exactly what you mean. Generative AI delves deeper than this, making sense of the nuances of human language and behaviour, so that the results provided are more likely to truly resonate with what you’re after. ## Tailored Just for You In the same way a good friend can give you the best advice because they really get you, SGE results are like personal recommendations based on a whole host of factors. By considering your past searches and preferences, it crafts an experience that feels uniquely yours. ## Building Bridges Across Languages Language barriers no longer stand in the way of exploration. The language processing and translation abilities of generative AI make it perfect for accessing information in multiple languages. Maybe it’s time to say Bonjour, Hola, and Hej to more authentic results, depending on what you’re searching for. ## A World of Possibilities There are lots of factors that go into making a decision. SGE does the heavy-lifting of bringing different insights all into one place, helping you make informed decisions, faster. By providing an AI-powered snapshot, and then providing links to highlight and drive attention to content on the web, SGE can help you uncover new viewpoints that will be valuable to you. ## In conclusion Google’s generative AI is an exciting technological advancement that has the potential to change our perception of search. As it continues to evolve, it promises to make our online experiences more personal, inclusive, and enjoyable. As of right now, it’s still a trial: there’s no guarantee that the features will ever be rolled out in full. The UK experiment will only involve a small proportion of search traffic, selected from logged-in users. Long story short - there’s nothing to worry about just yet - but we wanted you to know that we’ll be optimising your websites’ performance in the new look SERPs if Google does decide to go all out.  We’ve got you covered. As your digital partner, we’re here to support you. If you want to learn more, you can check out [Google’s product update](https://blog.google/products/search/generative-ai-search/) and their [overview of SGE](https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en//search/howsearchworks/google-about-SGE.pdf). Or, feel free to [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) with a member of the team and we’d be more than happy to chat. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # 5 different ways to think about AI in your digital marketing strategy _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/5-different-ways-to-think-about-ai-in-your-digital-marketing-strategy/_ # 5 different ways to think about AI in your digital marketing strategy News It's time to go beyond just ChatGPT... There’s two words that seem unescapable recently. No, not England game - artificial intelligence (cue collective groans or cheers depending on which side of the AI fence you sit on). But even if you’re firmly in the anti-AI camp and are perfectly happy with your life without Alexa, bear with us. Because it’s worth considering how AI could enhance your [digital marketing strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/). So let’s get into it… ## 1. Getting personal AI does more than just let you chat to a speaker. When it comes to your marketing, artificial intelligence lets you take personalisation to a whole new level by analysing more data than we could dream of. All to help you better understand individual customer preferences, behaviours and demographics. Being able to understand your audience like never before means you can create content, offers and services that truly speak to them. Whether you decide to tailor your email campaigns, [website experiences](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) or [promotional videos](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) to these new insights, AI helps you create more meaningful digital interactions that connect with people on a deeper level. ## 2. Powerful predictions Like the British weather, audience trends can often feel unpredictable. That’s where AI comes in. By analysing historical data faster than us human-folk ever could, AI algorithms can forecast future outcomes - we’re talking customer purchases, churn rates and campaign performance. Allowing you to make data-driven decisions, allocate your resources more effectively and optimise your marketing strategy. This kind of predictive analysis also helps you to connect with your audience by making sure you reach the right people at the right time, with the right message. Now that doesn’t sound too bad, does it? ## 3. Talk to me Forget ChatGPT for a second, because there’s tonnes of other AI tools out there. And these clever lil’ systems can take care of a wide range of jobs for you - from filtering customer enquiries to providing instant responses. Freeing up time for you to focus on what you do best (the creative stuff). Yep, we’re talking about chatbots. But using one doesn’t mean the entire customer journey has to be AI-based, you can simply use a virtual chat assistant to gather some upfront info so you can help your client in the quickest way possible. Chatbots help you to reach those lukewarm prospects who are interested in what you do but perhaps not quite ready to pick up the phone or click ‘add to cart’. Like a side of fries, a chatbot is merely an extra option for your audience. So those who aren’t as keen can still reach out to you in other, more human, ways. ## 4. Automate it mate What once felt like a minefield can suddenly seem simple with AI on your side. AI-driven advertising platforms are revolutionising ad targeting, bidding and creative optimisation. The likes of Google Ads, and Meta Ads now use machine learning algorithms to optimise your paid campaigns in real-time. So if you use these platforms, then you might already be tapping into the power of AI without even knowing it! By analysing user data, behaviour patterns and performance, they automatically adjust targeting parameters and tweak budget allocation - making sure your campaign is having the impact it needs. And automating those booooring, repetitive tasks, so your marketing team can have more time for strategy and creativity. ## 5. Your brainstorming buddy ChatGPT might have got a bad name for itself, but that’s when people are using it to churn out content without so much as a proofread. However, if you’re really not a fan there’s plenty of alternatives out there - from Gemini (FKA Google Bard) to Anthropic Claud 3. Whichever you choose, you definitely shouldn’t get them to do all the leg work, but where they come in handy is initial brainstorming - not replacing the creative human process, but enhancing it. Use AI as a creative starter for ten, when you just need to get some digital marketing ideas down. And if the concepts it comes up with really are rubbish, that should give you a steer in itself. Sometimes knowing what you don’t want to say is more powerful than knowing what you do. We know AI can have some people feeling like they want to run for the hills and opt for life off grid, but we promise it’s not all as scary as it sounds. When used in the right way, AI can actually enhance human connection, not interrupt it. Carefully incorporating AI into your digital marketing strategy will help you to amplify your brand’s impact, and ultimately do more good. And that’s what we all want to see. If you’re not sure where to even start with AI, we’ve got you. We’re [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to creating and reshaping brands for good. And [we’d love to chat](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) about your digital marketing strategy and how we can support you to promote positive change through meaningful digital experiences. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # How poor digital knowledge is preventing digital transformation in the charity sector _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-poor-digital-knowledge-is-preventing-digital-transformation-in-the-charity-sector/_ # How poor digital knowledge is preventing digital transformation in the charity sector News This simple fact is limiting the positive impact these amazing organisations are able to have. Any organisations' potential for growth is intricately linked to an organisation's digital maturity. For marketing and product teams in particular, It's imperative to understand how digital maturity can make or break your competitive edge. But what exactly does digital maturity look like, and how can we know when a lack of it is stifling your organisations growth? ## Understanding Digital Maturity Digital maturity talks about an organisation's ability to leverage digital technologies effectively to improve business processes, customer experiences, and overall performance. It involves not just the adoption of new technologies but the integration of these technologies into the core of your business strategy. A digitally mature organisation is agile, data-driven, and customer-focused, enabling it to respond swiftly to market changes and customer needs. ## What are the consequences of low digital maturity ### 1. Inefficient Operations Low digital maturity often means that operations are not optimised for efficiency. Manual processes, siloed systems, and outdated technology can slow down workflows, increase errors, and lead to higher operational costs. For instance, marketing campaigns that rely on disparate data sources struggle with personalisation and targeting, resulting in lower ROI. ### 2. Poor Customer Experience Today's customers expect seamless, personalised experiences across all touchpoints. Organisations with low digital maturity may find it challenging to meet these expectations. Without integrated customer data and advanced analytics, creating a cohesive and engaging customer journey becomes nearly impossible, leading to dissatisfaction and churn. ### 3. Limited Innovation Innovation is the lifeblood of growth, and digital maturity is a key driver of innovation. Companies with low digital maturity are often stuck in a reactive mode, focusing on maintaining the status quo rather than exploring new opportunities. This lack of innovation can result in missed market opportunities and an inability to stay ahead of competitors. ### 4. Reduced Agility The business environment is more volatile than ever. Organisations need to be agile to pivot quickly in response to market shifts. Low digital maturity hampers this agility, as outdated systems and processes make it difficult to adapt swiftly. This can lead to slower time-to-market for new products and services, impacting revenue and market share. ## How can I develop our digital maturity? Achieving digital maturity is not an overnight process; it requires a strategic approach and commitment. Here are key steps to elevate your digital maturity: ### 1. Develop a Digital Strategy Start with a clear [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy") aligned with your business goals. This strategy should outline how digital technologies will be used to enhance customer experiences, streamline operations, and drive innovation. ### 2. Invest in Technology Invest in modern, scalable technologies that integrate seamlessly with your existing systems. Cloud computing, AI, big data analytics, and automation tools are essential components of a digitally mature organisation. Many charities find that closing their digital maturity gap starts with the website itself - a specialist [charity web design agency](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/ "Charity Web Design Agency") can replace outdated platforms with modern, flexible foundations built for growth. ### 3. Foster a Digital Culture Digital transformation is as much about people as it is about technology. Cultivate a culture that embraces change, encourages experimentation, and values data-driven decision-making. Provide training and support to help your team adapt to new tools and processes. ### 4. Prioritise Customer Experience Put the customer at the centre of your digital transformation efforts. Use data and analytics to gain insights into customer behaviour and preferences, and leverage these insights to create personalised, seamless experiences across all touchpoints. ### 5. Measure and Optimise Continuously measure the impact of your digital initiatives and optimise them based on data and feedback. Use key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress and make informed decisions about where to invest resources. For charities specifically, improving digital visibility often starts with search - our [charity SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-for-charities/ "SEO for Charities") service helps mission-led organisations grow their organic reach as part of a broader digital maturity journey. In an era where digital capabilities are a key differentiator, low digital maturity can significantly hinder your growth potential. By understanding the importance of digital maturity and taking proactive steps to enhance it, marketing executives and product owners can position their organisations for sustained success. Embrace the digital transformation journey, and unlock new avenues for innovation, customer engagement, and operational excellence. If you or your team could help with support with growing your business' digital maturity, get in touch with the team at yoyo. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # UX meets visual communication _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/ux-meets-visual-communication/_ # UX meets visual communication News What James learnt from going back to school User Experience (UX) Design is my bread and butter. It has been for quite some time now. The thing is; I also have a passion for art and design. You know. Paintings, furniture, architecture, graphics et cetera et cetera. I took Art at A-Level and, as well as studying Anthropology – to which I owe my entry into the world of UX – I minored in Visual Culture. My time at a design agency, though, has essentially meant this interest of mine grew into a significant itch. I realised I was craving more practical design experience. The print it out, cut it, get your hands dirty kind of design experience. If you’re reading this and that voice in your head is muttering, “Hang on, mate. Visual design and UX aren’t that different” Yes, yes, I know; they’re two sides of the same coin. That’s why it makes sense, right! It makes sense to develop a new(ish) design vocabulary and not only scratch that itch but grow as a designer and bring a set of skills to Yoyo. So, I took myself off to university (again…) to study Visual Communication at London College of Communication (LCC). And, before I go any further, I cannot thank Yoyo enough for allowing me the flexibility to work on a part-time basis during my studies. It would not have been possible without the team’s support. Now, visual communication sounds pretty broad, right? True. The course, which lasted eight months, covered the foundations of all things design. We explored everything from typography and colour theory to visual language and grammar, dunking our heads into the likes of editorial, exhibition and digital design. The list goes on. Aside from the academic and practical aspects of the course, though, I was able to take advantage of LCC’s facilities and immerse myself in the world of print and learn a range of different softwares. Think Indesign, Blender and a couple in-between. It was refreshing to move away from Figma for a bit and discover what’s possible on some powerful tools. Although these areas of design are all closely related it certainly felt as though, at times, I was deviating from my role as a [UX designer](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX"). This was not the plan and my goal was to apply my new learnings to my existing practice. What came as a surprise, however, was that I would need to do some un-learning first. When given assignments, the UX design-conditioned part of my brain would default to the application of a strategic and user-centred design methodology rather than a visual research and conceptual approach which largely centres on a variety of reference points. Don’t get me wrong; in each case the audience remains front-and-centre, but a key takeaway for me was that visual communication requires a nuanced perspective. An attunement to culturally relevant signs and symbols as opposed to usability. This understanding, paired with solid UX, makes for a truly impactful outcome. I cast the net wide, absorbed as much information as possible and loved every minute of it. But I knew I wanted to bring everything together and channel my new-found skill set towards what Yoyo do best, brand and digital. With this in mind, my final project involved the creation of an identity for a brand called ‘Hobby’. Inspired by creative health and social prescribing, my concept centred around connecting people with creative opportunities in their local community. The identity, and brand name itself, drew on the seemingly outdated term ‘Hobby’ (its usage peaked in the 1940’s), visual references from vintage toys, and archival imagery. With a particular focus on typography, layout and imagery, I was keen to develop a flexible brand system that could be applied across various notional applications. There are naturally things that I would have done differently and I recognise I still have a way to go to be the designer I want to be but I enjoyed the challenge of creating a brand and product concept from scratch. Writing the brief and executing it within a short period of time felt like a big achievement in itself. I digress… I’ll stop talking and let you take a peek at a pinch of the project’s outcomes. It’s not a new thing to talk about how UX extends to the physical world – that’s where it ultimately started. But the experience of designing for print and experimenting with different mediums has reinforced a key aspect of design which I feel tends to fall to the wayside online. The physicality of printed matter challenges you to closely consider how the user interacts with objects and the embodied experience of design. How you turn a page, how you scroll or what mental models you conform to or challenge, for instance. Asking these questions not only positively impacts accessibility and the consideration of how a variety of users experience your designs, but it’s also worth mentioning the environmental impact. What about the materials you use? How might you reduce waste in production? These challenges and their solutions are interrelated and they are not solely experienced by one area of design. Ultimately, it is the role of the designer, whichever field(s) they hail from, to consider their impact beyond the aesthetics of their designs. Let’s not forget that it’s got to look cool too. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Why accessibility should be a priority in your digital marketing strategy _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/why-accessibility-should-be-a-priority-in-your-digital-marketing-strategy/_ # Why accessibility should be a priority in your digital marketing strategy News While talk of accessible marketing campaigns has got louder in recent years, it’s more than a trend - it’s a fundamental shift that’s here to stay. From user-generated content to the metaverse, there’s plenty of fads around that will eventually fade away. But [accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/media/inohyg00/yoyo-accessibility-new.pdf) isn’t one of them. And, crucially, it’s something that should be a priority in your [digital marketing strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/). Let’s get into why… ## Reaching a wider audience The whole point of digital marketing is to help your brand connect with more people. So why limit the potential reach (and impact) of your campaigns by making them inaccessible to entire demographics? According to the World Health Organization, around 16% of the population live with some form of disability - that’s over a billion people. So if your digital marketing campaigns aren’t accessible it means you’re missing out on connecting with a huge chunk of the global market. It's not just those with additional accessibility needs either, inaccessible strategies also risk alienating others who’ll recognise your brand for lacking diversity and inclusion. And nobody wants that. ## Enhancing user experience Accessible design is better for everyone. It really is that simple. Straightforward navigation, clear fonts and high-contrast colours improve the user experience for audience members of all kinds. And good UX leads to better results. When people find your content easy to read and interact with, they’re more likely to engage with your campaigns, stay on your site and, crucially, convert into customers. ## Improving SEO It’s not just your audience who’ll love your accessible marketing strategy, search engines will too. While the algorithms of Google and its cousins remain a mystery, one thing’s clear: they aim to provide the best possible results to searchers, and that means accessible content. Using descriptive alt text for images, clear heading structures and meaningful links makes your digital marketing accessible and aligns with SEO best practices. So by embracing accessibility, you’ll also enhance your search engine ranking. It’s a win-win. ## Building brand reputation To build a loyal community of brand advocates (and who doesn’t want that?!) you’ve gotta prioritise accessibility. People today are sick of smoke and mirror marketing and seeking an alternative - thirsty for authentic companies they can trust. Making accessibility a priority in your marketing will prove that inclusivity is more than a meaningless value written on your website. Helping you to build audience trust and earn people’s loyalty. ## Encouraging innovation Constraint breeds creativity. Stop thinking that by following accessibility guidelines you’ll be diluting your design prowess, because actually the opposite is true. Designing for accessibility forces you to think more creatively and come up with more innovative ideas - keeping you apart from the crowd and ahead of the game. ## Keeping you compliant We know it’s not the most fun topic, but it’s an important one: legal compliance. Yep, lots of countries now legally require digital accessibility. So avoid the scary world of legal jargon and the threat of sanctions by making sure your digital marketing strategy is inclusive and accessible. ## Ethical responsibility We could bang on about the ways in which accessible marketing benefits your bottom line (because it does!) but the real bottom line is that it’s simply the right thing to do. Everyone deserves to have equal access to information, services and brands. And by creating accessible digital marketing strategies you’ll help to make sure they do. So, no - accessibility isn’t going anywhere any time soon. But it’s also not an obstacle for your digital marketing, it’s an opportunity. Prioritising accessibility in your strategy will actually help you to reach more people, boost brand awareness and build a loyal community. Ultimately enabling you to have an even bigger positive impact. And that’s what we all want to see. If you need a helping hand [combining accessibility and creativity](https://yoyodesign.com/media/inohyg00/yoyo-accessibility-new.pdf), we’ve got your back. We’re [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to creating and reshaping brands for good. Just [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) to chat about your digital marketing strategy and how we can support you to increase your impact by increasing your accessibility. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Creative storytelling - the importance of your visual brand _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/creative-storytelling-the-importance-of-your-visual-brand/_ # Creative storytelling - the importance of your visual brand News Your visual brand is more than just a pretty face - it's the foundation for telling engaging stories It’s time to talk about your visual [brand](https://yoyodesign.com/services/). Yep, you know - the colours, fonts and icons that all go into making your brand, well… your brand. It’s easy to think of these elements as merely accessories, but here’s the thing - your visual brand is the cornerstone of all the stories you tell. And if you want those stories to be actually engaging, genuinely memorable and truly impactful (and who doesn’t?) you need to start with a strong visual foundation. ## People remember pictures, not words The most effective stories are visual ones, with people retaining around [95%](https://www.insivia.com/2023-saas-marketing-report/) of messages they see compared to just 10% they read. But if you haven’t got your visual brand sorted (with an [ownable identity](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) and [clear guidelines](https://yoyodesign.com/services/)), how can you know what visuals to use in your storytelling? ## Make ‘em feel something Us humanfolk are visual creatures. A [large chunk of our brain](https://www.rochester.edu/pr/Review/V74N4/0402_brainscience.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CMore%20than%2050%20percent%20of,brain%20as%20a%20whole%20works.%E2%80%9D) is dedicated to processing visual information, and we’re hardwired to respond to visual cues. Colours, shapes and imagery can evoke emotions in people faster than words ever could, which means your visual brand isn’t just about looking good - just like with stories, it’s about making your audience feel something. ## Build trust first, tell stories later Consistent visual branding builds trust with your audience, making sure they know what to expect from you and creating a sense of reliability. And for people to be open to hearing (and crucially connecting with) your story, they first need to trust you. Think of some of the most iconic brands of all time. Whatever your opinion on giants like Apple and Coca-Cola, one thing they nail is how they use their visual branding as a foundation for storytelling. Whether it’s Apple with its sleek, minimalist aesthetic or Coca-Cola’s iconic red and white, these brands epitomise visual consistency. The instant recognition they’ve earned through their visual brand means their storytelling is even more effective because, when it’s time for them to tell a story, people already trust them. ## Beating the brain rot Thanks to our collective brain rot from TikTok et al, people have less attention than ever before. That’s why your visual brand is so important. A strong brand allows you to catch your audience’s attention quickly before segueing into your storytelling, using your visuals to convey your message before a single word is even said. ## Walking the walk Remember your visual brand is so much more than just knocking out graphics in your chosen colour palette, it’s about creating a cohesive narrative that runs across every single one of your touchpoints and [campaigns](https://yoyodesign.com/services/). So start by sense-checking your current visuals against your existing brand narrative, making sure they don’t just complement, but actually enhance, each other. Reverse engineer your storytelling by thinking about the emotions you want to invoke in your audience first. Then create mood boards that reflect them. The themes, colours and symbols coming up in your mood boards should become the bedrock of your visual branding, helping to both make your brand recognisable and reinforce the stories you’re telling. So, yep it’s official - your visual brand is more than just a pretty face, it’s the centre of your storytelling (and we all know how important that is, right?!). Laying a strong visual foundation sets you up to tell engaging stories that truly connect with people. And that’s exactly what you need to do to amplify your impact and create meaningful change. In need of a creative leg up? We’ve got you. We’re [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to creating and reshaping brands for good. Just [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) to chat about your visual brand and how we can [support you to realise your ambitions](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") through engaging storytelling. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Defining your priority user journeys _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/defining-your-priority-user-journeys/_ # Defining your priority user journeys News Get into how you can define user journeys, optimise them and make them as financially fruitful as possible. Your website is more than just just a pretty face (or at least it should be). Whether you're running an online store, offering your services or driving awareness of your cause, your site is here to help you bring in money - be it for purpose, or profit. And the key to unlocking that sweet, sweet cash flow? Well, it’s pretty simple really: understanding and [optimising your priority user journeys](https://yoyodesign.com/services/). ## What is a user journey? (And why should you care?) To start we should probably clarify what a user journey actually is. A user journey is basically the digital road trip your visitors take when they’re on your site. Think of it like this - they start with curiosity (what’s this site all about?), then they explore (is this for me?) and finally, they take action (buy, subscribe, donate). Now, not all user journeys are created equal. Some are quick pit stops (hello impulse buys), while others are longer treks (think: the research phase before booking a holiday). Your priority user journeys are the ones that lead to the highest payoffs for your company. Defining these is pretty important because if you’re not sure which your priorities are, how are ya gonna optimise them? ## So, how do you define your priority user journeys? ### 1. Get clear on your goals First things first - what do you want your website to do for you? Is it all about raking in sales, or are you more focused on building a community of like-minded people? Define your top goals upfront. If you’re trying to boost product sales for example, your priority journey could be something like: visitor lands on a product page, adds item to cart, checks out. Simple, right? ### 2. Know your audience (like, really know them) Now you’ve identified your journeys, you’ve gotta know who you’re building them for. Are they first-time visitors? Repeat donors? People who follow you on socials? Use whatever data you have (Google Analytics, customer personas, that gut feeling) to get a sense of which users bring in the most value. Then prioritise their journeys. For example, if you’re running a SaaS company, maybe your top users are those people who land on your pricing page but always bounce before clicking “sign up for a free trial.” Perfect. It’s time to dig into that journey. ### 3. Map it out Grab a good old whiteboard and map out every step your users take from the second they arrive on your site to the moment they convert. Every click, scroll and form submission counts. This is your blueprint. Look at each of those points to spot where users are dropping off - does your checkout lose people because it has too many steps? Are you missing out on enquiries because your contact form feels like an A-level exam? These are your areas to improve. ### 4. Spot your conversion points At some point in their journey, your users do something that really matters to your business - making a purchase, signing up or filling in a form. These are your conversion points. Once you know what they are, you can focus on optimising them to [increase that oh-so-crucial conversion rate](https://yoyodesign.com/services/). ## And what about maximising their financial impact? ### 1. Make it easy #### If there’s one thing we know about people on the internet, it’s that they value simplicity. The less friction between a user and their goal, the more likely they are to convert. So, make sure your site is as easy as possible to navigate. Don’t make people dig through menus to find your product page or squint to see your CTA. Clear, intuitive navigation is your best mate. ### 2. Mobile’s where the money is It’s not news that the number one way people browse the internet today is on their phones.  While we might know that in principle, putting it into practice is another thing. Test, test and test again for mobile. Fast load times, easy-to-click buttons and layouts that don’t turn into a jumbled mess on smaller screens are all a must. ### 3. Make it personal The personal is powerful. The rise of personalisation means people now expect their online experiences to be tailored to them. So use the data you have to make your audience members feel valued. Show returning customers products they’ve viewed before, or hit them with personalised offers based on their behaviour. The more you can tailor the experience, the more likely they are to hang around and convert. ### 4. A good journey is never finished We know it’s annoying, but optimising your user journeys is an ongoing task. That’s because people are always changing and we’re always learning. So, even when you think you’ve nailed your user journeys, try not to get complacent. Run tests on everything possible - from headlines right through to CTAs. A/B testing will allow you to compare variations against each other, letting data guide your decisions and improving your conversion rate. Let’s face it, your website could probably be working harder for you. That’s exactly why we’re here. Defining and optimising your priority user journeys is a game-changer when it comes to getting your website to actually help you achieve your goals. When you make it easy (and maybe even fun!) for users to reach the finish line you’re not just improving the [user experience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/), but boosting your bottom line. We’re [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to creating and reshaping brands for good. Just [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) and we’ll help you define and optimise those key user journeys so you can watch the conversions, the community and the cash roll in. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Five elements of a highly converting website _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/five-elements-of-a-highly-converting-website/_ # Five elements of a highly converting website News In this article, we take a look at how you can turn browsers into buyers. Put simply, your website is an investment. Its main purpose is to generate returns in a way that’s meaningful for you - whether that’s more leads, more donations, more sales, or more brand awareness. A highly converting website ensures that you’re getting the most out of that investment by following through on achieving your goals. By turning visitors into leads or customers, a website that converts, ultimately increases your revenue and profitability. Every audience is different, but there are a few best practices that will help your website achieve the best results. Here are a few of them to get you started. ## 1. Clear and compelling CTA On the surface, a call-to-action (CTA) button is a link that is highlighted on a page. It asks a visitor to your website to click on it and then to take the next step - to sign up to a service, to subscribe to an email list, to buy a product. Look a little deeper, and you’ll find a powerful catalyst for guiding visitors towards conversion. There are a few key elements to consider to make sure your CTAs are persuasive and driving the results you need: - The position on the page - The shape and colours used - The language and wording Making sure the design of your buttons nails these three things can help your CTA convince visitors to take the next step. ## 2. Strategic structure We can’t overstate the importance of first impressions. When a visitor lands on your website, you don’t have long to grab their attention and show them that they’re in the right place. They’re likely to draw conclusions based on the first thing they see, so it’s up to you to make sure they’re seeing something convincing. A no-nonsense, concise summary of who you are and what you do is a good start. Putting some thought into where you place elements can also have a significant impact on the quality and quantity of your conversions. For example, having a “sign up” button at the top of the page is great for quick, high-volume conversions; whereas placing the same button at the bottom is more likely to attract those who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer. ## 3. Highly responsive The Need for Speed isn’t just a blockbuster film - it’s a key factor in the decision-making of visitors to your website. A website that loads quickly is crucial for retaining visitors and driving conversions. Why would a user wait around on a site that won’t load, when there are literally millions of other options available with one quick search? Think about what you can optimise on your website - like changing image sizes and resolutions, minimising content, and leveraging cookies. In the process, you’ll probably be making your website more sustainable by using less data. In particular, as the majority of internet traffic comes via mobile devices, having a mobile-responsive website is a necessity. [Google uses page speed as a factor in ranking](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2018/01/using-page-speed-in-mobile-search) - so a website that adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes and devices not only enhances [user experience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX") but also boosts your search engine rankings, too. ## 4. Quality Content [Compelling content](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/content-the-c-word-that-no-one-wants-to-talk-about-but-here-s-why-you-should/) can make all the difference in converting visitors into leads or customers. There are lots of ways you can provide value to your audience, and in the process convince them to take action. - Informative blog posts on relevant topics - Thought leadership on current affairs in your sector - Interesting product descriptions - Videos that engage and excite Combined with [SEO best practices](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent"), copywriting is a powerful tool for crafting content that will resonate with your target audience. An [audit](https://yoyodesign.com/media/bjnbb5vk/yoyo-branding.pdf) of your current positioning is a good place to start to understand how you're doing with accuracy, emotion and impact - three pillars that are make-or-break as to the health of your digital identity. ## 5. Tap into emotion For visitors to convert, they have to buy into what you have to say - and feelings have a lot to do with that. Think about the emotional state that you want your visitors to be in before the click on your CTA. The journey that they go on before they get to that point of conversion is a key factor as to whether they’ll take the plunge or not. Do you want to drum up enthusiasm for an exciting new product you have? Or do you want to inspire empathy for a campaign you’re running? The difference in how you gear your visitors up for conversion will differ drastically. Consider how the language, colours, and imagery you use will affect what visitors are thinking and feeling as they navigate your website. ## Still curious? There are so many ways that you can optimise your website to convert beyond the five that we’ve mentioned here. [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) and let us help you with driving growth and making your website do its job. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # 2024 - A Yoyo Round Up _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/2024-a-yoyo-round-up/_ # 2024 - A Yoyo Round Up News 2024 - what a year... A lot has happened over the last twelve months, and there's nothing like the end of the year to get us feeling reflective. From exciting new partnerships, to award wins, to feel-good news across the team, we're lucky to have so much to celebrate. Without getting too soppy, our journey wouldn't be possible without our amazing partners and clients, and our super duper team. We love what we do here at Yoyo, and 2024 has been another year of living that every single day. We thought we'd take some time to round up all the things we did over the course of 2024 and bring you along too. ## So, what did we get up to? - ## January 2024 - We launched our own not for profit, [amplifi](https://amplifi.tw/) - bringing local businesses together around climate change. - ## February 2024 - We launched the global site for [ICU Medical.](https://yoyodesign.com/work/icu-medical/) - We partnered up with [Over+Above](https://www.oaperformance.com/) to launch a new brand and digital identity. - ## March 2024 - We were shortlisted for B Corp Company of the Year. - Dave joined the Development team here. - ## April 2024 - We won not one, but two Indigo Awards for our work with [Vivobarefoot](https://yoyodesign.com/work/vivobarefoot/) and the [Sustainable Restaurant Association.](https://yoyodesign.com/work/the-sustainable-restaurant-association/) - We started our partnership with [Imperial College Union](https://www.imperialcollegeunion.org/) to refresh their brand. - ## May 2024 - We launched a dashing new website for [King & Allen.](https://yoyodesign.com/work/king-allen/ "King & Allen") - We partnered up with Zoonou to bring their digital identity to life. - ## June 2024 - We welcomed Dan to the Client Strategy team. - The work we did with [Society](https://www.society-search.com/) won Jury's choice at the Umbraco Awards at Codegarden, and was recognised for its sustainability as a solution. - We published our annual [Impact Report](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp Digital Agency") and celebrated increasing our B Corp score by seven points up to 107. - We start working with Research Live to develop a brand new website. - The Development team gained a new member with Jack joining us. - ## July 2024 - We attended B Corp Local Kent Launch at Cook. - [Worldwide Cancer Research's](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/ "Worldwide Cancer Research") shiny new brand and website went live. - Our very own Hannah and Harriet featured in the Tunbridge Wells Business Magazine. - We launched a new website for [Fight for Sight](https://yoyodesign.com/work/fight-for-sight/ "Fight For Sight"). - We upgraded the [Royal Voluntary Service](https://www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/)'s website to optimise it for purpose. - Anna was featured in the Top 30 Client Service Leaders. - ## August 2024 - We joined forces with [IAM Roadsmart](https://www.iamroadsmart.com/) to transform their website. - Gregg and Hannah tied the knot... - ... and Harriet got hitched too! - ## September 2024 - The Client Strategy Team hosted their first Marketing Lunch in London. - We partnered with CPRE, to support their mission of making the countryside accessible for all. - We sponsored, attended, and volunteered at Louder than Words: the first B Corp Festival - and we had the best time. - We took on our 27-mile walk Around the Weald and raised £1500 for [Demelza](https://www.demelza.org.uk/) (yes, this picture was taken before all the wind, rain, and mud!) - ## October 2024 - [Over+Above](https://yoyodesign.com/work/overplusabove/ "Over+Above")'s website wins Lovie Awards in the Health & Fitness and People's Choice categories. - We were shortlisted as Employer of the Year in the Scale-Up Awards. - ## November 2024 - We kicked off a new partnership with [Unseen Guardians.](https://www.unseenguardians.org/) - We were named as one of the most admired agencies for our commitment to purpose. - We launched [The Mole Resort](https://yoyodesign.com/work/the-mole-resort/ "The Mole Resort")'s new website, capturing their luxury and adventure. - Ben joined team Yoyo as a Designer. - ## December 2024 - We kick off our partnership with Demelza, to support their digital presence. - We won Ethical Business of the Year at the Tunbridge Wells Business Awards. We clean up pretty well. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # How important is your domain name to your brand? _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-important-is-your-domain-name-to-your-brand/_ # How important is your domain name to your brand? News No, but really? In the excitement of [building (or rebuilding) your brand’s digital presence](https://yoyodesign.com/services/), picking a domain name can quickly be reduced to a boring admin job. Compared to sexy branding choices and cool web interactions it’s easy for this task to feel like a tick box exercise. But it’s so much more than that. Let’s get into why. ## First impressions are everything Like the outfit you wear on a first date, your domain name is often the first impression people get of your brand. It can shape perceptions, build recognition and encourage trust. Imagine someone’s searching for your business online or seeing your domain on an ad. Before they know anything about who you are or what your purpose is, they’re already starting to build a picture of your brand. Those first few seconds are crucial. And a clear, industry-relevant domain instantly signals “this is a reputable company”, making people more likely to click that link and explore further. ## Building a brand identity Your [brand identity](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) isn’t just that carefully crafted logo and painstakingly picked colour palette - it includes your domain name too. In fact, your domain is often the first thing people remember about your business and, crucially, what they need to be able to easily recall to head to your site time and time again. Think about some of the biggest names in the biz. Do Amazon, Google or Spotify ring any bells? One thing these behemoths have in common is that they all have short, easy to spell and instantly recognisable domains. The goal is for yours to stick in people’s minds so they don’t have to think twice when returning to your website. The easier your domain is to remember, the more likely you are to welcome people back and build a loyal community. Simplicity equals memorability. So try to keep yours to as few words as possible and avoid numbers, hyphens or uncommon spellings. ## SEO benefits? You betcha A well-chosen domain can even help your [SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent") efforts. Although Google’s famously elusive algorithms now go way beyond keywords, a relevant domain name can still help search engines understand what your site is about - making it simpler for people to find you when they go to search. Plus, if your domain is closely related to your industry or target keyword, it can add a bit of extra weight to your search rankings. Not too shabby, eh? ## Trust is everything (trust us) In the era of marketing scepticism and misinformation, online trust is everything. Enter your domain name. Yep, this little old ‘www.’ can actually play a big role in earning your visitors’ confidence. People are more likely to trust a domain that looks polished and professional. Shorter, cleaner addresses that include your business name or a relevant keyword are the way to go. Ditch extensions of your brand name, hyphens and obscure spellings, and pick .com .co or co.uk endings where possible. The more professional your domain looks, the safer people will feel browsing and, ultimately, buying. ## Keeping consistent Remember your domain name doesn’t just affect your website, it impacts your team’s email addresses, too. So if you’re updating your domain, make sure you update those emails to match. Sure, this is simply more professional. But beyond that, it helps to build a cohesive brand experience - once again increasing that oh-so-important customer trust. ## Cultivating a community If you’re working on building a social media presence (and who isn’t in 2025?!), your domain choice can have a ripple effect there, too. When your web address matches your social media handles, it’s easier for people to find and connect with you across platforms - cultivating that community. Plus, it makes your brand feel more unified. So before committing to a domain, check if the matching handles are available on your social platforms of choice. Or at least make sure there’s a close enough option to create a sense of brand cohesion. ## Reclaiming your domain For well-known brands and non-profits, your domain name signals to people that you’re the real, well… you. It’s important that you own it so that nobody else can. If you miss a renewal or don’t secure variations of your domain, someone else can snap it up. This is always a nightmare, but never more so than if you’re a charity. Your domain name represents your mission, welcomes supporters and encourages donations. This is where domain reclamation comes into play. If your domain has been taken, you have a few options for getting it back: contacting the current owner, engaging a broker, or even taking legal action. Once you’ve reclaimed your domain (or better yet, before this ever happens)  make sure you purchase variations and stay on top of renewals.. So there, we said it: your domain name is so much more than just a web address. It’s a part of your brand identity that can help you build trust, improve visibility and make a lasting impression. So, when it comes to choosing yours - take your time. Don’t see it as an afterthought when you’re designing your site. A good domain is your brand’s first step towards doing great things. With the right one secured, you’ll be well on your way to amplifying your impact and realising your ambitions. Meaningful digital experiences start with your domain. That’s where we come in. We’re [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to creating and reshaping brands for good. Just [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) to tell us a bit about your organisation, and we’ll tell you how we can help you promote positive change. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # The European Accessibility Act and what it means for you _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-european-accessibility-act-and-what-it-means-for-you/_ # The European Accessibility Act and what it means for you News For both brands and users, The European Accessibility Act is more than just a guideline, it’s a game-changer. The online world should be for everyone. But sadly, much like the real world, for millions of people with disabilities, navigating websites, apps and digital content still comes with frustrating barriers. Enter the European Accessibility Act, a piece of legislation designed to (finally) make things more inclusive. For both brands and users, this Act is more than just a guideline, it’s a game-changer. Here’s what it means for you. ## Wait, what is the European Accessibility Act? Proposed back in 2015 and passed in 2019, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) sets out a clear set of accessibility standards for businesses across the European Union. It means by 2025, companies offering products and services in the EU (wherever they’re based) must make sure their digital and physical spaces are accessible to people of all abilities. This includes everything from websites and apps to e-books, online banking and even ticketing machines. ## But why does the EAA matter? Accessibility is more than just compliance, it’s about creating a better experience for everyone. In the EU alone, [over 100 million people](https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/disability-eu-facts-figures/#:~:text=How%20many%20people%20have%20a,people%20adults%20in%20the%20EU.) live with some form of disability. And as our population continues to age that number is only growing. That means making your digital presence inclusive isn’t just the right thing to do ethically but economically, too - helping your brand to reach a wider audience. But there’s more. Failing to meet the EAA’s requirements could result in fines, legal action and reputational damage - things no company wants to face (duh). On the flip side, becoming truly accessible can help you build a loyal community, improve your [SEO performance](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) and [set your brand apart](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) as a leader in inclusivity. ## And what does it mean for my brand? If your business operates in the EU (that doesn’t have to mean being based there - selling there is enough) you’ll need to comply with the EAA by 28th June 2025. Here’s what that could look like. - Websites and apps - People who use assistive technologies, such as screen readers or voice recognition software, must be able to navigate your digital platforms. Think clean design, clear text and intuitive navigation. - Ecommerce platforms - Online stores must make sure product descriptions, payment processes and customer support are completely accessible. - Content formats - PDFs, videos and other multimedia need to include accessible alternatives like captions and audio descriptions. - Physical products with digital interfaces - Devices such as ATMs, ticket machines and smartphones must meet the usability standards set out in the Act. ## What can I do to prepare? We know that accessibility can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re new to it. That’s where we come in. Our [Accessibility Audit](https://yoyodesign.com/media/inohyg00/yoyo-accessibility-new.pdf "Yoyo Accessibility (New)") is designed to spot areas where your website, app or general digital presence could up its inclusivity game. Whether that’s simplifying your navigation, adding alt text to images, or rethinking your site’s structure, we’ll support you on your accessibility journey and make sure you’re ready for next June. Because we’re [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to creating and reshaping brands for good. Just [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) and we’ll show you how inclusivity can be positive for both people and profits. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # How B Corps are leading the way across industries _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-b-corps-are-leading-the-way-across-industries/_ # How B Corps are leading the way across industries News Across industries, B Corps are proving that business can be a force for good, not just greed. Since the inception of business, one little word has hogged centre stage, living rent-free in the frontal lobe of CEOs globally and heralded as the be-all and end-all of any company. Yeah you guessed it, we’re talking about profit. But there’s a new star in town and its name is purpose. The rise of purpose in business means that profits are no longer the sole measure of success (it’s about time). And leading this change are B Corp certified organisations. Across industries, B Corps are proving that business can be a force for good, not just greed. Showing how companies of all kinds can balance people, planet and profit. ## What actually is a B Corp (and why should I care)? It’s simple really, B Corps are businesses that meet the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility. Companies who’ve bagged themselves this accreditation have undergone a rigorous assessment. One which has proved their commitment to ethical governance, [sustainability](https://yoyodesign.com/media/crziu1my/yoyo-sustainability.pdf) and accountability. B Corp status is more than just a badge ([although we defo wear ours with pride](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/)) it’s a movement reshaping industries and redefining success. One of the best things about B Corp status is that no industry is off limits. From finance to fashion, B Corp companies are raising the bar for responsible business. ## Sustainable fashion It can sometimes feel like environmental and ethical concerns are sewn into the fabric of the fashion industry. But B Corps in this sector are showing that this doesn’t have to be the case. Purposeful pioneers aren’t just crucial in this industry, they’re successful. By leading the way with circular production models and carbon reduction commitments, B Corp brands are earning kudos and customers aplenty. Ever heard of a little brand called Patagonia? We rest our case. ## Ethical finance Money is power as they say, so surely that power should be used for good… That’s what we reckon anyway, and it turns out a whole lot of people agree. Take Triodos Bank and The Big Issue Invest, they’re prioritising ethical investments, funding social enterprises, supporting renewable energy projects and championing community initiatives. And they’re soaring because of it. It’s finance with integrity, and it’s changing lives. ## Food & bev for a better world It’s not just our day that revolves around food, our world does too. From that flat white first thing to your mid-afternoon munch, B Corps in the food and beverage space are making sure every snack supports a fairer, more sustainable world. Just look at our old pals Ben and Jerry. Their values speak volumes: they promise to use wholesome, natural ingredients and promote business practices that respect the earth. But they don’t stop there. Everyone’s fave ice cream creators demonstrate the true meaning of a B Corp by not limiting their positive impact to their product but even [attending marches for movements they support](https://www.instagram.com/benandjerrys/p/DE2fbx4OWs-/?hl=en-gb). The future is B Corp, but don’t just take our word for it. Look at the consumers, employees and investors across the board who are [demanding more from businesses](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-role-of-esg-and-purpose). They’re searching for brands that operate transparently and actively contribute to a better world. And B Corps aren’t just meeting these expectations, they’re exceeding them - setting a new benchmark for what business can, and should, be. It’s not just about what you sell though, it’s how you [communicate (and live) your values](https://yoyodesign.com/services/). How do we know? Well, we’re a B Corp ourselves. As a brand and digital agency dedicated to helping Good Brands succeed, we work with purpose-led companies to amplify their impact. So, if you could use a helping hand embedding ‘doing good’ into your DNA (and reaping the rewards) just [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/). ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # How we're putting our carbon literacy training into practice _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-were-putting-our-carbon-literacy-training-into-practice/_ # How we're putting our carbon literacy training into practice News We couldn’t be more serious about our responsibility to do right by the planet, and part of that means continuing to educate ourselves on sustainability. Global warming, climate change, and carbon footprint are all terms that we’ve heard a lot. But when it came down to understanding what that actually meant, things were a little less clear. We couldn’t be more serious about our responsibility to do right by the planet, and part of that means continuing to educate ourselves on sustainability. By enrolling in Carbon Literacy Training as a team, we learnt so much about the impact we’re having - sometimes without even thinking about it. After having some time to reflect on what we’d learned after our full day of training, we each made pledges on how we’ll work to reduce our carbon emissions, as individuals and as a business. Here’s a sneak peek at how we’re implementing this across our team - ## Design Even though digital design may feel virtual, it still has very real effects on the environment. Large files and high-quality assets translate to significant energy use, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. We’re updating our set of [sustainable website practices](https://sustainable-digital-design-guide.yoyodesign.com/), making sure these are adhered to on every single website we deliver. We’re also committing to doing the research into what best practice looks like as tools and trends continue to change. Responsible design is about being ahead of the game, rather than constantly playing catchup. ## Development The training got us thinking about the whole lifecycle of our websites. Each stage of the process - from the initial build, to hosting, to data transfer, to users interacting with the site - has a carbon cost. We already work hard to make sure that our websites meet high standards of sustainability, by measuring their carbon footprint at launch and opting for green hosting wherever possible. But there’s still room for improvement. One way we’re doing this is by reducing energy consumption across our existing servers. Weekly reporting, monthly audits, and getting more involved with the Umbraco sustainability community will all help us keep our websites greener. ## Client Services It’s no secret that we’re always looking to perfect our process so that every project is smooth sailing. We want to use our expertise for good and use our learnings to continue supporting positive change. We’ll be more intentional about educating our clients, by adding training sessions to our project process where we’ll focus on making informed choices that help to reduce digital carbon footprint. We’re also going to be formalising our policy on corporate gifting - we already opt for B Corp partners when it comes to sending a token of our appreciation, but we’re making this official so we can keep track of the carbon savings we’re making with more conscious choices. ## Conclusion Some carbon costs are more obvious than others. It’s easy to think of emissions as clouds of black smoke and a rising thermostat, but less easy to visualise the effect of an unnecessary email or back to back online meetings. In reality, all of the hundreds of small actions taken every day are contributing to the climate crisis, a few grams of carbon at a time. That’s why doing better is the result of changing habits and rethinking what we do, rather than big overnight transformations. And consistent and continuous education is an important step in that. We’re so proud of our team for taking responsibility for their impact on the environment and can’t wait to be a fully carbon literate organisation. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # 5 ways to get the most out of your digital partnership _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/5-ways-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-digital-partnership/_ # 5 ways to get the most out of your digital partnership News Wondering how to make the most out of your relationship with your digital partner, or why it even matters? We’ve got you covered. We all know that a killer digital presence is no longer just a nice-to-have, it’s essential. This is true across industries, but nowhere more so than in the purpose-driven space. For brands looking to amplify their mission, reach more people and drive meaningful change, digital comms are the key. But they can only come from a strong digital partnership… ## 1. Choose a team that champions your values Like all relationships, great digital partnerships start with shared values. So if you’re still selecting the team to support you digitally, think beyond just skills and [services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/). There’s tonnes of agencies out there with the technical expertise you need, but try to find a team that genuinely understands (and believes in) your mission. An aligned partner will naturally approach your challenges with the same commitment and care you do - leading to digital assets that better reflect your purpose and, ultimately, bigger impact. Not to mention a more enjoyable process as you collaborate with like-minded folk! ## 2. Talk it out Even when you’ve chosen the perfect partner for your organisation, it’s not as simple as riding off into the digital sunset together. Again, just like a personal relationship, ongoing communication is essential. Whether it’s [campaign](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) updates, [website](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) tweaks or [brand strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) discussions, keeping the lines of communication open ensures everyone is aligned and moving in the right direction. This is of course on the agency to lead, but make sure you’ve got regular catch-ups in the calendar and try to respond to their emails even when your inbox resembles a burning skip. ## 3. Trust the experts If you’re partnering with an agency for the first time, or have been burnt by one in the past, it can be hard to let go of the digital tasks you’ve been taking care of. We get it. But trust the process. You’ve hired your support team for a reason - they align with your values, believe in your cause and have the specialist skills you need. Trusting your partner is the only way to get back time to focus on the things you do best. One big benefit of your digital partnership is that these creatives bring an external perspective. Not being from your specific sector allows them to see the wood from the trees and bring fresh ideas to the table. So, while it’s important to have a collaborative approach and the chance to see your feedback implemented, giving your agency the freedom to flex their creative muscles can lead to more innovative ideas and impactful designs. ## 4. Let data drive decisions The beauty of digital is that almost everything can be measured. To maximise your positive impact, lean into data and insights to guide your strategies. Whether it’s your partner’s responsibility to gather these, or something you’ll handle in-house, make sure you’re studying website analytics, social engagement metrics and conversion rates. Tracking performance in this way will give your digital partners the insights they need to craft even more effective creative and optimise your online presence further. ## 5. Think long-term Immediate results can be exciting, but there’s no bigger red flag in digital partnership than a focus on quick-wins. Your partner should be dedicated to building something sustainable - both in terms of results and relationship. The longer you work with your partners, the deeper their understanding of your organisation will be and the bigger the success you’ll see. For game-changing brands, the right digital partnership is a game-changer. By choosing a team that aligns with your values, communicates transparently and sees the long-term strategy, you’ll set yourself up for digital success that goes way beyond [vanity metrics](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/has-a-focus-on-vanity-metrics-killed-your-brand/) - driving the real-world change we all want to see. So… are you on the lookout for a digital partner? Then you’re in the right place. We’re [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to helping Good Brand do great things. Just [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) to tell us about your cause, and we’ll tell you how we can amplify its impact through meaningful digital experiences. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # From Traffic to Revenue: Optimising Customer Conversion Using UX _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/from-traffic-to-revenue-optimising-customer-conversion-using-ux/_ # From Traffic to Revenue: Optimising Customer Conversion Using UX News Getting people to your website is great, but it’s only half the battle. Here’s how you can optimise yours to improve customer experience and increase conversions. Getting people to your website is great, but it’s only half the battle. Turning that traffic into meaningful action (whether it’s a purchase, donation or enquiry) is where the real work begins. Enter [user experience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/) (UX). With attention spans shortening and competition increasing, UX is more essential than ever. Good UX doesn’t just keep people on your site longer - it makes sure every second they’re there genuinely counts. So here’s how you can optimise yours to improve customer experience and increase conversions. ## Start with your users - not your assumptions It’s easy to design based on what you think makes sense. But the real trick is understanding what your users need. What are they trying to do? What’s slowing them down? User research (we’re talking interviews, surveys and heatmaps) can uncover small friction points that are costing you conversions. Even simple insights like where most people are dropping off or what content is keeping them engaged can shape stronger web design decisions. ## Simplify the journey If your user has to think too hard, you’ve already lost them. Clear navigation, intuitive page layouts and consistent calls to action all help guide people where they need to go. It’s about reducing cognitive load - the fewer steps someone has to take, the more likely they are to do it. Have a look at your number one most important user journey. Check how many clicks it takes to get the finish line, then figure out if any can be removed - or at least simplified. ## Build trust through design Trust isn’t just about the things you do and say, it’s also how you present them. A well-designed site that’s easy to use and visually coherent builds credibility which, in turn, builds trust. Use consistent branding, avoid visual clutter and add social proof (think: testimonials, reviews, case studies) to reassure users that taking action is the right move. ## Accessibility isn’t optional Great UX includes everyone.That means clear contrast, legible fonts, keyboard navigation and alt text. Designing for accessibility not only broadens your reach, it improves the experience for all visitors. Plus, accessible websites tend to perform better in search results too. It’s a win-win. ## Sustainability and speed matter Your website’s performance (especially speed) has a direct impact on conversions. In the era of immediacy, no one has the patience to wait for a page to load while their shopping basket buffers, they’ll simply switch to a competitor’s site instead. Not only that, but lighter websites use less energy and are kinder to the planet - something today’s shoppers value more than ever. ## Test, learn, repeat UX is never a one-and-done. So use A/B testing, analytics and ongoing feedback to constantly learn what’s working on your site and adjust what’s not. Even tiny tweaks like button colour or headline phrasing can lead to big improvements. Optimising UX is more than just a design task, it’s a strategic move that can directly drive revenue and impact. Start with empathy, design with clarity and commit to keep learning. Your users (and your conversion rate) will thank you. Need support making sense of your digital experience? Then you’re in the right place. We’re [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to helping Good Brand do great things. [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) and we’ll get to the heart of your users to create experiences that convert. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Digital Fundraising Done Right: A recap _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/digital-fundraising-done-right-a-recap/_ # Digital Fundraising Done Right: A recap News We’ve wrapped up some of the key takeaways and advice that will help you do more - and raise more - with digital. The latest tech is bringing so many incredible opportunities for charities and non-profits to better connect with their supporters and raise more funds for their causes. But with costs rising and donor expectations evolving, it’s no longer enough to just be online - you need a focused, flexible [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy") that delivers. And that’s exactly what we unpacked in our latest webinar, where speakers Rob Cope from the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, Matt Collins from Platypus Digital, and our very own Anna Dixon shared insights on supercharging your fundraising in a charity landscape that feels like it’s always changing. Whether you saw the session live, or you’re catching up, we’ve wrapped up some of the key takeaways and advice that will help you do more - and raise more - with digital. ## What’s changing in fundraising - and what you can do about it ### 1. Giving Looks Different UK donors gave over £15 billion last year, showing their generosity is holding strong. But inflation has chipped away at the value of those donations, meaning every pound needs to be stretched that bit further. The way people give is varying now more than ever - for example, younger supporters are drawn to app-based donations, while older donors tend to stick to direct debits. Knowing your audience, and meeting them where they are is key. ### 2. Digital Levels the Playing Field With the right digital tools, even charities of all sizes can run campaigns that rival big-budget efforts. From grants specifically for charities, to automation and smart planning, a smaller budget doesn’t have to mean smaller results.  Tools like ChatGPT can help in optimising content, personalising outreach, and analysing data. Planning ahead and keeping your finger on the pulse will help you find your place amidst the noise. ### 3. Experience Matters Today’s supporters expect the same smooth, user-friendly experience from a charity website as they do from their favourite online shops. Improving what might seem like small things - like site navigation and mobile responsiveness - can make a big difference. The easier it is to hit that donate button, the more supporters will do it. Case in point: [Fight for Sight](https://yoyodesign.com/work/fight-for-sight/) saw a major uptick in donations after making simple, strategic improvements to their site experience. ### 4. Transparency for trust Donors are increasingly seeking clarity exactly where their money is going, and how their contribution is being utilised. Sharing digestible updates, like impact metrics or individual case studies, boosts trust and drives further engagement. Examples like Woodland Trust's direct correlation between income and spending show how transparency can foster stronger donor relationships. 5. Stories Still Stick Facts might tell, but it's stories that sell. Emotional, authentic storytelling remains one of the most powerful ways to connect with donors. Pairing real-world impact with strong visuals and clear calls to action can turn a scroll into a share - or better yet, a donation. Supporter-centric stories resonate deeply with audiences - like how [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/) frames their work to supporters as “you made this possible” to nurture their connection. ## Quick Wins Want to see results sooner rather than later? These simple updates can help you improve performance right away: - Make Your Donate Button Count - It should be easy to find and easy to use. Include options for one-off, regular, and legacy donations. - Track What Users Are Doing - Tools like Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity show how people interact with your website, so you can spot what’s working (and fix what’s not). - Automate Your Welcome Emails - Set up a warm, engaging email series for new supporters. Share your mission, show their impact, and invite them to take the next step. ## Longer-term moves A strong [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy") is built on foundations of research and planning, so once you’ve made the small updates, here’s where you can focus: - Focus on Donor Retention - It’s more cost-effective to keep supporters than to find new ones. Use retargeting and tailored messaging to keep the relationship going and deepen them where you can. - Test and Improve Your Donation Flow - Remember all those metrics you’ve been collecting? Use the data to track how people move through your site and where they drop off. Small changes in copy, layout, or CTAs can lead to more conversions. - Break Down Silos - Conducting audits of supporter experiences and fostering collaboration among fundraising, marketing, and operational teams can lead to more cohesive and effective strategies ## What’s next? With a smart strategy in place, your campaigns can feel more personal, more meaningful, and more effective. Start with a few small changes. Then, build momentum with tools and tactics that support long-term growth. Whether it’s adopting AI, refining your UX, or doubling down on storytelling, every step you take brings your supporters closer to your mission. Need a hand? We’d love to help. Keep an eye out for our upcoming charity events, but in the meantime, [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) so we can discuss your specific situation and help you overcome the challenges of digital fundraising. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Female Lead Lunch: A Recap Reflecting on the discussions around personal growth at March’s Female Lead Lunch [Female Lead Lunch: A Recap](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/female-lead-lunch-a-recap/) --- # What does AI mean for SEO? _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/what-does-ai-mean-for-seo/_ # What does AI mean for SEO? News Good SEO still matters just as much as ever, but the path to success looks a little different. Search is evolving fast. With new AI Overviews changing how people interact with results, SEO is seeing some of its biggest shifts in years. It’s always worth reviewing your [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy"), but these changes mean more attention is needed when it comes to visibility, metrics, and what makes content valuable. Good SEO still matters just as much as ever, but the path to success looks a little different. ## The New AI Search Experience Google’s AI Overviews now serve up quick, thorough answers right on the results page. By pulling information from multiple authoritative sources, users get a summary that covers exactly what they’re looking for, without ever going to a website. These “zero-click searches” are nothing new - people have always skimmed the results page, but AI is making it easier to get a straight answer, straight away. So what happens to organic search traffic and your click-through rate? It might take a hit. ## What does this mean for my organisation? As your audience looks to AI for answers to their burning questions, it's the familiar and trustworthy that stands out. And if your name pops up for folks that already know you? Even better. Even if you’re not number one in organic rankings, being a part of an AI overview puts your content in prime position for reaching existing users as well as new ones. More than ever, it’s relevant, clear  and helpful content that gets rewarded - which might require a more thoughtful SEO strategy. This shift is a chance to step back and really think about your users - what they want, what they need, and what they’re looking for. ## So what can I do? The basics haven’t changed, Even though the way users interact with results might be developing, the core values of good practice are still true. The exact way you’ll feel the shifts depend on your size, and your industry, but overall the basics have not changed. Rather than replacing the fundamentals - trust, clarity, and intent - AI is reinforcing their importance. That means no filler and keyword stuffing, no clickbait, and no mass-generated content designed to appease the algorithms. Instead - - Focus on answering real questions that your users might be asking. Write for clarity and intent by getting into the mind of your audience. How would they phrase thing? What’s most important to them - Maintain, maintain, maintain. Keep content fresh and accurate, especially the pieces that are performing. Update evergreen content regularly and review its use across your website. - Make sure [user experience](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/create-engaging-user-experiences-with-your-cms/ "Create engaging user experiences with your CMS") is firing on all cylinders. Things like fast loading times, accessible navigation, and mobile-first design all make it easier for both users and search. engines to get to the heart of what you’re offering. - Monitor exactly how AI is treating your content. Experiment with the tools yourself to see where you rank and get a feel for which excerpts are being picked up. ## Still curious? Staying up the date with the latest in the industry is what we’re all about here at Yoyo. If you want to learn more about optimising your website, or if you’re curious about how you can strengthen your [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy"), [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") with us. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Turning data into decisions _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/turning-data-into-decisions/_ # Turning data into decisions News Plenty of in-house teams shy away from analytics. But it doesn’t have to be scary. ##### Data is everywhere today, with every click, scroll, like and purchase leaving a digital trail. On paper, more data should mean smarter decisions. But when you’re drowning in the stuff it can be difficult to sort the valuable from the noise. That’s where analytics comes in. Plenty of in-house teams shy away from analytics, assuming it’s all graphs, dashboards and jargon nobody actually understands. But it doesn’t have to be scary. In fact, when you know how to use it, data analysis becomes one of the most powerful tools in your brand arsenal - helping you spot opportunities, make stronger decisions and innovate in ways that actually land. So let’s unpack it (minus the spreadsheet-induced anxiety). First up, what even is analytics? Analytics is basically data’s glow-up. It’s the process of taking all the raw information your brand already has (website traffic, social engagement, user journeys, purchase patterns, campaign performance) and turning it into insight. Not just looking at what’s happening, but why it’s happening. What’s resonating. What’s nudging people to take action. And what’s sending them running for the ‘close’ button. In other words, analytics helps you swap assumptions for answers. Only meaningful growth matters Growth is what every purpose-driven brand needs to increase their impact. It means more people reached, more change made, more good done. But growth for growth’s sake? Meh. The real goal is intentional growth - growth that’s aligned with your mission, your audience and your vision for the future. And that can only come from effective analytics. It all begins by: - Understanding your audience - Find out who’s really showing up and what they care about - Refining your messaging - Learn what sticks, what sells and what sparks interest - Optimising your [campaigns](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) - Spend time and budget on what’s actually working - Testing new ideas - Back your bold thinking with insight (not just good vibes) - Tracking progress - See how your tweaks are impacting results Innovation doesn’t happen by accident We love a lightbulb moment as much as the next creatives. But here’s the secret: most innovation doesn’t start with a divine stroke of genius. It starts with data - noticing a pattern, seeing a shift or spotting a gap. Is your blog traffic booming in a certain sector? Maybe your audience is engaging with unexpected topics on socials. Or perhaps your email open rate plummeted last month. All of these are clues - and if you follow them, they could just lead to your next great idea. Don’t get lost in the numbers Let’s be honest, not all data is created equal. Just because something can be measured doesn’t mean it should be. That’s why we always say [ditch the vanity metrics](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/has-a-focus-on-vanity-metrics-killed-your-brand/). Sure, it’s nice to see 1000 new followers or watch your reel go viral, but if those numbers don’t convert into real engagement, leads or impact then what’s the point? Instead, focus on meaningful metrics: - Conversions (whatever that means for you: donations, sign-ups, purchases) - Time on site and bounce rate (aka, are they actually sticking around?) - Email click-throughs (who’s engaging, and what with?) - Campaign ROI (are your efforts worth the spend?) - Audience segments (who are you really connecting with?) Put people first Remember, behind every data point is a person - someone who visited your website, opened your email, signed your petition or ghosted your landing page. So while analytics is essential, it’s not the whole story. Pair it with real-world feedback - talk to your community, engage with your followers and ask your audience what they actually want. Always using the numbers to guide you, but never forgetting the people behind them. From insight to action Knowing your numbers is one thing. But you’ve got to know how to turn them into action. Here’s how: - Set clear goals - What does success look like to you? - Measure what matters - Choose meaningful metrics to track - Find the story in the stats - Look for patterns and anomalies - Take action - Adjust your messaging, tweak your campaigns and test new ideas accordingly - Repeat - Because innovation is never one-and-done You don’t have to be a data genius to make better business and [brand decisions](https://yoyodesign.com/media/bjnbb5vk/yoyo-branding.pdf). You just need the right questions, the right tools and the right mindset. And maybe a friendly partner to help you make sense of it all… We’re [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to helping Good Brand do great things through bold strategy, beautiful design and, yep you guessed it, analytics. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start growing, [let’s chat](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/). ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # How Charities Can Harness Google's New AI Overviews for SEO Success _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-charities-can-harness-googles-new-ai-overviews-for-seo-success/_ # How Charities Can Harness Google's New AI Overviews for SEO Success News How are Google's AI Overviews transforming SEO? We explore the challenges and opportunities for charities. The arrival of Google's AI Overviews marks a seismic shift in the search engine landscape. For many, especially charity digital marketers, this change might seem daunting. Reduced click-through rates (CTRs) for informational queries and the complexity of AI-driven search can feel like barriers to reaching your audience. But despite these challenges, AI Overviews present unique opportunities for charities to amplify their visibility, engagement, and impact. So how Google's AI Overviews are transforming [SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent")? We explore the challenges and opportunities for charities, and offer actionable tips to adapt your strategy. ## What are AI Overviews? AI Overviews are Google's latest innovation to improve how users find information. Think of it as an enhanced search snippet, where Google pulls data from multiple authoritative sources and presents it directly in the search engine results page (SERP). This allows users to get quicker, better answers without having to click through to individual websites. For charities, this impacts traditional SEO approaches. Instead of solely optimizing for ranking positions, the focus shifts to ensuring your content is discoverable and valuable enough to be featured within Google's AI Overviews. ## The challenges for charities It's not all smooth sailing. AI Overviews bring a few hurdles that charity marketers need to address: ### 1. Reduced CTRs for informational queries Google's AI Overviews often answer questions directly on the results page. This means fewer people are clicking through to websites, reducing traffic for traditional long-form informational content. If your charity relies heavily on educating the public through informational blogs, this could feel like a hit. ### 2. Fundamental changes in search behavior AI has transformed how users think about search. They're no longer just typing simple questions. They're asking longer, more complex queries. For example, someone researching your cause might ask, "How can I contribute to clean water access in remote regions?", rather than entering "clean water charities." ### 3. Heightened competition AI Overviews aggregate information from multiple sources, meaning your charity is now visible beside competitors. This increases user choice, but also raises the stakes for content quality and authority. ## Opportunities for Charities in AI Overviews Thankfully, AI Overviews aren't all about challenges. They offer exciting opportunities for charities to shine. ### 1. Unmatched visibility Appearing in an AI Overview places your charity right at the top of the SERP, ensuring prime visibility. This is even more valuable if your website isn't traditionally ranking in the top slots. ### 2. A favorable edge for niche causes Google's new tool rewards high-quality content and surfaces niche topics prominently. This means smaller charities with specific missions, such as wildlife preservation for endangered amphibians, can now get a bigger platform. ### 3. Deeper user engagement AI Overviews are designed to provide users with helpful, actionable answers. If your charity offers genuinely insightful content, users are more likely to trust your expertise and seek further engagement. ### 4. Boosted brand recognition Users are more inclined to engage with content providers they recognize and trust. If your charity's name appears frequently in AI Overviews, it fosters a sense of authority and credibility. ## Actionable SEO Strategies for Charities To make the most of AI Overviews, your SEO strategy needs to evolve. Here are some practical steps your charity can take: ### 1. Craft concise, high-value content AI Overviews pull specific, helpful snippets from content that directly answers user queries. Focus on creating succinct, compelling content tailored to common search questions in your area of expertise. For example, if you're a food bank charity, answer questions like "What are the most effective ways to donate to local food banks?" in a bullet-point format or an FAQ section. ### 2. Diversify content formats Static blog posts alone won't cut it anymore. Google favors varied content types, such as: - Bullet Points and Lists: Easy for AI to parse and display directly in overviews. - Infographics and Explainer Videos: Ideal for visual learners and sharable formats. - Comparison Tables: Great for outlining differences between programs, services, or solutions. Mixing up your content formats ensures your material is engaging across a broad audience and optimized for AI Overviews. ### 3. Prioritise fresh, updated content AI systems favor websites that frequently update their material with the latest, most relevant information. Keep your content current by regularly revising old resources, offering updates on your charity's initiatives, and addressing emerging trends. Underpinning all of this is a well-structured website. Learn more about our approach to [charity website design](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/ "Charity Web Design Agency") and how it supports long-term SEO performance. ### 4. Focus on brand searches Building brand trust is more important than ever. Users might not click on generic AI Overview results unless they recognize the brand associated with the snippet. Strengthen your charity's brand presence by: - Maintaining a consistent tone and message across all your platforms. - Collaborating with well-known organisations for co-branded campaigns. - Encouraging brand-led search by optimising for terms like "[Your Charity Name] water initiatives." ### 5. Optimise for long-tail keywords and niche queries With AI enabling users to search more specifically, identifying and targeting long-tail keywords is crucial. Use tools like Google's "People Also Ask" or keyword research platforms to pinpoint niche queries that align with your charity's mission. ### 6. Measure New SEO Metrics Traditional SEO metrics like CTR may no longer paint a full picture. Instead, track: - Engagement metrics like time on site and bounce rates. - Brand mentions in AI Overviews. - Assisted conversions to see how AI-driven users find and support your charity. ### 7. Prepare for Future AI-Driven Searches Platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity are gaining traction as alternative search tools. Adapting early by formatting your content for both traditional search engines and AI assistants ensures your charity stays ahead of the curve. ## Why Charities must act now The evolution of SEO isn't just a technical shift; it's a new way to connect with your audience. AI Overviews are giving charities the opportunity to enhance their outreach while building trust and authority. Charities that quickly adapt will maintain or even increase their impact in this new digital ecosystem, while others risk falling behind. This isn't a time to fear change, but to leverage it. By implementing the tips above, your charity can take advantage of AI Overviews to not only weather the changes in SEO but also thrive in them. At its core, SEO is still about connecting people with the information they need. For charities, it's about connecting with the hearts and minds of those who want to support your mission. Leveraging Google's AI Overview is the next big step in strengthening this connection. For tailored support, our [charity SEO services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-for-charities/ "SEO for Charities") are designed specifically for the sector, helping charities grow their organic reach and visibility in an increasingly AI-driven search landscape. The future of search is here, and it rewards those who move fast. Don't just adapt to AI Overviews - master them to amplify your mission. Ready to shift your SEO strategy from surviving to thriving? Get in touch to explore how we can help your charity capture unmatched visibility and impact. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # The revenue risk of neglecting your charity website _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-revenue-risk-of-neglecting-your-charity-website/_ # The revenue risk of neglecting your charity website News If your website is slow, outdated or just a little bit clunky, you could be losing out on vital revenue every single day. Your charity’s website is often the first place people go to learn about your cause, get inspired and, crucially, donate. But, here’s the thing, if your website is slow, outdated or just a little bit clunky, you could be losing out on vital revenue every single day. We get it, budgets are tight, priorities are stacked and site maintenance can easily fall to the bottom of the to do list. But when your [website](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) falls behind, so does your revenue. ## First impressions count (and they happen fast) When someone visits your site, you don’t have long to make a good impression. If your homepage looks cluttered, loads slowly or feels confusing, users will simply leave. And once they do, they rarely come back. That bounce isn’t just a lost browser, it could be a lapsed donor, a lost volunteer or a missed partnership. [Good design](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") leaves a good impression. ## User experience impacts your bottom line If a supporter wants to donate but can’t find the donation button, or they try to fill out a form that doesn’t work properly on their phone, that’s pretty frustrating. [Research](https://go-donate.uk/blog/2025/04/15/mobile-giving-is-surging-heres-what-charities-need-to-know/#:~:text=Mobile%20Giving%20Is%20Now%20the,Frictionless%2C%20Optimised%20Donation%20Journey%20Matters) shows that mobile donations now make up nearly half of all online giving, yet many charity websites still aren’t fully optimised for mobile use. Every friction point on every device (whether it’s long loading times, unclear navigation or faulty forms) costs you potential donations. A well-designed [user experience (UX)](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX") can boost donation and engagement. ## Outdated content erodes trust Sure, your website is a fundraising tool, but it’s also a reflection of your charity’s credibility. Outdated campaign pages, broken links or old event listings are all red flags to visitors. Ones which can make these would-be donors hesitate. Trust is pretty important in all aspects of life, but perhaps nowhere more so than between your charity and its supporters. A neglected website erodes that trust, making people question if they should donate. Keeping your online content fresh and accurate shows that you’re active, transparent and worthy of support both old and new. ## Missed insights, missed opportunities It’s not all about improving things for your visitors. A well-maintained and [accessible](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/ "Accessibility")also gives your organisation immediate benefits by providing insights into donor behaviour (think: what people are reading, which campaigns are resonating and where visitors are dropping off). But if your site isn’t set up with up-to-date analytics or CRM integration, you’re missing out. These insights can guide better business decisions, shape campaigns and ultimately [grow your cause’s revenue](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/ "Worldwide Cancer Research"). When you ignore your website, you lose that feedback loop and with it, a key opportunity to connect more deeply with your audience. Investing in [SEO for charities](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-for-charities/ "SEO for Charities") is one of the most cost-effective ways to grow your organic reach and attract donors without relying on paid ads. Keeping your website healthy doesn’t have to mean a complete overhaul. Start small - fix broken links, refresh your visuals, update your content. Think of your website as a living, breathing part of your organisation, not a one-off project that’s finished once it’s launched. A regular digital health check can save you thousands in lost donations and enable the positive change we all want to see in the world. Need a helping hand? We’re [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to helping Good Brand do great things. Just [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) to chat about your cause and your website, and we’ll make sure it’s helping your revenue growth, not hindering it. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # The behind-the-scenes magic of your performance _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-behind-the-scenes-magic-of-your-performance/_ # The behind-the-scenes magic of your performance News No matter how stunning your online presence is, it won’t reach its full potential if no one sees it. That's where SEO comes in. When you think of digital performance, what comes to mind? A sleek website? A scroll-stopping ad? A viral vid? Yeah, they’re all important elements. But here’s the thing - no matter how stunning your online presence is, it won’t reach its full potential if no one sees it. That’s where Search Engine Optimisation steps in (or [SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) to its mates). It might not be flashy or trendy in 2025. It doesn’t come with bold visuals or a catchy jingle. But it’s working hard behind the scenes, and around the clock, to put your brand in front of the right people at the right time. ## So what exactly is SEO? In simple terms, SEO is the process of improving your site’s visibility on search engines like Google. Simple, right? When someone types a query into that little search box, SEO is what helps your website show up in the results. But it’s not just about throwing keywords onto a page and hoping for the best any more (that’s so 2006). These days, search engines are incredibly smart. Relevant words alone aren’t enough, search engines are now looking for relevance, credibility, speed and usability to name a few. That’s where the real magic of SEO comes in. It’s a blend of strategy, creativity and technical know-how. And when done right, it becomes a quiet but powerful force behind your online growth. ## The magic behind the curtain Imagine your website is a theatre. Your homepage is the stage, your visuals are the set design, your messaging is the script… Behind the scenes is where SEO lives, and it’s doing a lot of heavy lifting. Your audience may not notice it directly, but they’d definitely notice if it wasn’t there. Here are just a few things SEO takes care of: - Keyword research - Understanding what your audience is searching for and using those terms meaningfully in your content. - On-page optimisation - This includes title tags, meta descriptions, headers, internal links and all the little elements that make your pages easy to understand - for both users and search engines. - Technical SEO - Think: fast load times, mobile-friendliness and [accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/). - Content strategy - Blog posts, FAQs, landing pages. This is about creating useful, valuable content that solves problems and builds trust. - Authority building - Earning backlinks from other reputable websites which tells search engines ‘hey these guys really know what they’re talking about’. ## Why SEO matters You could have the most beautifully designed site in the world (and we’d love to build it for you btw) but if no one finds it, what’s the point? SEO helps you get found. It increases your visibility, drives organic traffic and improves your chances of connecting with your target audience. That means more clicks, more conversions and more impact. When approached thoughtfully and strategically, SEO isn’t just a quick fix that won’t last. It’s a long-term investment in your digital presence - the kind that keeps working long after the initial project is over. So are you ready to get seen? We’re [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to helping Good Brand do great things. We take the time to understand your audience, your goals and your industry. Then we craft SEO strategies that not only get results, but also align beautifully with your brand and values. Let’s make sure your audience can find you - wherever they’re searching. [Let’s chat](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/). ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Is your website's foundation holding your mission back? _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/is-your-websites-foundation-holding-your-mission-back/_ # Is your website's foundation holding your mission back? News We need to talk about the platform at the heart of your digital work. That legacy CMS, the one built on an aging .NET Framework or a rigid, monolithic architecture, isn't just a familiar tool. It’s an anchor. It’s accruing technical debt that actively slows your progress and works against your mission. Think about your last urgent campaign. Was your site a flexible partner that allowed you to pivot quickly? Or did you hit walls like rigid templates and slow interfaces? When your team spends more time on workarounds than engagement, your "stable" system becomes a strategic risk. This is the hidden **Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)**: measured in lost donations, staff frustration, and missed opportunities to connect with your supporters. ## The Real Cost: Technical Debt in Action A license fee is just the tip of the iceberg. The real drain on your resources comes from the invisible weight of outdated tech. ### The content backlog A simple campaign page shouldn't require a developer to touch code. If your editors are locked out by a lack of modern tools, you lose your marketing velocity. Your dev team should be building donor journeys, not babysitting templates. ### The security liability Running on an end-of-life (EOL) framework (like .NET Framework 4.8) is like leaving the front door unlocked. Without security patches, every integration becomes a vulnerability, putting donor data and your reputation at risk. ### The performance wall Legacy systems struggle to talk to the cloud. They can’t scale when traffic spikes, leading to slow load times that hurt your [SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent") and frustrate users. ### The data silo If your CMS doesn't have a modern API, connecting to Salesforce or Blackbaud becomes an expensive, fragile headache. Your data gets trapped, and you lose that vital real-time view of your supporters. ## Umbraco 17: A Foundation for Real Impact Migrating to [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") 17 isn’t just an upgrade; it’s a strategic shift to a modern, composable architecture. It’s about giving your team the power to create without constraints. ### A Future-Proof Core Umbraco 17 is the latest Long-Term Support (LTS) release, built on .NET 10. This gives you a guaranteed security roadmap until 2028. It’s fast, natively async, and built for the high-performance demands of modern charities. ### Editorial Freedom with Block Editors We model your site as a set of reusable, brand-compliant components, think of them as digital Lego bricks. Your team can visually assemble complex, responsive pages, like donation CTAs or story cards in minutes, without waiting for a developer. ### Cloud-Native Power By deploying on Umbraco Cloud or Azure, we unlock automated deployments and global speed. Tools like ImageSharp ensure your site is lightning-fast and mobile-optimized, hitting those critical [Core Web Vitals](https://yoyodesign.com/services/technical-consultancy-performance/ "Technical Consultancy & Performance") targets that boost search rankings. ### Built to Connect Umbraco 17 is "API-first." Whether you’re integrating a bespoke CRM or building a headless front-end, the data flows smoothly. No more manual exports; just a seamless, integrated ecosystem. ## The Outcome: Measurable Mission Advantage A modern foundation isn’t a technical luxury, it delivers [tangible, real-world results](https://yoyodesign.com/work/demelza/ "Demelza"): - Speed to market: Go from idea to landing page in hours, not weeks. - Peace of mind: Automated security and resilient hosting mean you can focus on your mission, not your server status. - Efficiency: Your team spends less time fixing and more time innovating. - Better conversion: Faster load times and [seamless user journeys](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX") mean more supporters crossing the finish line. ### A Low-Risk, High-Value Roadmap At Yoyo, we believe in a phased approach that proves value early. We don’t just swap systems; we [transform the way you work](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency"): 1. Technical discovery: We audit your pain points and map your MVP (like a donation flow). 2. Component modeling: We build the "building blocks" that give your editors freedom. 3. Cloud-ready setup: We establish a robust environment on Azure/Umbraco Cloud before a single piece of content moves. 4. Phased launch: We launch the highest-impact journeys first, proving ROI immediately. ## Ready to build a faster, more secure foundation? Let’s sit down for a technical discovery session. We’ll look at your current site, identify the biggest bottlenecks, and provide a clear comparison of what your current system is costing you versus the freedom of Umbraco 17. [Let's talk.](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # What Does the Future Hold for Websites? Our 6 Predictions for 2026 _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/what-does-the-future-hold-for-websites-our-6-predictions-for-2026/_ # What Does the Future Hold for Websites? Our 6 Predictions for 2026 News As self-confessed digital obsessives, we’re always watching the trends shaping the next wave of online experiences. Here's our take on what websites might look like this time next year. There’s not much we can be certain about in this ever-changing world of ours, but one thing we are sure of is that digital never sits still. We’re not just talking about the rise of AI; websites are constantly evolving, too. What were once static online brochures, have grown into dynamic, intelligent experiences woven into our everyday lives. And the pace of change is only accelerating… As self-confessed digital obsessives, we’re always watching the trends shaping the next wave of online experiences. So let’s take a lil’ stroll into the near future and see what websites might look like this time next year. ## 1. Hyper-personalisation becomes the norm Remember when personalisation meant seeing your name in an email? Cute, but 2026 is heading somewhere way more exciting. [Websites](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) will adapt in real time to each individual visitor - surfacing relevant content, adjusting layouts and even shifting tone and visuals based on user behavior. Imagine landing on a site and instantly seeing products, services or articles tailored to your interests without feeling intrusive. Advances in on-device intelligence and privacy-safe data modelling will make this a reality next year, with smarter website experiences that feel almost conversational. ## 2. Voice-first browsing gets real We’ve had voice assistants for years, but navigating full websites by voice has always been clunky. That’s about to change. As natural language understanding improves, websites will increasingly support voice commands as a primary interaction method. That means a visitor could land on a site and say something like “show me gifts under £50 for someone who loves travel” and boom - their curated list appears. [Accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/) gets a huge win here too as voice-led website navigation helps make the web more inclusive than ever. ## 3. Fast, frictionless experiences Speed has always mattered, but [user expectations](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/) in 2026 will be on a whole new level. With 5G fully mainstream and 6G on the horizon, websites should load almost instantly and anything slower will create noticeable frustration. Expect more server-side rendering, aggressive image optimisation, lightweight JavaScript and preloaded micro-interactions for seamless browsing. In short - if your site isn’t fast, it's going to be forgotten. ## 4. Prioritising privacy Digital trust is no longer optional. In 2026, users will want to know exactly how their data is being used, and they’ll want more control over it. We predict user-friendly privacy dashboards, on-device personalisation replacing third-party tracking, and transparent consent interactions (no more confusing cookie pop-ups). Brands that nail this and give people true ownership over their data will earn loyalty and credibility. ## 5. Immersive experiences (without the gimmicks) Virtual and augmented reality are maturing fast, and while not every website will become a VR playground (thankfully), immersive elements will become more integrated across industries. Expect subtle but effective enhancements like 3D product previews, mixed-reality shopping demos and virtual tours, think: useful immersion, not flashy gimmicks. See how we used 3D design to create an immersive, trust-building experience for our in [Gigzzee case study](https://yoyodesign.com/work/gigzzee/ "Gigzzee"). ## 6. From website to ecosystem Gone are the days when a website launched and stayed static for 12 months. The best sites in 2026 will continuously evolve - adapting based on analytics, user interactions and AI-driven insights. [Your website should become your most powerful digital asset](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency"). A hub for community engagement, a dynamic publishing platform, a responsive service channel and a personalised brand experience. So there you have it. The future of websites is bright, intelligent and incredibly user-centric. And as we head toward 2026, brands that embrace these shifts are the ones that will stand out from the crowd. We’re already helping organisations prepare for this next era, building websites that delight today and evolve for tomorrow. If you want to do the same, [let’s chat](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/). ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Transparency: The key to a happy digital partnership _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/transparency-the-key-to-a-happy-digital-partnership/_ # Transparency: The key to a happy digital partnership News Let’s lift the lid on why transparency matters so much. Great digital isn’t just about the tech (but don’t get us wrong we love that part), it’s about people. And nothing keeps people working happily together quite like transparency. Transparency is the quiet force that turns a good collaboration into a really bloomin’ good one. It builds trust, smooths bumps in the road and sets everyone up for success - on both sides of the table. Let’s lift the lid on why transparency matters so much, and how it shapes the way we work. ## Transparency builds trust (and trust builds great work) When everyone has a clear picture of goals, budgets, timelines and expectations, great things happen. Conversations become easier, decisions become stronger and everyone can focus their energy on creating brilliant [digital experiences](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) instead of deciphering assumptions or second-guessing choices. Putting trust front and centre means being open about what’s possible, what’s not and what’s recommended (and why, of course). That’s exactly what we do at Yoyo. When you’re not left guessing, you can make better digital decisions for your organisation, and we can help you get there faster. ## It keeps projects moving oh-so-smoothly We’re digital optimists, but we’re also realists. We get that priorities shift, requirements evolve and new opportunities pop up unexpectedly. That’s where transparency comes in - acting like a handy little shock absorber for all of this. By being upfront early and often about progress, blockers, risks and changes, we avoid surprises and stay aligned as a single team across organisations. This makes the work more predictable (and way less stressful) for everyone involved. Think of it like driving with a clear windscreen. Yeah, the road ahead might twist and turn, but at least you can see what’s coming. ## Powering projects and empowering people As a client, you shouldn’t just feel informed, you should feel in control, and transparency is what makes that possible. That’s why we share our thinking, our process, our decision-making and even our uncertainties. You get access to the same understanding we have, so you’re never left wondering why a recommendation was made or how a solution was reached. This means your team grows more digitally confident throughout the partnership (and we love watching that happen). ## Making relationships rock-solid A digital partnership should be more than a transaction, it should be a relationship. And all good relationships are based on openness. When we own challenges and accept constructive feedback, we create the kind of partnership where creativity flourishes and long-term success happens naturally. Plus, when you can really trust your digital partner, you don’t just get better work, you get more joy in the journey. ## Securing shared success Great outcomes don’t happen behind closed doors. They happen when everyone shares knowledge, responsibility and ambition. By keeping communication open and honest, we create a space where collaboration isn’t just encouraged, it’s effortless. And when that happens, success stops belonging to one team or the other, it becomes something we’ve built together. Sure it’s been overused in recent years, but transparency is more than just a buzzword, it really is the key to a happy digital partnership - a way of working that keeps teams aligned, removes friction and empowers everyone involved. We’ve seen firsthand how it transforms [projects](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) and relationships. So if you’re looking for a digital partner who works with honesty, clarity and a shared sense of purpose… we’re right here, ready to get started. Just [say hello](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/). We’re [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to helping Good Brands do great things and we’d love to chat. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # How to optimise your website for accessibility _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-to-optimise-your-website-for-accessibility/_ # How to optimise your website for accessibility News Written by: Ellie Barrett Contrary to popular opinion, when you optimise your site for accessibility, you’re not just helping people with disabilities. You’re making your digital experience clearer, faster, and more usable for everyone. An accessible website is **crucial** to making sure all of your potential customers, donors, viewers and readers can access your content, products and services. From our work with organisations across the public, charity, and commercial sectors, one thing is consistent: accessible websites tend to convert better, rank better, and age better. Here’s how to approach accessibility in a way that delivers real value for your organisation. ![An elderly woman speaking out loud into her phone, whilst writing something down.](https://yoyodesign.com/media/fg3mnrc5/lady-using-screen-reader.jpg?width=100&height=56&quality=10&v=1dc9a83f9d8cac0) ## **Start with structure, not styling** One of the most common mistakes we see is treating accessibility as a visual problem. In reality, it starts with structure. A [well-structured website](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") uses clear page hierarchies, logical headings, and predictable layouts. This is essential for people using screen readers, but it also helps search engines understand your content and helps all users scan pages more efficiently. ### Why this matters for your organisation: Clear structure reduces cognitive load. Users find what they need faster, bounce rates drop, and content performs better in search. It also means future updates are cheaper and quicker, because your content isn’t held together by fragile visual workarounds. A practical tip: review a key page with all styling turned off. If it still makes sense as a linear piece of content, you’re on the right track. If not, accessibility issues are likely hiding beneath the surface. ## Build accessibility into your processes, not just your launch Accessibility isn’t a one-off task. It’s an ongoing practice that spans content creation, design, development, and governance. This means training teams to write accessible content, setting standards for components, and checking new features before they go live. Automated tools can catch obvious issues, but they’ll never replace human judgement or testing with real users. ### Why this matters for your organisation Embedding accessibility into your workflow reduces risk. You’re less likely to face expensive retrofits, reputational damage, or legal challenges. It also signals maturity to users, partners, and internal teams, showing that your organisation takes inclusion seriously. One opinion we hold strongly is that accessibility ownership should never sit with a single person. The most successful teams treat it as a shared responsibility, supported by clear guidelines and leadership buy-in. At Yoyo, we mandate this across all departments. From using the Stark plugin in Figma during Design, to Semantic-First Development, to making WCAG compliance a core KPI in Project Management, you can see exactly how we map this out in [Yoyo's Approach to Accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-accessibility/ "yoyodesign.com"). ## Design for real people, not edge cases Accessibility is often framed as designing for a small minority. In practice, it’s about designing for reality. Think about your users: they may be tired, stressed, on a mobile device in bright sunlight, or juggling multiple tasks. Accessible design principles such as sufficient colour contrast, readable text sizes, and clear calls to action directly support these scenarios. Just look at the [Fight for Sight website we recently worked on](https://yoyodesign.com/work/fight-for-sight/). Does it feel as though ease of use has been sacrificed to make space for greater accessibility? Hopefully you’ll agree it’s an example of a website that is accessible and also easy to digest at speed. As outlined in our own [Accessibility Principles,](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-accessibility/ "yoyodesign.com") at Yoyo we believe accessibility is never a creative constraint, but a catalyst for innovation. We prioritize empathy and human-first testing to ensure our work functions beautifully in the real world. ### Why this matters for your organisation: Improved readability and clarity lead to higher engagement and fewer errors. That means fewer support queries, stronger conversion rates, and better outcomes from your digital investment. A real-world insight from our own projects: we’ve seen stakeholders push back on increasing text size because it “doesn’t fit the brand”. Yet after making those changes, session duration increased and form completion errors dropped significantly. Accessibility improvements often pay for themselves in performance gains. ## Accessibility is a growth strategy, not a constraint Optimising your website for [accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/ "Accessibility") is about future-proofing. It improves usability, supports SEO, strengthens your brand, and ensures your digital platforms work for the widest possible audience. If you’re planning a redesign, launching new functionality, or simply want to understand where your current site may be falling short, accessibility is the smartest place to start. If you’d like help [auditing your website](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/ "Accessibility"), improving accessibility as part of a redesign, or embedding best practice into your [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy"), [explore our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/) or speak to our team about an accessibility-focused review. We’d be happy to help you turn good intentions into measurable results. ## Want to know more about our Accessibility Audits? [Find out more](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/) ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### Why accessibility should be a priority in your digital marketing strategy While talk of accessible marketing campaigns has got louder in recent years, it’s more than a trend - it’s a fundamental shift that’s here to stay. [Why accessibility should be a priority in your digital marketing strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/why-accessibility-should-be-a-priority-in-your-digital-marketing-strategy/) --- # Our path to a greener digital supply chain _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/our-path-to-a-greener-digital-supply-chain/_ # Our path to a greener digital supply chain News We recently partnered with the sustainability experts at [Profit Impact](https://www.profit-impact.co.uk/) to undergo a rigorous carbon baselining project. This wasn't a vanity exercise or a marketing stunt, it was a deep dive into our operational data to understand our true impact. In the digital world, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking our work is ‘weightless’. We don’t have factory chimneys or fleets of delivery trucks, so it feels natural to assume our environmental impact is negligible. But as a [B Corp](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp Digital Agency") agency that thrives on transparency, we knew assuming wasn’t good enough. We recently partnered with the sustainability experts at [Profit Impact](https://www.profit-impact.co.uk/) to undergo a rigorous carbon baselining project. This wasn't a vanity exercise or a marketing stunt, it was a deep dive into our operational data to understand our true impact. Our goal was to do the heavy lifting now so that when you choose to work with Yoyo, you can be certain you are choosing a partner that won’t complicate your own sustainability reporting. As supply chain pressures mount, we want to be the most responsible and efficient choice in your roster, not by shouting about our credentials, but by being a ‘clean’ link in your value chain. ### The Reality Check: What We Discovered To get to the truth, we looked at every transaction in our accounts from 2024 and layered it with data from [Sumday](https://www.sumday.io/), a carbon accounting platform. We didn't just look at our office, we looked at our entire ecosystem. The results were a bit of a wake-up call. Because we work in a shared office, we don't control our direct energy usage, therefore our Scope 1 and 2 emissions (direct energy) are actually zero. On paper, that looks great, but it’s not the whole story. A staggering 82% of our carbon footprint comes from ‘Purchased Goods and Services’. This means our impact isn't about the coffee we drink, it’s about the software we subscribe to, the digital tools we use, and the partners we collaborate with. The ‘Aha’ Moment: We were surprised to find that employee commuting and home working only accounted for 14% of our footprint. We initially expected this to be our biggest hurdle, but the data showed that our real challenge, and our biggest opportunity for impact, lies in the digital infrastructure we choose. It turns out that the energy used by our servers and software is far more significant than the miles we travel. ### Why Our Footprint Matters to Your Website We know that for most of our clients, the primary concern isn't how we get to work, it's how the digital products we build for you affect your carbon goals. The internet is a massive energy consumer. Every line of code, every unoptimised image, and every server request carries a carbon cost. By cleaning up our internal operations and supply chain, we are sharpening the tools we use to build your digital presence. When we reduce our footprint, we are essentially making your Scope 3 emissions (your supply chain) smaller and easier to manage. Our strategy includes a 56% absolute reduction target by 2050, with significant milestones as early as 2027. Here is how that translates into a more sustainable, efficient approach for your projects: - Host with Intent: We are moving beyond general estimates. We are now using tools like the [Google Cloud Carbon Footprint Tool](https://cloud.google.com/carbon-footprint) to get actual data for your hosting environments. This means when you report on your digital impact, you’re using facts, not guesses. - Leaner Technology: We are working closely with partners like [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/) to transition clients to the latest, most efficient versions. These aren't just technical upgrades; they are designed to be more performant and less energy-intensive, which directly reduces the carbon cost of every visitor to your site. - Supplier Rigour: We aren't just asking our partners for ‘sustainability statements’. We are helping our core contractors measure their own footprints. This ensures the entire production line of your website is as green as possible before it even reaches you. ### Looking Ahead: The Future of Sustainable Web Design We believe the next few years will see sustainable web design move from a nice-to-have feature to a fundamental requirement for any credible business. At Yoyo, we are already building the capacity to make this transition easier for our partners. It is important to understand that a carbon-intensive website isn't just bad for the planet, it’s bad for your users. A site that requires massive amounts of data to load is a site that frustrates customers on slow connections and drains their battery life. By focusing on Digital Infrastructure Optimisation, this is a win-win: 1. Lower Carbon: Less data transferred means less energy used 2. Better UX: Faster load speeds and smoother performance 3. Improved SEO: Search engines increasingly reward fast, efficient, and well-structured sites #### Our Roadmap for 2026 and Beyond: - **Moving from Estimates to Activity:** Instead of calculating carbon based on how much we spend, we are moving toward activity-based data. This gives us a much more granular view of where energy is being wasted in the code itself. - **Standardising Green Hosting:** We are making it a standard part of our consultancy to advise on hosting regions. Choosing a data centre powered by 100% renewable energy is a simple switch that removes a significant chunk of carbon from your digital estate without any change to the user experience. - **Honest Accountability:** We’ve committed to a 10% ceiling on carbon offsets. We believe in reducing our impact first, rather than just buying our way out of the problem. We want to show our clients that real change happens in the design and build phase, not in a carbon credit ledger at the end of the year. ### Doing the Hard Work So You Don't Have To Decarbonisation is complex. It requires hours of data digging, awkward conversations with suppliers, and a willingness to look at the ‘not-so-good’ bits of your business. Our goal is to make this a little easier for our partners. By the time a project is complete, we want the carbon considerations to have been baked in from the first wireframe. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made with Profit Impact, but we’re also realistic about how much further we have to go. We don't have all the answers yet, but we have the data, and we have a plan. Want to know the carbon weight of your current digital presence? We’d love to share what we’ve learned. If you’re interested in auditing your own digital carbon footprint or want to discuss how we can make your next project more efficient and sustainable, please [get in touch](mailto:jenny@yoyodesign.com). Let’s build something impactful, for all the right reasons. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Ecommerce website design explained _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/ecommerce-website-design-explained/_ # Ecommerce website design explained News Three pillars of great ecommerce website design. Your ecommerce website is more than just a shop window. It’s your hardest-working salesperson, your brand’s digital home, and often the first place a customer truly experiences what you’re about. But in a world of shrinking attention spans and infinite choices, a "good enough" site simply doesn't cut it anymore. It’s not just about moving products; it’s about building a digital experience that converts and retains. Retention is your business's hidden superpower for long-term loyalty. Here are the three pillars we use at Yoyo to create ecommerce experiences that stick: 1. Friction is the enemy of conversion We’ve all been there. You find the perfect product, hit 'Buy Now', and then... a wall. Forced account creation, a convoluted checkout, or buttons that don’t quite work on mobile. Great ecommerce design is invisible. It’s the seamless flow of someone landing on your homepage to then viewing a thank-you page based on the product they’ve just bought. To win, you need to ruthlessly remove every hurdle. This means lightning-fast load times, intuitive navigation, and a checkout process so simple it feels like second nature. It’s about anticipating the user's next move before they even make it. If your user has to stop and think about how to buy, you’ve already lost them to a competitor who made it easier. 2. A data-driven user experience (UX) is key A data-driven approach isn't a death sentence for creativity. You don't need to stick to a generic grid to convert; in fact, the most memorable brands break the mould with purposeful micro-interactions and stunning imagery that encourage users to convert and purchase. However, the secret sauce to finding what solution works best for your audience is validation. When every creative choice is backed by user data, you stop guessing and start building a selling machine that actually performs. To get started, here are four key areas we recommend to gather insight from: Schedule user interviews This is pure [UX](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX")gold. Organise and plan user interviews to gather valuable qualitative insight into your users' motivations, goals and pain points. Review web analytics Use a tool like [Google Analytics 4 (GA4)](https://developers.google.com/analytics) to track traffic, bounce rates, and conversions to identify opportunities for experimentation. If you don’t have this set up, do it now. Install heatmap tooling Tools like [Hotjar](https://www.hotjar.com/) or [Microsoft Clarity](https://clarity.microsoft.com/) help reveal real-world behaviour through click and heatmaps. We recommend capturing at least three months of data to account for seasonal trends, like the January surge for fitness brands. Conduct A/B Testing Compare two variants of a UI element, section or piece of content (A and B) to determine which converts better. You’ll either improve or learn, either way, you win. 3. Mobile shouldn't be secondary If you aren't designing for the thumb, you aren't designing for the modern consumer. With the majority of ecommerce traffic now coming from mobile devices, your site needs to do more than just "work" on a phone; it needs to excel. This means optimising for purchases made while the user is distracted or on the move. Mobile-first design isn’t just about making things smaller. It’s about considering the prioritisation of information and ensuring context is kept intact across devices. This could mean ensuring touch targets are easy to hit within "the thumb zone" or stripping away non-essential clutter without removing the core experience. A truly responsive site adapts to the user’s context, providing the best experience whether they’re on a desktop at work or a smartphone on a busy train. The bottom line Building a high-performing ecommerce site is a journey, and we’re here to help you navigate it. At Yoyo, we combine strategic thinking with creative excellence to build websites that don’t just look great—they deliver results. If you’re looking to refresh your online presence or build something entirely new, take a look at our [Website Design & Build page](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") to see how we can help. Let’s create something brilliant together. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # The Future of Checkout: Leveraging AI to Personalise the Shopify Journey _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-future-of-checkout-leveraging-ai-to-personalise-the-shopify-journey/_ # The Future of Checkout: Leveraging AI to Personalise the Shopify Journey News Discover how AI is transforming the Shopify checkout from a technical process into a smart, psychological tool that fights cart abandonment and boosts conversions. We've all heard it by now. AI is going to change everything. Your uncle's told you about it at a family dinner because "that Google bit at the top" gave him an answer about his dodgy knee. Your mate's using it to plan holidays. Your boss has dropped it into at least three meetings this month and you're being asked to write blogs about it. But here's the question I keep coming back to.. Will AI actually change the way we shop? Not just the way we ask google for answers for things…it's already doing that but the full end to end experience of finding a product, deciding it's right, and hitting buy? [Shopify](https://yoyodesign.com/services/shopify-website-design-build/ "Shopify Website Design & Build") (and lots of others) seems to think so. And honestly, the more I look at what they're building, the more I agree. At Yoyo, we're seeing this play out in real time. More and more of our clients particularly in the [charity sector](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/ "Charity Web Design Agency") are looking at how they can bring their in store shops presence online. Not just listing products on eBay or Vinted, but genuinely thinking about how they get found, whether they should have their own storefront, and how they compete in a landscape where AI is increasingly deciding what gets recommended to shoppers. The tools Shopify is rolling out don't require you to be a developer to use them. If you're already comfortable asking ChatGPT a question, or getting Gemini to summarise something, or using Claude to help draft an email then the AI features baked into Shopify are going to feel completely normal. It's that same kind of interaction, just pointed at your store. At Yoyo, we pride ourselves on giving you the tools and knowledge you need to run your site in-house as effectively as possible and Shopify's direction here fits perfectly with that. The platform is doing more of the technical heavy lifting so you can focus on what you actually know best: your customers. ## The checkout problem nobody is talking about If you've spent any time in ecommerce, you'll know the checkout is where the magic happens or doesn't. Globally, around 70% of online shopping sessions end with an abandoned cart (yep AI helped it grab that one). On mobile, it's even worse. That's a staggering amount of revenue left on the table by merchants who've done everything right up to that point. But here's what I think a lot of people are getting wrong: they're treating checkout optimisation as a purely technical problem. Fewer form fields. Faster page loads. More payment options. And look, all these things matter, for example, Shopify's one-page checkout has driven real conversion lifts for merchants who've adopted it. But they only solve half the puzzle. The other half? It's psychology. A shopper sitting there with items in their basket isn't necessarily struggling with your UI. They're wrestling with doubt. "What is the returns policy?" "Will it arrive in time?" "Am I actually getting the best deal?" When those questions go unanswered because the answers aren't easy to find, people leave. I feel this might be where AI is starting to change the game. Not just by making checkout faster, but by making it smarter, answering those doubts contextually, in real time, and at scale. ## It's not just about recommendation carousels When most people hear "AI personalisation," they immediately think of product recommendations or content based on your preferences. And yes, well-implemented recommendation engines can boost conversion rates significantly 25%+ average increases in some cases. But the real opportunity is to personalise the entire checkout flow. Think about what that actually looks like on Shopify: Dynamic payment options. Instead of throwing every payment method at every customer, AI can surface the ones most relevant to each shopper based on their location, device, order value, and past behaviour. A returning customer might see Shop Pay Instalments front and centre. A first-time mobile visitor gets Apple Pay as the primary option. Small shift, big impact. Contextual trust signals. Not every shopper needs the same reassurance. Your loyal repeat customer doesn't need to see the returns policy at checkout but a first-time buyer spending over £100 absolutely does. [AI](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-ai/ "Yoyo's Approach to AI") can dynamically adjust which trust elements appear and where, based on who's actually checking out. Adaptive form experiences. Address auto-fill, smart shipping defaults, pre-selected preferences from previous orders these micro-interactions compound. They turn a checkout that works into one that feels like it was built for that specific person. Shopify's Checkout Extensibility framework has replaced the old checkout.liquid approach entirely, and it's built to support exactly this kind of AI-driven customisation. If you haven't migrated yet, that's step one. Agentic Commerce and why you should care Now here's where it gets really interesting. Shopify has been rolling out what they're calling "Agentic Storefronts." The idea is that merchants can sell directly inside AI-powered conversations via ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and more. A shopper asks an AI assistant for a recommendation, your product surfaces, and they complete the entire purchase without ever visiting your website. That's a big shift from "customers come to you" to "you show up wherever they already are." Shopify has co-developed something called the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) with Google to standardise how checkout works across these AI surfaces. Elements like discount codes, subscription billing, and loyalty credentials are all handled inside a conversational interface. It's early days, but the direction of travel is unmistakable. And this is what I mean about the [accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-accessibility/ "Yoyo's Approach to Accessibility")of it all. You don't need to understand how UCP works under the bonnet. Shopify is doing the heavy lifting so that merchants whether you're a DTC brand or a charity shop getting online for the first time can show up in these[AI](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-ai/ "Yoyo's Approach to AI") conversations without writing a line of code. For Shopify merchants, this means your checkout experience needs to work seamlessly not just on your storefront, but inside AI agents, chat interfaces, and embedded experiences across the web. The brands that start preparing for this now will have a serious head start. What you can do right now If you're running a Shopify store and want to get ahead of this, here's where I'd focus: Get your data house in order. If you've been to any [AI webinar](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/ai-us-a-yoyoclient-discussion/ "AI & US: A Yoyo/Client Discussion") or conference over the last year or so, you'll know AI is only as good as the data feeding it. Are you capturing customer preferences, browsing behaviour, and purchase history cleanly? How does that data flow between your store, your email marketing platform, or any of your third-party apps? This is the foundation everything else sits on. Embrace checkout extensibility. If you're still on legacy checkout, migrating to Checkout Extensibility isn't optional anymore it's the baseline for any AI-driven customisation, from dynamic upsells to personalised trust elements. Start experimenting with AI recommendations at checkout. Even basic implementations can reduce cart abandonment. The key is relevance, try showing complementary items based on what's actually in the basket, not just your bestsellers or things that need shifting that month. Prepare your catalogue for agentic commerce. Rich, structured product data is what AI agents use to surface and recommend products. Populate your metafields, flesh out your product attributes, and make sure your catalogue is thorough. The merchants with the cleanest data will be the ones getting recommended in AI conversations. Test relentlessly. A/B test checkout layouts, payment option ordering, trust signal placement. Track conversion rate by segment, not just in aggregate. Small, data-driven tweaks compound into significant revenue gains over time. The bigger picture The average ecommerce conversion rate for 2025 sat somewhere between 2% and 3%. That means even well-optimised stores are losing the vast majority of their traffic before a purchase happens. AI-driven personalisation won't magically fix that overnight but it shifts the odds meaningfully. At Yoyo, we're seeing 2026 as the year AI moves from a "nice-to-have" to a genuine competitive differentiator in [Shopify commerce](https://yoyodesign.com/services/shopify-website-design-build/ "Shopify Website Design & Build"). The checkout is where revenue is won or lost, and personalising that experience intelligently, contextually, at scale, this is how you tip the balance. First it was cookies. Then the algorithm figured out what you liked. Now checkout is catching up. The future isn't just faster or simpler. It's smarter. And it knows who you are. What are you seeing in your own Shopify checkout data? Are you experimenting with any of this yet? We would love to hear what's working. [Let's talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) Umbraco ### How does Umbraco support ecommerce? We explore why large brands rely on Umbraco to power their ecommerce presence. [How does Umbraco support ecommerce?](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-does-umbraco-support-ecommerce/) --- # Giving Time Back: 5 AI Tools That Can Seriously Help Your Charity Comms Team _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/giving-time-back-5-ai-tools-that-can-seriously-help-your-charity-comms-team/_ # Giving Time Back: 5 AI Tools That Can Seriously Help Your Charity Comms Team News Juggling social media, newsletters, and admin? Learn how tools like Canva, Descript, and ChatGPT can handle the mundane tasks so you can focus on what matters. Charity comms teams are the ultimate multitaskers - juggling social media, newsletters, community engagement, and endless administrative tasks. With so many demands on your plate, finding the breathing room to step back and think strategically can feel like a luxury. But here’s the good news: clever use of AI tools can change the game, helping you and your team get more done in less time without losing an ounce of your unique, authentic voice. Let’s take a look at five common ways you can lean on AI for the mundane stuff, freeing you up to focus on what matters most. 1. Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude (co-writing and brainstorming) Generative AI tools excel at text generation and analysis. Think of them as your friendly, always-on sounding board. They are brilliant at curing "blank page syndrome" and helping you brainstorm creative ideas when you're feeling stuck. Try using them to: - Turn a dry, lengthy policy document into an [accessible](https://yoyodesign.com/services/accessibility/ "Accessibility") and engaging blog post. - Draft heartwarming donor thank-you emails that truly connect. - Brainstorm catchy, impactful messaging options for your next big campaign. 2. Canva Magic Studio (graphic design and photo editing) Beautiful visual content is vital for engagement, but not every charity has a dedicated design team on hand. [Canva Magic Studio](https://www.canva.com/newsroom/news/magic-studio/ "www.canva.com") is a lifesaver for teams without internal design capacity, taking the heavy lifting out of complex editing tasks. Use it to: - Generate branded social templates from a simple text prompt. - Instantly resize a campaign banner so it looks perfect across all your social media platforms. - Polish event photos so they look professional and share-ready in seconds. If you love what these tools can do but want to take your organization's digital presence to the next level, our team specializes in bespoke [brand design](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ "Services") that helps charities truly stand out. 3. Descript (video and audio editing) We all know that video is king when it comes to storytelling and emotional connection, but traditional editing software can have a painfully steep learning curve. [Descript](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/giving-time-back-5-ai-tools-that-can-seriously-help-your-charity-comms-team/Descript.com "Descript.com") flips the script by allowing you to edit video just like a Word document. Simply upload your footage, and you can edit the video by editing the text transcript. You can quickly delete awkward silences or unwanted “ums” and “ahs”, and even record directly into the platform. Give it a go for: - Editing video interviews with volunteers or beneficiaries seamlessly. - Adding automatic captions to make your video content accessible to everyone. 4. [Opus Clip](https://www.opus.pro/ "www.opus.pro"), [Munch](https://www.munchstudio.com/ "www.munchstudio.com") (social media repurposing) Sticking with the video theme, these tools are great for squeezing maximum value out of your long-form video content without hours of extra editing. They analyze your footage and automatically chop it into bite-sized, engaging snippets. Top use cases include: - Turning a one-hour webinar into a series of punchy vertical clips perfect for Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok. - Using AI analysis to predict which clips will perform best based on current social media trends. To ensure these snippets are driving people to a seamless, high-performing online home, combining smart content with expert [web design and development](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") is the ultimate recipe for boosting your digital donations and sign-ups. 5. http://Otter.ai, Fathom (meeting transcription and summary) Comms teams spend a lot of time in meetings and interviews. AI note-takers sit quietly in the background, allowing you to focus 100% on the conversation instead of scribbling notes. This frees you up to be genuinely present, knowing every detail is captured. Ideal use cases include: - Recording case study interviews, leaving you free to engage deeply with the storyteller. - Generating instant action lists to share with stakeholders right after an important meeting. ### Best practices and ethics: Keeping it human It’s so important to remember that AI is an assistant, not a replacement for the incredible empathy and insight of a human comms team! AI can occasionally hallucinate, so always **double-check facts, figures, and data.** While automation is a superpower, a human should always be the one making the final decision on what gets published. Use AI to help with structure, formatting, and speed, but inject your own heart, knowledge, and experience into the final product. ### Let’s talk [Embracing AI](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-ai/ "Yoyo's Approach to AI")is a fantastic way to streamline your day-to-day tasks, but to truly amplify your charity’s impact, your [overarching digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy-consultancy/ "Digital Strategy & Consultancy") needs to be rock solid. Whether you’re looking to refresh your website, define a powerful new digital strategy, or create unforgettable digital experiences for your supporters, we’d love to help. Explore our full range of [**digital services**](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) and let's chat about how we can take the pressure off your team and help your [charity](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/ "Charity Web Design Agency")thrive online. ## Want to use AI safely and effectively? Discover how we balance innovation with ethics, security, and human creativity by taking a look at our very own Approach to AI at Yoyo. [Yoyo's Approach to AI](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-ai/) ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Award win: celebrating Best Designed Site at the 2026 Umbraco Awards! _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/award-win-celebrating-best-designed-site-at-the-2026-umbraco-awards/_ # Award win: celebrating Best Designed Site at the 2026 Umbraco Awards! News A fantastic win for Yoyo &[Demelza](https://www.demelza.org.uk/ "www.demelza.org.uk")- Celebrating [Best Designed Site at the 2026 Umbraco Awards!](https://umbraco.com/blog/umbraco-awards-winners-2026/ "umbraco.com") We are absolutely thrilled to share some massive news: Yoyo has taken home the international trophy for Best Designed Site at the 2026 Umbraco Awards for our work with children’s charity Demelza! The Umbraco Awards celebrate the very best digital experiences globally, and being recognized at this level means the absolute world to us. Here is a look at what made the project stand out and why it captured the hearts of the judges. What's this all about? Healthcare and [charity websites](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/ "Charity Web Design Agency")often carry a heavy burden - they need to convey critical, sometimes overwhelming information, which can inadvertently result in a cold, clinical feel. When we partnered with [Demelza](https://www.demelza.org.uk/latest-from-demelza/news/demelzas-new-website-scoops-international-industry-award/ "www.demelza.org.uk"), our mission was clear: shatter that clinical feel. We set out to craft a digital space that felt exactly like Demelza’s physical hospice spaces - warm, playful, approachable, and filled with wonderful children. Winning this award validates our belief that [accessible design](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-accessibility/ "Yoyo's Approach to Accessibility") should never compromise on emotional heart. Why it stood out The judges noted that our entry achieved design excellence that runs both ways, proving that what happens in the back-end is just as vital as what visitors see on the front-end. An uplifting visitor experience We intentionally softened the user journey by anchoring the site around a conscientious, accessible layout and a smart, joyful balloon theme. This uncluttered aesthetic guides families and supporters naturally, offering clear, frictionless paths to donate and find support. Empowering the back-office team True design excellence shouldn’t stop at the user interface. We built a highly flexible, intuitive block-grid setup in [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") for Demelza’s internal team. This empowers their back-office editors to easily manage and update content without losing design consistency, freeing them up to focus on what matters most - their incredible cause. “ > > Our new site is faster, more accessible and more user-friendly and everyone has been so pleased with it, so it’s fantastic to have it recognised in this way. It was a collaborative effort with our amazing partners Yoyo and we’d like to congratulate them for their success in this. Demelza's Senior Marketing Manager, Emilie Bowes-Read ## What's next? We want to extend a massive thank you to the incredible team at [Demelza](https://www.demelza.org.uk/ "www.demelza.org.uk")for trusting us with their digital transformation, and to the Umbraco judges for this incredible award. We are very proud of this win and can’t wait to bring this same award-winning energy to our [upcoming projects.](https://yoyodesign.com/work/ "Work") ##### If you've been thinking about a digital refresh, a complete website redesign, or upgrading your platform to create a frictionless experience for your users, [let's talk](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact"). We'd love to bring this same award-winning, deeply collaborative expertise to your next project. ##### [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) ## Demelza Full Case Study Read all about the Demelza project here and our fantastic, hugely deserving charity partners. [Demelza Case Study](https://yoyodesign.com/work/demelza/) ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Overcoming fears and raising £2.5K: Our team’s incredible charity abseil for Demelza _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/overcoming-fears-and-raising-25k-our-team-s-incredible-charity-abseil-for-demelza/_ # Overcoming fears and raising £2.5K: Our team’s incredible charity abseil for Demelza News Our team took on the HUGE Leadenhall building in London, here's what happened. At Yoyo, we love a challenge. But last Friday, five of our bravest team members took "stepping up" to a whole new level, or rather, stepping off! Anna, Gregg, Stephen, Dave, and Meg successfully conquered a thrilling charity abseil, facing their fears head-on to support our wonderful client, Demelza. Smashed fears for an incredible cause It’s one thing to talk about company values, but it's another to go dangling over the edge of a building for them! Despite some serious pre-jump nerves, the team showed incredible courage. One by one, they made the descent, cheered on by a fantastic ground support crew of colleagues, friends, and family. Not only did they conquer the drop, but they also absolutely smashed their fundraising target. Thanks to the immense generosity of our clients, partners, and community, the team has raised over £2,500! Why we support Demelza Demelza is a brilliant client and a charity with a challenging mission. They provide extraordinary care and emotional support to children with serious or life-limiting conditions, as well as vital care for their families. Every single penny raised from this abseil will go directly toward helping Demelza continue their life-changing work, ensuring that families never have to face their toughest journeys alone. “ > > "We are so incredibly proud of Anna, Gregg, Stephen, Dave, and Meg. Watching them channel their nerves into something so positive for Demelza perfectly captures the spirit of our team. A massive thank you to everyone who donated!" > > > > Jenny Kitchen, CEO, Yoyo. Check out some of the best moments from the day below, from the nervous smiles at the top to the pure relief and celebration at the bottom! It’s not too late to support us! Our fundraising page is still live. If you’d like to celebrate the team's brave drop and support the vital work Demelza does, you can still make your donation below. [Donate to Team Yoyo](https://fundraising.demelza.org.uk/fundraisers/TeamYoyo) - - - - - - - ## Demelza Full Case Study Read all about the Demelza and Yoyo partnership [Demelza Case Study](https://yoyodesign.com/work/demelza/) ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # A guide to managing project stakeholders without the stress _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/a-guide-to-managing-project-stakeholders-without-the-stress/_ # A guide to managing project stakeholders without the stress News Struggling with internal alignment on digital projects? Discover 3 practical ways to manage project stakeholders, avoid delays, and ensure stress-free delivery. Why internal alignment can make or break your next project If you have ever spearheaded a digital or brand project, you know the feeling. The brief is clear. Your agency partner is aligned. The timelines are set in stone. And then… the internal stakeholders arrive. Suddenly, there are more opinions than action points. New ideas appear halfway through delivery. A senior leader asks why they weren’t consulted earlier, while another stakeholder wants to revisit decisions that were signed off weeks ago. Sound familiar? As a brand and [web design agency](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency"), we see this all the time. We know that the hardest part of a digital transformation or brand rollout rarely involves the technology or the design, it is about aligning internal teams, competing priorities, and differing expectations along the way. The good news? With the right approach, stakeholder management doesn’t have to fall entirely on your shoulders, and it certainly doesn't have to be stressful. In fact, when handled collaboratively, it becomes one of the biggest drivers of a project's success. Here are three practical ways we help our clients keep their internal stakeholders engaged, aligned, and supportive, without the chaos. #### 1. Map your stakeholders early Not all stakeholders are created equal. Some will influence the strategy. Some will approve budgets. Others simply need to stay informed. The key to maintaining momentum is understanding who matters most and how they expect to engage. When we kick off a project, one of the first things we do with our clients is map the internal stakeholders and ensure everyone is aligned from the very beginning. We typically break them down into four categories: - **Decision makers:** Those with final financial or strategic approval. - **Key influencers:** Vital voices that shape the project's direction. - **Operational contributors:** The people delivering content, assets, or daily input. - **Observers:** Stakeholders who simply need visibility on progress. This exercise protects your budget and your timeline. We’ve seen projects progress beautifully through every design stage, only to stall at final sign-off because a senior stakeholder, who wasn’t involved earlier, reviews the work and introduces major changes. By agreeing upfront on exactly who needs to be involved (and at which stages), we help you plan the right review points, gather feedback at the appropriate time, and prevent costly delays. 2. Create consistency in communication One of the biggest causes of stakeholder friction is silence. When your internal teams don’t hear updates, they often assume progress has stalled or that decisions are being made without them. That’s exactly when surprise, late-stage feedback rears its head. Instead, we work with you to establish a predictable, reliable communication rhythm. This often includes: - Regular project summaries (usually weekly or bi-weekly). - Structured check-ins for key influencers to review progress. - Milestone presentations designed specifically for decision-makers. This creates a clear, safe structure for engagement. Your stakeholders know exactly when they’ll be informed and when their input is required. As your partner, we provide the summaries, decks, and data you need to feed this information up the chain. This simple rhythm prevents the dreaded “drive-by feedback” and arms you with the answers you need before questions are even asked. 3. Manage expectations, not just tasks Delivering great work is only half the job; managing expectations is the other. Many internal tensions arise from mismatched assumptions. A marketing lead may expect a faster turnaround. A brand team might assume they’ll get to review every single minor design iteration. Leadership might expect immediate ROI. The solution we bring to every partnership is simple but powerful: we make expectations explicit from day one. Together, we clarify: - Exactly what the approval process looks like. - How feedback should be collated, consolidated, and shared. - What the timelines realistically allow for revisions. - Who holds the final say when opinions clash. When expectations are visible, accountability improves. Everyone understands the "rules of the game" and their specific role in keeping the project moving. And when changes inevitably happen, we have a shared, objective framework to help you navigate those conversations smoothly. Great partnerships deliver great alignment Successful digital and brand projects aren’t just the result of [great digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy")or design. They are the result of deep, internal alignment. The ability to guide stakeholders, maintain clear communication, and keep momentum is what separates smooth project deliveries from stressful ones. To recap the foundations of stress-free delivery: - **Identify and map** your stakeholders early. - **Establish a consistent rhythm** of communication. - **Set clear boundaries and expectations** from the very beginning. If your organisation is planning a new digital platform, a brand rollout, or a website transformation, choosing an agency that understands internal dynamics can make all the difference. [**Get in touch**](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact")to find out more about how we partner with our clients to bring stakeholders together, remove the friction, and deliver work that creates real impact. ## Looking for a 1-2-1 digital strategy session before you kick off your next brief? Book a free session with one of our Yoyo experts today [Yoyo Digital Strategy Session](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyo-digital-strategy-session/) ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # Storytelling that sparks action: why we’re sponsoring the Saltways Charity Film Festival 2026 _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/storytelling-that-sparks-action-why-we-re-sponsoring-the-saltways-charity-film-festival-2026/_ # Storytelling that sparks action: why we’re sponsoring the Saltways Charity Film Festival 2026 News We're incredibly proud to announce that we are sponsoring the **Saltways Charity Film Festival 2026**. At Yoyo, we believe that every great charity is built on a great story. It’s how you connect with your audience, convey the urgency of your mission, and inspire people to make a difference. That’s why we are incredibly proud to announce that we are sponsoring the **Saltways Charity Film Festival 2026**. This festival celebrates the raw, emotive, and transformative power of visual storytelling in the third sector. We’ll be sharing the stage with some fantastic fellow sponsors and, most importantly, witnessing the incredible work of charities bringing their causes to life on the big screen. But as a digital agency, you might be wondering: *why a film festival?* Because a great story needs a great digital stage. A powerful campaign video might bring a donor to tears, but what happens next? If the journey from watching a film to making a donation, signing a petition, or volunteering is clunky, slow, or inaccessible, the magic of that story is lost. At [Yoyo](http://www.yoyodesign.com "www.yoyodesign.com"), we see digital as the bridge between storytelling and action. For a charity’s narrative to truly make an impact, it needs an ecosystem that supports it. So how do we help charities take their stories further? 1. Building human-centred experiences Your website shouldn't just be an information hub; it should be an extension of your charity's narrative. Whether we're building flexible platforms on [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco")or [streamlining the donation checkout journey](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research-donation-journey/ "Worldwide Cancer Research: Donation Journey"), our goal is to create intuitive, friction-free experiences that guide your supporters exactly where they need to go. 2. Designing for true accessibility A story isn't truly powerful unless everyone can experience it. We advocate heavily for [digital accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-accessibility/ "Yoyo's Approach to Accessibility")ensuring that websites aren't just beautifully designed, but are usable, clear, and fast for people of all abilities. 3. Amplifying comms with smart tech We know that charity communications teams are often stretched thin. By leveraging the right digital architecture and AI tools, we help teams automate the mundane admin so they can focus on what they do best: telling the stories that matter. 4. Aligning tech with ethics Your digital presence shouldn't compromise your charity's mission. That’s why we champion initiatives like [green hosting](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/ "The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority"), ensuring that the carbon footprint of hosting your powerful video content doesn't cost the earth. See you at the festival? We are thrilled to support an event that champions the creativity and passion of the charity sector. [The Saltways Charity Film Festival](https://thesaltways.com/charityfilmfestival/ "thesaltways.com") is going to be a fantastic showcase of visual storytelling, and we can't wait to see the impactful narratives on display. If you’re attending the festival, come and find the Yoyo team. We're offering [free 1-2-1 Digital Sessions](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyo-digital-strategy-session-charities/ "Yoyo Digital Strategy Session (Charities)")to all charities as part of our sponsorship too. We’d love to chat about the films, grab a coffee, and discuss how we can help your charity's digital presence work just as hard as your campaigns do. Sponsor Offer ## We're offering charities free 1-2-1 digital strategy sessions. Find out more and book a free session with one of our Yoyo experts today [Yoyo Digital Strategy Session](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyo-digital-strategy-session-charities/) ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) News ### The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority Discover the hidden environmental cost of your website and learn why switching to green hosting is a critical step to fully align your charity's digital presence with its ethical mission. [The Hidden Footprint: Why green hosting is a mission priority](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/the-hidden-footprint-why-green-hosting-is-a-mission-priority/) --- # How to _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/_ # Latest All ^(119)^ - [All ^(119)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/) - [News ^(72)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) - [How to ^(18)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) - [Events ^(6)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/) - [Umbraco ^(23)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) How to ### How to turn casual scrollers into committed donors with impact content Is your charity's incredible work getting lost in dry PDFs? Discover the six pillars of digital impact content and learn how to transform casual website scrollers into committed donors. [How to turn casual scrollers into committed donors with impact content](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/how-to-turn-casual-scrollers-into-committed-donors-with-impact-content/) How to ### How to design sector-specific websites that meet user expectations Is your "one-size-fits-all" website hurting your bottom line? Here are 3 expert tips to change that. [How to design sector-specific websites that meet user expectations](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/how-to-design-sector-specific-websites-that-meet-user-expectations/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) How to ### Increase conversions by optimising for e-commerce Here’s how to turn more browsers into buyers by optimising your site for conversion. [Increase conversions by optimising for e-commerce](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/increase-conversions-by-optimising-for-e-commerce/) How to ### Support donations with the right tech stack Let’s break down the essentials of building a donation-friendly digital system - one that fits your organisation, is future-proof and focused on action. [Support donations with the right tech stack](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/support-donations-with-the-right-tech-stack/) How to ### Instil purpose across your digital presence Here’s how to ensure your digital presence reflects your values, builds trust and invites people to be part of the change you’re working to create. [Instil purpose across your digital presence](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/instil-purpose-across-your-digital-presence/) How to ### Boost bookings by harnessing SEO Here are the strategies that drive real bookings, not just page views. [Boost bookings by harnessing SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/boost-bookings-by-harnessing-seo/) How to ### Personalise your customer's next car buying experience Customised experiences don’t just make customers happier - they build trust, boost loyalty and turn browsers into buyers. [Personalise your customer's next car buying experience](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/personalise-your-customers-next-car-buying-experience/) 1 of 3 [Next](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/?page=2) --- # Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/_ # Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint How to Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. # In a perfect world, we all want our website to have a low [digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/ "Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint"). Along with feeling guilty about using a diesel car, gas heating and AI, the looming sense that you are doing more harm than good to the planet doesn’t stop with your website. Thankfully, reducing the carbon load of your website isn’t as daunting as it sounds. Especially for charities and purpose-driven organisations, their website is more than a marketing channel, it’s a statement of intent. [Charities](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/ "Charity Web Design Agency")are rightly held to a higher standard. Supporters, funders, and partners expect consistency between mission and behaviour. You have to walk the walk if you talk the talk and there’s a growing expectation that the platforms you choose reflect your values as well as your goals. Every website has a digital carbon footprint. The best part is that if you’re building on [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/what-is-umbraco/), you already have a strong foundation for creating a more sustainable site. Sustainability isn’t a trade-off. Done well, it improves not only performance, but also long-term value. Here are five priorities (in order!) for achieving a more sustainable website, and feeling generally better about your carbon footprint. ## Choose renewable-powered hosting The biggest single impact. If you only do one from this list, make it this one. Your website runs on servers in data centres that consume energy 24/7. Choosing a hosting provider powered by 100% renewable energy can significantly reduce your carbon footprint (who knew?!). You’ve probably heard already about the looming presence of AI-specific data centres. Well we shouldn't forget about the thousands of websites being hosted too. Here at Yoyo, we offer a Green Hosting package, which can host your site on renewable energy. Continuing the good news, [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") is hosting-agnostic, meaning it works equally well with green hosting providers, it’s almost like we’ve given this some thought! ## Keep pages lightweight with smarter images Less data, faster pages. This is hopefully not a surprise to you! Videos and what I will refer to as “heavy” images are the largest contributor to page weight (the amount of data a page needs to load). Another tick for Umbraco is that it supports modern image formats like WebP, which deliver the same visual quality with much smaller file sizes. We also implement logic where our sites automatically serve the right image size for the user’s screen. This means that mobile devices don’t download massive desktop images, etc. With the majority of traffic coming through mobile devices these days, less data = faster pages, lower energy use, lower carbon footprint. See how our [sustainable web design for The SRA](https://yoyodesign.com/work/the-sustainable-restaurant-association/ "The Sustainable Restaurant Association") cut carbon and boosted traffic by 42%. ## Build lean with purposeful features Only load what you actually need. Umbraco’s modular approach allows you to include only the features your organisation genuinely uses. Some other CMS platforms, one in particular that rhymes with “Word Dress”, tend to rely heavily on plugins to add simple functionality. Over time, this can quietly build and build and result in extra code being loaded on every page. Cleaner builds mean browsers and devices don’t have to work as hard, reducing energy use while keeping the site fast and responsive. ## Simplify journeys, not just pages Efficiency helps users and the planet. Every extra click and page load has a cost. If you don’t have your user journey’s down to a tee, there can be hundreds if not thousands of necessary clicks and page loads, just to get a user where they want to be. Umbraco makes it easy to structure content clearly, helping users reach key actions, for instance, donating or finding support, in fewer steps. Less clicks = less energy used. This improves conversion rates and reduces unnecessary data transfer at the same time. [Better UX](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/ux-meets-visual-communication/ "UX meets visual communication")and sustainability naturally go together. ## Future-proof your website Sustainable over the long term. [A sustainable website](https://sustainable-digital-design-guide.yoyodesign.com/) isn’t just efficient today, with the right things in place, it’s easy to maintain tomorrow. Umbraco’s clean content structure means updates, campaigns, and new sections can be added without rebuilding or bolting on heavy plugins, like some other platforms… That longevity reduces rework, redevelopment, and digital waste over time, all while keeping your site adaptable as you evolve. Building a low-carbon website doesn’t require compromise. With Umbraco, sustainability and performance are designed to work together! ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) News ### How we're putting our carbon literacy training into practice We couldn’t be more serious about our responsibility to do right by the planet, and part of that means continuing to educate ourselves on sustainability. [How we're putting our carbon literacy training into practice](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/how-were-putting-our-carbon-literacy-training-into-practice/) --- # Support donations with the right tech stack _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/support-donations-with-the-right-tech-stack/_ # Support donations with the right tech stack How to Let’s break down the essentials of building a donation-friendly digital system - one that fits your organisation, is future-proof and focused on action. When it comes to driving digital donations, every click counts. But increasing online support takes more than just a shiny website. Your cause needs a seamless digital experience that earns trust and inspires action. And behind every donation form, email campaign and social share is a tech stack quietly working to turn intention into impact. But with budgets to stick to and an often overwhelming amount of digital tools to choose from, how do you make sure your tech stack is helping progress, not hindering it? Let's break down the essentials of building a donation-friendly digital system - one that fits your organisation, is future-proof and focused on action. Start with strategy, not software The latest platforms and plugins can be exciting, with demos and discounts luring us in. But before choosing your software, it's important to clarify your digital fundraising goals. Are you trying to increase one-off donations, grow monthly giving or reach a new generation of supporters? Keeping your objectives front of mind is the only way to select software which will actually help you to achieve them. Remember - your tech stack should support your strategy, not the other way around. Start by mapping your donor journey - from discovery (social media, SEO, paid ads) to conversion (landing pages, forms, payment gateways) and retention (email, CRM, community). This will highlight the key touchpoints where tech can have the most impact. Even if you've already got systems and software in place, this is an important activity. Mapping your donor journey will allow you to review your current tech's effectiveness and assess it against your cause's specific goals. The must-have tools in a modern charity tech stack From seamless sites and digital donation platforms to CRMs that keep supporters engaged and email software that helps you tell your story in just the right way, these tools are the backbone of an efficient, impactful organisation. So, here's a closer look at the essentials - and why they really matter for charities today. 1. User-friendly website with flexible CMS Your website is your digital front door. Sure you want it to look good, but it's equally important to make sure it's fast, mobile-optimised and accessible. A modern Content Management System (like Umbraco) lets your team update content without the need for a developer - this is key for campaigns, and causes, that move fast. Bonus points if your site offers in-built integrations with donation platforms, CRMs and email tools. 2. Secure, streamlined donation platform A clunky donation form is the fastest way to lose a would-be donor. So make sure you choose a platform that offers mobile-first design, multiple payment methods (Apple Pay, PayPal, card) and one-click recurring donations. Tools like Enthuse, Donorbox and Raisely are built for charities and offer solid integration options. 3. CRM that helps you know (and grow) your audience A good CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system is the best way to keep track of donors, allowing you to segment audiences and personalise communications. There's tonnes of charity specific CRMs to choose from today, but whether you opt for Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud, Beacon or HubSpot for Charities, make sure it integrates easily with any existing donation and email tools you're using. This is what powers those personalised communications that show supporters the impact of their donation and build long-term loyalty. 4. Email marketing that feels personal, not pushy Email is an oldie but a goodie. In 2025, email campaigns are still one of the most cost-effective ways for non-profit brands to connect with supporters. Platforms like Mailchimp, Campaign Monitor and ConvertKit make creating and automating communications based on donor behaviour simple. Select a platform your team is comfortable using and establish email sequences that welcome new supporters, share stories of impact and encourage past donors to re-engage. Segmented, timely emails (rather than one-size-fits-all) will increase open rates and enhance trust. 5. Analytics that track what matters You can't improve what you don't measure. So use Google Analytics (GA4), Hotjar or built-in platform reports to track where donations are coming from, which content is encouraging action and where users are dropping off. These insights will help you make smarter decisions that improve performance, as well as justifying investments to your stakeholders. Integrations are key (but keep it simple) A truly effective tech stack is more than the sum of its parts, it's how each element works together to improve the entire digital experience (for both supporters and staff). For internal teams, integrations reduce manual work and keep your data clean to inform decision making. Whilst for donors, they help to make the digital experience seamless, engaging and inspiring. But resist the temptation to bolt on too much at once as, without expert digital support, things can quickly get complicated. Where possible, choose platforms with native integrations or open APIs. And consider using middleware like Zapier or Make to automate workflows without needing a full development team. Accessibility, security and trust Ah, accessibility, security and trust. There's a lot of talk of these three words nowadays, but for good reason. For charities, these aren't just "nice-to-haves" - they're non-negotiables. To be accessible, make sure your site and donation forms meet WCAG 2.1 standards. Every supporter should be able to donate, regardless of ability. To stay secure use HTTPS, maintain PCI compliance for payments and keep software up to date. And to build trust, display impact metrics, testimonials and charity accreditation clearly - these build the confidence needed to make those all-important donations (especially for new visitors). Keep it human At the heart of every donation is a human story - someone inspired by your cause and hoping to make a difference. Your tech stack should never get in the way of that connection, in fact it should support it. By choosing tools based on your specific targets and your team's capabilities you'll create a smooth donor experience that seamlessly guides people from learning about your cause to becoming a lifelong supporter. And you'll free up time for your team to focus on what really matters: your mission. Need a helping hand building a tech stack that actually works for you? Well, that's where we come in. Just take a look at how we've helped charity partners like [Worldwide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/ "Worldwide Cancer Research")and [Fight for Sight](https://yoyodesign.com/work/fight-for-sight/ "Fight for Sight")- supporting their important missions with the rich technology behind the scenes. Every charity is different, but there's a lot of common ground when it comes to ensuring fundraising efforts are having the most impact they can. We're dedicated to helping Good Brands do great things. Check out our [digital services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ "Services") to see how we help non-profit organisations just like yours to thrive online. Driving traffic to your donation pages matters too - our [SEO for charities](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-for-charities/ "SEO for Charities") service ensures your cause is found by the right people at the right moment. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # Combine your websites after a company merger or acquisition _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/combine-your-websites-after-a-company-merger-or-acquisition/_ # Combine your websites after a company merger or acquisition How to In this guide, we'll walk you through the essential steps to ensure a smooth transition and achieve your digital integration goals. Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are like moving in with your mates or a significant other - they’re transformative events for companies, big and small. They bring new opportunities, synergies, and challenges, especially when it comes to consolidating websites. Ultimately, you don’t need two kettles. Successfully combining websites after an M&A requires careful planning and execution. In this guide, we'll walk you through the essential steps to ensure a smooth transition and achieve your digital integration goals. ## Align your goals and objectives A happy merger and acquisition primarily hinges on a joint vision for the future - what you are aiming for. You may have joined forces but different organisations have nuanced aspirations, cultures, and kettles ### Design your digital strategy Before diving into the technical aspects of merging websites, it's crucial to align on your goals and objectives. Are you looking to increase brand visibility, streamline operations, or expand your customer base? Explore what you want to achieve with the merger in terms of your digital presence - interviewing your stakeholders is a great place to start uncovering the answers you need. Your [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy") should reflect these objectives and you can reap the benefits as the decision-making becomes a walk in the park during the website design and development process. ### Define what success looks like Defining clear success metrics is essential for evaluating the effectiveness of your merger. Metrics could include increased web traffic, higher conversion rates, or improved user engagement. Establishing these benchmarks will help you measure the impact of your efforts and adjust your strategy as needed. If success involves clearly communicating a renewed brand purpose and mission, you may look towards qualitative insights through a programme of user research to benchmark and measure your progress. ### Consider a phased approach Merging websites doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing endeavour. Consider a phased approach to reduce the complexity and risks associated with the transition. Start by focusing on the most critical aspects and gradually integrate additional components. This approach allows you to learn and adapt as you go, making it easier to manage the merger effectively. If you are working with an agency and have established a digital partnership, they will be well positioned to advise on a roadmap that allows your digital presence to scale, minus the growing pains. ## Perform a technical audit It’s essential that you dig into the data and technical setup of your technology stack to identify how you can put your best foot forward with your new, merged digital presence. How old is your kettle? How does its energy consumption compare to your partner’s? ### Choose a primary website instance In most cases, you'll need to decide which of the existing websites will become the primary instance. There are a plethora of factors to consider but things like domain authority, content quality, and user engagement are a good place to start when making this decision. The chosen website will become the home for your merged entity, no matter the frontend design, and you need to make sure you have the best foundations to build upon. ### Select a preferred Content Management System (CMS) Consolidating your digital presence may involve migrating content to and fro between various platforms. Selecting a preferred CMS that aligns with your digital strategy and can efficiently handle the content migration is crucial to ensure your website works with, not against, your organisation. Content Management Systems come in a variety of shapes and sizes so it’s important to pick one that matches your team’s level of technical expertise and the level of functionality you need. ### Review your technology stack Make sure to take a look at your broader technology stack, including hosting infrastructure, third-party integrations, and plugins. Ensure compatibility with new and existing systems and identify any potential conflicts that may arise whilst scoping out your new and improved website. Addressing these issues proactively will help prevent disruptions to your website's functionality and ensure it’s delivered on time and within budget. ## Refresh your brand and user experience Every now and then, you need to refresh your wardrobe. Your collection of t-shirts might be threadbare or you want to keep up with the latest trends. Nevertheless a rebrand could be on the horizon. It’s no different for websites. Especially if you start wearing someone else’s clothes (I mean merging two or more websites…). ### Define your audience Joining forces with another organisation usually means you have a lot in common but there are likely a fair few differences too - like your target audience. If this is the case, your new website will serve a broader or more diverse set of users. Collate the information you already have, conduct additional user and stakeholder research to gain insights into the preferences and expectations of your (new) audience. Defining your target audience will enable you to make user-centred decisions along the way and tailor your content, design, and user experience to deliver an impactful digital experience. ### Reimagine your online presence Although a challenge, mergers and acquisitions are an opportunity. A chance to refresh your organisation’s online presence and re-establish authority in your industry. Reevaluate your brand identity, including logomark, colour palette, and messaging, to create a cohesive and compelling story. Consistency across the merged website will enhance trust and recognition of your brand. ### Redesign your information architecture Content is king, especially when it comes to combining websites. Not only because you’ll likely have reams to sift through, but also because it is so crucial to your user experience. Use this exercise as an opportunity to streamline and optimise your website's information architecture to ensure a seamless user experience that drives conversions. Take a step back and perform a content audit, involve users in the design process - card sorting springs to mind - and evaluate design decisions. A well-designed information architecture has a positive impact on your website’s usability and your users’ experience of your brand more broadly. ## Preserve authority during migration When you merge two or more websites, you need to make sure you don’t take a step backwards. All that means is more work in the future. To this end, ensuring you preserve your authority online is crucial to the success of your newly combined website. ### Follow a technical SEO checklist Whilst it might seem tedious, this step is full of quick wins to set you up for success. To prevent a loss in search engine rankings during the migration, we always recommend you follow a comprehensive technical checklist. A list like this can include  tasks such as setting up proper 301 redirects, updating XML sitemaps, and ensuring canonical URLs are correctly configured. ### Review Core Web Vitals Google's Core Web Vitals also play a significant role in SEO rankings. Ensure that your merged website meets these vitals' standards, including page speed, interactivity, and visual stability. It’s not as scary as it sounds; you can use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to help identify and address performance issues. ### Set Up 301 Redirects A big no no when it comes to migrating content from one site to another is leaving loose ends, i.e. URLs that lead to error pages. Not only is it poor from an SEO perspective, but it negatively impacts your user experience. Redirecting old URLs to corresponding pages on the merged website is crucial to preserve SEO equity. Implement 301 redirects to inform search engines about the content migration and prevent broken links. A well-planned redirect strategy will help maintain your website's search engine rankings. After the dust settles and you’re ready to merge your websites, what seems like a complex challenge can be minimised with a composed and strategic approach. By aligning your goals, conducting a [technical audit](https://yoyodesign.com/services/technical-consultancy-performance/ "Technical Consultancy & Performance"), refreshing your brand and user experience, and preserving SEO during migration, you can successfully integrate your digital assets and create a cohesive online presence that supports your business objectives. A well-executed merger should be seen as an opportunity to produce a stronger, more competitive digital experience in the long run. Want to know more? Let’s chat! Want to know more about us or just have a quick chat before putting pen to paper? Then let’s chat! Book a meeting with a member of the team today: e - newbusiness@yoyodesign.com ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # Increase conversions by optimising for e-commerce _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/increase-conversions-by-optimising-for-e-commerce/_ # Increase conversions by optimising for e-commerce How to Here’s how to turn more browsers into buyers by optimising your site for conversion. From SEO strategies to social campaigns, you’re putting in a lot of effort to attract your ideal audience to your website. But if those visitors aren’t converting then that hard work is going to waste. We all know how competitive the ecommerce landscape is, and a well-optimised site is the difference between a visitor making that all-important purchase or hopping over to a competitor’s website. In fact, in 2025, your site is your most valuable sales assistant. It works around the clock, greets every visitor and (if set up properly) guides them smoothly from interest to checkout. But too often, sites are full of friction with slow load times, confusing navigation and unclear calls to action. This means missed opportunities and lost sales. But it’s not all bad news because small, strategic changes can have a big impact. Here’s how to turn more browsers into buyers by optimising your site for conversion. ## Prioritise performance (speed = sales) Let’s start with the basics: site speed. According to Google, the probability of a bounce [increases by 32%](https://business.google.com/uk/think/) as page load time goes from one to three seconds. That’s a big deal for your bottom line. So here’s how you can improve your speed: - Compress images (without compromising quality) - Use a content delivery network (CDN) for faster global load times - Minify CSS, JavaScript and HTML - Choose a reliable, scalable hosting provider A streamlines site doesn't just improve UX, it's also a positive ranking factor for SEO - driving even more traffic your way. ## Streamline navigation Shoppers want to find what they’re looking for. And fast. Your site structure should make that easy, not overwhelming. Use clear, descriptive categories and filters (e.g “Vegan Skincare” not just “Other”), add predictive search to speed up discovery, and show recently viewed items. Because if people can’t find it, they can’t buy it. ## Optimise product pages Product pages are where decisions happen. Each one needs to do the heavy lifting - building trust, answering questions and prompting action. Here are some product page must-haves: - High-quality, zoomable images (and ideally, video) - Clear product descriptions focused on benefits, not just features - Sizing guides, reviews and FAQs - Transparent pricing, shipping and returns infoUnmissable “Add to Basket” buttons Consider adding urgency cues like low stock indicators or limited-time offers. But keep it honest - remember, trust matters. ## Make checkout frictionless Cart abandonment is one of the biggest conversion killers in retail, and optimising your checkout flow can recover a surprising number of sales. Offer guest checkout (don’t force account creation), use address auto-complete and clearly display delivery costs upfront. Oh, and make sure you offer multiple payment options, including one-click purchase. A smooth checkout should feel like a seamless next step of the shopping experience, not an arduous admin job. ## Build trust with transparency People buy from brands they trust. So your site should answer the unspoken questions: is this legit? Will I be happy with my purchase? To quell those concerns and build that trust add customer reviews and testimonials. Include real user-generated content (like Instagram galleries or tagged photos) so shoppers can see the product IRL. Make sure your certifications are clearly displayed (eco-friendly, cruelty-free, B Corp etc). And bring customer support options to the forefront. For bonus points, highlight your returns policy and satisfaction guarantees - removing this perceived risk makes it easier for people to hit buy. ## Get personal Personalisation doesn’t mean being creepy, it means being helpful. When done right, it improves both customer satisfaction and conversion rates. Her are some ways you can personalise: - Show recently viewed items or abandoned carts - Recommend items based on browsing or purchase history - Use location to tailor delivery options - Greet returning users by name (where appropriate) These little touches add up to a site that feels designed just for them, a brand that values their custom and a company that they want to support. ## Don’t stop optimising Optimisation should be ongoing - let the data guide your decisions, and never stop iterating. Use tools like Google Analytics, Hotjar or Clarity to understand where users drop off, what pages convert best and where enhancements can be made. A/B test your CTAs, product shots, homepage banners and checkout layout to continually improve performance. Ultimately, increasing conversions isn’t about gaming the system - it’s about designing a more enjoyable experience for your customers. When your site feels easy, intuitive and trustworthy, people buy more. And they come back. ## Need a hand levelling up your site’s performance? We've got plenty of experiences in creating sites that people love to shop. Take Over+Above, for example, where we created a high-performing website for a high-performing new sportswear brand. With a bespoke technical setup and a data-driven [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy"), they're set up for commercial success. Have a look at our digital services to see how we can build a beautiful, buyer-friendly shopfront for your retail brand. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # Cut through the UX jargon _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/cut-through-the-ux-jargon/_ # Cut through the UX jargon How to In this guide, we'll demystify five essential concepts that frequently crop up in UX design discussions. In the ever-evolving field of [UX design](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX"), jargon and terminology can often be a barrier for newcomers, seasoned professionals and teams working with UX design practitioners for the first time. So, let's demystify five essential concepts that frequently crop up in UX design discussions: User Journey mapping, personas, cognitive load, layers of progressive disclosure, and discovery and definition phases. ## User Journey Mapping User Journey Mapping is an indispensable tool in a UX designer's arsenal. It's the process of visualising and understanding the entire user experience as a sequence of steps or touchpoints. This technique allows designers to walk in the shoes of the user, identifying pain points, opportunities for improvement, and moments of delight. Visualisation like this helps you empathise with the user's perspective and uncover any roadblocks or areas that need enhancement. At Yoyo, we use these most often to map out the current journey that a user might go on and point out exactly where pain-points and opportunities are in that journey. We also use these to map out the recommended journey that we are suggesting or working towards, pointing out where the changes need to happen and what they might look like. The other reason we love user journey mapping, is because it facilitates collaboration among design teams and stakeholders, aligning everyone on the user's perspective. It's a dynamic tool that can be updated as the product evolves, ensuring a user-centred approach throughout the design process. ## Personas Personas are fictional characters that represent various user groups or segments. They are not mere stereotypes but well-researched, detailed archetypes that embody the characteristics, needs, goals, and pain points of a specific user demographic. Creating personas empowers designers to design with empathy and precision, and can be used internally by marketing teams, business teams, product teams - and really anyone, as a point of reference for new ideas. The most critical misconception there is about personas, is that they can or should be pulled out of thin air. To craft effective personas, conduct user research, like surveys, and interviews. Gather data on user behaviours, motivations, and preferences. Then, distil this information into a few personas that encapsulate the diversity of your user base. Personas serve as a reference point during the design process. They help in making informed decisions about features, content, and usability. By addressing the unique needs of each persona, you can create a more tailored and engaging user experience. Made up personas, will lead to incorrect assumptions being replicated across expensive work streams, which no one wants. ## Cognitive Load Cognitive Load refers to the mental effort required for a user to process and interact with a digital interface. In [UX design](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX"), we aim to minimise cognitive load to create intuitive and user-friendly experiences. High cognitive load can lead to frustration and abandonment of a product or service. To reduce cognitive load, we follow principles like the following: - Simplify: Streamline the user interface, removing unnecessary elements and distractions. - Consistency: Maintain consistency in design elements, such as buttons and navigation, to reduce the need for users to relearn how to use your product. - Hierarchy: Use visual hierarchy to prioritise important information and actions. - Feedback: Provide clear and immediate feedback to confirm user actions. - Progressive Disclosure: Present information in digestible chunks, revealing complexity gradually. ## Layers of Progressive Disclosure Progressive Disclosure ensures that users aren't bombarded with too much information or choices at once, making it easier for them to navigate and make choices without feeling overwhelmed. Progressive Disclosure is a design technique that involves thinking about and presenting information or functionality in layers, allowing users to access deeper levels of content or features as they need them. It's a key strategy for managing cognitive load and simplifying complex interfaces. Imagine an app with a settings menu. Instead of overwhelming users with a long list of options, you can implement progressive disclosure. Start with a basic view of essential settings and offer sub category options to delve deeper into more advanced settings if the user chooses to. ## Discovery and Definition Phases The Discovery and Definition Phases are critical stages in the UX design process, often the foundation upon which the entire project rests. Let’s take a brief look at each: - Discovery Phase: In this stage, designers and stakeholders aim to understand the project's goals, target audience, and existing challenges. This involves research, user interviews, and competitive analysis. The goal is to identify problems and opportunities. - Definition Phase: Once the discovery phase is complete, the definition phase begins. Here, you'll synthesise the insights gained and begin shaping the project. This includes setting clear objectives, defining user personas, and outlining the user journey. The outcome is a well-defined project scope and design direction. These phases are essential for a user-centred approach, ensuring that designers have a deep understanding of the user's needs and a clear vision for the project's direction. Holding off definition activities until discovery has been completed means that you can ensure the user research you’ve conducted has maximum impact throughout the project. ## In conclusion Mastering these UX design concepts – user Journey mapping, personas, cognitive load, layers of progressive disclosure, and discovery and definition phases – can significantly enhance your ability to create user-centric and effective digital experiences. We hope this clears them up somewhat, we’re passionate about great UX but know it can be overwhelming to learn all the UX jargon. Want to know more? Let’s chat! Want to know more about us or just have a quick chat before putting pen to paper? Then let’s chat! Book a meeting with a member of the team today: e - newbusiness@yoyodesign.com ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # Personalise your customer's next car buying experience _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/personalise-your-customers-next-car-buying-experience/_ # Personalise your customer's next car buying experience How to Customised experiences don’t just make customers happier - they build trust, boost loyalty and turn browsers into buyers. Let’s be honest, buying a car isn’t what it used to be. The days of wandering into a dealership and seeing what takes your fancy are long gone. Today’s vehicle buyers start their journey before they ever get a whiff of that new car smell or clap eyes on a salesperson. They’re researching, comparing models and, sometimes even, deciding online. That means every digital interaction matters. And when those interactions feel personal? Well, that’s where the magic happens. Personalised experiences don’t just make customers happier - they build trust, boost loyalty and turn browsers into buyers. Wondering how you can personalise your customer journey? Let’s get into it… ## 1. Map the journey Creating a personalised experience starts with understanding your customer’s journey - from the very first spark of interest to long after the keys are handed over. Think of it like a map with a few important pit stops: - Discovery: Where do people first hear about you? Social media? Google? A glowing recommendation from a friend? - Consideration: What are they curious about? Specs, comparisons, real-life reviews? - Decision: How do they want to take the next step? A quick call? An email exchange? A chatbot? - Post-purchase: What keeps them coming back? Friendly service reminders? Exclusive loyalty perks? Something else? Knowing these answers allows you to meet customers where they’re at, and anticipate what they might need before they even have to ask. ## 2. Embrace tech ### Get to know them with a CRM A good CRM (Customer Relationship Management system) is like your digital memory. It keeps track of what your customers are interested in, what they’ve asked about before and what kind of car they might be dreaming of. Instead of sending everyone the same email, you can tailor messages based on actual preferences - whether that’s electric vehicles, SUVs or something sporty and red. ### Make your site feel like a showroom Your website should feel as welcoming and helpful as a chat with your best sales rep. By integrating smart tools like recommendation engines you can show people the models and offers they’re most likely to love. And with an automated chatbot you can help browsers book test drives and answer queries in real-time. ### Connect the online with the offline Add functionality to your site that lets customers build their dream car online, explore it in a virtual showroom and book a real-world test drive in just a few clicks. When the transition from screen to showroom is smooth and consistent it reassures people they’re in good hands - making an end purchase more likely. ### Speak to different people, differently Not all buyers are looking for the same thing. For example, first-time car owners, growing families and eco-conscious drivers all have different priorities. So segment your audience into buyer type then tailor your emails, social ads and special offers accordingly. It’s all about sending the right message to the right people (at the right time). ## 3. Remember, trust is built in the details Personalisation isn’t just about flexing the capabilities of modern tech, it’s about showing people you genuinely care. Be consistent with your messaging, keep your tone human and make sure your customer service is just as responsive as your website. Real reviews, walk-through videos and live Q&A sessions can all help build the kind of trust that drives decisions. ## 4. Keep tweaking, keep improving Just like servicing a car, your [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy") needs regular check-ups. Use data and analytics to see what’s working and what’s not. Try out different headlines, layouts or offers and learn what your audience responds to. The more you adapt, the better the experience will become. When you show up for your customers with tailored, thoughtful experiences, they’ll show up for you. Every journey should feel smooth, seamless and a little bit special. Because in the end, you’re not just selling cars. You’re helping someone take the next big step in their life - with confidence, clarity and a great set of wheels. Ready to personalise your customer journey? Then you’re in the right place. We’re [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to driving growth, and cultivating change. Check out [our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) to see how we can help put your brand in the fast lane. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # Set goals and expectations when working with an agency _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/set-goals-and-expectations-when-working-with-an-agency/_ # Set goals and expectations when working with an agency How to Here are our top considerations to set you up for success Setting goals and expectations are key to a healthy client-agency relationship, enabling you to align on the same vision for individual projects and partnerships alike. Here are our top considerations to set you up for success. ## The first date ### Roles & responsibilities The best client-relationships are those where there is mutual understanding of one-another’s capabilities. Knowing where yours end and your agency’s begin will facilitate a seamless workflow and ensure a symbiotic relationship. To this end, defining roles and responsibilities early on is key to tempering expectations; allowing your agency to plug skill and knowledge gaps in a way which delivers you the best value and results. You might like to use something like a ‘RACI’ matrix to map out who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed throughout a project to help keep everything working smoothly. ### Communication Encouraging open and honest communication sets the tone for a healthy client-agency relationship. Transparency about aspirations and apprehensions allows for collaborative problem-solving and establishes trust. When both parties share information candidly, it paves the way for goal and expectation setting as well as fostering an environment that enables the most creative solutions. ### Future-gazing At the end of the day, both you and your agency want to deliver brilliant work. Developing a shared strategic vision of what you want to achieve is the cornerstone of a successful client-agency relationship. By aligning your long-term vision, you  can work with your agency towards the same end. This shared vision keeps both teams aligned, no matter the context, team member or project, and helps you make informed decisions along the way. Discussing potential long-term implications and opportunities resulting from a project's success can help you and your agency prepare for what lies ahead. ## The honeymoon phase ### Goals & objectives Everything’s great, and you and your agency are ‘official’ - it’s time to look to the future. What does success look like for you both? The answer lies in the goals and objectives you define early on. Establishing clear and measurable metrics off the back of your goals and objectives is essential to not only evaluate your project's outcomes, but keep everyone working in the same direction. Much like your strategic vision, but now we’re getting down to brass tacks. Whether it's an improvement in conversion rate, increased organic traffic, or an [optimised user experience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX"); defining specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals helps track progress and celebrate successes. You might also be interested in OKRs - whatever floats your boat. ### Focussing on what matters Goals and objectives are great, but we don’t want to spread ourselves too thin. Setting priorities is crucial for efficient resource allocation and timely delivery which both have directly correspond with either party’s expectations. Collaboratively identifying and ranking tasks based on their impact and effort enables your agency to make informed decisions through the process and deliver on your goals and objectives without getting sidetracked by less critical matters. ### Scope ‘Scope’ is a scary word, especially when paired with ‘creep’, but it shouldn’t be! Clearly defining and being realistic about what is achievable within budget is crucial to manage expectations effectively. This includes discussing budget constraints, deadlines, and anything else that may impact the project's progress. That’s not to say that you can’t plan your project in a way that leaves the door open for additional scope in future phases - client-agency relationships are all about growth and new opportunities! ## Down the road(map) ### Looking at the big picture Having a comprehensive view of the project timeline is crucial for both you and your agency. Mapping the entire process (within reason… we know things can change!), from the project's inception to its conclusion, allows for better planning and management of your project team’s time. Providing visibility of and access to a project plan, which includes milestones and deliverables, then ensures that everyone involved is on the same page. This helps manage expectations and facilitates smooth progress towards your goals throughout the project. ### Keep track of decisions & actions Keeping a record of decisions and actions ensures that both you and your agency are aware of what is needed from one another. Maintaining a log of this information serves as a reference point which helps you stay on track and hold one another accountable. ### Leveraging tools You don’t have to go it alone. There are plenty of tried-and-tested tools, frameworks and processes that countless teams have used to facilitate goal and expectation setting. From project management softwares and spreadsheets to industry-standard metrics and processes, streamlined communication and collaboration is the ultimate aim. That said, no matter how or what you use to get there, as long as you and your agency are on a smooth and enjoyable journey that suits both parties, you will keep moving forward towards success. Put simply, a successful client-agency partnership hinges on collaboration. Setting clear goals and expectations from the outset are simply an effective means to facilitate a healthy working relationship that you and your agency benefit from. Clear roles and responsibilities, well-defined objectives, and a structured project timeline are vital elements to ensure a fruitful and productive partnership. By understanding each other's communication styles, agreeing on tools and channels, establishing your boundaries, and working towards a shared vision, you and your agency will deliver value and create a positive impact. ## Want to know more? Let’s chat! Want to know more about us or just have a quick chat before putting pen to paper? Then let’s chat! e - newbusiness@yoyodesign.com ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # Write a killer website brief _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/write-a-killer-website-brief/_ # Write a killer website brief How to Expert tips and tricks on writing the perfect agency brief Getting the right agency for your new website project is critical to its success, and this all starts by writing a great brief. So, here's our expert advice on how to craft one. ## The four-step basic framework We find this broad framework works well as a structure for most website briefs, breaking down all the key information into easy-to-reference sections. 1. **About us** – *Provide a high-level introduction about you and your brand*. 2. **Project detail** – *Give an overview of the project and all you want to achiev*e. 3. **Project timeline** - *Outline the go-live date, plus any other key milestones*. 4. **Proposal detail** – *Detail submission deadlines and agency criteria*. ## The ‘must haves’ Once you have your broad framework, you can start adding the detail. Here are some crucial bits we would encourage you to add: ### 1. Company background What does your business do? What is the history of the business? These questions are so important for creating a striking site. As an outsider, agencies can often spot interesting nuances about your brand that can be used to help you stand out from your competitors. So, the more context you can share, the better. ### 2.  Project background Why has the brief come about? And why now? Knowing why a project has got the green light helps an agency to understand the bigger picture and the pressing issues within your world. For instance, if poor site functionality is impacting on a specific marketing process, then lay these out clearly. ### 3. Project Objectives What will make this site ‘successful’ and how will you measure it? Consider including here both your short and long-term objectives. If you can, outline how these objectives fit into the wider marketing/business strategy. Knowing the wider strategy is key, even if the objective isn’t commercial. ### 4. Target audience / personas Who is your audience? And why do they use your site? If you’ve done work developing key personas for your brand already, then detail that within that brief. However, if you need help narrowing your audiences, outline that too. This means you won’t go over old ground unnecessarily. ### 5.  Competitors Who are your main competitors? When mapping out your competitor landscape, it’s a good idea to include any strengths and weaknesses, plus any detail which shows the competitive pressures of your business. Other areas might include lost customer feedback and site functionality you want to replicate. ### 6. Project management and timelines When does the project need to be completed by? And why? The ‘why’ is the critical one here. If the website launch needs to coincide with a fixed event for example, then it’s always good to know about this at the start. This ensures the right resource and time management is put in place from the very beginning. ### 7. Budget What budget are you comfortable working within? The budget is a ‘must have’ because agencies simply can’t prepare a realistic proposal without it. If you haven’t scoped one yet, then even a ballpark figure is sufficient to get started. Choose from £0k - £15k, £15k - £30k, £30k - £50k or £50k+. ### 8. Technical requirements Does the site require integration? And what are the technical requirements? Functional requirements – such as contact form and CRM system integration are critical for the brief because they are fundamental to the scope of the project. Other technical requirements might include admin permissions and multi-language pages. ### 9. Brand guidelines Do you have any? And do they cover digital brand assets? If a business has guidelines, often they don’t extend to digital assets such as animation and video. Digital style guidelines can be developed as part of a website project, so if that’s needed, include it within the brief so it can be scoped. ### 10. Content build and migration Who will be responsible for copywriting and populating the new site? Copywriting and content migration is not usually included, as standard, as part of a website project. If you have the required resource in-house, make a note in the brief of who will be responsible, or alternatively specify what support you need. ### The ‘nice to haves’ 1. Hosting **Do you require it? And what is your current hosting environment?** Hosting is a question often asked by clients during a project, but if you need help with it, it’s well worth mentioning it, so it can be factored-in from the beginning. Sustainable hosting is however more important to know at the very outset. ### 2. Stakeholder management **Who is going to be involved?** Website projects are huge undertakings and getting agreement from multiple stakeholders takes time. Knowing what stakeholders will be part of the sign-off process, and how they like to work, is always helpful to know, so they can each be factored into the proposed timeline. ### 3. Agency requirements **What are you looking for in an agency?** If you’re keen to secure an agency that has a proven track record within a particular sector or working with a specific platform, then make sure you outline this clearly. Similarly, if it’s important to have an agency that mirrors your own company values, then say that too. ### 4. SEO support **Do you have any SEO support in-house, or do you work with an agency?** SEO is likely to be a key part of your site delivery, so understanding how you currently manage it is helpful, as SEO-support can be built into the scope, if it’s required. Or, if there is a third-party agency to liaise with, this can be built into the proposed timeline. ### 5. Support and maintenance **Will you need ongoing support?** Site maintenance is crucial for keeping your site in tip top condition post-launch. If you know your business is going to need ongoing support after the go-live, include this in the brief, and the proposal can then include an indication of what investment this would involve. ## The icing on the cake Feeling confident you’ve included everything? Here are just a few extra tips to consider before submitting. ### Less is not more. The more information you can give, the better. Not only does it mean you get a proposal that meets your expectation (hopefully first time), but if an agency is fully versed about your brand, it helps to avoid any annoying bumps in the road after a project has begun. ### Don’t assume anything. It’s easy to assume that: ‘X comes as standard as part of the project, because that’s what our last agency did’. Agencies don’t know what they don’t know, and whatever specifications you have, it’s always better to lay them out, no matter how obvious they seem. ### Prioritise Writing briefs can sometimes end up being a bit like a shopping list – long and unwieldy – so prioritising is critical. New site objectives might include improving accessibility, driving traffic, or even improving sustainability. Make it clear which one should be focused on the most. ### Include the ‘no-nos’ Saying what you don’t want, is just as important as saying what you do want. If you’ve done something before that wasn’t quite right, then include it. Or, if perhaps you have a real desire to step away from anything your brand has done before, then include that too. ### Write honestly. What we mean by this, is write unequivocally about what you really want. If you need an agency that will work hard to challenge your ideas and push the envelope, then say it! The best client relationships are built on openness, and the brief is no better place to start. ## Want to know more? [Book a meeting](mailto:newbusiness@yoyodesign.com) with a member of the team today ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # Keep people at the heart of your fundraising _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/keep-people-at-the-heart-of-your-fundraising/_ # Keep people at the heart of your fundraising How to Fundraising has never been about the money - it's actually all about people. Many years of partnering with charities and non-profit organisations has taught us a thing or two about garnering the support needed to drive your mission forward. One of our key takeaways? That fundraising isn't about money. It's about people. It's about inviting them into something bigger than themselves, and giving them the chance to say, "Yes, I want to be a part of that". Get that right, and you have so much more than a transaction: you have genuine connection and the foundation of a strong relationship. It's our mission to help Good Brands do great things, so that they can deliver an even greater impact - and that involves knowing what works, what doesn't, and what happens when fundraising goes digital. Here are just a few strategies that deliver real results, harnessing the power of digital but always rooted in human connection. Get the timing right The ask is where it all begins. Too soon, and you haven't earned your audience's attention yet. Too late, and the moment has passed. Timing is everything when calling upon potential donors, and missing the mark means you run the risk of coming across as pushy or transactional. With online attention spans getting shorter and shorter, and the amount of competing information audiences are bombarded with, it's crucial that you make the ask when their interest is highest. Your digital presence should be a journey, gradually warming people up before jumping into donation mode. Start with telling people why you exist, what you believe in, and how change is being driven by your organisation. Make them feel a part of it with storytelling, proof of impact, and values that they can get behind. Then, when the moment is right, invite them to give with clarity and confidence. A well-placed call-to-action can turn interest and engagement into action. ## Let belief shine through Supporters don't give to organisations - they give to ideas they believe in, to causes they can get behind, to visions of the future, and to stories that make them feel something. And they want to know that your organisation feels the same way. Your passions should be present across your digital presence, because if you're not convinced about your mission, why should anyone else be? Inauthenticity can be spotted from a mile away, so all of your digital channels should reflect your conviction and your commitment. Your story needs to go beyond a single paragraph on your "About Us" page, to put your purpose front and centre, consistently. Share why your team gets up every morning. Spotlight your beneficiaries and their stories. Use photos, quotes, behind-the-scenes moments - anything that shows what makes your work real. From your tone of voice, to your donation page, to the small print in your footer, your belief in what you're doing should permeate your content. ## Listen before you speak Fundraising will always be a conversation, not a monologue. Any good conversation starts with listening, so before churning out the content, pause and think - Who are you talking to? What do they care about? What motivates them? Because once you understand what your audience values, you can tailor your message to how they best receive information. Some people respond to stats, while others prefer stories.Some want to know where their donation is going in numbers, while others can visualise it better in a video testimonial. Speaking the language of your supporters means you're halfway there. So, ask questions. Engage on social media. Monitor your comments sections and query boxes. Send out surveys, and ask for feedback. The more you listen, the more you'll learn about exactly what your audiences care about. Then, you can meet them exactly where they are, on common ground. ## Keep it simple There are three key questions that you need to answer clearly, in order to get donors on board: - What's the point? - What's the need? - Why can you do it better than others? Answering these provides a strong foundation, giving users an idea of why you should be the one they go to. Lead with a punchy message that gets straight to the heart of the matter, rather than getting lost in the weeds. You can offer deeper detail for those who'd like it, but your initial message should be crystal clear. Simplicity builds trust, and trust drives action. So, lose the jargon, the cluttered pages, and the confusing navigation, and opt for streamlined content that hits the nail on the head. It'll do wonders for your accessibility and sustainability too. A well-considered [charity web design](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/ "Charity Web Design Agency") underpins every step of the donor journey, from first impression to completed gift. ## Use tech to clarify, not complicate As a digital marketer, you'll have a whole host of tools at your fingertips when it comes to getting your mission out there. From your CRM, to your donation platform, to how your website is hosted, your digital partners should be easy to work with, match your budget, and enhance your process. The right tools will empower your team, not overwhelm them. Look out for platforms that are intuitive and flexible, making things seamless for your users, but also for your team behind the scenes. There are some non-negotiables - for example, mobile-optimised giving is no longer a nice-to-have, given that most of your audience will interact via their phone. Think responsive layouts, sticky buttons, and digital wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay. All of that activity will generate a lot of data - data that can help you build better relationships. You don't need to know everything about everyone, but knowing the right things (like who's donating, where they come from, and what content they engage with) goes a long way. Use the insights to personalise your outreach, refine your messaging and optimise your digital presence over time. When used thoughtfully and ethically, data is one of the most powerful tools for generating the growth you're looking for in your fundraising. Alongside your tech stack, investing in [SEO for charities](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-for-charities/ "SEO for Charities") ensures your fundraising content is discoverable when people search for causes to support. ## Show gratitude at every step Fundraising is a value exchange. People give because they care - but they also want to feel seen. When donors feel valued, they're more likely to give again, to tell their friends, and to become long-term advocates. A thank you goes a long way, and digital platforms make this easy - whether it's an automated email, a social shoutout, or personalised content, there are so many creative ways to show donors that their gift matters. So show appreciation sincerely, and show it often. Make it a part of your culture and your content to help your relationship with supporters thrive. ## In conclusion The noise of a crowded online space combined with growing expectations for transparency and personal relevance mean that fundraising is about shared purpose, now more than ever. Successful fundraising is about building relationships over time, being ready when the moment is right, and making generosity feel personal, immediate, and meaningful. Every interaction you have with your audience is an opportunity to reinforce trust and remind them that change is within reach. So, as you look to your next fundraising campaign, ask yourself not just "How do we raise more money?", but "How do we make people feel part of something powerful?" ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # Get the most out of your digital investment _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/get-the-most-out-of-your-digital-investment/_ # Get the most out of your digital investment How to How can you manage the challenges of maintaining and improving a digital presence, while working to stay aligned with changing needs and goals? As much as we’d love to unleash unbridled creativity on every project, it’s just not something that’s realistic. As in most cases, boundaries are necessary to keep everyone on the same page in terms of what can, and cannot happen. Time, budget, and scope are the three competing constraints that dictate the final result - and they need to be balanced in order to achieve a final product that makes everyone happy. Wider scope usually means more time and increased cost. Working to a tight deadline means accepting a reduced scope and/or higher budget. If your budget is limited, the project could take longer or need to be less complex. There’s no room for “wouldn’t it be nice if…” when all three points of the triangle are fixed. Changing any of time, budget, or scope means the other two will need to be adjusted, and there’ll have to be a tradeoff to make it possible. What it comes down to is - where are you willing to budge? ## Budget In the same way that 5K won’t get you a Ferrari, a shiny new website with all the bells and whistles needs a budget to match. Yes, there’s the cost of the work - but there are additional expenses to think about, like hosting, ongoing support and maintenance, and copywriting. The amount you’re willing to spend is directly proportional to the results you’ll be able to get. In practice, this means recognising that your vision of the final result has to fit within the financial constraints of the project. ## Time Establishing realistic timelines is key to making sure a project runs as smoothly as it can. From the initial gathering of insights and requirements all the way up to celebrating the launch, every step of the process takes time - and a project that doesn’t exceed budget and scope is one that manages that time appropriately. Beyond the hours worked on the project, you’ve got to consider internal meetings, planning and playbacks, and the time spend on managing the project overall - it all adds up. ## Scope Scope can be a slippery slope. A project that started out as a simple online brochure can quickly spiral into a complex digital platform with high-tech advanced features. It’s important to think about the level of detail and complexity you’re looking for, and exactly what deliverables you’ll be waiting for beforehand. Defining and managing scope means you can prevent time and cost from creeping up unexpectedly. ## Keeping the triangle intact ### Embrace the phased approach At Yoyo, we’re big fans of roadmapping - it allows you to plan and execute digital optimisations in manageable steps that line up with your budget, time, and scope constraints while also considering your strategic priorities. Smaller steps can get you to the same destination, while keeping everyone sane in the process. Rather than doing everything at once, a road map breaks the project down into individual tasks with specific deadlines. This makes it easier to track progress and prevent scope creep - think setting out with an itinerary and a picnic rather than wandering through the wilderness. ### Leverage data and analytics It’s true that knowledge is power. Having a solid understanding of your website’s goals, metrics, and performance means you can make informed decisions and justify the digital investments that you choose to make. Take advantage of the wealth of data generated by your website to predict outcomes, identify opportunities, and build a data-driven case that resonates with your stakeholders. It’s not just the cold, hard figures that give you the evidence you need; individual feedback and qualitative insight can help you understand aspects like brand perception and reputation, which in turn helps you decide where your investment is best spent. ### Look to the future There are long-term advantages to [investing in digital](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") - beyond a fresh new presence, you’ll also benefit from improvements in areas like security, scalability and compliance. There’s no point in shelling out for a website that won’t be fit for purpose in a few months. Proactive, continuous attention is necessary to prevent the recurring big projects that come out of not thinking ahead. Spend time strategising about your website’s direction and specific areas where you can optimise. Meeting and exceeding your digital goals requires a dynamic approach - so aim to stay ahead, rather than simply keep up. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # Use Umbraco forms to turbo charge your marketing efforts _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/use-umbraco-forms-to-turbo-charge-your-marketing-efforts/_ # Use Umbraco forms to turbo charge your marketing efforts How to Here's how Umbraco Forms can help you double down on your digital marketing efforts, to generate leads, and deliver value to both your customers and your business Forms are a tried and tested means to build your Customer Relationship Management (CRM), generate leads, and deliver value to both your customers and your business. That said, they aren’t easy to master. Here’s how Umbraco Forms can help you double down on your digital marketing efforts. ## What is Umbraco Forms? Umbraco is an open-source content management system (CMS) which powers over 700,000 active projects across the world for businesses of all types, sizes, and sectors, from charities and start-ups to FTSE 500 organisations. Put simply, Umbraco makes managing your website super easy and allows us, as a digital design agency, to design and build bespoke websites for our clients. A beautiful digital experience goes a long way, but we know that lead generation, data collection and conversion make or break your marketing efforts. Thankfully, Umbraco has a solution for this too. Enter Umbraco Forms; a flexible, responsive, and easy-to-use form builder designed to effortlessly collect the data you need as marketers. From surveys and newsletter sign-ups to enquiry forms and conversational user interfaces, Umbraco Forms is capable of supporting the most specific use-cases with ease. Let’s take a closer look at how Umbraco Forms can turbo charge your marketing efforts. ## Test & learn The beauty of Umbraco Forms is that, just like editing content within the Umbraco CMS, it doesn’t require coding expertise. Once you’ve been for a quick spin of the tool, you’re ready to go. No matter your role, Umbraco Forms allows you to select from a range of input fields, validation rules, and even conditions to build the forms you need to support your marketing efforts. This means that you can quickly make changes on the fly without a developer to iterate on your data capture methods and, with a test and learn approach, optimise your marketing efforts. ## Plug and play Gathering data is great, but we know that you’ve likely got it coming out of your ears. Directing it to the right places and the right people is the next step to getting the most out of your forms. Umbraco Forms has you covered as its flexibility allows you to simplify the most advanced workflows by sending emails, saving in CRMs and much more. Think Salesforce, Mailchimp, or Zapier; all third-party marketing platforms that you can hook up to your website and let Umbraco Forms do all the heavy lifting. ## Data, data, data Regardless of where your customer data is coming from or where it’s going, you need oversight of how your forms are performing. Your data is no good unless you can analyse it in the way you need to. That’s why Umbraco Forms’ built-in reporting tool is pretty useful. If that doesn’t quite cut it, you can export your data for advanced processing in your software of choice. ## Design, Design, Design We know you love data but, let’s be honest, your customers won’t want to share theirs if they don’t want to. What we love about Umbraco Forms, aside from its usability and flexibility from a back-end perspective, is how it allows us to design front-end experiences that engage with and encourage users to interact with your forms. Umbraco Forms allows us to craft highly stylised forms that cater to you and your users’ needs. Whether you require a multi-step form to reduce cognitive load or a bespoke newsletter sign up component, Umbraco Forms enables us to seamlessly integrate forms into the Umbraco websites we build for our clients. Without design, a form is just a form - a barrier to customer engagement and an underperforming element of your website. Forms are the engine under the bonnet of CMS which enables your marketing teams to deliver crucial return on investment from your website. Umbraco Forms, with its flexibility and seamless integration with your workflow and website, allows you to take full advantage of your digital presence and turbo charge your marketing efforts. Want to know more about us or just have a quick chat before putting pen to paper? Then let’s chat! newbusiness@yoyodesign.com ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # Create a donor journey that engages all year round _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/create-a-donor-journey-that-engages-all-year-round/_ # Create a donor journey that engages all year round How to Sure seasonal campaigns and one-off donations are great, but to make the biggest possible positive impact you’ve got to be engaging your donors more than that. Sure seasonal [campaigns](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) and one-off donations are great, but to make the biggest possible positive impact you've got to be engaging your donors more than that. Yep, we're talking all year round. Enter the donor journey - a carefully crafted process that guides potential supporters from awareness to action. When done right, a donor journey takes people from simply learning about your mission to becoming lifelong advocates of it. So here's how you can craft one which creates connections and inspires action. All. year. Long. ## It all starts with awareness Think of awareness as the "meet-cute" between your organisation and potential donors. At this stage, your goal is to make a strong first impression. But with so many other worthy causes out there, you've got to stand out. It can be tempting to follow trends or so-called sure-fire ways to go viral, but don't. Simply share your charity's story with authenticity - it's your unique power which nobody else can replicate. And make sure you spread that message far and wide, using a range of digital channels to reach different kinds of donors. ## Be transparent, earn trust, build connection It's not enough for someone to simply be aware of your cause, they need to feel a connection to it. This is where transparency comes in. Yeah, we're always banging on about it, but for good reason. In the era of misinformation and fake news (what a time to be alive), being upfront about how your funds are used is crucial to building trust. So get sharing your stories of impact - showing people how previous donations have transformed situations. It might take a bit of time to collect this info and prepare it for sharing, but this is the foundation for deeper donor engagement and longer lasting relationships. ## Actions speak louder than words With awareness bagged and trust built, it's time for people to take action. At this stage, your focus should be on the [user experience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/). Meet people where they're at by giving them multiple ways to donate, think: one-time gifts, recurring contributions or even non-monetary support like volunteering. Use personalised messaging to prove the significance of their support, showing the tangible impact of their contribution through copy like "your £20 will plant this many trees". And streamline the donation process as much as possible, adding clear calls to action and [accessible](https://yoyodesign.com/media/inohyg00/yoyo-accessibility-new.pdf) forms. A well-considered [charity web design](https://yoyodesign.com/services/charity-web-design-agency/ "Charity Web Design Agency") underpins every step of this journey, from accessible donation forms to conversion-focused page layouts. ## In it for the long-run Your relationship with supporters doesn't end with their first donation. In fact this is just the beginning. Now it's time for you to strengthen that connection and turn them from a one-time donor to a lifelong supporter. 'But how???' we hear you scream at the screen. We've got you. Start by creating a content calendar of digital comms filled with regular updates, supporter spotlights and impact reports to keep them engaged. Show people how much their support means to you by celebrating milestones with them. Whether that's reaching a fundraising goal or a donation anniversary, let your donors share in the good times. By consistently showing gratitude and keeping people in the loop, you'll build loyalty that lasts. ## Listen to learn Donors want their money to be valued and their voices to be heard. Gathering audience feedback doesn't just make people feel appreciated, it gives your organisation valuable insights to incorporate into its [strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/). So get going - send out short surveys to learn about donor experiences and use social media polls to gather instant feedback. But make sure you actually act on their responses and share the tweaks you've made as a result. When donors see their voices driving change, they're more likely to stay engaged. Look, the bottom line is you need to develop relationships, not just drive transactions. When you create a year-round donor journey which conveys your authenticity, shows the impact of donations and makes supporters feel valued, you'll build a like-minded community that'll root for your cause for years to come. Need a helping hand developing your donor journey? Then you're in the right place. We're [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to helping Good Brand succeed. Just [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) to tell us a bit about your cause, and we'll tell you how we can amplify its impact. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # Select the right hosting provider _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/select-the-right-hosting-provider/_ # Select the right hosting provider How to Here are a few considerations to help you pick a hosting provider that meets your needs Your home - where you live - matters and it’s no different for your website. Hosting providers or as I like to call them, website hotels, keep your brochure site or online store warm and dry. Much like finding that perfect flat on RightMove, there are a plethora of factors to consider when selecting your hosting provider. Here are a few considerations to help you pick one that meets your needs. ## What on earth is a hosting provider? In true Yoyo fashion, let’s keep it simple. A hosting provider enables users across the world to access your website online. A hosting provider, like GoDaddy, will use technology called Servers to store data, e.g. code and media, and power your website. When users enter your URL, your hosting provider directs them to your site which lives on a server. Not all hosting providers, or at least their hosting options, have been created equal so there are a bunch of considerations to keep in mind to make sure you pick the right one for you and your website. From cost and location to security and sustainability, we will break things down to help you make an informed decision about hosting providers and keep your site running smoothly. ## Hosting service types Before we get into some of the key considerations, let’s touch on the variety of hosting types that are available. These types play a significant role in their overall cost but it also depends on what you need - web hosting is usually a monthly expense and the choices vary widely in price. Nevertheless, it’s important to make an informed decision as it can be risky to skimp when it comes to selecting your hosting provider. ### Managed hosting A managed hosting service does what it says on the tin - the provider manages everything to do with the server. The technical bits at least. Performance, security, and any updates that need to be made are taken care of so that you can focus on your website and, more importantly, your business. ### Dedicated hosting For those who need more control, dedicated servers mean that your website has sole access to a server’s resources. Prices can vary massively from £500 to £5,000 per month, however, their Dedicated flexibility allows organisations to host multiple websites or even company applications like Jira. The possibilities are almost endless and most providers also offer server administration permissions. #### Shared hosting Shared hosting services refer to an instance whereby multiple websites live on a single server, sharing resources such as CPU and storage. This is a great option if you're on a tight budget as they are more affordable - starting at just a few pounds per month - for smaller businesses which perhaps don’t need the power of a dedicated server. ### Virtual private server hosting Dedicated servers are expensive and shared services offer less scalability so I’m sure you’re wondering if there’s a middleground. That’s where virtual private servers (VPS) come in. This option gives you access to a private server, with all its flexibility, at a fraction of the cost by using virtualisation technology. “ > > A virtual private server, also known as a VPS, acts as an isolated, virtual environment on a physical server, which is owned and operated by a cloud or web hosting provider. VPS hosting uses virtualization technology to split a single physical machine into multiple private server environments that share the resources. Google Cloud ### Cloud hosting Cloud hosting on platforms like Azure, Amazon AWS, or Google Cloud refer to hosting services that are available via the internet. These services, by their very nature, offer scalability and flexibility depending on your needs. Costs aren’t fixed and can vary widely based on your usage, ranging from £50 to £500 or more per month. It all depends on how much resources you consume, e.g. the amount of processing power you use, and this can scale automatically when demand increases. ## Selecting the right hosting provider Selecting the right provider isn’t exactly a walk in the park. If it’s anything like finding a new place to call home, it’s helpful to start by considering what you need. Defining your non-negotiables and nice-to-haves will help you select the right hosting provider for your needs. If you’re single and don’t have any co-dependents, a flat-share would probably work in the same way shared hosting would do for a small business. If you’ve got a large, growing family, you might want to consider your own dedicated server. I mean a 3-4 bedroom house… You catch my drift. Here are a few considerations to get you started: ### Flexibility and scalability To begin with, you should consider the needs of your business and your website. How much flexibility you need from your servers in terms of their storage, performance and control. Once you have a good idea of this, you’ll be able to take a look at different hosting options. You might be deciding between on-premise and cloud hosting options, for instance. On-premise hosting involves physical servers situated at your location, offering more control but requiring significant maintenance. Cloud hosting, on the other hand, provides scalability and managed services. ### Location, Location, Location The location of your hosting server is closely linked to your website’s performance. Hosting your website near your target audience can significantly improve loading times, for instance. As server location determines your site’s speed and IP address it can also greatly impact SEO performance, too. If, for whatever reason, you can’t host your site in a desirable location, you might want to consider something called Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to further enhance performance. This layer of technology caches content in multiple global locations so that your audience can access your content with ease, no matter where they are. ### Security The security of your data is of great importance. Large companies, for instance, often have strict data location requirements due to legal compliance. In terms of GDPR, for instance, it can get political. For example, companies based in the United States may or may not want to host their data in Russia or China - it depends what their goals are! When it comes to security, while some may assume that cloud hosting is less secure, the weakest point is typically the application or website itself. With proper security measures, whichever hosting option you go for can be highly secure. Your primary concern should be safeguarding your access credentials to hosting service platforms. Make sure to understand what level of security is needed and go from there. ### Sustainability In today's world, sustainability is a crucial consideration. Data centres consume a substantial amount of energy, contributing to approximately 10% of the world's energy usage. They also require a load of water to keep them cool. Opting for green hosting solutions whenever possible can make a difference. Azure, for instance, has committed to powering its data centres with sustainable energy by 2030. At Yoyo, the planet is one of our key stakeholders and we make sure to offer our green hosting solution at any opportunity. Get in touch with a member of the team if you’d like to hear more about it. Choosing the right hosting for your website involves evaluating cost, location, on-premise vs. cloud, legal requirements, security, sustainability, and more. If you’re not a developer or solutions architect, it might not be as easy as 1-2-3 but, by considering these factors carefully, you can find the hosting that best suits your needs. Whether you opt for budget-friendly shared hosting, robust dedicated servers, or the convenience of the cloud, your choice will play a significant role in your website's performance and success. ## Want to know more? Let’s chat! Want to know more about us or just have a quick chat before putting pen to paper? Then let’s chat! Book a meeting with a member of the team today: e - newbusiness@yoyodesign.com ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # Lead with kindness \(no matter your role\) _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/lead-with-kindness-no-matter-your-role/_ # Lead with kindness (no matter your role) How to Kindness is at the heart of effective leadership - here's what we've learned Kindness is at the heart of effective leadership and its effects permeate organisations, contributing to employee wellbeing and business success. At Yoyo, we swap ‘kill or be killed’ for ‘smile and the world smiles back’ - the rest follows. Here’s what we’ve learned about leading with kindness. ## What is kindness? Kindness is a lot of things. In fact, it’s less a thing and more a trait; a behaviour characterised by empathy, generosity and concern for others. Most dictionary definitions echo this sentiment; however, the word’s etymology is intriguing. Derived from the Old English gecynde - related to kin - it refers to ‘nature, native, and innate’ and has familial denotations. Kindness can then be said to infer a degree of connectedness - a bond between humans as well as that with the natural world. It’s easy to forget that, in what can seem like a dog-eat-dog world, we are one humankind and that our kindness - our innate relatedness and unconditional duty to one another - is what essentially ties us together. Beyond our musing on the word, let’s take a look at kindness’ key components. ### Empathy This is the bedrock of kindness and refers to one’s ability to understand and share the feelings of another. We’re all human with our individual life situations, aspirations and apprehensions; and the more we relate with and exhibit empathy towards one another, the closer we become. “ > > Kindness for me is when someone shows they care, they’ve listened and are aware of what’s going on for you Anna - Client Partner ### Generosity ‘Giving’ can take various forms and doing so doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Although systems of exchange are typically associated with capital, i.e. money, your time and small gestures go a long way. ### Consideration It’s difficult to recognise kindness in those who do not demonstrate continuous and careful thought of others. Whether or not it comes naturally, consideration is the wellspring of kindness that fuels empathy and generosity. ## Kindness in the workplace ### So why is a digital design agency talking about kindness? Well, for one, we thrive and rely on collaboration. As individual designers, developers, project managers, and beyond, we make up a team. So, as a team, we have a responsibility to one another as humans - and colleagues - to respect and raise one another up to achieve our aim to deliver quality work. Enter kindness. That said, it hasn’t always been this way - in the wider business context, I mean. Indeed, kindness's trajectory is inseparable from discourse on gender in the workplace and diversity, equity and inclusion more broadly. ## The rise of feminine leadership Traditional leadership styles have historically favoured “masculine traits and values - typically, assertiveness, competition, independence, rational thinking”. This has led to a normative workplace dynamic which prioritises competition and hierarchy as opposed to collaboration and inclusivity. That’s not to say that these tactics have not been effective; but they have also had a negative impact on individuals’ well being and the environment. This masculine narrative of success which has dominated the workplace is now being picked apart by the rise of feminine leadership, which puts an emphasis on people-centred and planet-centred solutions. This sounds like a strategy which leverages empathy, generosity and consideration - the key components of kindness. ## The benefits It turns out that there are scientifically proven benefits to a strategy of kindness. Let’s take a look at a handful that aren’t exclusive to the workplace. Kindness is good for you no matter where you exercise it - let’s get down to brass tacks! ## Health & wellbeing There is neuroscientific evidence to suggest that those who continuously exhibit kindness have 23% less cortisol (stress hormone) and age slower, according to Integrative Physical and Behavioural science. Being kind also lowers blood pressure and protects the heart through a release of Oxytocin which dilates blood vessels. “ > > ...when we are either thinking about kind acts or witnessing kind acts or engaging in acts of kindness to other people, there are several biochemical changes that happen in our brain, Dr. Bhawani Ballamudi - SSM Health child psychiatrist #### Recruitment Companies that promote ‘kindness’ within their organisation will have an easier time recruiting talent. Indeed, a survey found that 77% of respondents were more likely to apply for a job that lists ‘kindness’ as a key value. Enough said. ## Job satisfaction Funnily enough, people do their best work when they feel good about themselves and the work they’re doing. In a survey of 1,365 employees from large companies, Kindness.org and Beekman 1802 found that: Being kind to your boss predicts happiness in the workplace. Kindness at work is a bigger predictor of happiness than income. Feeling valued is one of the biggest contributors to workplace happiness. Doing purposeful work is directly linked to levels of happiness at work. Beyond getting paid to work, an individual’s intrinsic motivation to work is essential to job satisfaction. Kindness goes a long way when it comes to building a happy workplace and motivating people to work. ## Creativity & innovation Last but not least, if employees are relaxed and given opportunities to pursue their own goals, they are more likely to produce quality work. That’s intrinsic motivation for ya. Creating a space for creative expression that is founded on kindness will no doubt bring out the best in people. “ > > When employees feel cared about, they engage in better teamwork, and they are creative risk takers, willing to stick their necks out and stretch beyond customary bounds Forbes ## Leading with kindness By now you’re probably thinking, “Cool, you’ve made your point but what does kindness look like at work?”. Well, here are a few ideas to get you started. We’re almost certain you’re already doing these things so we’re confident that you can fill in the gaps. ### Learn about your colleagues If empathy is about understanding and sharing the feelings of others; taking time to learn about your colleagues is a good place to start. What makes them tick? What’s their favourite food? Do they not like Mondays? Do they have 100 houseplants? Are they feeling ok today? Getting to know your colleagues is a great way to make them feel heard, appreciated and motivated to come to work. We know that not everyone wants to bring their whole selves to work - and it’s important to respect that - but you can likely find a happy medium. Everyone is the main character in their own story, so taking the time to learn about someone else is a generous and considerate thing to do. Even if you ask how someone really is, it can mean the world. “ > > The best kindness I ever feel is when someone knows something about me (like the fact that I don't like Mondays) and then goes out of their way to incorporate that knowledge into their actions (like convincing a client to have a meeting on a Tuesday rather than a Monday). Calvin - Head of Development ## A little goes a long way You might be thinking “Oh no, ‘being kind’ sounds like so much effort”. Fear not, we’re not asking you to radically change your behaviour or lie down in a puddle for someone to walk over you. It’s the small things that can make all the difference. After all, if everyone mucks in you’ll get there faster together. Beyond asking how someone is, you might ask around the office if anyone would like a coffee while you make yourself one. You might tidy the communal area or pick up a task others don’t want to do. There’s even something called ‘organisational citizenship behaviour’, which describes actions that aren’t in your job description but, if we get them done, the workplace is that much better for everyone. ## Recognise successes When your colleague completes that document early, smashes that presentation, or helps out a team member do you recognise their hard work? You probably do, but it’s worth reiterating that it’s important to shout about your team’s successes. Recognition doesn’t always mean reward but, at Yoyo, we believe in carrot-not-stick. Whether that’s employee of the month or giving someone a shoutout on your company-wide Slack channel, giving recognition is a form of generosity and consideration which translates to kindness. It’s also important to reframe feedback - it’s not all doom and gloom. All feedback can be considered an act of kindness. It’s your perception of it which determines whether it is negative or positive so own your mistakes and take confidence from vulnerability. That said, there’s a leadership principle which suggests the optimum praise-to-criticism ratio is 6:1 - for every criticism, you should make around six positive comments. ## Call out bad eggs Negativity isn’t great, though, especially if it is left to fester. It’s crucial to nip patterns of bad behaviour in the bud before they lay eggs. That doesn’t mean pointing the finger and creating drama in the office - no-one likes a screaming match - but what we do suggest is creating open channels of communication which allow employees to share their experiences in confidence. Like negativity, kindness also grows exponentially. Kindness breeds kindness in a Pay It Forward kind of way. Whether you do or don’t know the film, if someone does something kind for you, do a good deed for three others and see what happens... ## Kindness, not blind niceness Finally, doing a good deed and being kind should not be confused with blind niceness. This is where kindness gets a bad rep and has been traditionally conflated with weakness. Believe it or not, you can be kind yet assertive. If someone says jump, you don’t necessarily need to respond with “How high?”. You can be kind whilst also being confident in your boundaries and beliefs. To this end, it’s important to be kind to yourself first and be self-assured to share kindness with others. As a leader - whatever your role - whilst you must understand that good ideas can come from anywhere, blind niceness can lead you down a road you, in yourself, know you don’t want to go down! Kindness in the workplace can indeed be seen as an intricate balancing act but a great deal of it comes from being in touch with what makes you human. Your appreciation and respect for others whilst working towards a common goal. At the end of the day, you’re all on the same team, part of the same organisational ‘family’, and belong to nature - connect and lead with kindness. ## Want to know more? Let’s chat! Want to know more about how kindness informs our work or just have a quick chat before putting pen to paper? Then let’s chat! Book a meeting with a member of the team today: info@yoyodesign.com ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # Boost bookings by harnessing SEO _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/boost-bookings-by-harnessing-seo/_ # Boost bookings by harnessing SEO How to Here are the strategies that drive real bookings, not just page views. Timing is everything. No, not just for those will-they, won’t-they relationships, but for travel and hospitality brands looking to boost bookings. From day-dreaming to disembarking at their destination, today’s travellers begin their journey online. And whether you're a boutique hotel, an eco-tour operator or a local experience provider, your ability to show up in search can make or break a booking. [Search engine optimisation](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) (SEO) isn’t just about shoehorning keywords into your content. It’s about truly understanding how your audience thinks, searches and books so you can tailor your website to them. Search engines are the digital compass that helps people find you at the exact moment they’re ready to make plans - and optimising for them is one of the most powerful tools in your marketing mix. So, how do you make SEO work for your travel or hospitality brand? Here are the strategies that drive real bookings, not just page views. ## Start with search intent To attract the right visitors, you first need to understand what they’re searching for and, crucially, why. There’s a difference between someone Googling “best places to stay in Cornwall” (researching) and “book dog-friendly cottage in Cornwall” (ready to act). Aligning your content with different stages of the holiday planning journey - dreaming, researching, booking - is key. Use tools like Google Search Console, AnswerThePublic and SEMrush to uncover what your audience is already searching for, then get crafting content around it. Consider writing articles such as destination guides, seasonal travel tips and location FAQs. Booking-related terms such as “last-minute stays” or “pet-friendly B&Bs” are also a great foundation for content that fuels conversions. ## Pay attention to all your pages Of course your homepage is important, but it’s far from the only place that visitors land. Often searchers will discover you through blog posts, location pages or accommodation listings as they browse. So don’t spend all your efforts optimising your home, make sure all your pages are SEO-ready by: - Using clear, relevant page titles and meta descriptions - Structuring content with H1s, H2s and bullet points for readability - Including internal links to related pages (like your booking form or current deals) - Adding alt text to images for accessibility and visibility And don’t forget your compelling calls to action. Whether it's to book now, reserve your spot or get in touch, ensure your CTAs are easy to find and encouraging to click (on both mobile and desktop). ## Be found in the right places Local SEO is your travel and hospitality brand’s secret weapon. Claim and optimise your Google Business Profile with up-to-date info, strong imagery and regular reviews. Use schema markup (a type of structured data) to help Google understand your property, prices, availability and even guest ratings. And make sure your name, address and phone number are up-to-date and consistent across your website, directories and listings. ## Optimise for people, not algorithms Search engines want users to have a great experience. That’s why good SEO isn’t just about pleasing algorithms, it’s about helping humans. If your site takes too long to load or is confusing to use, people will bounce - and Google will notice. That means your website needs to be fast-loading (especially on mobile), easy to navigate (with intuitive menus) and secure (HTTPS is a ranking signal). ## Create compelling content Search engines love fresh, helpful content. And so do travellers. So invest in a solid content strategy that aligns with your brand and booking goals. Think: coming up with, creating and scheduling a year-round supply of blogs with insider tips, Q&As with hosts and user-generated pieces from past guests. Content like this helps to position your brand as a supportive, inspiring expert. All while driving organic visitors who are ready to book. ## Build backlinks Think of backlinks as digital word-of-mouth. When other reputable sites (like travel blogs and local tourism boards) link to yours, it signals trust to search engines. To build your backlinks, pitch to travel writers, get listed on high-authority directories and collaborate with similar brands for cross-promotions. But bagging the backlink alone isn’t enough. You’ve got to make sure the content you’re creating for these sites is strong enough that people genuinely want to reference it - it’s a long game, but a worthwhile one. ## Measure what matters You’re probably already tracking your performance using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. But are you monitoring the right metrics? Pay careful attention to which pages drive the most organic traffic, what keywords bring people to your site and where visitors drop off in the booking journey. Then use these insights to refine your strategy, focus your efforts and keep climbing those rankings. ## SEO is the journey, not the destination SEO isn’t a one-off project, it’s a continuous effort that grows over time. But from higher visibility to more relevant traffic and conversions that don’t rely on paid ads, the payoff is huge. If you're ready to turn searches into sustained bookings, start with small, strategic changes and keep building from there. Need a helping hand? Then you’re in the right place. Supporting purpose-driven brands like yours is exactly what we do. Check out how we helped [The Mole Resort](https://yoyodesign.com/work/the-mole-resort/ "The Mole Resort") to craft a website that matched how it felt to stay there. By making it a breeze to find and book a stay, the website will work hard to transform browsers into customers. Supporting purpose-driven brands like yours is exactly what we do. Check out our [SEO services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent") to help more guests secure their next booking. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # Instil purpose across your digital presence _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/instil-purpose-across-your-digital-presence/_ # Instil purpose across your digital presence How to Here’s how to ensure your digital presence reflects your values, builds trust and invites people to be part of the change you’re working to create. So you’ve done the work to become a certified B-Corp (amazing!). You’ve embedded purpose into your operations, governance and supply chain. But is your digital presence telling the same story? In 2025, your website, social channels and online platforms are often the first places people encounter your brand. And if your mission-led ethos doesn’t come through clearly and consistently, you risk losing alignment with potential customers - or worse, being mistaken for just another business. Being a B-Corp is more than a badge. It’s a powerful differentiator in a noisy market (but you already know that). So here’s how to ensure your digital presence reflects your values, builds trust and invites people to be part of the change you’re working to create. ## Lead with purpose, not product Today’s customers care about more than just what you sell, they want to know why you exist. So your website should clearly communicate your mission and how it shapes your work - especially on your home and any landing pages you’re driving traffic to. Use clear but compelling language to describe your purpose and explain why it matters. Avoid vague statements like “we care about the planet” (who doesn’t?) and be specific about what you’re doing and the positive impact you aim to have. Need a starter for ten? Try: “We exist to [insert your mission] by [how you do it], and every [product/service] helps [outcome or impact].” Then show it in action through case studies, testimonials and impact metrics across your site. ## Make your impact visible (and verifiable) B-Corps are held to high standards by both B Lab and their own audience. Yep, sick of smoke and mirror sustainability, today’s shoppers want proof of purpose. Consider creating a dedicated impact section on your website which outlines your B-Corp score, what it means and progress updates (even when things aren’t quite where you want them to be yet). Structure your site carefully to make sure this content is easy to access, not buried in your footer or hidden in the depths of your about page. And use design to bring statistics and certifications to life - infographics, charts and video all make this kind of data more digestible, more tangible and more human. ## Prioritise accessibility, always With so many brands today claiming they’re purpose-driven, it’s important for B-Corps to walk the walk. That includes how accessible and inclusive their digital platforms are. Follow [accessibility](https://yoyodesign.com/media/inohyg00/yoyo-accessibility-new.pdf) best practices (WCAG 2.1), offer multiple ways to engage and be mindful of representation. Is your imagery diverse? Is your copy gender-inclusive? Is your website usable for people with visual impairments? Remember, purpose is more than just what you say, it's how people experience your brand. ## Share stories to build connections Facts inform. Stories inspire. So share the real narratives behind your positive impact. Think: founder journeys, team interviews, supplier spotlights and customer testimonials that show your purpose in action. A behind-the-scenes blog post or short video can do more to build trust than a glossy statement can. And don’t shy away from imperfection - sharing the messy middle, the lessons learned and the road ahead is a powerful way to build credibility. ## Bring purpose into the everyday Purpose isn’t just a campaign moment, it should show up in your everyday content and interactions. So use social media to educate and advocate for the causes you care about, not just to promote your products. Across email, share updates on your mission and how your subscribers’ actions contribute to positive progress. And consider every word you write as part of your cause - from checkout thank you messages to 404 pages, weave your mission to do good into the microcopy. Even job listings and FAQs are an opportunity to reinforce what you stand for and connect with customers. ## Align your tech with your values The platforms you choose matter. So take a closer look at who you’re partnering with. Where possible, work with ethical tech providers (those who support green hosting, accessible platforms and inclusive tools). This will show the world that your values guide your tech decisions, not just your business ones. And when it comes to working with agencies, suppliers or partners, look for collaborators who understand and believe in your mission (did we mention we’re a B-Corp too?). ## Authenticity over perfection Not every B-Corp has all the answers, or a perfect digital presence, and that’s okay. What matters most is showing up consistently, transparently and with a genuine commitment to doing better. Purpose-led brands have the potential to inspire change, but only if people can see (and feel) that purpose when they interact with you digitally. Your digital presence is one of the most powerful ways to express who you are, and win new customers in the process. Let’s make yours a true reflection of your values. Hi, we’re [the B-corp certified brand and digital agency](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) dedicated to helping Good Brand do great things. [Have a nosey at our services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) to see how we help fellow B-Corps turn their values into action across every touchpoint. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # How to design sector-specific websites that meet user expectations _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/how-to-design-sector-specific-websites-that-meet-user-expectations/_ # How to design sector-specific websites that meet user expectations How to Is your "one-size-fits-all" website hurting your bottom line? Here are 3 expert tips to help change that. If your website is using one voice to speak to *everyone*, it will end up resonating with *no one*. In today’s digital landscape, users don’t just have high expectations; they have specific expectations. When they land on your site, they want to feel instantly understood. A generic, “one-size-fits-all” approach doesn't just frustrate users, it actively costs you conversions and damages brand loyalty. Your digital presence must be rooted in the nuances of your sector. You wouldn't swap a software startup’s youthful energy for the refined, historical tone of a century-old institution and vice versa. Doing so would only alienate the core audiences for both websites. With that in mind, here are three expert insights to ensure your digital experience perfectly meets targeted expectations: ## 1. Ditch the "single user journey" approach A corporate partner looking for an annual report and a marathon runner looking to fundraise are not after the same thing on a charity website. They have entirely different motivations, challenges and goals to create their unique user journey. Using a "universal" user journey to determine every website visitor's experience in most cases produces a terrible user experience for everyone and creates friction. Friction kills conversions. Instead, invest in [deep user research](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX") to understand exactly what your audience needs to achieve. Personas are a great asset to create of the back of this. Personas are fact-based representations of your key users that help root your decision-making with the users front of mind. They help ensure a smooth user journey is achieved, guiding visitors toward your conversion points. We would recommended creating 2-3 personas, of which each include the following: - **Personal information:** Name, image of them and a brief bio describing how and why they would interact with an organisation like yours. - **Demographics:** Age, gender and occupation. - **Goals:** What are they trying to achieve on your website? - **Motivations:** What is driving them to achieve their goals on your website? - **Challenges:** What barriers are stopping them from achieving their goals on your website? Documenting these personas keeps your budget focused on high-value users, allowing you to design frictionless, tailored pathways that boost your conversion rates. ## 2. Speak their language Every industry has distinct vocabulary and visual cues. Financial services must project airtight security and trust; non-profits must lead with empathy and impactful storytelling. Users subconsciously look for these signals the second your homepage loads. If your design doesn't align with their expectations, they will bounce to a competitor who understands them better. Two key elements we find are present in every successful sector-specific website are: - **An accessible brand voice:** Cut through the jargon and speak succinctly so your audiences immediately grasp your value proposition and what you stand for. - **An emotionally-tied visual identity:** Emotion drives brand recognition. If your site looks authentic to your sector, users will connect with that and are more likely to return and become loyal. Once these have been defined, it is very important to document them. Make sure you have a set of brand guidelines that contains this information to ensure that everyone who is creating content for your organisation can communicate in the same unified voice; both verbally and visually. ## 3. Build features with targeted purpose It’s easy to get distracted by flashy web trends, but sector-specific functionality must be driven by purpose. Don’t add features just because "everyone else is doing it." Sector-specific problems require sector-specific solutions: - A membership organisation needs an intuitive, secure login portal. - A sustainability brand needs accessible, transparent reporting. - An e-commerce site needs lightning-fast filtering and search. Another important thing to note is if these features feel clunky or not optimal, users will abandon you for a better-tuned experience elsewhere. After all, it is human nature to do so; when we find a better way to achieve something, we drop the old way and replace it with the new. Focus your website features solely on what your users actually value. Interview them about your current site to find where features are falling short. By stripping away digital clutter, you build immediate brand loyalty and hit the engagement metrics your stakeholders care about. ## Putting it all together Designing for your sector isn’t about blending in, it’s about meeting expectations so perfectly that you stand out as the undisputed leader. It takes strategic UX, technical expertise, and a whole lot of empathy. We’ve helped countless clients move beyond a “cookie-cutter" experience and instead build digital experiences that perfectly align with their sector to drive real organisational growth. Explore our [Website Design & Build service](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency"), and build a digital presence that truly resonates. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # How to turn casual scrollers into committed donors with impact content _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/how-to-turn-casual-scrollers-into-committed-donors-with-impact-content/_ # How to turn casual scrollers into committed donors with impact content How to Is your charity's incredible work getting lost in dry PDFs? Discover the six pillars of digital impact content and learn how to transform casual website scrollers into committed donors through powerful visual storytelling. You and your team are out there doing incredible, life-changing work. But let’s be honest: translating massive, real-world impact into a compelling story on a screen isn't easy. After researching how top charities talk about their impact online, we found a surprising truth: even the biggest names in the sector struggle to tell a good visual story. Instead of inspiring audiences, their most critical achievements are getting lost in dry statistics and static formats. If you want to build trust and inspire people to give, you need to transform how you tell your story. Here is your step-by-step guide to building an impact-driven digital experience. ## 1. Escape the "PDF Trap" When we look at the digital charity landscape, we consistently see groundbreaking research, emotive human stories, and vital stats locked away inside 80-page PDF annual reports. Casual website visitors aren't downloading those. To fix this, you need to bring your best content to the surface: **Free your data:** Rescue your most compelling stories and statistics from static PDFs and put them front and center on your main landing pages. **Answer "So what?":** It’s easy to talk about the sheer scale of a project (e.g., "£37m committed to research"). But if you don't connect that massive number to a tangible, human outcome, everyday donors won't feel the connection. 2. Balance the "Six Pillars of Impact" To turn a casual scroller into a committed donor, you need a healthy mix of messaging. An effective digital experience balances these six distinct types of impact. Audit your current website against this list, are you leaning too heavily on "Fund Impact" while forgetting "Emotive Impact"? **Motivator Impact** - **What it means:** Showing exactly what a specific donation buys. - **How it looks online:** Donation pages tying a £20 gift to direct, tangible supplies. **Fund Impact** - **What it means:** Being transparent about where the money goes. - **How it looks online:** Clean, interactive graphs showing the "pence in the pound" breakdown. **Evidence-based Impact** - **What it means:** Proving your results with hard data. - **How it looks online:** Animated dashboards or timelines highlighting major milestones. **Collective Impact** - **What it means:** Showing the power of a community working together. - **How it looks online:** Dynamic counters tracking total community contributions or lives saved. **Emotive Impact** - **What it means:** Creating deep emotional engagement through real people. - **How it looks online:** Immersive, full-screen video and narrative-led human stories. **Advocacy Impact** - **What it means:** Highlighting your push for long-term social change. - **How it looks online:** Campaign hubs showcasing legislative victories powered by supporters. ## 3. Build a storytelling engine Knowing what to fix is great, but what does the solution actually look like? Treat your impact data with the cinematic respect it deserves. When we partnered with [**Amref Health Africa**](https://yoyodesign.com/work/amref-health-africa/ "Amref Health Africa")(a charity reaching 20 million people a year), we swapped out their print-first, dry statistics for an immersive storytelling engine: - **Trade data for human connection:** We replaced cold data with authentic community voices, giving the brand a vibrant platform designed to convert warm social media leads. - **Design for discovery:** We created a dynamic experience where the brand's signature lines draw themselves around the people in the stories as you scroll. Alternating between high-contrast black and white sections gives the layout a rhythm that naturally keeps users moving forward. - **Use colour-led storytelling:** We gave each core mission its own distinct colour identity (e.g., deep ocean blue for water and disease prevention, vibrant orange for health worker training) so the impact of each project is instantly recognisable. ## Design for absolutely everyone A beautiful site doesn't mean much if people can't use it. Your impact content needs to be built without barriers. When building out your new digital experience, ensure it meets strict [**WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards**](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-accessibility/ "Yoyo's Approach to Accessibility") from the ground up. By utilizing meticulous colour contrast and ensuring seamless screen-reader compatibility, you guarantee that your vital message is open and accessible to all. ## **Ready to rethink your digital impact?** Book a session with a Yoyo expert today. We will review your site and show you how to build a storytelling engine that turns casual scrollers into committed donors. [Get in touch to hear more about digital impact reports](https://calendly.com/daniel-barron-yoyodesign/strategy-session) ## FAQ's What is the "PDF trap" in charity marketing? The "PDF trap" is the common habit of hiding a charity's most compelling stories, vital statistics, and groundbreaking research inside lengthy, downloadable annual reports. Because casual website visitors rarely download these documents, that powerful impact data goes unseen. The solution is to pull that information out of the PDF and feature it directly on your main web pages. Which of the six pillars of impact is the most important? No single pillar can do all the heavy lifting; the most effective digital experiences use a healthy mix. However, if you are struggling to convert casual visitors, you likely need to increase your **Emotive Impact** (human stories and immersive video) to build a connection, and your **Motivator Impact** (showing exactly what a £20 donation buys) to drive the final action. How can we make our impact content more accessible? Beautiful visual storytelling must be inclusive. We recommend building your digital platforms to meet strict **WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards**. This means paying close attention to colour contrast, ensuring your text is readable against background images, and building with seamless screen-reader compatibility so your message reaches absolutely everyone. We have a lot of data but no budget for custom videos. What can we do? You don't always need cinematic video to tell a great visual story. Start by freeing your data: turn your dry statistics into clean, interactive graphs (**Fund Impact**) or use dynamic number counters to show community contributions (**Collective Impact**). Pairing a powerful, large-typography statistic with a single, authentic photo of a beneficiary can be just as effective as a full-screen video. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) How to ### Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint Some tips on how to achieve a more sustainable website. [Ensure your new website has a low digital carbon footprint](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/ensure-your-new-website-has-a-low-digital-carbon-footprint/) --- # Events _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/_ # Latest All ^(119)^ - [All ^(119)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/) - [News ^(72)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) - [How to ^(18)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) - [Events ^(6)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/) - [Umbraco ^(23)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Events ### AI & US: A Yoyo/Client Discussion A dedicated session with our Yoyo clients and community where we discussed all things AI. [AI & US: A Yoyo/Client Discussion](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/ai-us-a-yoyoclient-discussion/) Events ### Yoyo Marketing Lunch: A Recap From the rise of AI, to the next generation of donors, to harnessing specific tools - we covered it all in our last marketing lunch, all about strategic web planning for non-profits. [Yoyo Marketing Lunch: A Recap](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/yoyo-marketing-lunch-a-recap/) Events ### Female Lead Lunch: Women Supporting Women Facilitated by our CEO Jenny, these lunches are run by women, for women, to rally around what it means to run a purpose-driven organisation. [Female Lead Lunch: Women Supporting Women](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/female-lead-lunch-women-supporting-women/) Events ### Bettering your B Corp Bringing together female leaders of UK B Corp businesses for a full day focusing on wellness, knowledge sharing and networking. [Bettering your B Corp](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/bettering-your-b-corp/) Events ### B Corp Breakfast A breakfast event for senior leaders from B Corp businesses on the topic: Greenwashing, the grey areas. [B Corp Breakfast: Greenwashing, the grey areas](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/b-corp-breakfast-greenwashing-the-grey-areas/) Events ### B Corp Breakfast: Cultivating Creativity in your Marketing Team An opportunity for in-house marketeers from purpose-driven brands to share cross-industry ideas and advice and get support from like minded marketing folk. [B Corp Breakfast: Cultivating Creativity in your Marketing Team](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/b-corp-breakfast-cultivating-creativity-in-your-marketing-team/) --- # Female Lead Lunch: Women Supporting Women _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/female-lead-lunch-women-supporting-women/_ # Female Lead Lunch: Women Supporting Women Events Facilitated by our CEO Jenny, these lunches are run by women, for women, to rally around what it means to run a purpose-driven organisation. ## What is the female lead lunch? Great company, in a great setting, with great food. These events provide a great opportunity to step away from the day, and to meet other ambitious leaders from a whole range of sectors. Facilitated by our CEO Jenny, these lunches are run by women, for women, to rally around what it means to run a purpose-driven organisation. ## Why this topic? The theme for this event centred around Women Supporting Women - but it’s a theme that runs throughout all of the Female Lead Lunches. The group is all about providing an understanding environment filled with women who face similar questions and challenges. Even though we’ve come leaps and bounds in recent times, there are still obstacles exclusive to female leadership. Holding events where the focus is Women Supporting Women, these like-minded leaders can be empowered in a space where they are understood. ## What came up? Though the nature of these conversations is intimate and personal, here are some of the major topics covered: ### The beauty of female networking There is power in friendship, and that power goes a long way in the business world. With so many sectors represented, there was ample opportunity for sharing and learning from one another. One point touched upon was how female networking differs in that it emphasises connection and empathy. This lunch was just one opportunity to embody and discuss just that. ### Investment and fundraising Nationwide, business has been made more difficult in 2023 by economic challenges. As this year draws to a close, the group reflected on what it’s been like to lead teams through what have often been uncertain times. From introductions to investors, to advice about navigating tricky conversations, common ground was found in optimism and hope for 2024. ### Tensions on both sides of the fence Whether you’re an employer dealing with increased costs, or an employee doing three jobs at once, we’re all feeling internal pressures. Regardless of industry or position, kindness and support go a long way in maintaining the health of the organisation, and ideas about how to go about that flowed through the room. ## Thank you Thank you to all the lovely female leaders for bringing new perspectives, and to CHIEF for hosting us. These lunches provide huge value and benefit, and it’s always wonderful to meet and learn from other leading women. “ > > It's such a pleasure hosting these events, and seeing how much everyone gets out of simple conversations that lead to really powerful ideas and new channels of support. Jenny Kitchen - CEO, Yoyo Design ## What’s next? We host Female Lead Lunches and lots of other exciting events across the year. If you’re interested in joining our mailing list please register your interest [here](mailto:events@yoyodesign.com) and we can keep you in the loop. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/) Events ### B Corp Breakfast A breakfast event for senior leaders from B Corp businesses on the topic: Greenwashing, the grey areas. [B Corp Breakfast: Greenwashing, the grey areas](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/b-corp-breakfast-greenwashing-the-grey-areas/) --- # B Corp Breakfast: Greenwashing, the grey areas _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/b-corp-breakfast-greenwashing-the-grey-areas/_ # B Corp Breakfast: Greenwashing, the grey areas Events A breakfast event for senior leaders from B Corp businesses on the topic: Greenwashing, the grey areas. As part of B Corp month, we hosted a breakfast discussion for senior leaders from B Corp businesses on the topic **Greenwashing, the grey areas.** Our subject specific events aim to create a space where individuals can come together to discuss timely topics and share insight, experiences, and learnings across industries, supporting each other to succeed. Our Greenwashing event didn’t disappoint. ## Why this topic? There is a notable rise in brands being called out for their marketing claims not living up to their actions, driven by more conscious consumers and a greater awareness of the power of brands and businesses to influence behaviours and create change. We’re seeing this happen both on a legal level with brands facing fines and removal of adverts by the ASA, as well as customers vocalising double standards on social platforms and taking spending power elsewhere. ## What came up? Evidence suggests that purpose-driven brands, or those which claim better sustainability or ethical practices, are scrutinised more than those who don’t make any claims towards this. As all attendees around our table were B Corps, there is a vulnerability felt by everyone in the community to this spotlight. Being a B Corp is about publicly going on a journey to run your business better, in order to have an increasingly positive impact on people and the planet, while striving to make profit to allow this to happen. (Every three years when assessed, your scores must improve not just remain the same). No one is claiming to be perfect, there will always be more we can do. Below are just a few of the areas touched upon at our recent event. - ### Demand for digital product passports - Digital product passports are a digital trail customers can follow to track a product’s impact through its lifecycle - from manufacturing to shipping and end-of-life - this might include details on carbon footprint, labour working conditions, provenance, supply chain and more. Gartner researchers suggest by 2027 that 50% of the top 10 consumer goods manufacturers will have them for at least one of their product categories ([Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2023/01/31/sustainability-trends-2023-goodbye-greenwashing-hello-business-results/?sh=374bec9b2205)), and the EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles is looking to mandate them for brands making sustainability claims. It seems a little as though the writing is on the wall, and some of the marketeers present had already begun utilising these on certain product lines. However, the ultimate goal here is transparency and there are brands embarking on this journey in other ways. We recently helped one of our B Corp partners Vivobarefoot to launch their [Value Chain Map](https://partnersmap.vivobarefoot.com/?_ga=2.234562009.670343000.1679430443-1140193661.1673258786&_gac=1.146781638.1678808404.Cj0KCQjwtsCgBhDEARIsAE7RYh1wYdcMxy6YOfCE2N2HdtHz0k0meM5KU4Q9BFGQR_MwHJfEUUfiwRwaAmBOEALw_wcB) which gives visibility on partners in their supply chain and details on them. As touched on above, this is a journey and while it doesn’t yet contain complete details for all, having this live drives the process of information sourcing and sharing to continue - meeting the transparency demand of today’s consumer. - ### How well do you know your target audience’s sustainability literacy levels? - The [guidance](https://www.asa.org.uk/static/d819e399-3cf9-44ea-942b82d5ecd6dff3/a79e0147-5417-4f7c-9fdce878078a7ffe/CAP-guidance-on-misleading-environmental-claims-and-social-responsibility.pdf) on misleading claims and social responsibility in advertising, released by the ASA, is intended to help marketeers and their agency partners to interpret the official codes of conduct, and ultimately avoid greenwashing, whether intentional or unintentional. It’s a read which highlights the subtle nuances and delicate balance we’re all trying to get right in our efforts to promote progress, without claiming more than is reality. The point that marketers should consider how knowledgeable the audience is likely to be and not make assumptions on levels of understanding, especially for non targeted campaigns, was of particular interest. When doing customer research, whether for persona building or specific campaign creation, how often are you including questions to probe their knowledge and understanding of socio-environmental practices and terminology to inform the creative and execution? This knowledge really is power in knowing whether your claims need further qualification in order to be correctly interpreted by the intended audience of your marketing. Skipping vital customer research steps is no longer only unwise for impacting optimal marketing performance, it also risks communicating in a way that exposes your brand to greenwashing accusations. - ### The importance of an internal culture of ongoing comms - In the room we had a mix of CEO/ Founders, Marketing Directors, Finance and Procurement leads. What resonated was the need for a multi-way open dialogue to happen more regularly to ensure values are upheld across all aspects of the business. When it comes to greenwashing claims the most public head on the block is that of the marketer responsible for the messages put out on the brands behalf. So it’s only fair and right that you have the chance to question your teams on how you’re delivering on your claims, and making sure we all take the time to do so is more important than ever. These connection moments become increasingly vital as a company grows to ensure everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet, and practising what is preached. It should not be seen only to shape the messaging, but also to be that continual loop of how can we do better? Holding each other to account on looking for ways to improve practices, whatever the product or service we deliver may be. - ### How far does our responsibility go with clients and suppliers? - This was a particularly grey area discussed on the day. How far can and should we go to influence other businesses' behaviour based on our relationship to them?  A brilliant example given was from a brand that provides a platform for businesses to connect with communities in order to help fund initiatives and expand their positive impact. As a B Corp their values will of course mean they won’t entertain certain industries with different moral compasses being on the platform. But for others less clear cut, should they be the broker between deciding whether a cause should or shouldn’t take money from a business, when the funding will go a long way in creating positive change? A complex challenge, but we discussed ideas around using the businesses desire to be on the platform and do good as a conversation starter for striving to influence change elsewhere in their practices which may be less desirable. And oftentimes this may be as far as you can go. But for us to be able to create real positive change we have to engage those not yet thinking about or engaging with the idea of more sustainable and ethical practices. If we choose to stick only with those ticking boxes at the moment to avoid risk of condemnation, then we inhibit the very movement we’ve all signed up to be a part of and believe in as B Corps. ## Thank you A big thanks to all the B Corp businesses that participated in our breakfast event: [Candy Kittens,](https://candykittens.co.uk/)[Nudea](https://www.nudea.com/), [Pawprint](https://www.pawprint.eco/)[B Corp UK](https://bcorporation.uk),[EQ Investors,](https://eqinvestors.co.uk/)[Fourfront Group](https://www.fourfrontgroup.co.uk/), [Tiger Global](https://tigerglobal.co.uk/), [Aspiga](https://www.aspiga.com/), [ActionFunder](https://www.actionfunder.org/), [Project Merchandise](https://www.projectmerchandise.com/), [Bohill Partners,](https://bohillpartners.com/) [AJT,](https://www.teamajt.com/) [Bates Wells](https://bateswells.co.uk/), and [Runway East.](https://runwayea.st/) ## What’s next? We have lots more events coming up and in the planning for the year. If you’re interested in joining our mailing list please register your interest [here](mailto:%20events@yoyodesign.com "R") and we can keep you in the loop. If you have thoughts about a particular topic you’d love to table a discussion on, we’re all ears, so [get in touch.](mailto:info@yoyodesign.com) ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/) Events ### Female Lead Lunch: Women Supporting Women Facilitated by our CEO Jenny, these lunches are run by women, for women, to rally around what it means to run a purpose-driven organisation. [Female Lead Lunch: Women Supporting Women](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/female-lead-lunch-women-supporting-women/) --- # Bettering your B Corp _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/bettering-your-b-corp/_ # Bettering your B Corp Events Bringing together female leaders of UK B Corp businesses for a full day focusing on wellness, knowledge sharing and networking. ## Bettering your B Corp This was a one day not for profit networking event for female leaders of B Corp companies which truly focused on ways to better your mind, body and B Corp business. The day gave our guests ample opportunity to network amongst like minded fellow B Corp female leaders and was a great success. Held at Kingdom, in the middle of a beautiful 13-acre woodland venue in Penshurst, Kent, we had three wonderful female speakers leading discussion around our core topics: People, Planet and Prosperity. “ > > What a great event and beautifully put together. Really loved having some quality time and connecting with other women. I came away refreshed and inspired. Thank you. Rosie Brown - Co-CEO, COOK The day began with a chance to learn how functional breathing can have a powerful effect on energy levels, physical health and emotional wellbeing. Nadyne, Founder of Mindful Movement Method  shared tools, techniques and practices to encourage curiosity through awareness of body signals. Our female founders learnt ways to connect with their body, soothe and regulate a wired nervous system and explored how to speak the language of the brain to reduce stress, increase calm and feel better at work, and beyond. “ > > It was brilliant session to kick start our day and get us in a positive mindset for our main discussions. Jenny Kitchen - CEO, Yoyo Our second session involved an informative and thoughtful group discussion led by three top female B Corp business leaders who are very successfully leading the B Corp movement today. - Rosie Brown, Co-CEO, Cook - Kresse Wesling, Co-Founder, Elvis & Kresse - Jacqueline Gunn, Head of Community, B Lab UK. The speakers led with a brief summary surrounding their B Corp business and then the session was  left open and relaxed allowing for group discussion that focused on many different interesting topics related to our people, the planet, female leadership and general business prosperity. We ended this session with a Q&A with our speakers that provided all our guests with the chance to take part in an open, candid discussion - it was a brilliant and focused way to gain useful and valuable insight from other leading women within the B Corp industry. “ > > Yoyo created a safe, nurturing environment that encouraged vulnerability, straight talking and brave action. Sarah Whale - Founder, Profit Impact After lunch, we took our guests on a small woodland walk around Kingdom and got another opportunity to really get to know each other whilst taking in some breathtaking countryside views. Finally, we closed our day with a energising yoga and mindful movement practice designed to get us out of our busy heads and into our bodies. We were taught how to move with curiosity and focus and how by empowering our inner warriors through flow and dynamic movements, we were able to achieve restorative stillness. “ > > What a wonderful day spent with inspiring, gentle, strong, authentic women, wonderfully organised. Justine Clement - CEO, Happy Prize Company If you would like to attend, sponsor or take part in one of our events, just [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) with our marketing team. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/) Events ### Female Lead Lunch: Women Supporting Women Facilitated by our CEO Jenny, these lunches are run by women, for women, to rally around what it means to run a purpose-driven organisation. [Female Lead Lunch: Women Supporting Women](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/female-lead-lunch-women-supporting-women/) --- # B Corp Breakfast: Cultivating Creativity in your Marketing Team _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/b-corp-breakfast-cultivating-creativity-in-your-marketing-team/_ # B Corp Breakfast: Cultivating Creativity in your Marketing Team Events An opportunity for in-house marketeers from purpose-driven brands to share cross-industry ideas and advice and get support from like minded marketing folk. ## Yoyo: Breakfast Briefings Our Breakfast Briefings are a relaxed and informal gathering facilitated by Yoyo, where marketing people can get together to ask questions, share advice and reignite their own and their team's creative spark. Joined by marketing professionals across a wide range of B Corps and purpose-driven businesses, we came together at fellow B Corp Runway East in London Bridge to hear different perspectives on infusing creativity within in-house marketing teams. ## Why this topic? It’s all too common in marketing for all of the energy and budget to go into daily firefighting instead of innovation. Not having the time or capacity to think strategically or creatively often stops teams from going the extra mile to drive growth. Our Founder and Creative Director Gregg Lawrence and our Head of Project Management Hannah Smith facilitated the discussion whilst adding expert opinion through an Agency lens. ## What came up? The bulk of our discussion centred around struggling to get stakeholder buy-in early in the process, with budgets, work streams, and internal barriers holding us back from infusing that creative spark. We also spoke through the pressure to deliver immediate results, and making sure stakeholders understand the balance between short and long-term success. Below are just a few of the areas that we covered, that really resonated with the group: ### Done is better than perfect 'The perfect is the enemy of the good’ is a familiar phrase in the self-improvement sphere, but it applies to marketing projects too. As lovely as it would be to incorporate every single bit of feedback, it’s lovelier still to be able to deliver what you’re working on. Ending up on version 37 after amends is not conducive to work delivered on time and on budget, leaving nobody happy with the result. To keep projects grounded by bringing attention to tangible consequences and making stakeholders aware of the implications. Try asking: - What is the impact of a delayed delivery? - How would multiple revisions affect the budget? - What knock-on effects are there on the timescale? ### Speak the language of your stakeholders Marketing can often seem like a dialect all of its own in some fields, especially those that are highly corporate or technical. Both qualitative and quantitative information have their merits, and will be useful depending on who you’re talking to. Whether it's a spreadsheet full of performance data, or a buzzing comment section on social media - be intentional about which people you choose to share which information with. Try asking: - What does success look like to you? - What value do you think this activity will add? - Does this activity require precise measurement? ### Leave space for evolution When looking to cultivate creativity with your marketing, allow yourself 10% of wild, unbridled craziness. Push your ideas further, and be happy taking that extra gamble - it’ll likely be worth the risk. Colouring in the lines only goes so far, and sometimes you need something that doesn’t fit neatly into a box. Try asking: - Can this be pushed outside of the comfort zone? - What is the worst thing that could happen? - How can thinking be changed around this project? ### Embrace being small Being a team of one or just a few people can be daunting with so much to do. Even so, a smaller team allows you to be more agile, giving you more freedom to do what you want (hypothetically at least). With fewer cooks in the proverbial kitchen, you might have less pushback against ideas, and face fewer barriers to delivery. Try asking: - Could some team members be informed rather than involved? - How much input do you need? - How can you sell your idea to senior team members? ### Not everything is worth doing Given how deeply invested everyone is in the final product, it’s difficult to shut down any ideas. However, constraints are necessary to funnel ideas into a realistic plan of action. Think confidently presenting managers with what you’re doing and why, rather than asking for permission and input. Bring stakeholders on the journey that you know the route to. Try *telling*: - The rationale behind a decision - Why this decision is the most suitable one - The hard deadlines in place ## Thank you Thank you to everyone who took the time out to come along, and share their thoughts: Temple, Joseph Homes, Talking Tables, Active Digital, The Executive Coaching Consultancy, Oxwash, I Love My Job, Sensat, Cripps, First Wealth. ## What’s next? We have lots more events coming up, and even more in the pipeline for the year. If you’re interested in joining our mailing list, you can register your interest here, so we can keep you in the loop. If there’s a particular topic that you’d love to table a discussion on, we’re all ears - get in touch here. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/) Events ### Female Lead Lunch: Women Supporting Women Facilitated by our CEO Jenny, these lunches are run by women, for women, to rally around what it means to run a purpose-driven organisation. [Female Lead Lunch: Women Supporting Women](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/female-lead-lunch-women-supporting-women/) --- # Yoyo Marketing Lunch: A Recap _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/yoyo-marketing-lunch-a-recap/_ # Yoyo Marketing Lunch: A Recap Events From the rise of AI, to the next generation of donors, to harnessing specific tools - we covered it all in our last marketing lunch, all about strategic web planning for non-profits. ## What’s this all about? We get that marketing can feel like trying to balance a million things at once. Having worked with teams across a range of industries, one common factor is the need to constantly adapt to changing trends, technologies, and priorities. That’s where our marketing lunches come in. By providing an open space for discussion, sharing ideas and advice, and validating shared experiences, navigating [digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy") can feel that bit easier. ## Why this topic? Driving a cause’s mission forward takes thoughtful planning and consideration of a whole host of factors. With this in mind, we had three key discussion points to guide our discussion: ### Keeping users engaged Reaching your supporters where they are has never been more essential to building the long-term relationships that drive continued support. Understanding what content and channels resonate most helps charities build trust, encourage repeat donations, and inspire advocacy. Without sustained engagement, even the best campaigns risk losing momentum - which has knock-on effects on potential impact. ### Maximising impact on tight budgets Being resourceful ensures that mission-driven work reaches more people, even with financial constraints. Given that charities rely on generosity, every penny spent has to count. Creative, cost-effective digital strategies like repurposing content, using free tools, or tapping into volunteer talent can all significantly extend reach without increasing spend. ### Navigating rapid tech changes Relevance and visibility are two of the key ingredients when it comes to staying up to date in a digital landscape that evolves so quickly. Whether it’s adapting to new algorithms, emerging platforms, or new user behaviors, charities need practical ways to keep pace without overwhelming their teams. Embracing change ensures their message remains heard and impactful in what can be a noisy digital space. ## What came up? ### The role of storytelling A compelling story humanises your mission, evokes empathy, and creates an emotional connection with your supporters. Representing yourself authentically shapes your brand narrative, which has knock-on effects on things like your tone of voice, structure and layout, and how you relate to your audience. From impact stories, to testimonials, to expert insights - the content that you share across your digital channels is an important tool for reinforcing your values. ### Digital volunteerism There are so many ways that supporters can give their time, and with the added flexibility of volunteering online, those opportunities are more accessible than ever. Tasks like conducting research, adding subtitles, and contributing to open-source projects all take advantage of a huge pool of people willing to help from all over the world. Traditional face-to-face volunteering isn’t an option for everyone, so finding ways to champion inclusion across opportunities can be a powerful way to recruit support. ### Evolving audiences Knowing exactly who you’re aiming to reach is often the first step in making sure your message is being heard. Part of finding that out is asking questions like - - How do we reach the next generation of supporters? - How do we represent our personas accurately and effectively? - What kind of approach makes the most sense to our audience? - Which platforms are the audience most likely to use regularly? ## What’s next? We’ve got a jam-packed pipeline of events throughout the year, and love meeting people from purpose-driven businesses. If you’re interested in joining our mailing list to be kept in the loop for all the goings-on, get in touch here. Have a topic in mind that you’d like to chat through? We’re all ears - let us know [here](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact"). ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/) Events ### Female Lead Lunch: Women Supporting Women Facilitated by our CEO Jenny, these lunches are run by women, for women, to rally around what it means to run a purpose-driven organisation. [Female Lead Lunch: Women Supporting Women](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/female-lead-lunch-women-supporting-women/) --- # AI & US: A Yoyo/Client Discussion _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/ai-us-a-yoyoclient-discussion/_ # AI & US: A Yoyo/Client Discussion Events A dedicated session with our Yoyo clients and community where we discussed all things AI. ## AI & Us: An Open Client Discussion We recently hosted our exclusive online breakfast series, **'AI & Us,'** bringing together our valued clients for an honest and practical conversation about navigating the world of Artificial Intelligence. Facilitated by our CEO, Jenny, and Senior Project Manager, Dan, the open forum was designed for peer-to-peer learning and sharing. After a quick look at Yoyo's own internal [AI journey,](https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-ai/) the discussion quickly moved to client experiences, covering **how organisations are currently using AI, the biggest challenges and concerns they are encountering, and the areas where they are seeing real benefit.** The session highlighted the shared journey we are all on and the power of collective wisdom in leveraging this technology more effectively. It was fantastic to hear how different teams are tackling successes and concerns within their roles and with just an hour session initially, we were all left wanting to carry on the conversation even further. A big thank you to all our Yoyo friends who participated in our first session and looking forward to many more in 2026. ## What’s next? We’ve got a jam-packed pipeline of events throughout the year, and love getting new opportunities to get closer to our clients whilst also meeting new people and good organisations too. We are excited to continue these regular sessions in 2026, so if you are a Yoyo client, friend or close member of our community and didn't get the chance to join us this time, keep an eye out for details through our community updates about the next planned discussion. If you’re not signed up to our mailing list but want to be kept in the loop for all the goings-on, get in touch [here](mailto:marketing@yoyodesign.com). And, even better - if you have a specific AI related topic in mind that you’d like to chat through on the next one, give us a shout. We'd love to make these events as inclusive and valuable as possible for our clients, so we're all ears - let us know [here](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact"). “ > > It was a great opportunity to spend time with like-minded people who are also trying to navigate this complex new topic. We are putting a lot of effort into our AI approach so it was not only hugely helpful, but aptly timed and I have taken forward and suggested to run many of the approaches discussed internally here. > > > Russ - Operations Director from Fight For Sight ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/) Events ### Female Lead Lunch: Women Supporting Women Facilitated by our CEO Jenny, these lunches are run by women, for women, to rally around what it means to run a purpose-driven organisation. [Female Lead Lunch: Women Supporting Women](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/female-lead-lunch-women-supporting-women/) --- # Umbraco _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/_ # Latest All ^(119)^ - [All ^(119)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/) - [News ^(72)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/news/) - [How to ^(18)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/) - [Events ^(6)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/) - [Umbraco ^(23)^](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### Umbraco vs. Optimizely: the choice for human-centred digital experiences Explore why Umbraco offers a more flexible, transparent, and scalable alternative to Optimizely. [Umbraco vs. Optimizely: the choice for human-centred digital experiences](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-vs-optimizely-the-choice-for-human-centred-digital-experiences/) Umbraco ### Umbraco best practices we follow when building scalable websites Learn the 3 Umbraco best practices we follow at Yoyo to build scalable, high-performing websites that empower your team and future-proof your CMS. [Umbraco best practices we follow when building scalable websites](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-best-practices-we-follow-when-building-scalable-websites/) Umbraco ### How to add Google Analytics to Umbraco and track real performance? To turn your site from a static brochure into a high-performance business tool, you need to know not just who is visiting, but what they are actually doing. [How to add Google Analytics to Umbraco and track real performance?](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-to-add-google-analytics-to-umbraco-and-track-real-performance/) Umbraco ### How to speed up an Umbraco website and improve load times Slow loading times mean frustrated users, higher bounce rates, lower conversions and poorer search performance. Here's what can help. [How to speed up an Umbraco website and improve load times](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-to-speed-up-an-umbraco-website-and-improve-load-times/) Umbraco ### Is Umbraco open source and what does that mean for my business? Discover how choosing Umbraco's open source model gives you back control [Is Umbraco open source and what does that mean for my business?](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/is-umbraco-open-source-and-what-does-that-mean-for-my-business/) Umbraco ### The real advantages of Umbraco CMS for modern websites Discover why Umbraco is known as the "friendly CMS" and how its open-source flexibility saves you budget while boosting ROI. [The real advantages of Umbraco CMS for modern websites](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/the-real-advantages-of-umbraco-cms-for-modern-websites/) Umbraco ### Scaling for Good: How Umbraco can handle your peak fundraising capacity How Umbraco can handle your peak fundraising capacity. [Scaling for Good: How Umbraco can handle your peak fundraising capacity](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/scaling-for-good-how-umbraco-can-handle-your-peak-fundraising-capacity/) Umbraco ### Schema for Good: Using structured data to win AI Overview citations Find out how a little structured data can help your website stand out in AI search results and how Umbraco makes it simple to get started. [Schema for Good: Using structured data to win AI Overview citations](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/schema-for-good-using-structured-data-to-win-ai-overview-citations/) 1 of 3 [Next](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/?page=2) --- # Schema for Good: Using structured data to win AI Overview citations _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/schema-for-good-using-structured-data-to-win-ai-overview-citations/_ # Schema for Good: Using structured data to win AI Overview citations Umbraco Find out how a little structured data can help your website stand out in AI search results and how [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") makes it simple to get started. ## How AI Is Transforming Online Visibility In a world where online visibility directly impacts engagement, reputation and conversions, being seen at the right moment matters more than ever. And increasingly, those moments happen inside AI Overviews, the new AI-generated summaries that sit right at the top of Google's search results. So the key question is: how do you ensure Google's AI is quoting your organisation and not someone else? The answer lies in a simple but powerful tool: structured data, also known as schema. ## What Schema Actually Does (and Why AI Relies on It) Schema is a way of labelling your website content so search engines and AI tools can understand it with complete clarity. While humans see [beautifully designed pages](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX"), schema supplies machines with clear, factual data. For example: - An Event page becomes a recognised event with a date, time, location and booking link. - A Product page clearly identifies pricing, availability and reviews. - An FAQ page becomes a trusted list of direct answers. This matters because AI Overviews prioritise reliable, structured information. When you use schema, you're effectively giving Google a verified, machine-readable version of your key content, making it far more likely that your website will appear as the authoritative source in AI-generated answers. In other words, schema tells AI, "This is the definitive information, use us!" ## Why Umbraco Makes Schema Easy for Marketing Teams One of the major benefits of [building websites on Umbraco CMS](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") is how straightforward it becomes to add, manage and automate structured data, without disrupting your content workflow or relying on development support every time. Here's how Umbraco helps: #### 1. Global organisation schema We can configure your core business information, like name, logo, social profiles, contact details once at a global level. Umbraco then outputs this consistently across your site, ensuring search engines always receive trusted, unified information. #### 2. Script areas built into every site [All the websites we build](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") include optional script blocks that can be shown on individual pages or inherited across child pages. This gives you full control over adding custom schema where it makes sense, without editing theme files or writing complex code. #### 3. Schema-ready document types Umbraco's flexible content models allow us to "bake in" schema to specific components or page types. For example: - Event pages can automatically output Event schema - FAQs can automatically generate FAQ page schema - Product pages can generate Product schema Your editors simply fill in the usual fields and Umbraco handles the technical output behind the scenes. #### 4. Future-proofing for AI-driven search As AI Overviews become a standard part of search results, Umbraco gives you the flexibility to adapt your structured data quickly, ensuring your organisation stays visible and competitive. ## Where to Start: High-Impact Schema Types for Most Websites You don't need to use every schema type, just the ones that help users and search engines understand your content. Good starting points include: - **Organisation schema** Helps AI recognise your organisation as a trusted source. - **FAQ / How To schema** Ideal for support content, guides and "how do I...?" pages that AI tools often summarise. - **Event schema** Useful for webinars, product launches, workshops and company events. - **Product or Service schema** Clear, structured information about what you offer increases both visibility and trust. ## Bringing It All Together Structured data isn't a niche technical add-on, it's one of the simplest, highest-impact ways to help AI understand your content and elevate your organisation in search results. And with Umbraco, your website is already set up to use schema effectively, whether you're adding it manually in script areas or baking it into templates and components. Investing a little time into structured data now can help ensure your website is the one being cited, surfaced and trusted in the new AI-powered search landscape. Put simply: schema helps your website work harder and get the visibility it deserves. ### Want to find out more? Looking to understand a little more about schema and how it can help your website? Or interested in how we can built a high-performing [Umbraco site for Demelza](https://yoyodesign.com/work/demelza/ "Demelza") that boosted engagement by 242% [Let's talk.](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website Ongoing care isn’t an optional extra -  it protects your ROI and ensures your website continues to deliver meaningful impact. [How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-proactive-digital-upkeep-protects-your-new-website/) --- # How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-proactive-digital-upkeep-protects-your-new-website/_ # How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website Umbraco Launching a new website is a major milestone for any charity. It represents a significant investment of funding, of staff time and of stakeholder trust. While the “Go Live” moment can feel like the finish line, it’s actually the starting point of your organisation’s long-term digital journey. Without proactive upkeep, even the best new website can start to lose value. For any organisation that relies on its digital presence, ongoing care isn’t an optional extra; it’s the safeguard that protects your return on investment and ensures your website continues to deliver meaningful impact. ## Why expertise matters [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") gives organisations a flexible, secure and highly customisable CMS. But like any powerful platform, it performs best with informed, ongoing management. Expert oversight ensures your website remains aligned with your goals, responsive to audience needs and resilient as technology evolves. ### Staying Secure Security is one of the most critical parts of digital stewardship. Regular long-term support (LTS) updates, security patches and maintenance checks ensure your site remains protected against emerging threats. When these updates are overlooked, vulnerabilities can quickly escalate into costly problems, ranging from emergency fixes to reputational damage and lost supporter trust. [Sustainable, modern hosting](https://sustainable-digital-design-guide.yoyodesign.com/considerations/green-web-hosting) also plays a role. It keeps your data safe and helps organisations meet their environmental commitment, an increasingly important part of brand responsibility. ### Staying Relevant The digital landscape changes quickly. Sometimes, what worked last year won’t have the same impact this year. Proactive digital upkeep helps organisations respond to these shifts. Routine audits, [SEO](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent") insights and performance reviews make it possible to listen to your audience and adjust accordingly. A consistent, fast, professional user experience builds trust. And trust is what drives long-term engagement, repeat visits and successful fundraising. ### Keeping Focused on Your Mission For charities like the [RNLI](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/ "RNLI")or [World Wide Cancer Research](https://yoyodesign.com/work/worldwide-cancer-research/) running time-sensitive or high-profile campaigns, every second of uptime matters. Reliable digital support ensures your site remains fast and stable during peak activity, so no donation or sign-up is lost to avoidable glitches. Beyond software updates, ongoing maintenance ensures that critical integrations such as CRMs, marketing platforms and payment processors continue to run smoothly. Stable, well-maintained systems mean staff can focus on mission impact instead of firefighting digital issues. If you're keen to hear more about Yoyo's Continuous Care Package or about how ongoing support for your website can help protect your investment,  just [drop us an email](mailto:hello@yoyodesign.com)- we'd be happy to discuss the perfect setup for you. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### Umbraco 17 LTS is here: Stability, Speed, and Security. An update on the benefits of the latest release of Umbraco 17 LTS. [Umbraco 17 LTS is here: Stability, Speed, and Security.](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-17-lts-is-here-stability-speed-and-security/) --- # Umbraco 17 LTS is here: Stability, Speed, and Security. _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-17-lts-is-here-stability-speed-and-security/_ # Umbraco 17 LTS is here: Stability, Speed, and Security. Umbraco An update on the benefits of the latest release of Umbraco 17 LTS. ### Umbraco 17 LTS is officially live! Some big news in the Umbraco community has just dropped and as the team building and maintaining your digital platform, this is the update we’ve been waiting for. It’s not just a new number; it’s a major step forward that directly translates into a faster, more secure, and more resilient website for you. This version makes your online presence better, both for us to develop on and for your customers to use. ## What's the Big Deal with "LTS"? ### The key term here is LTS, or "Long-Term Support." LTS means the Umbraco team is guaranteeing stability and security for years. It’s the ultimate confidence boost for your digital investment. Specifically, Umbraco 17 is officially supported until November 27th, 2028. That’s years of guaranteed security updates, maintenance, and stability provided directly by Umbraco, giving you complete peace of mind. ### The Technical Leap: Built on a Modern Foundation If you've been waiting for the right moment to [upgrade your Umbraco CMS](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/ "Umbraco Upgrades"), this is it. Umbraco 17 represents a completely rebuilt, modern foundation. It’s built on .NET 10, ensuring your platform is leveraging the absolute latest in web technology. This game-changing architectural shift is what enables the stability, speed, and long-term future-proofing we’ve all been asking for. ## What are the top five benefits of migrating to Umbraco 17? ### Serious Site Speed & Superior Performance We’re leveraging the latest underlying technology, resulting in a dramatic boost in speed and overall enterprise-grade resilience. For your users, this means noticeably faster load times and a much smoother browsing experience, which is crucial for reducing bounce rates and improving conversion. A faster site also gives you a critical edge in search engine ranking signals. ### Happier Content Editors and Faster Workflows **** (Introducing Release Sets) Your team will benefit from an interface that has been refined for clarity and built with modern accessibility standards. This makes daily tasks, like publishing a blog post or launching a new landing page, simpler and quicker. Crucially, Umbraco 17 introduces Release Sets (available to Umbraco Workflow users). This lets your content team group multiple pieces of content (e.g., a new homepage hero, product updates, and navigation changes) and publish them all at once at a scheduled time. Everything is prepared, reviewed, and approved in advance, then goes live in perfect sync, leading to a more dynamic and effective website. ### Enhanced Security and Compliance As an LTS release, Umbraco 17 is a fortified version of the platform. The extended support guarantee means that Umbraco is committed to patching any security vulnerabilities for the next few years. This significantly reduces your risk profile and helps ensure your website remains compliant with modern security standards, protecting both your organisation’s data and your customers' trust. ### Cost-Effective Future-Proofing Moving to Umbraco 17 now positions your website for easy, low-complexity maintenance in the years to come. Because you are on the approved LTS path, subsequent, smaller updates will be easier and less costly for us to handle. This protects your digital investment and ensures your platform remains agile and up-to-date without the need for disruptive, expensive "catch-up" migrations down the line. You save time and budget in the long run. ### Better Integration Capabilities Umbraco 17’s modern core framework means it integrates more seamlessly with the broader ecosystem of digital tools you rely on, from marketing automation platforms (MAPs) to customer relationship management (CRM) systems. This enhanced compatibility allows us to build more powerful and streamlined digital experiences for your customers by connecting your website more efficiently to your other business-critical systems. ## A Heads-up: Umbraco Forms Licensing There is one important change to be aware of if your site uses Umbraco Forms to capture data. Starting with Umbraco 17, Forms has moved to a subscription-based licensing model: ### Existing One-Off Licenses If you currently have a one-off Forms license, it will continue working on pre-v17 versions. However, to run Forms on v17 or later, you'll need to migrate to the subscription model. ### Migration Credit Umbraco is making this transition fair by converting your existing license into subscription time. You get up to 32 months minus the age of your current license as credit toward the subscription. ### What Stays the Same? Domain coverage and all core functionality remain consistent. ### Note for Cloud Users If you're using Forms on Umbraco Cloud, the license is included at no cost and will automatically upgrade, no action is required from you. ### Our part to play and your next step As your digital agency, we love these updates because they let us build better solutions for you. For our clients on a Continuous Care Package, our developers are already scheduling and implementing this upgrade. We will handle all the complex migration work and keep you informed every step of the way. If your organisation isn't currently on one of our care packages, now is the perfect time to strategise your 2026 upgrade. Drop us an email today to discuss how we can bring the speed, security, and stability of Umbraco 17 LTS to your platform. [Get in touch](mailto:yoyodesign.com) ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### Scaling for Good: How Umbraco can handle your peak fundraising capacity How Umbraco can handle your peak fundraising capacity. [Scaling for Good: How Umbraco can handle your peak fundraising capacity](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/scaling-for-good-how-umbraco-can-handle-your-peak-fundraising-capacity/) --- # What is Umbraco? _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/what-is-umbraco/_ # What is Umbraco? Umbraco We take a closer look at some of Umbraco’s key features and what's led this growing CMS platform to become so popular. ## Growing CMS platform. Umbraco is one of the most widely used Content Management Systems (CMS), known for its simplicity and almost limitless potential and delivering on some of the largest global corporate websites across multiple industry sectors. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at some of Umbraco’s key features that have led this growing CMS platform to become so popular. We’ll also explore how it compares with WordPress, its ease of use, how it works with SEO, and why your business should use Umbraco. ## User friendly features. ### Why should you use Umbraco? Site owners, content creators, designers, and developers around the world enjoy Umbraco’s simplicity, flexibility, security and scalability. When it comes to the design, development and futureproofing of a website, Umbraco is fully customisable and known for its [user-friendly features](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/making-seo-friendlier-with-umbraco/): - **Integration** with third party platforms or systems is made simple. - **Multi-lingual**: Umbraco supports multiple languages, making it a great choice for multinational organisations. - **Easy to use**: Dynamic and ambitious web pages are easily and quickly created using the ‘drag and drop’ page creation tool while its media library with built-in image editor allows full-resolution images to be intuitively added and edited. - **Scalability**: Umbraco’s CMS doesn’t compromise on performance even when multiple custom features, software tools and other functionalities are added to the website – or when inevitable traffic spikes occur as the business grows. - **Enterprise level**: Umbraco is ideal for managing multiple sites on the same CMS. - **User control and website governance** is made easier through different permission levels for users - i.e. admins, editors or other roles. - **Ongoing support** from a huge team of experts as well as a friendly Umbraco-user community on hand to support clients at every stage. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### What makes Umbraco a great CMS We explain the difference between a good CMS and a great CMS. [What makes Umbraco a great CMS](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/what-makes-umbraco-a-great-cms/) --- # Umbraco vs WordPress: Everything you need to know _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-vs-wordpress-everything-you-need-to-know/_ # Umbraco vs WordPress: Everything you need to know Umbraco A deeper insight into the key features and comparisons between Umbraco and WordPress. ## The right platform for you. Whether you’re looking to build a new website or migrate to an alternative Content Management System, choosing the right platform can be a difficult and often bewildering decision. The two major players that many clients consider are Umbraco and WordPress, both are powerful, customisable CMS systems but how to choose between the two? Here at [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/), we believe the most logical approach when choosing a CMS is to start by asking: “what are my project requirements - and what do I need the CMS to achieve for my business, now and in the future?” *Will it be used by non-technical admins? How secure is it? How will it grow with my business?* The list is exhaustive and no one size fits all. So, if you’re looking to make a decision between these two major CMS players, we hope this blog will help inform you to make the right choice for your business needs, by setting out some of their key differences. ## What are the main differences between Umbraco and WordPress? Let’s kick off with a brief background of both Umbraco and WordPress before we drill down into more detail of some of the key differences between these two powerhouse CMS platforms: Dubbed "The Friendly CMS”, Umbraco was created in Denmark in 2000 by Niels Hartvig; the platform now powers over 750,000 websites, listing global multinational clients such as Carlsberg Group, JP Morgan, Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft, Reebok and many more. Released in 2003, WordPress started life as a community-based blogging platform before evolving into one of the internet’s most popular content management platforms. It too powers some of the world’s largest brands and boasts a large market share, its popularity due in part to a wide choice of templates and themes. ## Framework A CMS is a computer application used for creating and modifying digital content, built on software known as a ‘framework’ and depending on the functionality of that framework, the CMS can be modified using additional user-written code. Umbraco was built as an open-source CMS on Microsoft’s ASP.NET, a highly flexible framework on which to build dynamic websites, allowing complex forms and data validation to be implemented with ease (for example, integrating a customer relationship management (CRM) such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 to an Umbraco site). This makes (almost!) anything possible during the development of an Umbraco web build, as well as future-proofing it for business growth and site development. WordPress is also a free and open-source CMS, built on entirely different technology which uses web technology languages such as PHP, JavaScript, CSS and HTML (which can bring their own limitations when it comes to case uses) and whose features include a plugin architecture and a template system, referred to within WordPress as Themes. ## Web Developers Web developers like to push boundaries and finding a Content Management System which gives them design freedom and the power to build complex, integrated websites running multiple applications without compromising on performance is rare. What do Umbraco and WordPress have to offer developers in order to create and maintain high-performing websites? Umbraco’s power lies in its design flexibility which makes creating a world-class website while new features and improvements to the core system are under continual review by its global developer community, ensuring the robustness of the back office. And with help from Umbraco HQ as well as a knowledgeable and friendly open source community of over 225,000 active developers across the globe, they’re never short of technical and creative support. Thanks to its origins as a blogging platform WordPress is undeniably straightforward to use, quick to set up, and easy to navigate, even for a non-web developer. Managing content using the pre-designed templates can result in a professional-looking website but web developers who want to push those boundaries may find the existing page templates limiting, needing to rely on plug-ins and APIs which come at an additional cost. ## Ease of Use The ability to use a content management system to carry out basic tasks is an important consideration when selecting the right platform. Both Umbraco and WordPress were built as content management systems and many of the world’s largest and best-known organisations use their CMS. But how easy is it for either platform to be used by non-developers and developers? Umbraco CMS system was designed for developers but is user-intuitive, making it easy for non-technical CMS users to edit and content manage websites, with minimal training and no need for coding knowledge. Rather than relying on plugins and templates which can slow sites down and leave them vulnerable to hackers, Umbraco gives users the ability to customise sites from the get go. Its built-in features also allow backend development work to take place with no extra cost. Usability is one of WordPress’s major selling points and thanks to its generous range of templates and plugins, even the most novice users can easily create a professional looking website and update their own page content using pre-designed templates, on a budget and without needing to employ the services of a professional web developer. ## SEO-friendly CMS ### CMS customisation ## The flexibility to design a website exactly as the client wants it to be, with the features that they know their customers will demand, is most often at the top of most client wish lists. Nobody wants limits set on what they can achieve – and the good news is that, because Umbraco and WordPress are both open-source, they offer good options as far as customisation goes. But there are some differences to consider: With Umbraco’s flexible (coded) extension capability and web developer-friendly technology, it’s easy to add new features and customise existing ones. Through its built-in package library, Umbraco users can download and install new features, for integration with third-party systems including eCommerce, event booking systems, and CRMs – efficient and intuitive from both a frontend and backend perspective. WordPress set out to put the power in the hands of the everyday user, making websites available and easy to use for everyone and is renowned for being highly customisable through custom code, plugins and extensions. These provide a huge amount of functionality and give non-technical users almost infinite methods of customising their website without the need for code. However, this level of customisation can lead to a slowdown in performance and reduced SEO optimisation. ## SEO compatibility Search Engine Optimisation is an essential part of any business marketing plan; by using ranking factors used in search engine algorithms, it’s a way of increasing visibility and traffic that a website attracts from organic search engine results such as Google, Bing and Yahoo. Umbraco’s user-friendly framework makes it a simple process to implement and manage a host of SEO-friendly features and while these extensions need to be coded into the backend by a developer, once added they are intuitive and simple to use by web developers and non-web developers alike. WordPress makes it easy to find an add-on for almost anything, including a host of free Google-approved plugins to help to optimise web pages for search engines and to rank more highly in search engine results. The drawback is that adding free plugins can slow the performance of a website, forcing users away from the website and adversely affecting SEO ranking in search engines. ## Growth and Scalability Scalability has become a buzzword for good reason, and choosing a CMS solution with the flexibility to adapt through growth, that will keep up with new technologies and online trends is essential. Businesses today should look for web solutions that can handle higher volumes of web traffic at an optimal speed and which will support their growth and provide the digital functionalities that may be required in the future. One of Umbraco’s major benefits lies in its future-proof framework. Scalability is made easy through a range of API integrations, plugins and feature extensions which are fully customisable to meet the needs of the business as it grows. In addition, increasing memory and disk space as the website’s requirements change and the volume of traffic grows are made possible through Umbraco Cloud’s servers. With the right infrastructure, services and resources, WordPress’s CMS can also be fully customised to meet the needs of a growing business. Built-in search engine optimisation, plugins and custom coding will extend the site while a user-friendly admin interface makes navigating the backend intuitive for all levels of users. Despite starting life as a blogging platform, WordPress is now capable of hosting large-scale corporate sites with high volumes of traffic and is both flexible and upgradeable. ## Security Keeping a website safe from cyberattack is of paramount importance, especially for businesses which hold sensitive information or process secure data such as corporate, e-commerce or governmental content. Security was built into the .NET platform from its initial development making Umbraco one of the most secure CMS platforms on the market and it takes additional measures to keep its sites protected from hackers. These include the use of HTTPS with an SSL certificate, user account security through the use of passwords, platform updates and third party auditing while Microsoft’s state-of-the-art security arm performs regular penetration testing to scan for common vulnerabilities to identify any potential problems. And with Umbraco Cloud (which is based on Microsoft Azure, passwords are replaced with a secure, single click log-in. As we’ve mentioned previously, WordPress relies on a large number of third-party plugins and templates in order to give users the most flexibility when it comes to design and functionality. This not only uses a lot of resources which can slow the performance of a website, it can also leave some sites susceptible to cyber hackers, especially if some plugins are badly designed, improperly executed or updated. ## World-Class Solutions Both Umbraco and WordPress offer world-class open-source CMS solutions, and while we understand that one platform may be better suited to one type of client over another, we love the freedom Umbraco gives us from both a technical and design standpoint. We believe that businesses wanting to build a robust, powerful website with intuitive design flexibility, security and scalability should consider [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/) for their online presence. So, if you're ready to take the next step in your digital ambitions and to find out how we can support your new project, speak with [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/) today and we'll see how we can help you on your [Umbraco Web Development](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/) journey today. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website Ongoing care isn’t an optional extra -  it protects your ROI and ensures your website continues to deliver meaningful impact. [How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-proactive-digital-upkeep-protects-your-new-website/) --- # Scaling for Good: How Umbraco can handle your peak fundraising capacity _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/scaling-for-good-how-umbraco-can-handle-your-peak-fundraising-capacity/_ # Scaling for Good: How Umbraco can handle your peak fundraising capacity Umbraco How Umbraco can handle your peak fundraising capacity. So, you're in a marketing or fundraising role in a charity, you're constantly planning campaigns to engage the most people. You know when your audience peaks and how to plan for it. But you're also responsible for the moments you can't plan for. Sudden crises, [urgent appeals](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rvs-shaping-the-future/ "RVS - Shaping the Future"), or those intense Christmas and tax year-end filing deadlines. When traffic on your website surges, it becomes a whole new beast. The very last thing anyone wants is slow load times, images not working, or the absolute worst - lost potential donations. This is where peak fundraising capacity really matters. Here are the four most important reasons Umbraco is trusted by charities to perform when it matters most. ## It scales instantly when demand spikes This is the big one. [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco")(especially when hosted in Umbraco Cloud) can automatically scale its capacity the moment traffic surges. What this means for you is when thousands of supporters arrive at once, the site doesn't just die immediately, it is specifically designed to scale quickly and reliably during traffic surges, then scales back afterwards. No panic, no manual intervention, no lost donations. ## Donation pages stay fast, even under pressure Another great thing about Umbraco (can you tell we love it?) is that it makes excellent use of caching. Umbraco can serve pre-rendered versions of pages without rebuilding them for every visitor, dramatically reducing load on the system during traffic spikes. This frees up your most important pages, I'm thinking your donate page for example, to load quickly even during peak traffic. Potential supporters aren't left frustrated by the donation process and therefore [don't abandon their user journey](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX"). ## Fundraising integrations don't bring the site down Some [charity websites](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") rely heavily on CRMs, payment providers, and marketing tools. Umbraco is designed to connect to these systems without tightly binding everything together. You are left thanking you chose Umbraco, as if a payment provider slows down or an external system has a wobble, your entire site doesn't fall over at the first hurdle. The risk is contained, not catastrophic. ## Reliability during high-profile moments Legacy platforms often struggle when success becomes a stress test. Umbraco is built for high-traffic, high-stakes scenarios, including crisis appeals and media-driven spikes. You can promote campaigns boldly, knowing your platform can cope with the attention you're trying to generate. In short, Umbraco isn't just a CMS. It's a safeguard for your fundraising success. When supporters show up in force, your website was born ready. Pairing a high-performance Umbraco site with a strong [charity SEO strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-for-charities/ "SEO for Charities") ensures you are not just ready to handle demand - you are actively driving it. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### Umbraco 17 LTS is here: Stability, Speed, and Security. An update on the benefits of the latest release of Umbraco 17 LTS. [Umbraco 17 LTS is here: Stability, Speed, and Security.](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-17-lts-is-here-stability-speed-and-security/) --- # How does Umbraco support ecommerce? _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-does-umbraco-support-ecommerce/_ # How does Umbraco support ecommerce? Umbraco We explore why large brands rely on Umbraco to power their ecommerce presence. The UK is considered to have the most advanced ecommerce market in Europe, according to the Office of National Statistics. The pandemic has prompted a digital transformation that’s changing the online retail landscape - and it shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, with research suggesting that by 2025, ecommerce will account for over a third of total retail sales, it’s clear that businesses involved in selling products or services must have a robust, secure and scalable CMS solution in place, in order to survive and flourish. In this blog, we’ll explore why brands as large as Dominos and Mercedes rely on Umbraco to power their ecommerce presence - and what clients (of any size) with an ecommerce requirement can expect from working with an [Umbraco Registered Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), such as Yoyo. ## How well does ecommerce work with Umbraco? One of Umbraco’s many advantages as a CMS is its flexibility. But what do we mean by that? Thanks to its open-source code and easy-to-use APIs, there are multiple ways to use Umbraco as an [ecommerce platform](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/), all you need to do is choose the best third-party App for your specific ecommerce needs and solution. From Vendr and Ucommerce to Raptor, uMarketing Suite and Storm Commerce - there are plenty to choose from, making buying and selling online simple and streamlined, as well as collecting that all-important data to better understand customer behaviours and improve their online shopping experience. Read our article about [Ucommerce](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/getting-the-most-out-of-ucommerce-for-umbraco/) to understand how to get the best out of it. ## Flexibility and customisation. ## Umbraco ecommerce requires API Integrations. Our clients often ask us why ecommerce functionality isn’t built into Umbraco, as with some other CMS solutions and the answer is simple: flexibility and customisation. With Umbraco, there’s no ‘one size fits all’. Every business is different and brand is different - so most will want to add their unique stamp and personalisation to their online store. Using [Umbraco’s](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/) range of API integrations, our web development team can build a stunning interface and a user-friendly CMS editing experience to fit our clients’ exact needs, backed by a friendly global Umbraco community who continually improves it. This gives our clients complete flexibility about how they build the tech stack for their business ecommerce site, with the aim of engaging shoppers with features such as discount codes, multi-currency, invoicing, shipping, abandoned carts, product reviews – and much more. Find out more about [our approach to ecommerce](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/our-approach-to-e-commerce/). . ### Umbraco Apps. Whether we’re adding an ecommerce element, integrating Google Maps or an online booking system, personalised content editing, multilingual translation or a simple online questionnaire function, Umbraco Apps gives agencies like Yoyo the power to build a robust and multi-functioning website for clients that is perfectly tailored to what they need now - and for the future. This is especially important for fast-moving commercial businesses looking to expand into multiple territories, languages and currencies or introduce new brands. Every ecommerce solution is unique and, just like the pick n mix counter of a sweetshop, Umbraco gives clients the flexibility and customisation to choose exactly what they want - no more, no less. Umbraco’s App suite enables them to get the best out of their online solution - an elegant, user-friendly site that can be effortlessly extended and integrated with other digital platforms and systems when needed. ## SEO-friendly CMS ### What are the best Umbraco ecommerce Apps to consider? Searching Umbraco’s Apps [catalogue](https://umbraco.com/apps/) reveals a wide range of independently developed and approved third-party extensions to make your website “professional, functional, and appealing”. Here are just a few of Yoyo’s favourites: - By putting power into the hands of users, without the need for support from developers, [Storm Commerce](https://umbraco.com/apps/storm-commerce/)’s out-of-the box functionality enables clients to take control, to maintain a large range of products and manage transaction volumes with a high level of automation. A cloud-based and headless commerce platform, Storm’s flexibility and scalability give midsize to large companies room to grow. - [Ucommerce](https://ucommerce.net/) effortlessly combines content and commerce and is the most mature and used ecommerce platform for Umbraco. It has the power to manage a wide variety of complex products and sales channels with ease while creating a great experience for customers and is highly scalable and extendable through well-documented open APIs. - [Vendr](https://vendr.net/) won Best Expansion package at the 2021 Umbraco Package Awards and with good reason. By using categorised, searchable, colour-coded order status labels, keeping track of orders is quick and easy. Not only can it configure, customise and send out emails, such as order confirmation, dispatch information and receipts, it’s also multi-store, multi-currency and multi-country and comes with a number of popular payment providers ready to go. - Digital Analytics is an essential part of any ecommerce marketing strategy. By inspecting the digital tracks left by every visitor to a website, [uMarketingSuite](https://umbraco.com/apps/umarketingsuite/) gives clients invaluable insight into the minds of their visitors and allows you to profile them. uMarketingSuite’s personalisation algorithms will also help visitors find the content that is right for them, making the customer journey more relevant for each visitor. - **Raptor** also tracks every interaction that customers have with a brand, helping businesses to provide a better experience and to keep them on the site longer. Using integrated marketing tools, Raptor can help to deliver targeted, unique content based on analytics-driven metrics and audience profiles. ## Work with an Umbraco ecommerce specialist. Umbraco’s CMS makes it easy to add third party Apps, ideal for building an intuitive commerce ecosystem fit for the future, as well as providing a seamless work and user experience. We’re proud to be an [Umbraco Registered Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/) and every one of Yoyo’s clients – brands, manufacturers, distributors or B2B vendors - know that our team of experienced web developers will create for them a digital ecommerce solution that they can be proud of for years to come, to maximise their business outcomes and to keep customers coming back, time and time again. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website Ongoing care isn’t an optional extra -  it protects your ROI and ensures your website continues to deliver meaningful impact. [How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-proactive-digital-upkeep-protects-your-new-website/) --- # Umbraco vs Sitecore: Everything you need to know _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-vs-sitecore-everything-you-need-to-know/_ # Umbraco vs Sitecore: Everything you need to know Umbraco Written by: Calvin Davis Umbraco or Sitecore? As a digital web agency, we’re often asked which CMS is better - and while both are excellent CMS platforms, trusted by some of the world’s largest enterprises, there are some key differences. Having already compared Umbraco and WordPress, in this blog, we’ll aim to set out some of the benefits and differences of Umbraco and Sitecore, starting with a brief overview of the origins of both CMS platforms - and a look at who they are designed for. ## What is Umbraco? Founded in Denmark in 2000, Umbraco is known for its simplicity and almost limitless potential. It’s free to use with no additional licenses or fees - while its flexible framework and functionality are designed to support growth, making it a fully scalable, secure and future-proof solution. Find out more about “what is Umbraco?” here. ## Who is Umbraco for? Umbraco CMS is deployed by some of the largest global corporations, including Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft, Carlsberg Group and J.P. Morgan, wanting a sophisticated web solution that will scale with the business to withstand growth and high volumes of traffic. However, as its system is free and open source, it’s also an excellent solution for SMEs who simply want to showcase their online presence without the need for a dedicated IT department. ## What is Sitecore? Launched in 2001, also in Denmark, Sitecore carries a license fee and was designed to allow multiple websites to function under one roof, creating a seamless online ecosystem which combines content, commerce and data in one connected platform. ## The key differences. ### Pricing. The first major difference between these two platforms comes down to how they are acquired. Umbraco believes that good software should be made available to a wide range of user groups and uses an open-source platform; its licenses are entirely free with optional third-party plugins and extensions at an additional cost. Sitecore is a closed-source, commercial software platform, which requires a paid-for license and across its different pricing tiers, users can access a range of pre-built features. 2020 prices started at £48,000 with an ongoing license fee each year. ### Programming language The fundamental technology of both platforms is similar. Both are written in C# and deployed on Microsoft’s .NET framework, but the amount of computing power needed is hugely different; Umbraco can be run from a small web server while Sitecore is designed to scale to millions of users from the start. Simplicity & ease of use The ability to use a content management system to carry out basic tasks is an important consideration when selecting the right platform. - With a single installer that does everything, Umbraco has out-of-the-box functionality and a quick, intuitive, setup that requires little architecture planning. Dubbed "The Friendly CMS”, it's easy for non-technical users to edit and content manage websites, with minimal training and no need for coding knowledge. - Sitecore is a more complicated system, with multiple databases, features and modules, designed to scale to handle complex websites. Rather than a simple, one-off install process, users must carefully consider their specific CMS requirements beforehand and consider that it is a long-term investment in time and training for users. ### Scalability. Choosing a CMS solution with the flexibility to adapt through growth, handle increasing volumes of web traffic and adapt to new technologies is essential for most businesses. - One of Umbraco’s major benefits lies in its future-proof framework. Scalability is made easy through a range of API integrations, plugins and feature extensions which are fully customisable to meet the needs of the business as it grows while Umbraco Cloud allows more memory and disk space to be added to the website as requirements change and the volume of traffic increases. Read more about [Umbraco’s Scalability](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/how-scalable-is-umbraco/) here. - Sitecore’s features allow users to launch and maintain multiple or large websites simultaneously and a hosting solution, Sitecore Managed Cloud, means users can easily scale environments and applications as their needs evolve. ### Flexibility & Personalisation Umbraco’s framework makes (almost) anything possible during the development of a web build. Its flexible (coded) extension capability and web developer-friendly technology, makes it easy to add new features and customise existing ones, paving the way for a bespoke website, designed the way you want it. Sitecore is a good choice for clients looking for a tool that allows for collaboration and design freedom. Its technical features means different teams can work simultaneously by reusing templates, layouts, and components across many sites. ### Third Party Tools Through Umbraco’s built-in API package library and ‘app store’, users can download and install new features, for integration with third party systems including ecommerce, event booking systems and CRMs. As part of its high license fee, Sitecore comes with a range of built-in products, software tools and other functionalities which removes the need to rely on third-party software or plugin, thus reducing the chance for these to compromise security. ### Web Developers Umbraco’s open source flexibility gives developers freedom to create dynamic, beautiful, integrated websites running multiple applications without compromising on performance. With quick and easy access to new features and releases as well as technical and creative training and support, developers have the opportunity for continual learning and improvement. Since Sitecore’s source code is locked down, even license holders cannot deviate from the core software. However, the depth of personalisation and customisation available in its range of pre-installed features will give most web developers everything they need, together with dedicated technical support. ## Working with an Umbraco Registered Partner Each business has a unique set of requirements when it comes to deciding which CMS platform is best for them, depending on the size of the business, goals, CMS experience and budget. As [Umbraco Registered Partners](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), we have developed a deep understanding of the power and potential Umbraco has for clients of all types and sizes. We combine that knowledge with our hands-on expertise and experience to give our clients a world-class online presence they can be proud of, for years to come. If you’re looking for a brand-new Umbraco website or to move your existing site from Sitecore (or any other platform) to Umbraco, speak to one of our [Umbraco Certified Developer](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/) experts today. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website Ongoing care isn’t an optional extra -  it protects your ROI and ensures your website continues to deliver meaningful impact. [How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-proactive-digital-upkeep-protects-your-new-website/) --- # How to add Google Analytics to Umbraco and track real performance? _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-to-add-google-analytics-to-umbraco-and-track-real-performance/_ # How to add Google Analytics to Umbraco and track real performance? Umbraco We know that a website without data is just a billboard in the desert. It might look fantastic, but you have no idea if anyone is actually stopping to read it. To turn your site from a static brochure into a high-performance business tool, you need to know not just who is visiting, but what they are actually doing. If you're running your site on Umbraco, there is good news. When built correctly, Umbraco is one of the most marketer-friendly platforms on the planet. It doesn't just store content; it empowers you to measure what that content is actually doing for your business. At Yoyo, we build our sites to give marketing managers total control over their tracking. Here is how you can get Google Analytics (GA4) up and running, and how to move beyond basic page views to track real, commercially valuable performance. ## Take Control: Manage Tracking Without the IT Team In the past, adding a tracking script meant raising a support ticket and waiting. We think that's too slow for modern marketing. That is why, on the websites we build, you will find a dedicated 'Scripts' tab on every single page. This isn't standard in every CMS, but we include it because we know how vital flexibility is for your team. Inside this tab, you have four options: - **After opening head tag** - Great for high-priority scripts like Google Tag Manager or A/B testing tools. - **Before closing head tag** - Useful for verification tags. - **After opening body tag** - The standard spot for many tracking pixels. - **Before closing body tag** - Ideal for scripts that shouldn't slow down the initial page load, like chat widgets. The '**Apply to Descendants**' feature is the real time-saver. Let's say you have a 'News' section with 500 articles. You don't want to paste your tracking code 500 times. You can simply add it to the main 'News' landing page, tick 'Apply to descendants', and voila, every article underneath it now has tracking enabled automatically. This gives you the best of both worlds, global control when you need it (by applying it to the Homepage), or granular control for specific campaigns (like a specialised tracking pixel just for your ‘Christmas Campaign’ landing pages). ## Best Practice: Use Google Tag Manager (GTM) While you can paste your Google Analytics code directly into those boxes, we highly recommend using Google Tag Manager. Think of GTM as a container. You use our 'Scripts' tab to put the code on your website once. After that, whenever you want to add Google Analytics, Hotjar, or a Meta Pixel, you just drop it into the GTM container. You never have to touch the Umbraco back-office for tracking updates again if you don't want to. ## Tracking "Real" Performance (Not Just Page Views) Adding the code is step one. But "real performance" isn't just about how many people visited your site, it's about how many of them actually did something valuable. GA4 is event-based, which pairs perfectly with Umbraco. Here is what you should be looking to track to prove ROI to your stakeholders: - **Form Success** – Don't just track how many people saw your "Contact Us" page. Configure an event that fires only when a user successfully submits a form. This filters out the noise and tells you exactly how many leads your content generated. - **Document Downloads** – If you are a B2B organisation, a whitepaper download is a high-intent action. We can configure tracking to distinguish between someone reading a blog and someone downloading your "Yearly Industry Report." - **Interactive Elements** – Does your site have a "Book a Demo" button or a video player? We can track clicks and watch times as specific events. This helps you understand if your users are engaged or just scrolling past. ## Want Data Inside Umbraco? For those who want to see performance without leaving the CMS, there are powerful Umbraco packages available. These tools bring dashboard analytics directly into your Umbraco interface. It's a fantastic option if you want your content editors to see immediate feedback on how their pages are performing. ## The Bottom Line Umbraco is designed to grow with you. Whether you are using our custom 'Scripts' tab for quick wins or implementing complex event tracking via GTM, the goal is the same: making decisions based on data, not guesswork. Need help auditing your current analytics setup? As an [Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), we can help you turn your website from a simple brochure into a performance engine. [Get in touch with the team today](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact"). ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### Schema for Good: Using structured data to win AI Overview citations Find out how a little structured data can help your website stand out in AI search results and how Umbraco makes it simple to get started. [Schema for Good: Using structured data to win AI Overview citations](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/schema-for-good-using-structured-data-to-win-ai-overview-citations/) --- # Umbraco SEO: Making SEO friendlier _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-seo-making-seo-friendlier/_ # Umbraco SEO: Making SEO friendlier Umbraco Whether you love it or hate it, SEO is an important part of pretty much any public-facing website. ### It can certainly be a bit of a dark art to get right and there are countless articles about how you should approach it when it comes to “doing it right”, but this article will focus on something different. Instead, we’re going to be looking at how we at Yoyo use Umbraco to make managing your SEO easier. As [Umbraco Gold partners](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner") we pride ourselves on making the editing experience of a website as good as possible. Umbraco SEO: Combining convenience with control. To make the SEO part as friendly as possible for content editors, we aim to have a set up that can do most of the hard work automatically, whilst also allowing for manual control when needed. For example, you may not want to have to add the page title for every single page manually, remembering to configure it to whatever format you choose. It makes sense for this to be automatically set, but then let you change on an individual basis should you need to. For all of our websites, we provide a “default” set of fields to help manage the SEO throughout the site. We can, and often do, add additional configuration per client's individual requirements, as is the luxury of using a CMS as flexible as Umbraco. So with that in mind, what are these “default” fields that we use. There are two main aspects to make configuring Umbraco SEO easier, first is to be able to set certain global values where it makes sense to do so, and second is to allow more granular control on a page by page basis. Umbraco SEO: SEO Settings To begin let’s have a look at the root of the website. In this example, we’ll take a look at the Home page for a website. On this page, we have a section for **SEO settings**, which control certain settings for the whole site. We tend to have at least two fields here. This is what the section looks like in Umbraco. ### Website name This is used to set a website name and is used in a number of different areas around the site, but it’s also super useful for automating the SEO title tag in Umbraco. SEO title format This second field allows content editors to use placeholders for the page title and website name to automatically set a unique SEO title for each page. It also provides the control to configure it however they would like. If you're unsure what the SEO title is, it’s the bit underlined in orange below. So, for example, if you set the field value to be “{{pageTitle}} - {{websiteName}}”, the SEO title for the homepage could be something like “Home - Awesome Website”. ### On top of this, we also make sure to include useful descriptive copy for their fields to make sure things are clear, this goes for all fields in our Umbraco sites, not just SEO related fields. All public-facing pages will utilise these settings, but as you may be aware, SEO is about more than just setting a proper title. Umbraco’s SEO functionality is set up to consider key implementations when it comes to SEO. ### What about meta descriptions, sitemaps, canonical URLs and event social sharing information? Fret not, we have that covered too across SEO with Umbraco. On all of the public-facing pages, we include two additional sections, one called *SEO* and another called *Sharing*. Let’s have a look at the SEO section first. We use six different fields to set various SEO related settings here. Let’s have a look at what each one does. ### SEO Title As mentioned previously, we are automatically setting the SEO title for all pages, but sometimes you need to have something different from the standard set up, which is what this is for. SEO Description If you’re unsure what the SEO description is, it’s the little bit of copy that you see below the title when doing a Google search (or whatever search engine you use) ### If this is not included, search engines tend to try and be clever and will take what they think is the best copy for description text, which isn’t usually what you want. Now depending on the requirements of the site we’re building, and the type of page that is being created, we can sometimes automate this too, to take the first block of content from the page for example, although it is usually better to customise the SEO description in relation to the content. Either way, setting and updating this is super simple using Umbraco for your SEO. ### Canonical URL Override ### Sometimes you may find that you have multiple pages that share very similar content. To help aid search engines, we provide a way to manually set a Canonical URL to tell search engines which is the “proper” page. This is often useful for listing pages with filters etc. This functionality with Umbraco SEO makes implementing canonical URLs super easy. Exclude from sitemap.xml A sitemap is a really useful tool to help search engines understand the structure of your website. Using this toggle, it’s easy to add and remove pages from the sitemap as required. We can also add additional options to further control things like the changefreq and priority values in the sitemap if required. Exclude from robots.xml Similar to the “Exclude from sitemap.xml”, this allows our clients to control if a specific page (or collection of pages) should be hidden from search engines via the robots.txt file. In the example image above, you can see that we have the setting turned on, which means that the page, and all pages below it, will be ignored via the robots.txt file. Robots meta tag This final field provides additional control around the robots meta tag that is set on the page. An additional benefit of Umbraco is that by default it creates really nice URL structures, based on the hierarchy of the content. No worrying about random URLs that don’t make sense, and of course because it’s Umbraco, we can control how these are configured too depending on the clients needs, although it’s often not required. We can also add any additional options as per the requirements of a project. Despite the name, SEO is no longer just about **Search Engine** Optimization. With so many social media platforms available today, it’s also important to be able to configure metadata that is used by social media sites to help display content in a more desirable fashion when being shared. This is especially important for things like articles and products. For that reason, we also include a few fields for controlling what appears when a visitor to a website shares it’s amazing content with their friends and family. ### Sharing title & sharing description Sometimes, you need something different from your standard SEO title and description when sharing content, so we make sure our clients have the power to do so. If they leave it blank, it will fall back accordingly. Sharing image Often a client will want to use a specific sharing image for their content. We make it as easy as possible by giving them a single image that they can upload, and we use the image resizing capabilities of ImageProcessor that comes with Umbraco to handle the different images sizes. If required, we can provide more granular control here too, either by providing specific crop sizes for each social platform or even different images for each one. This is just a quick overview of how we allow our customers to configure SEO on their websites, but it’s certainly not the limit of what we can do. Some pages may require additional [schema](https://schema.org/) to add even more information to search engines. Sometimes a client may require AMP support, and while it doesn’t come natively with Umbraco, it’s still possible to do. ### There is also more to SEO than being able to control various metadata that can be added, and we take all of it into account. We build our websites with performance, accessibility and usability in mind, all of which are areas that are more frequently being taken into account by search engines. We do this as standard as we believe that it’s part of what makes a website, not something extra that is separate. ## If you have learnt something new, gained some inspiration or just have a question around Umbraco SEO, whether it’s more insight into how we configure our Umbraco sites or anything else please do get in touch, we’re a friendly bunch. You can email us at hello@yoyodesign.com ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website Ongoing care isn’t an optional extra -  it protects your ROI and ensures your website continues to deliver meaningful impact. [How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-proactive-digital-upkeep-protects-your-new-website/) --- # What makes Umbraco a great CMS _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/what-makes-umbraco-a-great-cms/_ # What makes Umbraco a great CMS Umbraco We explain the difference between a good CMS and a great CMS More than 700,000 CMS projects across the world are currently powered by Umbraco, used by businesses of all types, sizes and sectors, from charities and start-ups to FTSE 500 organisations looking for the flexibility and robustness of a modern CMS, including Microsoft, Reebok, JP Morgan and Mercedes-Benz. It offers everything that developers, site owners, content managers, designers and marketers need to create and maintain high quality, secure websites that are not only easy to use, but are dynamic and scalable. Interested to find out more? Contact [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/), an [Umbraco Web Development Agency](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/) based in Kent. Umbraco was created in Denmark and officially released in 2005. Built on Microsoft’s .NET Framework, Umbraco is an Open Source Content Management System (CMS). Find out more about “[What Umbraco is](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/what-is-umbraco-everything-you-need-to-know/)” here. In this blog, we’re going to look at some of the features that make Umbraco not just a good CMS, but a *great* CMS. ## Umbraco’s security features With almost four in ten businesses (39%) reporting cyber security breaches or attacks in the 12 months leading to [March 2021](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2021/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2021), online security for businesses has never been more important – especially for those handling sensitive information or highly secure data such as corporate, e-commerce or governmental content. Umbraco is built on Microsoft .NET technology which in itself provides an unprecedented level of security – higher than most other open source development languages and comes with certain checks and balances in place to keep malicious code out – and to give users and clients peace of mind. Adhering to best practice is an important part of Umbraco’s security operations and the CMS has its own additional (and extensive) security measures to keep sites as secure as possible. These include the use of HTTPS (adding secure layer which ensures that the data cannot be seen or manipulated as it transmits across the public internet), account security (backend users can reset their own passwords) and automated platform updates to make sure sites are always running the latest, most secure version of Umbraco. Umbraco’s codebase is subjected to routine penetration testing and third-party auditing and if a vulnerability is discovered, it can be fixed automatically and at speed. Twice yearly penetration tests of Umbraco CMS and Umbraco Cloud to scan for common vulnerabilities are also carried out, both internally and through the use of an external security company. The most recent test was in September 2021 and the next is expected in March 2022. ## Active Developer Community At Umbraco’s heart is a friendly global community of over 200,000 developers with a shared mission of contributing to its core system. Every day, this worldwide team of proactive, talented and passionate developers offer valuable advice, feedback and helpful suggestions for suitable features and improvements, report (and fix) bugs and share security issues. And since Umbraco is an Open Source CMS platform, this feedback and support contributes to Umbraco’s evolution and growth. Umbraco web developers never feel alone! ## Scalability An essential part of any CMS and website that it can grow with your company, not only as your online presence increases and your requirements change, but also as your digital agility improves. We’ve already seen, in one of our previous blogs, that [Umbraco is a highly scalable and versatile CMS](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/how-scalable-is-umbraco/) with numerous features. This makes it an ideal CMS solution for businesses looking to scale and grow that can create everything from simple websites to complex web applications. A suite of fully customisable API integrations, plugins and feature extensions can be added as the business grows, allowing web developers to build a fully integrated and future-proof site that can feed content to and from other digital platforms. Meanwhile, the use of [Umbraco Cloud](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/what-is-umbraco-cloud/) means more memory and disk space can be added to the website as the volume of traffic increases. ## Umbraco’s super easy to use interface Umbraco is known for its user-friendly interface. Quick and simple to set up, Umbraco comes with everything C# developers need to build a simple website right out of the box, with a single installer that does everything. Since content management is kept separate from the development area, Umbraco is an ideal CMS choice for non-technical content editors with minimal experience of site management and no coding knowledge. In fact, anyone with the basic browser skills can quickly learn to edit and maintain a website with Umbraco’s intuitive, fast and easy-to-use platform. Umbraco is a pure CMS, which means all content can be created, edited and accessed from the front end, giving users a high level of design flexibility. The content hierarchy and editing experience makes it easy to visualise the site’s structure, to locate pages and content, make updates and publish changes. Users can easily upload photos and videos, or even create an image slider directly on a page. ## Umbraco CMS platform is fee-free Umbraco is an open-source CMS, built on the foundation that it benefits all involved in the design, development and maintenance of a website, from designers, developers, content creators, website owners and users. On a practical level, it also means that it’s free. Clients simply pay for the design service and once the website has been built, there are no additional licenses, fees or ongoing monthly costs – although there are some paid packages if you need specialised functionality such as custom forms. There are additional packages such as forms and workflows and Umbraco offer a paid-for support package & hosting, but the majority of functionality you need is included in the free version. Furthermore, since it’s an open-source platform, it can be seamlessly passed on to any [Umbraco-experienced web designer](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/what-you-want-in-an-umbraco-web-design-agency/), meaning clients aren’t tied to any one design agency. ## Complete control over CMS Central to Umbraco’s CMS platform is the freedom it offers clients to do and manage things their way. Once the website is fully designed and live, the content management can be handed over to the client, giving them the ability to update new features from their end. And because Umbraco can be accessed by more than one person, the entire team can be trained on its use with no need for a dedicated, trained webmaster or IT lead. Clients feel in control of their own content, and by making it as inclusive and intuitive as possible, users (‘members’) can add or remove other members and amend editing permissions. ## Continuous Updates of the CMS platform As part of Umbraco’s mission to “strive to make things simpler” it works to continually improve its functionality, future-proof its technical features and accommodate increasing consumer demands for dynamic, personalised user experiences. With every new release, Umbraco promises a CMS that’s simpler for everyone - editors, developers, web agencies and the daily Umbraco users. In February 2019, Umbraco 8 (now much-loved) was released, the first major update to its CMS since 2013 and today, Umbraco 9 is available, offering plenty of exciting new features for web developers to build better, faster websites and digital solutions. “ > > Going forward we plan to ship two major versions of Umbraco each year. The releases will be aligned with Microsoft’s release cadence for .NET ensuring that you’re always running on the latest, fastest, and most secure version of both Umbraco and the underlying framework. Umbraco's website For our clients, these regular updates and releases mean they can expect a secure, dynamic CMS experience which will deliver up to date features, leveraged to their individual needs and giving them a digital solution which will always be fit for purpose. The difference between a good CMS and a *great* CMS! ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### What is Umbraco? We take a closer look at some of Umbraco’s key features and what's led this growing CMS platform to become so popular. [What is Umbraco?](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/what-is-umbraco/) --- # Getting the most out of Ucommerce for Umbraco _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/getting-the-most-out-of-ucommerce-for-umbraco/_ # Getting the most out of Ucommerce for Umbraco Umbraco Working with the e-commerce module for Umbraco and Sitecore Although we work with most technologies, internally we favour two .NET CMS platforms [Sitecore](https://www.sitecore.com/) and [Umbraco](https://umbraco.com/), which both integrate with the same ecommerce package, [Ucommerce](https://ucommerce.net/). Both have their own platform-specific implementation as you’d expect but they also share the same core functionality and application framework architecture under the hood. Ucommerce has been on our radar for a number of years and thanks to our friends at the brilliant charity [YoungMinds](https://yoyodesign.com/work/web/youngminds/), we were able to employ it on a commercial Umbraco website running on Umbraco’s “Managed Platform” offering - [Umbraco Cloud](https://umbraco.com/products/umbraco-cloud/), this year for the first time. This article covers some of our learnings as we attempted to get the most out of the Free Edition of the package as possible. ## The background It was originally built as a module for Umbraco almost 10 years ago and has since been ported over to Sitecore too, more recently. Like both Umbraco and Sitecore themselves, Ucommerce is a framework of core ecommerce functionality designed to build on top of, rather than being a ready-made shop ready to go as soon as you’ve installed it. Every charity is of course unique but in some ways the brief we received from YoungMinds to redesign and rebuild their main public-facing website presented a “typical” set of challenges and core requirements, both in terms of managing content as well core ecommerce functionality. All the while, providing demonstrable value for money and clear and measurable ROI. ## The requirements As you might expect, the ecommerce requirements for YoungMinds as a charity were relatively simple in comparison to those of an omnichannel retail giant but at the same time the fact they are a charity meant that there was perhaps a greater variety of product to cater for. Specifically, not only do they sell tangible goods that need fulfilment, they also take online donations and sell tickets for training courses. Much of this is familiar across the entire charity sector, of course. Furthermore, each of these broad product types have their own rules around VAT, discounts and shipping. Fortunately, with Ucommerce, these types of business rules are perfectly possible to implement with either the Pro Edition, or certainly the Enterprise Edition, without any need to trouble your development department thanks to the Ucommerce Marketing Foundation framework and the ability to define multiple Price Groups (currencies and VAT rules). However, these are features not available in the Free Edition so in order to get these business rules applied we had to extend the core Ucommerce components programmatically. Easy enough, if you know how. Fortunately the [Ucommerce documentation](https://docs.ucommerce.net/ucommerce/v7.6/ucommerce-explained/index.html) is pretty solid in terms of getting up to speed quickly and the [Eureka community forum](https://eureka.ucommerce.net/#!/) is very well maintained and active - you’ll usually get a response within a day or two and sometimes within a few hours. In terms of e-commerce functionality and usability of the back end system, fortunately Ucommerce is as easy-to-use as Umbraco, with a clean and straightforward interface. There were, however, a couple of challenges we had to overcome to deliver on some key areas of the brief. Namely, search and reporting. ## The challenges A standard feature of Ucommerce is that it maintains a separate product and catalogue faceted search index, backed by [RavenDB](https://ravendb.net/), via its Search Foundation framework. At first look, this felt like a bit of a showstopper to using the Free Edition for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the Ucommerce Search Foundation is not available within the Free Edition. Secondly, Umbraco natively uses Lucene.NET as its indexer, not RavenDB and we wanted a single uniform search provider across the entire website, allowing us to perform exhaustive keyword searches across both Umbraco and Ucommerce content, seamlessly. This was when both Umbraco’s and Ucommerce’s respective frameworks came to the rescue. Both have a highly configurable architecture and a standard set of system-wide events that fire on key actions, such as “content published” or “product saved”. Both are also flexible enough to allow you to extend, override or at least handle these event notifications. As such, we chose to create a new Lucene index specifically geared to holding the Ucommerce product and catalogue information. This custom index was then populated with the product and catalogue content whenever Ucommerce flagged that product had been saved. It was then possible to run all site-wide search queries through Umbraco against both the custom product and the general website Lucene indexes, combined, thanks to Lucene’s multi-index reader. ## Reporting As mentioned, one other area of the brief that needed further consideration was reporting. Ucommerce doesn’t really offer too much out-of-the-box in terms of back office reports. The good news is that where it lacks in this department, it makes up for in its highly normalised database, in comparison to most other content management system databases and in its use of NHibernate ORM at its core. This means that you can easily roll your own set of reports, even using the Free Edition, without much fuss. In summary, there’s quite a bit of functionality you can get out-the-box even with the Free Edition of Ucommerce and even more if you’re willing to write a few lines of code. Below is a list of some of the customisations to the Free Edition we were able to deliver as part of this project: 1. Programmatic checkout for one-off donations (as well as the traditional check out process for physical orders) 2. Custom Tax Service; only applying VAT to certain products 3. Custom discounting based on volume of product type on order (in the absence of access to the Marketing Foundation) 4. Custom Shipping Service; applying various shipping fees based on the combination of contents and volume on the order 5. Extending the nHibernate entities to store additional properties 6. Sending “back office” confirmation emails to specific areas of the business depending on what was ordered (as well as the standard order confirmation to the customer) 7. Automatic order status setting, based on the chosen customer checkout payment method (e.g. orders set to Paid if payment was taken immediately) 8. Various back office financial reports, used to track sales and status’ of purchase orders 9. Automatic nightly generation of an extract file containing the latest purchase orders, sent via FTP to a 3rd party shipping company 10. Unified website search mechanism across both Umbraco and Ucommerce In a sector where every penny counts, it’s hugely important to be able to deliver value in all sorts of ways and that’s why we at Yoyo only ever choose digital tools like Ucommerce that provide more than the sum of their parts if you know how to get the most out of it. Want to know more about what we can do with [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/)? Visit our [Umbraco Services](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/) here. [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/), if you want to find out more ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### What is Umbraco? We take a closer look at some of Umbraco’s key features and what's led this growing CMS platform to become so popular. [What is Umbraco?](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/what-is-umbraco/) --- # Umbraco vs. Drupal: the choice for human-centred digital experiences _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-vs-drupal-the-choice-for-human-centred-digital-experiences/_ # Umbraco vs. Drupal: the choice for human-centred digital experiences Umbraco Umbraco vs. Drupal: the choice for human-centred digital experiences **When selecting an open-source platform for enterprise-grade digital experiences, the choice often comes down to the big 2: Drupal or Umbraco.** Drupal is the long-established giant, known for its modularity and deep customisability. It has a massive global community and it has been around the block a few times. However, the question today isn't just about raw technical power; it's about whether that power is accessible, affordable, and agile. For us, the core difference between [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") and Drupal lies in complexity versus simplicity and how that translates to your sanity across your project's lifecycle. ## Phase 1: the initial build The [foundational phase of any project](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") sets the tone for future success. It dictates your time-to-market and, frankly, how much of your budget gets eaten up before launch. Drupal's extensive modular architecture allows for deep customization, but that sophistication comes at a cost: speed. The system requires high technical expertise. If your team doesn't live and breathe Drupal, the intricate framework creates a steep learning curve. As a result, projects often depend on niche, specialized Drupal developers to manage complex configurations. This slows down delivery and drives up costs. ### Umbraco's answer: agile development and accessible flexibility We love that Umbraco is designed with simplicity in mind. It offers comparable enterprise-grade capabilities but wraps them in a cleaner, more intuitive framework. Its modern .NET foundation reduces dependency on niche expertise because .NET developers are widely available. The architecture is clean, allowing our teams to build and iterate quickly. This reduces technical overhead and accelerates delivery. It is easy to learn and adopt, empowering us to build advanced solutions for you without the unnecessary complexity. ## Phase 2: day-to-day content management Once deployed, the success of a DXP isn't measured by code—it's measured by the [happiness and independence](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX") of your content teams. Despite improvements over the years, Drupal's admin interface still feels like it was built for developers, not marketers. Editors often struggle with complex workflows and configuration-heavy tools. This interface demands continuous developer involvement, creating frustrating bottlenecks. You shouldn't have to call IT just to change a layout. ### Umbraco's answer: the editor-first experience Umbraco was built for editors, and it shows. The platform provides a genuinely intuitive user experience. Its clean, user-friendly backoffice ensures your editors have independence with drag-and-drop creation, live previews, and a minimal learning curve. This focus on the end-user is critical. Umbraco is an integrated platform offering seamless official add-ons like Commerce and Engage. This approach minimizes the headache of juggling multiple third-party modules, simplifying project management and ensuring your features remain stable. ## Phase 3: scaling, upgrades, and future-proofing The final measure of a DXP's value is its ability to grow over 5 or 10 years without incurring high technical debt or unexpected costs. As a community-supported project, Drupal provides no official vendor-backed support. Enterprises must rely on agencies for maintenance. While the core CMS is free, the development, customization, and ongoing maintenance costs are high, often creating unpredictable budgets. The community-steered roadmap, while open, can sometimes slow down critical decision-making. ### Umbraco's answer: professional backing and predictable investment Umbraco is designed for stable growth. The platform is backed by Umbraco HQ, which provides a clear roadmap, transparent communication, and accountable support. Umbraco can offer flexible service options, including direct professional support and enterprise SLAs, delivering peace of mind for business-critical projects. For cost transparency, Umbraco's core is free, with clear, publicly available pricing for Cloud, support, and add-ons. The intuitive framework reduces build and maintenance effort, directly lowering your total cost of ownership. This unique blend of open-source flexibility with professional backing ensures you have both continuous innovation and long-term product stability. ## External validation: a look at G2 user satisfaction Real-world users confirm that Umbraco translates its architecture into a superior day-to-day experience compared to Drupal. The G2 platform, based on 1000s of user reviews, highlights the difference in usability and support: - For ease of use, Umbraco scored 8.8 compared to Drupal's 6.8 - Reviewers note that Umbraco's intuitive interface significantly improves content management - For ease of setup and ease of admin, Umbraco again leads substantially (8.6 vs 6.6 and 8.9 vs 7.1) - Users specifically highlight that Umbraco is fast and straightforward to set up with minimal friction - The difference in strategic trust is clear in the product direction (% positive) score: Umbraco scores 8.9% while Drupal scores 6.7% ## The Umbraco advantage: empowering teams without complexity The choice is clear: while Drupal offers power, Umbraco offers empowerment. Umbraco balances power with an intuitive backoffice that lets content teams work independently. You get stable development with a clear product roadmap and official HQ support, ensuring reliability for mission-critical projects. Finally, its agile architecture allows for faster iteration and lower maintenance. **Ready to build powerful digital experiences with less friction and a more predictable ROI? As a trusted** [**Umbraco Gold Partner**](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner")**, Yoyo can help you leverage the power and simplicity of Umbraco, just** [**drop us an email**](mailto:info@yoyodesign.com) **and let's talk.** ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website Ongoing care isn’t an optional extra -  it protects your ROI and ensures your website continues to deliver meaningful impact. [How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-proactive-digital-upkeep-protects-your-new-website/) --- # What's the future of Umbraco? What's in and what's out? What do you need to know? _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/whats-the-future-of-umbraco-whats-in-and-whats-out-what-do-you-need-to-know/_ # What's the future of Umbraco? What's in and what's out? What do you need to know? Umbraco Four of the newest features and changes to be aware of in the latest version of Umbraco, Umbraco 12 Umbraco is one of the most popular CMS platforms in the world, with a dedicated community of developers and users. It’s known for delighting businesses and users by being superbly flexible, easy to learn and maintain and being packed with an ever-growing glut of available features thanks to its highly active developer community. With brands like Volvo, Carlsberg, Mercedes-Benz, and Dominos Pizza all choosing to trust their businesses to Umbraco - you can see why we recommend it so highly. What’s new in Umbraco 12? The latest Umbraco version, Umbraco 12, was released in June 2023. For brands who are yet to [upgrade Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/ "Umbraco Upgrades") or those looking to switch - here’s some of the newest features and changes to be aware of. ## 1. A new, more flexible framework The updated version introduced cross-platform compatibility and greater performance by switching to the .NET 5 (.NET Core) platform. This means even more developers can work with Umbraco using their preferred platform, including MacOS and Linux - which will only result in even more developers joining and contributing to the Umbraco community. ## 2. Umbraco as a headless CMS One of the biggest new features in Umbraco 12 is out-of-the-box support for using Umbraco as a headless CMS with the new Content API. This means that developers can now use Umbraco to manage content for any type of application, not just websites. The headless CMS option allows developers to use Umbraco as a content provider for mobile apps, IoT devices, and other types of applications. ## 3. Improved Content Editing Umbraco is already known for being a dream for content management. Umbraco’s new Content Apps feature allows developers to create custom interfaces for editing content, making it even easier for non-technical users to manage content. ## 4. Improved Performance & future-proofing Umbraco 12 has also been optimised for performance. The new version includes a range of performance improvements, including faster page load times and improved server response times. This allows Umbraco developers and designers to continue to push the envelope with creative and innovative solutions and content without sacrificing performance. Want to know more about us, or about what the changes to Umbraco mean for you? [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) for a chat about how we can help. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### What is Umbraco? We take a closer look at some of Umbraco’s key features and what's led this growing CMS platform to become so popular. [What is Umbraco?](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/what-is-umbraco/) --- # What is Umbraco Cloud? _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/what-is-umbraco-cloud/_ # What is Umbraco Cloud? Umbraco Umbraco Cloud promises a ‘one-click fix’ to everyday issues that might otherwise slow down web development projects. ## A one-stop-shop. Umbraco has its own cloud hosting technology for Umbraco-based projects – unsurprisingly called ‘Umbraco Cloud’ – a one-stop-shop for the installation, infrastructure, and security of high-performing websites, while ensuring the content management process is streamlined and intuitive. In this blog, we’ll provide a little more background on Umbraco Cloud’s functionality, benefits, and costs, as well as a more general insight into cloud hosting – and finally, how Yoyo supports clients as they embark on creating a brand new website or switching their CMS to Umbraco Cloud. See how Yoyo supports clients across [Umbraco Web Development](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/) here. ## What is Umbraco Cloud? Originally launched in 2015 as ‘Umbraco as a Service’ (UaaS), Umbraco Cloud promises a ‘one-click fix’ to everyday issues that might otherwise slow down web development projects, such as upgrading to get the latest bug and security fixes or deploying content and features. Umbraco Cloud is hosted on Microsoft Azure, a proven and solid hosting infrastructure, which gives users access to Umbraco CMS via a cloud rather than from a single device thus benefiting from increased performance and scalability. Although an existing site can be migrated to Umbraco Cloud, the platform works optimally when used from scratch for a new project and benefits businesses of all sizes and types, operating a website with approximately 50,000 unique visitors per day. ## Speed, stability & security. ### What is Cloud Hosting? The ‘cloud’ most often refers to the technology connecting several servers to the internet while ‘cloud hosting’ makes applications and websites accessible using these cloud resources, rather than relying on a single server. Cloud hosting provides increased speed, stability, and security because any software problems are kept in isolation, unlike with physical servers. This reliability and resilience is especially crucial for ‘mission-critical’ websites such as lead generation sites, government or news sources, those using e-commerce, and other high-traffic projects. Future-proofing and scalability is also made easier with cloud servers by simply adding memory and disk space as the website’s requirements change and the volume of traffic grows. ## What do you get with Umbraco Cloud Hosting? Umbraco Cloud’s pricing structure is separated into four tiers, with its ‘Starter’ package costing just £27 per month. Sites with a higher volume of traffic benefit from the ‘Professional’ level at £439 and for those with an increased demand for performance, availability and response times, the ‘Enterprise’ tier starts at £4269 per month, a customisable cost, based on requirements and budget. The first three tiers include a wide range of features such as unlimited team members, automated security updates and Umbraco TV, a useful resource for user training and other information. Umbraco Cloud Platform support (of varying levels) is also on offer to all users, with friendly expertise on setting up sites, deployments between environments and other hosting features. Setting up a new project on Umbraco Cloud only takes a few minutes and is ideal for organisations wanting the flexibility and robustness of a world-class CMS.  Built-in features are designed to improve team collaboration by taking up the slack of day-to-day website admin, freeing up precious time for more important (and fun!) stuff. Umbraco Cloud websites are monitored round the clock, automatically updating when bugs are fixed and security patches or new features are released. Systematic upgrades also remove the burden of maintaining the website’s security as they will always be running the latest version of Umbraco CMS. ## Migrating or starting from scratch? ### Looking to switch your CMS to Umbraco Cloud? Whether you’re starting with a blank slate or migrating an existing site to the cloud, Umbraco Cloud takes Umbraco CMS to a new level by “removing the barriers that slow down projects and get in the way of beautiful, functional sites”. As a [Umbraco agency](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/), we enjoy supporting our clients with dynamic websites built in Umbraco Cloud and the benefits to them are clear to see. They have more time to focus on activities that improve their online ROI, whether that’s creating new content to improve SEO or web development to enhance functionality and user experience – as well as peace of mind, knowing they’re in safe hands with a knowledgeable agency that builds and develops secure, user-friendly and reliable websites, fit for the future. If you have learnt something new, gained some inspiration, or just have a question about Umbraco Cloud’s web development capability or anything else, please do get in touch, we’re a friendly bunch. Or if you’re interested to understand what we do around [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/), visit our services page or you can drop us an [email](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact"). ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### What is Umbraco? We take a closer look at some of Umbraco’s key features and what's led this growing CMS platform to become so popular. [What is Umbraco?](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/what-is-umbraco/) --- # Umbraco vs. Sitecore: the choice for human-centred digital experiences _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-vs-sitecore-the-choice-for-human-centred-digital-experiences/_ # Umbraco vs. Sitecore: the choice for human-centred digital experiences Umbraco **Choosing a digital experience platform (DXP) is 1 of the biggest decisions a company makes. It defines your agility, your scalability, and frankly, how many headaches you’re going to have for years to come. For a long time, Sitecore has been the "big beast" of the enterprise world—a massive suite designed for complex environments.** But the modern digital landscape demands more than just a long feature list. It demands flexibility, speed, and budgets that don't spiral out of control. We believe that while Sitecore’s closed, heavy approach served a purpose in the past, Umbraco’s secure, composable .NET DXP is the modern answer for ambitious teams who want to get things done. At its heart, this comparison is a choice between complexity and true agility. ## Solving the headache of high costs and slow ROI Let's be honest about 1 of the most significant challenges with traditional enterprise platforms like Sitecore: the eye-watering financial barrier to entry. Sitecore operates on an enterprise licensing model with substantial upfront investments and hefty annual maintenance fees. The costs can often feel opaque, with no public price lists, which makes accurate ROI calculations a nightmare for clients. On top of that, the high setup fees and resource-heavy projects mean you are waiting a long time to see a return on your investment. ### The Umbraco solution: value-based transparent pricing [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") systematically solves this financial hurdle, and we love them for it. They lead with a transparent cost model that combines a fully open-source core (eliminating license fees) with clear, publicly available pricing for optional SaaS, support, and add-ons. This approach delivers enterprise features at mid-market budgets and allows us to give you accurate quotes and TCO calculations, building trust from day 1. By investing your budget into innovation and building an exceptional experience rather than mandatory licensing fees, you get a lower TCO and a much happier finance director. ## Escaping vendor lock-in and finding true flexibility [Digital strategy](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy") evolves constantly. You need a platform that can easily adapt to new integrations, not one that fights you at every turn. Sitecore’s architecture often leads to severe vendor lock-in. Because Sitecore has a closed ecosystem, you are often forced to rely on the vendor for extensions. This lack of flexibility is compounded by a SaaS model that limits deep customizations. Plus, there is the massive friction of upgrades; Sitecore XP users often face a difficult move to XM Cloud which can feel like a full website rebuild. ### The Umbraco solution: open source and total control This is where Umbraco shines with its philosophy of open-source flexibility. Umbraco is built on a modular, headless-ready, composable architecture. You get full source code access and deployment flexibility, allowing you to customize anything without hitting a brick wall. The open ecosystem supports 1000s of packages, ensuring you're never locked into 1 vendor's roadmap. For hosting, you can choose simple hosting or opt for Umbraco Cloud for managed hosting. Most importantly, Umbraco is designed for seamless, low-stress [upgrades](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-upgrades/ "Umbraco Upgrades"). This freedom of choice is a powerful differentiator. ## Putting your editors first While Sitecore is a comprehensive DXP, its rich feature set often comes with an overly complex interface that requires extensive training and can overwhelm content teams. The platform is designed to be an all-in-one suite. While that sounds good on paper, it often means it is overbuilt and forces clients to pay for features they simply don't use. This complexity results in longer implementation timelines and a slower time-to-market. ### The Umbraco solution: intuitive design and modular architecture Umbraco is built on an editor-first philosophy, balancing sophisticated back-end power with a design that humans actually enjoy using. The interface is clean and user-friendly, empowering content teams to work independently with a rapid learning curve. This intuitive experience minimizes training requirements and gets your project moving faster. Crucially, Umbraco is modular, not all-in. This composable architecture allows us to help you choose the optimal tools for each specific need—such as Umbraco Commerce and Engage—rather than purchasing overbuilt suites. This right-sized approach accelerates implementation, and we regularly see Umbraco projects achieve go-live in just 4 months. ## The Umbraco advantage: key value differentiators The choice ultimately boils down to a platform that accelerates your digital ambitions. Umbraco is designed for modern business needs by offering: - Open-source flexibility means you get full control over your platform with optional Umbraco Cloud hosting, combining SaaS benefits with freedom from rigid vendor constraints - Modular, fast-to-implement solutions allow you to select the right tools for each project and leverage a clean, intuitive interface for faster delivery - Community-driven innovation and predictable costs mean a global open-source community drives innovation, while transparent pricing ensures accurate ROI ## External validation: user satisfaction speaks volumes You don't just have to take our word for it. The real-world experience of users consistently confirms the value of Umbraco's approach over Sitecore, particularly in the core areas of usability and time-to-value. On the G2 comparison platform, Umbraco holds a significant lead across several critical categories: - Ease of use (Umbraco: 8.8 vs Sitecore: 7.1) - Ease of setup (Umbraco: 8.6 vs Sitecore: 6.1) - Ease of admin (Umbraco: 8.9 vs Sitecore: 7.6) - Quality of support (Umbraco: 8.2 vs Sitecore: 7.5) - Product direction (% positive) (Umbraco: 8.9% vs Sitecore: 8.1%) - Has the product been a good partner in doing business? (Umbraco: 8.8 vs Sitecore: 7.9) Reviewers consistently highlight Umbraco's intuitive interface and lower learning curve, its adaptability for custom workflows without heavy constraints, and its responsive support. ## Ready to build smarter, not harder? If your priority is agile innovation, a transparent cost model, and a platform that empowers your content team without imposing vendor lock-in, Umbraco is the clear choice. Umbraco delivers enterprise-level power with mid-market agility, all while ensuring that your platform is faster, flexible, and future-proof. Ready to explore how a composable, open-source DXP can accelerate your next project? Contact us today for a free consultation on building a modern, human-centred digital experience with Umbraco. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website Ongoing care isn’t an optional extra -  it protects your ROI and ensures your website continues to deliver meaningful impact. [How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-proactive-digital-upkeep-protects-your-new-website/) --- # Umbraco Forms: Everything you need to know _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-forms-everything-you-need-to-know/_ # Umbraco Forms: Everything you need to know Umbraco Connecting with your customers through Umbraco forms. Having a robust, dynamic CMS is the first step of the journey in connecting with your customers and prospects; gathering information about them is the next stage and by building forms within a CMS you can gain valuable insights to help improve their user experience and turn them into leads. Thanks to Umbraco’s flexible CMS, there is a straightforward way to create simple, responsive, successful forms to collect meaningful data to benefit your business. In true Umbraco style, Umbraco Forms calls itself the “friendliest forms builder” – with good reason, we think! Umbraco Form builder is an easy-to-use forms creator which allows users to create bespoke questionnaires and secure sign-up forms. If you would like to find out more about Umbraco Forms, contact [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/) today, we’re an [Umbraco agency](https://yoyodesign.com/what-we-do/umbraco/) who specialise in all things Umbraco when it comes to web development. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at some of the features and benefits of Umbraco Forms, what it can be used for - and how it integrates with 3rd party services such as Salesforce and Mailchimp. ## What is Umbraco Forms? Available directly through Umbraco HQ’s Apps, Umbraco Forms is a straightforward, non-technical way to integrate any type of form seamlessly into your Umbraco website so you can collect whatever data is important to you. From a basic contact or newsletter sign-up form to a more advanced multi-step questionnaire, Umbraco Forms’ intuitive interface provides content editors with an easy way to create robust forms of any type in Umbraco to receive valuable and insightful customer data, without the need for complicated coding or technical knowledge. ## Why consider using Umbraco Forms? Umbraco Forms has multiple benefits and offers users an intuitive, integrated and simple solution to connecting with their users, visitors and prospects. As with [Umbraco CMS](https://yoyodesign.com/insight/news/what-is-umbraco-everything-you-need-to-know/), because of its fully extendable API, developers can use and adapt Umbraco Forms to work in any way they wish, without being locked into a ‘one size fits all’ product. ## Let’s look at some of Umbraco Forms’ other benefits: - Responsive form builder. - The friendly and intuitive user interface in Forms gives content editors the capability of creating robust forms, without even needing developer support, while its user-friendly Content Editor Tool enables you to see the form visually as you create it with a simple drag and drop layout to  add the settings required for each text box. - Simple process construction. - With simplicity at its core, Umbraco Forms helps to create an intuitive user workflow and form a journey, so all the necessary actions are executed when the form is submitted. For instance, users can create validation rules and be able to create conditions, such as “only show this field if the visitor answered ‘no’”. - Reporting. - Once that all-important data has been gathered, Umbraco Forms’ built-in reporting tool enables users to analyse it, to fully understand the engagement around the form - or simply to download it for more advanced sharing and processing within Microsoft Excel or Google Spreadsheets. - Cost. - Unlike many third-party form builders that require expensive monthly subscriptions, Umbraco Forms offers a cost-effective, annual subscription model. For approximately **£100 ($130 / €120) per year**, you get a license for a single production domain (including subdomains) and two development environments. It remains completely **free of charge for Umbraco Cloud users** (Starter plan and above). If you want to test the features first, you can use Umbraco Forms for free on your local machine without any time limits before committing to a license for your live site. - Unlimited forms. - Once the one-off fee is paid, the creative and technical opportunities within Forms are unlimited. - Integration. - Umbraco Forms integrates seamlessly, with all functionality accessed within Umbraco’s CMS. Not only does it mean visitors needn’t leave the site, it also gives developers full control over design mark-up, so forms and questionnaires will look consistent with the site’s design (great for maintaining your branding) – as well as making it intuitive and simple for content editors to construct dynamic, responsive forms from within their website. ## The type of forms that Umbraco Forms makes easier to create. Whether you’re looking to create a contact or newsletter sign-up form, gather simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers in a poll – or you’re hoping to gain deeper insight into your website visitors or customers from a more detailed questionnaire, Umbraco Forms has a range of options and features to help create intuitive and responsive forms without the need for complex coding. - Account sign-up form. - These are used by most businesses today, to store essential information, such as payment options and to speed up the repeat purchase process. - Contact us form. - Rather than risk prospects leaving the site before making a sale, this type of enquiry form will capture users’ info and drive them straight to your sales team, leveraging the opportunity for an online sale. - Newsletter subscriptions. - Newsletters are a great form of regular communication with customers and prospects; newsletter sign-up forms tend to be fairly simple, requiring users to submit just one or two fields of personal information. - Customer feedback forms. - Used for capturing feedback via email after a purchase, these forms will help you to understand the conversion journey and assess the quality of the product or service offered. - Online order form. - Including an online order and payment form on your site makes the buying process as simple and streamlined as possible. - Surveys. - A quick and easy way to gain valuable insight, surveys can be used to tie in with a special offer, prize or competition to encourage entries. - Event Form. - This type of online form is a good way to gather information about event attendees and also to convey event-specific information such as time, venue, schedule, etc. ## What 3rd party services can Umbraco Forms work with? Many businesses will want to connect web capture forms to other business tools and platforms – a CRM platform such as Salesforce, an automation tool like Zapier – even Excel spreadsheets, but, in practice, this is a complex process if the right web form builder isn’t in place. Umbraco Forms is built into Umbraco CMS itself and is designed to work within Umbraco’s highly flexible and customisable workflows, allowing it to integrate seamlessly with 3rd party services, so users can send emails, update web services, save in CRM systems, and more. This gives users complete ownership and control of their data by building forms that connect directly with the CMS. - Umbraco Forms will connect to a **customer relationship management (CRM) system** such as Salesforce or Adobe.  This helps businesses to track and analyse the interactions that prospects and customers are making through the website, so they can improve customer engagement and eventually increase sales and leads. - **Email marketing** remains one of the most powerful tools for website owners and thanks to an Umbraco plugin, it’s straightforward to integrate a website newsletter subscribe form with 3rd party email software, such as MailChimp, giving businesses a simple way to contact readers and connect with customers on a regular basis. - **Automation workflow software**, such as Zapier, provides websites with “if this, then that” tools which can be used when a new form entry is submitted via Umbraco Forms without the need for additional code. This enables marketers and editors to make automated workflows that pass data between the web apps they use without having to involve a developer. ## Conclusion Whether you’re redesigning your website or developing an online presence from scratch, web forms are an essential part of building essential interaction and communication with your users. Umbraco Forms is simple to set up and gives businesses the freedom to create and manage fully customisable forms to gather key information and form compelling insights. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### What is Umbraco? We take a closer look at some of Umbraco’s key features and what's led this growing CMS platform to become so popular. [What is Umbraco?](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/what-is-umbraco/) --- # The real advantages of Umbraco CMS for modern websites _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/the-real-advantages-of-umbraco-cms-for-modern-websites/_ # The real advantages of Umbraco CMS for modern websites Umbraco ## Choosing the right CMS A CMS (Content Management System) makes creating and managing the content on your website simple. On top of that, a really good CMS will be packed full of features that make your life easier and empower you to work better. At Yoyo, we recommend using [Umbraco CMS](https://umbraco.com/partners/partnerlist/yoyo-design/). It's a modern, secure and flexible system with an intuitive interface designed specifically for content editors. And the best part? As it's open-source, it's completely free of licensing fees. ## What are the advantages of Umbraco CMS? ### Limitless Creativity Arguably the most important feature of your website is that it allows your brand to shine through. Whilst some website builders and CMS products limit your creativity by enforcing generic themes, [Umbraco CMS](https://umbraco.com/partners/partnerlist/yoyo-design/) allows for a pixel-perfect implementation of your brand. This means brand guidelines dictate the site, not the other way around. Put simply, if you can design it, [Umbraco](https://umbraco.com/partners/partnerlist/yoyo-design/) can build it. **Want to see examples? Check out some of the**[**work that we're proudest of**](https://yoyodesign.com/work/)**.** ### The Editor-first Experience [Umbraco](https://umbraco.com/partners/partnerlist/yoyo-design/) is known as "the friendly CMS" (seriously - try searching for that in your favourite search engine). It's designed from the ground up to be intuitive and easy to use for your content editors. It sports a clutter-free interface which shows your editors only what they need to see with no annoying distractions. On top of that are features like: - Scheduled publishing: Easily set content to go live or expire at specific dates/times - Rollback & History: Made a mistake? You can roll back to a previous version of any page with two clicks. - Multi-Language Support: one piece of content can have multiple different language variants ### Flexibility When choosing a CMS, it can be tempting to choose one that offers a one-size-fits-all approach. However, in practice these products can quickly feel constraining: instead of the CMS supporting your team's workflow, you now find yourself forced to adapt to how it wants you to work instead. [Umbraco CMS](https://umbraco.com/partners/partnerlist/yoyo-design/), on the other hand, is highly flexible. Instead of coming pre-loaded with rigid page templates, Umbraco allows you to define your own from scratch. Your development team - [or Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/about/) - can build bespoke templates that work exactly the way you want. ### Only pay for what you use As I mentioned at the start of this article, since Umbraco CMS is open-source it's completely free of licensing fees. So you get to spend your budget on what really matters instead and benefit from a stronger ROI (return on investment). If you'd like to add to it, then Umbraco HQ offer official add-ons through [their own marketplace](https://marketplace.umbraco.com/) - such as a professional [commerce](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/increase-conversions-by-optimising-for-e-commerce/) platform and [forms](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-forms-everything-you-need-to-know/) - with tier-based pricing so that you only pay for what you actually need. Have your own tools that you want to add to Umbraco? No problem. Umbraco CMS allows you to integrate seamlessly with the products you already use, such as Single Sign-On (SSO) to allow you to securely and quickly login with the same credentials that you use for everything else. ### Enterprise-grade security Umbraco CMS is built on top of Microsoft's robust .NET Framework and is secure by design. Umbraco HQ share the the results of their third-party security testing on their website for all to see - https://umbraco.com/trust-center/security-and-umbraco/ ## Ready to learn more? If you're interested in learning more about why we think Umbraco CMS is the best platform for you, why not [check the services we have to offer](https://yoyodesign.com/services/) or [get in touch with us](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/). If you are based in London or the South East and considering Umbraco, get in touch with us as your local [Umbraco development agency in London](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-london/ "Umbraco London"). ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### Schema for Good: Using structured data to win AI Overview citations Find out how a little structured data can help your website stand out in AI search results and how Umbraco makes it simple to get started. [Schema for Good: Using structured data to win AI Overview citations](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/schema-for-good-using-structured-data-to-win-ai-overview-citations/) --- # Umbraco vs. Kentico: the core metrics that define long-term value _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-vs-kentico-the-core-metrics-that-define-long-term-value/_ # Umbraco vs. Kentico: the core metrics that define long-term value Umbraco **When evaluating digital experience platforms (DXPs), the choice often boils down to a fundamental philosophical difference. It is a battle between Kentico’s "integrated, licensed suite" versus Umbraco’s "modular, open-source composable platform."** Kentico is a strong contender. It focuses on delivering an all-in-one solution for content, marketing, and commerce. However, we believe a truly valuable digital investment must deliver agility, predictable costs, and sustained innovation. By focusing on core business metrics, the choice becomes clear. ## Maximizing agility: the time-to-market advantage Agility in a DXP is defined by how quickly your team can build, launch, and iterate. Kentico's strategy involves a dual product track, offering Xperience for digital marketing and Kontent.ai for headless content. To be honest, this often creates confusion around pricing, features, and integration approaches for agencies and clients alike. Furthermore, we still see feature gaps in Xperience—like a lack of advanced forms or back-office localization—which often requires us to build workarounds. ### The Umbraco metric: modern, lightweight foundation [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco"), in contrast, offers a modern, lightweight foundation built on .NET Core. It provides a modular platform that combines traditional CMS and headless capabilities in 1 unified place. This focus on a unified architecture allows us to accelerate implementation. Umbraco is built to be agile and future-proof. As 1 CEO noted after migrating: "It gave our team the flexibility to scale, adapt, and deliver personalized digital experiences without the complexity we faced before." This modularity means we can integrate [best-of-breed solutions today](https://yoyodesign.com/work/rnli/ "RNLI") and easily adapt to tomorrow’s technologies without painful platform migrations. ## Minimizing friction: the true total cost of ownership (TCO) difference Predictability is paramount. The difference between the platforms’ pricing models is arguably the most critical factor in your ROI. Kentico operates on a license-based pricing model that scales with additional features. This system can lead to a rapid cost increase; multi-site implementations, headless channels, and extra marketing tools incur added costs, making larger deployments expensive to maintain. Users on older versions also face costly replatforming and nearly doubled license fees for migrations. ### The Umbraco metric: cost transparency and faster ROI Umbraco champions cost transparency by [building upon a completely open-source core](https://yoyodesign.com/services/web-design-agency/ "Web Design Agency") without license fees. We love that they offer clear, publicly available pricing for SaaS, support, and add-ons. This model ensures clear ownership and stability while providing predictable investment. Our structure eliminates mandatory license fees, ensuring your budget goes into building exceptional experiences rather than paying for platform overhead. By avoiding tiered licensing, Umbraco's model works for both small and enterprise projects. ## Mitigating risk: stability, innovation, and ecosystem power Long-term stability and continuous innovation are hallmarks of a safe investment. Kentico’s community is small and controlled, relying on official releases and certified partners. This vendor-driven roadmap means innovation is slower, resulting in fewer third-party packages and less collaborative problem-solving compared to open-source platforms. While Kentico has a strong quality of support rating on G2, its ecosystem is simply less open. ### The Umbraco metric: community and professional ecosystem power Umbraco is driven by a vibrant global community of 250,000+ developers. This power accelerates innovation, knowledge sharing, and rapid improvements—far more open than a vendor-driven roadmap. The platform is backed by Umbraco HQ, providing stability, transparency, and flexible service options for professional support. This combination of community-driven innovation and HQ-backed stability mitigates the long-term risk associated with closed ecosystems. ## The Umbraco advantage: the user experience differentiator Umbraco consistently outperforms Kentico where it matters most for productivity: the [user experience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX"). While Kentico Xperience boasts a modern backoffice UI, Umbraco is still rated higher by G2 users for overall usability: - Ease of use: Umbraco 8.8 vs Kentico 8.4 - Ease of setup: Umbraco 8.6 vs Kentico 7.8 - Ease of admin: Umbraco 8.9 vs Kentico 8.4 This confirms Umbraco's clean, intuitive design allows content teams to work efficiently and independently. ## Ready to invest in value, not overhead? The choice is not between power and features—both platforms are capable—but between cost transparency and platform flexibility. Umbraco delivers: - Open and flexible architecture gives you full control to build exactly what you need without being locked into a rigid structure - Cost transparency means an open-source core avoids tiered licensing, enabling predictable and fast ROI - Community and ecosystem power ensures continuous innovation backed by a global, vibrant community Stop paying for platform overhead and start investing in your digital experience. [Contact us](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") today to learn how our Umbraco partnership can unlock cost-effective growth for your business. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website Ongoing care isn’t an optional extra -  it protects your ROI and ensures your website continues to deliver meaningful impact. [How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-proactive-digital-upkeep-protects-your-new-website/) --- # Is Umbraco open source and what does that mean for my business? _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/is-umbraco-open-source-and-what-does-that-mean-for-my-business/_ # Is Umbraco open source and what does that mean for my business? Umbraco In a nutshell: yes. But what does this actually mean, and why is this a good thing for your business? ## What is open source? Open source software is software which is public. Anyone - from developers, to security experts, to your twice-removed cousins - can freely view and use it at no cost. This means that open source software - compared to “closed source” or “proprietary software” - is transparent, auditable and trustworthy. And the best part: it’s completely free of any licensing fees. You might be surprised to know that many of the most popular products in the world, from the servers which run the Internet, to the software running on smartphones, are open source for precisely these reasons. ## Best of both worlds Whilst the core product itself is open source, this doesn’t mean that it’s unsupported. Umbraco is backed by a commercial entity called Umbraco HQ. They provide regular security patches and a clear roadmap for new features - so they’re trusted by global brands and household names. Take a look at [some of the brands that we’ve helped](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) make the move to Umbraco. ## How does Umbraco being open source benefit my business? ### Cost-effective The core Umbraco CMS product is completely free of any licensing fees making it ideal for all budgets. You’re free to spend your budget on more important things that really add value to your business, and realise your Return On Investment quicker. ### No vendor lock-in Since Umbraco CMS is freely available to anyone, you can choose to develop and host it inhouse if you have the relevant expertise, or choose your favourite agency - such as Yoyo - to take care of these things for you. You also retain complete control of the data you put into the system so you don’t need to worry about the company going bust or unexpectedly raising their prices. With Umbraco, you own the solution. You can take your website and host it anywhere, with any agency. You are in control. For a great example, see our [case study for IAM Roadsmart](https://yoyodesign.com/work/iam-roadsmart/ "IAM RoadSmart") where we unified eight separate sites into one scalable platform. ### Flexible The open source nature of Umbraco goes hand-in-hand with its reputation for flexibility. Having full access to the code means the freedom to integrate with any provider you want to and even change the bits of the system you don’t like. With Umbraco, you can choose to extend the functionality of your CMS with official and community add-ons from the [Marketplace](https://marketplace.umbraco.com/) or to write your own from scratch. ### Transparent and secure With open source software, transparency means security. Unlike with offerings by “closed source” and “proprietary software” you don’t have to take their word for it when they say it’s secure; you can rest assured knowing that the code can be audited and verified by a global community of developers and security experts. ## Ready to learn more? We’re big believers that the best work comes from great partnerships. If you want to hear more, just [reach out to the team](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) and let's chat about how we can help your brand make a real impact. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### Schema for Good: Using structured data to win AI Overview citations Find out how a little structured data can help your website stand out in AI search results and how Umbraco makes it simple to get started. [Schema for Good: Using structured data to win AI Overview citations](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/schema-for-good-using-structured-data-to-win-ai-overview-citations/) --- # Umbraco vs. Optimizely: the choice for human-centred digital experiences _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-vs-optimizely-the-choice-for-human-centred-digital-experiences/_ # Umbraco vs. Optimizely: the choice for human-centred digital experiences Umbraco **The choice between Umbraco and Optimizely represents a massive fork in the road for your** [**digital strategy**](https://yoyodesign.com/services/digital-strategy/ "Digital Strategy")**. Optimizely is built for large enterprises through a strategy of aggressive acquisitions, offering a comprehensive suite that includes CMS, commerce, and marketing automation. Umbraco, conversely, is the secure, composable .NET DXP built on the principles of open-source freedom and seamless extensibility.** While Optimizely is robust, it presents critical challenges around cost, architectural rigidity, and vendor lock-in. We believe that true enterprise agility comes from a platform that is open, transparent, and designed to scale without the heavy overhead of proprietary suites. ## Architecture and scalability: open vs closed ecosystems Architectural rigidity is often the biggest long-term cost for a business. Optimizely’s platform has evolved through multiple acquisitions. While they call it "composable," the reality is often a mix of different products stitched together, which can lead to inconsistent experiences and integration headaches. Its architecture is SaaS-first and closed, reducing your local control and making deep customization a struggle. ### Umbraco’s advantage: genuinely modular and flexible [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") is fundamentally built for true open architecture. Its headless-ready, composable structure provides authentic enterprise flexibility with absolute control. The modular design, built on .NET Core, allows you to start small and grow seamlessly without facing a costly migration later. Umbraco offers open-source flexibility and no lock-in, ensuring you have full control over the code and your digital roadmap. We love that Umbraco Cloud provides the benefits of SaaS (managed hosting, automatic upgrades) while letting us retain full control over the tech stack. ## Cost and investment: transparent value vs enterprise pricing Optimizely’s cost structure is built for large enterprises with massive budgets, making ROI and time-to-market a challenge for everyone else. It uses license and module-based pricing. Critically, pricing is not publicly listed and is customized, which makes financial planning difficult. This often results in a significantly higher total cost of ownership (TCO), even for relatively simple sites. ### Umbraco’s advantage: value-based transparent pricing Umbraco offers a refreshing alternative focused on value-based transparent pricing. Their open-source core and clear SaaS tiers mean absolutely no surprises. This accessible model ensures straightforward ROI calculations and predictable budgets. You only pay for what you need—whether it’s the free open-source core or affordable Cloud tiers—enabling you to reinvest funds into innovation, not just licensing fees. The result is a lightweight footprint that allows faster setup and deployment, reducing project timelines and costs. ## Community and support: innovation and reliability Optimizely has a smaller, enterprise-oriented community that limits open collaboration. Its development is company-driven, meaning product evolution is dependent on its internal roadmap. It is a closed club. ### Umbraco’s advantage: thriving global community and flexible support Umbraco powers a thriving global community of developers and businesses worldwide. This ecosystem continuously creates solutions, builds integrations, and provides support that extends far beyond any 1 vendor’s in-house team. While Optimizely has strong, contract-based enterprise support, Umbraco offers flexible support options. Teams can escalate to Umbraco HQ for optional SLAs, code reviews, and architectural advice at a fraction of the cost. You get enterprise-grade assurance plus the collective brainpower of open source. ## The content editor’s experience: simplicity vs complexity Optimizely has an advanced but heavy experience. Its integrated marketing, personalization, and experimentation tools offer power, but they can create a cockpit-like interface that overwhelms content-focused teams. This often leads to longer onboarding times and reduced productivity. ### Umbraco’s advantage: editor-first experience Umbraco’s approach is unapologetically editor-first. The intuitive backoffice is clean and prioritizes content creation, reducing training costs and boosting productivity. Umbraco’s design helps teams work faster, adding advanced marketing tools only when needed—never at the cost of ease of use. By keeping the backoffice streamlined, Umbraco empowers your teams to create content efficiently without having to call a developer for help. ## External validation: a look at G2 user satisfaction Real users confirm Umbraco's value proposition of agility and ease of use. Umbraco consistently scores higher than Optimizely across key satisfaction metrics: - Ease of use: Umbraco 8.8 vs Optimizely 8.2 - Ease of setup: Umbraco 8.6 vs Optimizely 7.3 - Ease of admin: Umbraco 8.9 vs Optimizely 8.2 - Has the product been a good partner in doing business? Umbraco 8.8 vs Optimizely 7.8 - Product direction (% positive): Umbraco 8.9% vs Optimizely 7.7% Reviewers specifically highlight Umbraco's intuitive editing experience and the highly responsive open-source community. According to a G2 comparison report, Umbraco projects go live in an average of just 4 months, and customers achieve ROI in an average of 13 months—significantly faster than the 27 months reported for Optimizely. ## Ready to accelerate your digital ambitions? The choice between Umbraco and Optimizely is a choice between a closed, vendor-heavy platform and an agile, open, and scalable solution. Umbraco delivers: - Open-source flexibility means full control with no vendor lock-in - Transparent pricing provides clear tiers and an open-source core for confident ROI and no surprises - Lightweight footprint architecture enables faster setup and scaling with lower costs Stop compromising between control and convenience. Contact us today to learn how a genuinely modular DXP can empower your teams and accelerate your time-to-value. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website Ongoing care isn’t an optional extra -  it protects your ROI and ensures your website continues to deliver meaningful impact. [How proactive digital upkeep protects your new website](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-proactive-digital-upkeep-protects-your-new-website/) --- # How to speed up an Umbraco website and improve load times _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/how-to-speed-up-an-umbraco-website-and-improve-load-times/_ # How to speed up an Umbraco website and improve load times Umbraco Today's audiences have extremely high expectations and search engines like Google reward sites that meet them. Slow loading times mean frustrated users, higher bounce rates, lower conversions and poorer search performance. If you're asking "how do I speed up my Umbraco website?", you're asking a question that goes straight to business outcomes: better visibility, happier users, and more ROI from your digital channels. Thankfully, because Umbraco is a flexible and scalable platform, you're already starting from a strong foundation. But like any engine built for performance, fine‑tuning will deliver the best results. ## Why site speed is a business priority Fast sites aren't just technically impressive, they directly influence your organisation's performance: - **Search visibility:** Google's Core Web Vitals is a set of metrics that measure user experience and reward faster pages with better rankings. A quicker site isn't just nicer to use, it's more discoverable. - **User experience:** Faster loading means lower bounce rates and more engaged visitors, which is essential when every second on page counts. - **Conversions & campaigns:** Whether you're running ads or encouraging donations/enquiries, every fraction of a second you shave off load times improves conversion rates and campaign ROI. This is why performance optimisation isn't something "nice to do later", it's foundational to digital success. ### Three pillars of performance for Umbraco Here are the core areas we focus on when optimising an Umbraco site for speed. #### 1. Smart caching for immediate impact One of the most effective ways to boost performance is through intelligent caching. Think of caching as creating a pre‑assembled version of your pages that can be served instantly when a user lands on them. Without caching, your server has to reconstruct pages from scratch every time which takes precious time. With Umbraco's caching mechanisms configured effectively, your site can serve up pages faster, handle more visitors without slowing down, and deliver consistent performance even during peak traffic. If your site currently feels sluggish or struggles under load, this is often the first place to look and the first place users see noticeable improvements. #### 2. Optimising images & assets It's surprising how often large images and bulky code slow sites down. Many organisations don't realise their media is costing them performance. Umbraco includes media tools that intelligently resize and crop images and convert them into optimised next-gen formats like WebP. This means your site delivers smaller, faster loading files without sacrificing image quality making it perfect for mobile users and high-traffic pages. Combined with techniques like minifying CSS and JavaScript, this makes your pages significantly lighter and faster to load. #### 3. Lazy loading Lazy loading is a clever technique that delays loading elements (like images) until they're actually needed, usually when the visitor scrolls to them. Instead of loading everything at once, your site loads the essentials first (the content users see immediately), which makes the initial experience feel faster. This can dramatically improve key metrics like "time to interactive," meaning users can engage with your site sooner and that's another factor search engines care about. ### The SEO advantage: performance equals rankings Google's Core Web Vitals put a number on user experience, and site speed is a major component. When your pages load faster, search engines view your site as more user‑friendly and are more likely to rank it higher for relevant queries. For SEO managers and heads of marketing, this means site speed isn't just about technical performance, it's about visibility, traffic, and lead generation. Faster sites tend to perform better in organic search, creating a cycle of improved engagement and rankings. If you'd like to explore how speed ties into your wider SEO strategy, our [SEO team](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-agency-services-kent/ "SEO Agency Services Kent") at Yoyo Design can help design a performance driven plan aligned with your business goals. ### Why Umbraco (and why Yoyo) Umbraco is known for being flexible, user‑friendly, and highly customisable, which means you aren't locked into rigid templates or restrictive tech. It scales with your organisation as it grows, supports complex integrations, and gives content teams the control they need without sacrificing performance. At [Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/ "Home"), we're proud to be an [Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), meaning our team has the expertise to build, optimise and maintain sites that are both beautiful and high performing. We combine design, performance, and strategic thinking so your website isn't just fast, it delivers real business impact. ### What next? The first step to boosting performance is knowing where your site stands today and what can be improved. Whether you need a performance audit, ongoing optimisation support, or a full refresh of your digital presence, [talk to our team at Yoyo](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact"), we'd love to help you turn speed into measurable results. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### Schema for Good: Using structured data to win AI Overview citations Find out how a little structured data can help your website stand out in AI search results and how Umbraco makes it simple to get started. [Schema for Good: Using structured data to win AI Overview citations](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/schema-for-good-using-structured-data-to-win-ai-overview-citations/) --- # Umbraco best practices we follow when building scalable websites _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/umbraco-best-practices-we-follow-when-building-scalable-websites/_ # Umbraco best practices we follow when building scalable websites Umbraco Written by: Jack Barden ## Your website should grow with you - not hold you back Here's a scenario we see more often than you'd think. An organisation invests in a website build. It looks great on launch day. Fast forward 18 months: the team is duplicating content across pages, editors are working around the system rather than with it, and adding a new section feels like surgery. Sound familiar? The good news? It's almost always preventable. And it comes down to how the CMS is built - not just how it looks. At Yoyo, we build in [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") - a powerful, flexible .NET CMS trusted by thousands of organisations globally. But Umbraco is only as good as the decisions made behind the scenes. A big part of getting those decisions right from day one is our approach to project discovery, which we call [Elevator](https://yoyodesign.com/elevator/ "yoyodesign.com") - our proven framework for making sure every website build starts on the strongest possible foundation. Here are three practices baked into how we work that make sure your website stays scalable, manageable, and future-proof. ### We architect content, not just pages One of the biggest mistakes in CMS builds is designing for today's website, not tomorrow's. During discovery - a core part of our [Elevator approach](https://yoyodesign.com/elevator/ "yoyodesign.com") - we take time upfront to map out your content architecture. That's the skeleton of how information is structured across your site, and it's one of the most valuable investments you can make before a single page is designed. What does that mean for you? It means your editors can reuse content blocks rather than copying and pasting. It means a new campaign page can be built in minutes, not days. And it means when your brand evolves - new products, new markets, new audiences - your CMS evolves with it rather than fighting against it. We use Umbraco's Document Types and composition features to build modular content structures. Think of it like a set of LEGO bricks: each piece is well-defined, and they all click together cleanly. Elevator means we've refined these patterns across hundreds of projects - so proven components like navigation, content layouts, and search aren't being reinvented from scratch. That efficiency frees us up to spend more time on what makes your project unique. ### We build for people, not developers We never build with the developer in mind. Every decision we make - from how fields are labelled in the CMS to how pages are structured - is made with the real end user in front of us: usually someone from a non-technical background, juggling multiple priorities, who needs the website to just work. That means UX best practice is woven in from the start, not bolted on at the end. Clean, clearly labelled content fields. Sensible validation that makes it hard to publish something half-finished. A page tree that mirrors how your team actually thinks about your content. And editorial workflows that suit the way your organisation actually operates. The result? Your Head of Marketing can update a campaign landing page without raising a support ticket. Your Digital Comms Manager can publish a news article at 8am on a Monday without needing us on the phone. That's the kind of autonomy that saves real time and budget - and it's only possible when UX thinking is applied to the back end, not just the front. If you're unsure whether your current CMS is working for your team or against them, our [digital services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ "yoyodesign.com")team is always happy to take a look. ### We plan for performance from day one Site speed isn't just a technical nicety - it directly affects your search rankings, your bounce rate, and how your brand is perceived. A slow website signals to users (and to Google) that something's off. So on every Umbraco build, performance is considered from the very start - not retrofitted at the end. We optimise images, structure caching carefully, and set clear benchmarks before development begins. Small decisions made early have an outsized impact on how fast and reliably your site loads, especially as your content grows over time. It's not about over-engineering. It's about making the right calls at the right moment - which is exactly what our Elevator approach is designed to support. And to make sure we're always working to the latest standards, our entire development team are [certified Umbraco professionals](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner") or above. That means every best practice, every platform update, and every new capability is understood and applied by the people actually building your website. ### The bottom line A well-built [Umbraco](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco")website isn't just a technical achievement - it's a business asset. One that your team can manage, your audience will enjoy, and your organisation can grow into. At Yoyo, we bring this level of thinking to every project - from initial discovery through our Elevator framework right through to launch and beyond. If you're planning a new website, or wondering whether your current CMS is doing enough for you, we'd love to have a conversation. Explore our [Umbraco services](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/ "Umbraco") or [get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") with our team - we'll keep it jargon-free, we promise. ## Read more... [View all work](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/) Umbraco ### Schema for Good: Using structured data to win AI Overview citations Find out how a little structured data can help your website stand out in AI search results and how Umbraco makes it simple to get started. [Schema for Good: Using structured data to win AI Overview citations](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/umbraco/schema-for-good-using-structured-data-to-win-ai-overview-citations/) --- # Careers _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/careers/_ Careers # A place to do *great work* and *be yourself* because life's too short to pretend. We've created a culture where creative thinkers can thrive. And where your work can leave a *lasting impact.* If you're looking for a career with purpose then you've just found it. Offering a collaborative culture, we're united in our mission to help good brands achieve great things. Our aim is to help our clients deliver an even greater impact to society and the planet. And we want people like you to help us do more of it. Join us and help define the job *you want.* Our team shares a passion for creating work that we are both proud of, and that we love. We're bold. We don't wait for permission, we take risks and we learn from our mistakes. Our culture is shaped from our team's values and by joining our team you'll add to our creative melting pot. We're always on the lookout for new team members who can add value, create impact and inspire the work we do. [Our Interview Process](https://yoyodesign.com/media/avfajgar/yoyo-interview-process.pdf) “ > > Being part of the Yoyo team means having the opportunity to contribute to our force for good. It means having an accountable role in making a positive impact, and it also means joining a community that is helping other like-minded brands to succeed.” Jenny Kitchen, Yoyo CEO '*Best for the World'* for workers Every year, B Lab recognises the BCorps that have achieved the highest verified scores in the five impact areas evaluated on the B Impact Assessment. We’re proud to have been one of the agencies identified as being best in the world for workers. [Our B Corp Commitments](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/) “ > > The agency’s ability to create a culture where everyone can thrive is something quite remarkable. The team consistently delivers exceptional levels of work but without ever compromising the health and wellbeing of the team. It’s pretty special. Harriet Kinsey, Yoyo Marketing Manager ## See if you could be a good fit - We're all in - We're not just thinkers, we’re doers. We’re strategic, proactive problem solvers that bring passion, pride, kindness and care to everything we do. - We keep it simple - We communicate clearly, smooth out complexities and focus on bringing simplicity and clarity. - We create to inspire - We bring fresh perspective and push boundaries to create work that wows. Through curiosity and collaboration, we produce work that sparks inspiration and drives progress. - We invest in each other - We take the time to truly listen and understand each other. We share knowledge generously and celebrate each other’s growth and success. We grow together as one team. - We are future-focused - We create with an eye on tomorrow, creating scalable, sustainable, and future-ready solutions, whilst making sure our design stays timeless. ### Accredited Living Wage Employers. At Yoyo, we take pride in our accreditation as Living Wage Employers. This recognition by the Living Wage Foundation reflects our commitment to fair and equitable employment practices. We believe that every member of our team should receive a wage that reflects the true cost of living, and this accreditation is a testament to our dedication to this principle. [The Living Wage](https://www.livingwage.org.uk/) ## Vacancies. - Junior Project Manager Full time / Hybrid x 1 [Project Executive](https://yoyodesign.com/careers/junior-project-manager/) ## Featured work. [Work](https://yoyodesign.com/work/) - Play The Sustainable Restaurant Association A website unlocking the potential of a new food revolution. [The Sustainable Restaurant Association](https://yoyodesign.com/work/the-sustainable-restaurant-association/) - Locate Productions A new digital home & brand for global production company. [Locate Productions](https://yoyodesign.com/work/locate-productions/) --- # Junior Designer _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/careers/junior-designer/_ Careers # Junior Designer The role of Junior Designer is to support the creative team in developing visually compelling designs and assets that align with client objectives and brand guidelines. What you'll do - Create visually appealing and user-friendly designs for websites and digital platforms - Develop brand identities, including logos, colour schemes, typography and other visual elements - Collaborate with the creative team to produce mock-ups, wireframes and prototypes - Ensure designs are consistent with client brand guidelines and project requirements - Stay updated with the latest design trends, tools and technologies to incorporate innovative ideas into your work Agency life This role is based in our Tunbridge Wells office but we can offer local remote working options and flexible hours. We are looking for someone who will be an active part of the Yoyo family and participate in agency wide meetings (e.g. Town Hall, Company meetings) What you'll need - Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including presentation skills and the ability to successfully explain creative concepts and design solutions to other team members. - Excellent interpersonal skills, to build strong colleague and client relationships. - Proficiency in Figma for creating wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs. - Strong understanding of design principles, typography, and colour theory. - Ability to translate client requirements into engaging visual solutions. - Familiarity with other design tools such as Adobe Creative Suite is a plus. - Basic understanding of UX/UI principles and responsive design. - Strong communication and teamwork skills. - Attention to detail and a keen eye for aesthetics. - Adaptability and willingness to learn new design trends and tools. - Time management skills and ability to work under tight deadlines. Qualifications & Experience Levels - Recent graduate or up to 2 years of experience in a design role, preferably within a digital agency. - Proficiency in design software such as Figma, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), and other relevant tools. - Strong portfolio showcasing design projects, including web design and brand development. - Basic understanding of responsive design principles is a plus. - Strong communication skills and the ability to articulate design concepts and rationale. - Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and manage multiple projects simultaneously. - Keen attention to detail and a passion for continuous learning and improvement in design. Apply for this position careers@yoyodesign.com --- # Senior Designer _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/careers/senior-designer/_ Careers # Senior Designer As a Senior Designer, you will develop Yoyo's offering in digital design capability by creating innovative concepts that exceed client expectations. What you'll do - Brainstorm creative ideas, based on appropriate interpretation of the client brand and project brief. - Create a range of cross-platform design work, working from scamps, or on pure design-led projects. - Use Figma and Adobe Creative Suite programs to execute creative designs in line with agreed briefs. - Use typography, layout, colour and grid structures appropriately in line with brief to enhance design ideas and impact. - Proactively manage risks throughout the project and flag to the project manager as appropriate. - Communicate effectively, verbally, visually and in writing, complex user journeys, concepts and creative ideas, demonstrating rationale and consideration. Agency life This role is based in our Tunbridge Wells office but we can offer local remote working options and flexible hours. We are looking for someone who will be an active part of the Yoyo family. What you'll need - Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including presentation skills and the ability to successfully explain creative concepts and design solutions to other team members. - Excellent interpersonal skills, to build strong colleague and client relationships. - A flexible approach and the ability to support and embrace organic change. - A positive approach to problem solving. - A champion for best practice. - The desire and proven track record for successful collaboration. - An understanding of the digital landscape and emerging trends. - The ability to work independently and efficiently to meet deadlines. Qualifications & Experience Levels - Experience of a similar role in an agency, designing cutting edge websites, interfaces and/or similar digital campaigns. - Proven track record of successfully delivering innovative design concepts which are in line with client brand and messaging. - An exceptional portfolio showcasing innovative design concepts and highly visual solutions. - Full working knowledge and expertise in Figma and the Adobe Creative Suite. - Proven understanding of typography, layout, colour and grid structure. Apply for this position careers@yoyodesign.com --- # Junior Project Manager _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/careers/junior-project-manager/_ Careers # Junior Project Manager Our Junior Project Managers are responsible for supporting the team's collaborative efforts to bring in all projects on time and budget, and to deliver against our clients goals. What you'll do - Own project communications, documentation, and serve as primary client contact - Fully manage and ensure profitability of small studio accounts and retainers - Lead creation of all project documentation and actively drive quality assurance (QA) adherence - Weekly management and reporting of budget/time, including proactive overrun action and invoicing - Manage project risk, change requests, and resource needs, while contributing to account growth Agency life This role is based in our Tunbridge Wells office but we can offer local remote working options and flexible hours. We are looking for someone who will be an active part of the Yoyo family and participate in agency wide meetings, events and initiatives. What you'll need - Excellent interpersonal skills, to build strong colleague and client relationships at all levels - Excellent personal organisation skills, ie time management, documents, budgets - Excellent written, verbal, IT and presentation skills - Understanding and keen interest in the leading project management tools - Understands the importance of creativity and innovation to deliver results - Interest in digital projects and innovation - A flexible approach, and ability to support and embrace organic changes - Positive approach to problem-solving Qualifications & Experience Levels - Minimum 1-2 years experience in project management within a digital/creative agency environment - Demonstrable commercial experience with budget planning, management, and project accountability Apply for this position careers@yoyodesign.com --- # Contact _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/contact/_ # Contact us Yoyo Design Ltd (Head Office) Town Hall Civic Way Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1XR - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/yoyo.social/) - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/yoyodesign) - [LinkedIn](https://uk.linkedin.com/company/yoyo-design-ltd) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/yoyodesign_/) - hello@yoyodesign.com - careers@yoyodesign.com Name . Email Address . I need help with Digital Services Branding Services SEO Services Umbraco Support Other . I'd like more info about: . How did you hear about Yoyo? . I agree to receive marketing communications, including newsletters and updates from Yoyo and I understand that I can unsubscribe at any time. Send --- # Terms of use _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/terms-of-use/_ # Terms of use By accessing, browsing or otherwise using this website you agree to be bound by these terms of use. About us This website is controlled and operated by Yoyo Design Ltd. Yoyo Design Ltd is a limited liability company registered in England and Wales. Our registered office address is: Yoyo Design Ltd Town Hall Civic Way Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1XR Company registration number: 4502096 How to contact us You can contact us by email at info@yoyodesign.com if you have any questions, comments or complaints about this website. Changes to these terms of use We keep these terms of use under review and will place any updates on this webpage. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting to the website and your continued access, browsing or other use of the website constitutes your agreement to all such terms of use. These terms of use were last reviewed in August 2025. Access to and use of the website We are the owner or the licensee of all intellectual property rights in this website and the material on it (including all text, trademarks, data, graphics, layout, logos, images, music or other audio material, clips, films or other moving images, algorithms, product details and/or software published or otherwise available on the website from time to time). Subject to these terms of use, we grant you a limited, temporary, revocable and non-exclusive license to access, browse and use this website for your personal and non-commercial use only. You may print off one copy of any page(s) from this website for your personal reference. Except as set out in the limited license above (or as required under any applicable law), no part of this website may be used, reproduced, duplicated, copied, sold, resold, accessed, modified, or otherwise exploited, in full or in part, for any purpose without our prior written consent. In particular, you are not permitted to republish any part of this website on another website, in any other medium (print, electronic or otherwise) or as part of any commercial service without our prior written permission. All the intellectual property rights referred to above remain owned by us or our licensors. Acceptable use of the website While accessing, browsing and/or using this website you must: - comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and codes; - not link to any part of the website other than the homepage; - not frame or use framing techniques to enclose the website, or any part of the website, without our prior written consent; - not modify, or attempt to modify, all or any part of the content on the website; and/or - not gain or attempt to gain unauthorised access to the website, the server on which the website is stored or any third party server, computer or database connected to the website. Whilst you may link to the homepage of this website, you must only do so in a way that is fair, does not harm our reputation and does not suggest any form of association, approval or endorsement of you, your goods or services and/or your website by Yoyo Design Ltd. Termination or suspension of your access to the website At any time and without giving you any advance notice, we may permanently or temporarily and for any reason: - terminate, suspend or deny your access to this website (whether in whole or in part); - terminate your permission to link to this website; and/or - remove or edit any content on the website, and in such circumstances all our liability (as well as the liability of our directors, employees or other representatives) for any loss whatsoever arising from our removing or editing content and/or your limited use of or inability to use this website (either in whole or in part) is excluded, insofar as it is possible to do so in law. Third-party links This website may contain links to third party websites. We are not responsible for, nor do we endorse in any way such as third party websites or their content. If you decide to access any of the third-party websites linked to this website, you do so entirely at your own risk. Disclaimer All information and/or data on this website is provided on an "as is" basis. To the extent permitted by law, all conditions, warranties and other terms which might otherwise be implied are now expressly excluded and no representations, warranties or terms of any kind are made in respect of the website or the content, including, without limitation, warranties of satisfactory quality, accuracy, adequacy, conformity to description or fitness for any particular purpose. Neither we nor any of our data providers or affiliates gives any warranty or guarantee: (a) relating to the availability of the website; or (b) that the website and/or our operation of it, the content or the server that makes the website available, are error or virus free or free of other harmful components; or (c) that your use of this website will be uninterrupted. Limitation of liability Nothing in these terms of use excludes or limits our liability for: - death or personal injury caused by our negligence or that of any of our officers, employees or agents; or - fraudulent misrepresentation; or - any liability which it is not lawful to exclude either now or in the future. Subject to the above, we will not be liable, whether in tort (including for negligence or breach of statutory duty), contract or otherwise, for: (a) any loss or damage which may arise from reliance on any information contained on this website; (b) any loss, damage or costs suffered or incurred by you arising from viruses or other harmful components received via this website; or (c) any loss of profits; loss of business; depletion of goodwill or similar losses; loss of anticipated savings; loss of contracts; loss of use; loss or corruption of data or information; or any special, indirect, consequential or pure economic loss incurred by any user in connection with this website. Enforcement If the whole or any part of any provision of these terms of use is or becomes invalid, void or unenforceable for any reason the same shall to the extent required be severed from these terms of use and rendered ineffective so far as is possible without modifying the remaining provisions of these terms of use and shall in no way affect the validity or enforceability of any other provisions. Waiver No waiver by us of any breach of these terms of use shall constitute a waiver of any other prior or subsequent breach and we shall not be affected by any delay, failure or omission to enforce or express forbearance granted in respect of any of your obligations. Governing law and jurisdiction These terms of use and/or your use of the website shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and the English courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute which may arise. --- # Privacy policy _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/privacy-policy/_ # Privacy policy At Yoyo, we are committed to protecting and respecting your personal data and being transparent about what we do with it, no matter how you interact with us. This privacy statement describes why and how we collect and use personal data and provides information about what rights you have. Personal data we collect Clients. Our policy is to collect only the personal data necessary for agreed purposes and we ask our clients to only share personal data where it is strictly needed for those purposes. We process personal data in order to run our business including: managing our relationship with clients, developing our services, maintaining and using IT systems, hosting and facilitating the hosting of events, administering and managing our website and applications. Unless we are asked not to, we use client business contact details to provide information that we think will be of interest in us and our services. Visitors to our website. Our website uses cookies. By using our website and agreeing to this policy, you consent to our use of cookies in accordance with the terms of our [cookies policy](https://yoyodesign.com/cookie-policy/ "Cookies Policy"). We receive personal data, such as name, company name, email address and telephone numbers from website visitors explicitly submitting information via our [contact page](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") or when signing up to our newsletter. Business Contacts. We process personal data about contacts existing and potential Yoyo Design clients using a third-party customer relationship management (CRM) system. This data will include name, employer name, contact title, phone, email and other business contact details. In addition, we may collect data from Yoyo Design emails of legitimate interest (sender name, recipient name, date and time). Visitors to our Offices. We require visitors to our offices to sign in at reception and keep a record of visitors for a short period of time for reasons of health and safety.  Our visitor records are securely stored and only accessible on a need to know basis (e.g. to look into an incident). Suppliers. We process personal data in relation to our suppliers and their staff as necessary in the provision of services. Where a supplier is helping us to deliver professional services to our clients, we process personal data about the individuals involved in providing the services in order to administer and manage our relationship with the supplier and the relevant individuals and to provide such services to our clients. Job Applicants. All the information you provide during the application process will only be used for the purpose of progressing your application or to fulfil legal or regulatory requirements as necessary. The information you provide will be held securely by us and/or our data processors whether the information is in electronic or physical format. Unless required to do so by law, we will never share any information you provide with any third parties for marketing purposes. When you indirectly give us information When you interact with us on social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter or LinkedIn we may also obtain some personal information about you. The information we receive will depend on the privacy preferences you have set on each platform and the privacy policies of each platform. To change your settings on these platforms, please refer to their privacy notices. Using your personal data for marketing If you make an enquiry about our products or services, we may contact you with related information and occasional marketing messages on the basis of our legitimate interests in responding to your request and promoting our services. We will only send communications that are relevant to your enquiry, and you can opt out of receiving marketing emails at any time by using the unsubscribe link in our messages. We will always respect your preferences and process opt-out requests promptly. Third-party Data Processors and software We use the following third-party platforms to process, manage and/or store personal data. Privacy Policies for each, abide by the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) therefore ensure the security of personal data. Software brand names have been omitted for security reasons. Cloud-based email and word processing tools We use industry standard office-based applications and systems to conduct our day-to-day business activities. All data is encrypted at rest and password protected. We actively monitor for potential security threats and data breaches in real time. Email marketing platform We use this to enable people interested in our services or products to subscribe and unsubscribe to email marketing lists through sign-up forms. Event management and ticking platform We use to collect personal information which enables us to provide tickets for our events. If you register for an event we will collect your name, email address and the company you work for. This information will be retained until immediately after the event unless you explicitly consent to us retaining your details for longer (e.g. for upcoming future events) and will not be shared with any 3rd party organisations. CRM We use this to store personal information about our business contacts of legitimate interest, as classified above. This data will be retained for a maximum period of 36 months, from the last active communication between both parties. Security of your personal data We will take reasonable technical and organisational precautions to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of your personal information. We will store all the personal information you provide on secure (password and firewall protected) servers. All electronic transactions you make to or receive from us will be encrypted using SSL/TLS technology. Unencrypted data transmission over the internet is inherently insecure, for example, email and as such we cannot guarantee the security of data sent via email or other insecure methods. We actively monitor any emails sent to us, including file attachments for any malicious software of viruses. Disclosure We may disclose information about you to any of our employees, officers, agents, suppliers or subcontractors insofar as reasonably necessary for the purposes as set out in this privacy policy. In addition, we may disclose your personal information: - to the extent that we are required to do so by law; - in connection with any legal proceedings or prospective legal proceedings; - in order to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights (including providing information to others for the purposes of fraud prevention and reducing credit risk); - to the purchaser (or prospective purchaser) of any business or asset which we are (or are contemplating) selling; - to any person who we reasonably believe may apply to a court or other competent authority for disclosure of that personal information where, in our reasonable opinion, such court or authority would be reasonably likely to order disclosure of that personal information. Your rights Individuals have certain rights over their personal data and data controllers are responsible for fulfilling these rights: - The right to be informed - The right of access - The right to rectification - The right to erasure - The right to restrict processing - The right to data portability - The right to object - Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling You may exercise any of your rights in relation to your personal data by written notice to Yoyo Design Ltd, Town Hall, Civic Way, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1XR. For further information on your rights please refer to the [ICO website](https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/raising-concerns/). Data Protection Complaints How to submit a complaint: - By email: Send details of your concern to info@yoyodesign.com with the subject line 'Data Protection Complaint' - By post: Write to Data Protection Officer, Yoyo Design Ltd, Town Hall, Civic Way, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1XR Our handling procedure: 1. Acknowledge receipt of your complaint without delay 2. Investigate your concern thoroughly 3. Provide a full written response or update regarding our resolution as soon as possible (and within statutory timeframes) Escalating to the ICO: Under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, you are required to raise your data protection complaint directly with us in the first instance. If you remain dissatisfied with our response, or if we do not respond, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): - Website: https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ - Telephone: 0303 123 1113 Retaining and deleting personal data Our data retention policies and procedures are designed to help ensure we comply with our legal obligations in relation to the retention and deletion of personal data.  Personal data that we process for any purpose or purposes shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose or purposes. Changes If your personal details change, please help us keep your information up to date by notifying us at Yoyo Design Ltd, Town Hall, Civic Way, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1XR. We may change our Privacy Policy from time to time, so please check back periodically to ensure you are happy with any changes to this policy.  This policy was last reviewed August 2025. Our details This website is owned by Yoyo Design Ltd. Our principal place of business is at: Town Hall Civic Way Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1XR You can contact us at any time: 1. by post to the address listed above 2. by email to info@yoyodesign.com --- # Cookie policy _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/cookie-policy/_ # Cookies Update your cookie preferences A cookie consists of information sent by a web server to a web browser, and stored by the browser. The information is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server. This enables the web server to identify and track the web browser. We may use both "session" cookies and "persistent" cookies on the website. We may use the session cookies to keep track of you whilst you navigate the website. We may use the persistent cookies to enable our website to recognise you when you visit. Session cookies will be deleted from your computer when you close your browser. Persistent cookies will remain stored on your computer until deleted, or until they reach a specified expiry date. We use Google Analytics to analyse the use of this website, and Google Maps to display our office location. Google Analytics generates statistical and other information about website use by means of cookies, which are stored on users' computers. The information generated relating to our website is used to create reports about the use of the website. Google will store this information for a period of up to 26 months, since the last time you visited the website. Cookies are also used by Google to track how many people are using their Maps. For more information on this, Google's privacy policy is available at: https://policies.google.com/privacy. Most browsers allow you to reject all cookies, whilst some browsers allow you to reject just third party cookies. For example, in Internet Explorer you can refuse all cookies by clicking "Tools", "Internet Options", "Privacy", and selecting "Block all cookies" using the sliding selector. Blocking all cookies will, however, have a negative impact upon the usability of many websites, including this one. --- # Studio _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/studio/_ --- # Navigating the tech marketing tightrope _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/navigating-the-tech-marketing-tightrope/_ Finding Balance: The Secret to Tech Marketing in 2024. Incorporating the latest tech into your marketing is no mean feat. Whether it’s AI changing what makes good copy, or trying to address all of your audiences without diluting your brand in the process, making marketing that works is increasingly tricky. Enter our latest collaboration. “Finding Balance: The Secret to Tech Marketing in 2024” **** report **** explores the most pressing challenges faced by marketers today, and presents a light at the end of the tunnel. Together with our friends over at [The Creative Copywriter](https://www.creative-copywriter.net/)and fellow B Corp [Fountain Partnership](https://www.fountainpartnership.co.uk/), we’ve put together a report for tech marketers to help you figure out a path forward that keeps your audiences engaged, your internal stakeholders satisfied, and you sane too. If you’re interested in… - Making the most out of AI without sounding like a machine in the process - Communicating your values without compromising on readability and understanding - Grabbing your customers’ attention without misrepresenting or oversimplifying your offering …then this report is exactly what you need. As a marketer, you'll probably feel like you’re being pulled in a million different directions, but there is a middle ground, and it is possible to toe the line without falling in. Sound too good to be true? Get your hands on the report and find out for yourself. Please fill out your details Enter your name Enter your email We will use your data to provide you with further relevant, content news and updates from Yoyo. To opt out, please email marketing@yoyodesign.com Submit Thanks for downloading out latest Tech Marketing Report - enjoy! [Finding Balance: The Secret to Tech Marketing in 2024](https://yoyodesign.com/media/fctpgkzg/tech-marketing-2024-report-v5.pdf) Oh no that's embarrassing, that didn't work! Please try again. --- # Impact Report 2024 _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/impact-report-2024/_ Yoyo 2024 # B Corp Impact Report More We’re passionate about using our business as a *force for good* - good for people, good for the planet, and good for our community. We think that there’s always room for improvement. This has meant even more partnerships with charities, such as Sustrans, Royal Voluntary Society, Fight for Sight and Worldwide Cancer Research. Our work with other Good Brands, like VivoBarefoot and Sustainable Restaurant Association have been awarded prestigious global awards for their design, and we continue to have an impact on their bottom line. We've continued to help to educate the industry around Accessibility and Sustainability in web design and development through webinars and content. An area of focus for us in 2024 is to better protect the work/life balance of our team. Many businesses are struggling with this, as the world seems to be growing more complex and fast every year. This includes our [SEO support for charities](https://yoyodesign.com/services/seo-for-charities/ "SEO for Charities"), helping mission-led organisations grow their organic reach and connect with more supporters. A new focus Our solution is a year of focus on ‘Operational Efficiency’. This involves embedding AI and technology in every part of the business, as well as developing even tighter processes and frameworks to help us deliver. It’s also about allowing even more flexibility in our working processes - more time off where needed, work where you want policies and scrutinising our agency culture & get togethers, to make sure it works for the individual, as well as the agency. Whilst we continue to focus on our own agency impact and sustainability goals, this past year my passion for sustainability has led me to take a deeper, more personal dive into being more heavily involved with amplifying impact further afield across local businesses within the community. In January, we launched [Amplifi](https://amplifi.tw/)  - a local movement to unite and support businesses around climate change and reducing our collective emissions. Our aim is to reduce the noise and confusion around ‘sustainability’ and facilitate ways to learn from and support one another. We believe that, by tapping into our collective knowledge and expertise, we can ignite real change and share practical ways to make an impactful difference. The plans for 2024 are focused around action. To facilitate this, we have organised local businesses into sector groups, with a sector lead facilitating discussions, organising events and supporting our members. Almost 40 local businesses have signed up to measure and reduce their emissions through the [Net Zero Now](https://netzeronow.org/) platform, and with generous donations from sponsors and the [BID](https://www.rtwtogether.com/), we have been able to meaningfully subsidise the cost of this. Educational events, collaborations & partnerships continue to build momentum and we have lots of plans in place over the months ahead to take the Amplifi concept to other parts of the UK and continue to build momentum, awareness and action. The [B Corp movement](https://bcorporation.uk/) continues to inspire and guide both Yoyo and Amplifi initiatives and I'm proud and excited to be leading organisations in 2024 committed to being a driving force for good and accelerating our collective sustainability journey together. ## Amplifying our impact Our Score ## Like anything worth doing, recertification was a journey. A journey that necessitated deep reflection into the impact that we’ve had, and that which we plan to have going forward. We became a B Corp because it formalised what we already believed and aimed to do as an organisation. We’ve always believed in doing right by people, and achieving meaningful things in the world - through our work and our actions outside the office too. A B Corporation is a business that balances purpose and profit, and one legally required to consider the impact of its decisions on employees, customers, suppliers, its community and the environment. By turning the ambiguity of “doing good” into tangible, measurable scores, policies and commitments, being a B Corp encapsulates how we want to function as a business, and our certification gives us something that people can identify, trust, and support. We earned our first B Corp certification in 2020 - an achievement that we’re beyond proud of. In 2020, we scored 100.1, with the following scores in each area: - Governance: 18.5 - Workers: 37.7 - Community: 21.6 - Environment: 9.6 - Customers: 4.7 Over the next three years, we aimed to improve our score, and when the time came to recertify, we did. Our current overall B Impact score is 107.1. Our scores for each area are: - Governance: 23.3 - Workers: 40.7 - Community: 27.9 - Environment: 10.1 - Customers: 5.0 We’re aiming even higher for our next recertification, and we’re going to put in the work to *achieve it*. Our target score for when we recertify is 120. We’ll be re-completing our assessment in June 2026, so raising our score in every impact area is a priority for the next two years in order to hit, and hopefully exceed this goal. People Doing right by people is a tenet of what drives us at Yoyo. Contributing to the wellbeing of our employees and of our local community is one of the ways we can have an impact on those around us, and we see it as our responsibility to do so. ## What we said we'd do - 1. - Help every Yoyo-er find a sense of purpose and positivity through professional development. - 2. - Support [Demelza](https://www.demelza.org.uk/) as our single chosen charity. - 3. - Host [bi-monthly lunches for female business leaders](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/female-lead-lunch-women-supporting-women/ "Female Lead Lunch: Women Supporting Women"), helping empower them to build better business through a specific focus on female leadership and peer mentoring. - 4. - Host our first [B Corp Breakfast](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/events/b-corp-breakfast-greenwashing-the-grey-areas/ "B Corp Breakfast: Greenwashing, the grey areas"), with the aim of innovating around our B Corp values to create better methods and outcomes and, ultimately, improving the environmental impact of our digital industry. - 5. - Actively encourage and inspire others to become B Corp certified, educating other companies to use their business as a force for good. What we delivered: Tightening workflows. We invested in technologies to reduce pressure and stress levels on individuals, including monday.com and fireflies.ai No more bending over backwards. We improved our approach to flexibility so the team have more autonomy over how they work. A new Yoyo base. In response to our employees, we took the decision to hand notice in on office space to allow more of a hybrid approach. This allows more funding to be placed to other methods of coming together - like quarterly team days for training, alignment and fun. Lifelong learning. We have provided a £250 budget for each member of the team to use for training and courses in an area that interests them (even if not related to their Yoyo career). Doing our bit. We raised over £3,600 for Demelza through all of our fundraising activities - including a [Fire Walk](https://www.justgiving.com/page/anna-dixon-1696422208733), [a Bake off](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7139929081961156608), and [a Skydive](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/yoyo-design-ltd_skydive-charity-demelza-activity-7059803729805357058-s5pZ/?trk=public_profile_like_view)! Food for thought. So far, we’ve hosted seven “Female Lead Lunches” with topics like personal growth, work-life balance, and leading with compassion. We’ve also hosted two B Corp Breakfast events, where we got groups of B Corp marketers together to offer an open, supportive space to discuss and find solutions for their challenges and offer useful innovative ideas for them to drive growth across all marketing channels in their organisation. A part of the Hive. We hosted a series of B Corp drop-ins to support aspiring B Corps through the certification process. Jenny regularly provides guidance and advice for those looking to use their businesses as a force for good We went above and beyond what we'd planned for our Workers and our Community: Keeping it close to home. We invested in [TN Cards](https://www.thetncard.com/) in order to support local businesses. The TN initiative is a loyalty scheme encouraging the community to support our independent businesses, with a percentage of the profits going to [West Kent Mind](https://westkentmind.org.uk/). Shopping locally is very much part of our values, so this partnership is perfect for yoyo. Every little helps. All donations are now match-funded by Yoyo. In 2023, all £335 of the team's personal giving was matched by Yoyo and donated to their chosen charities. And for something sweet... We set up a B Corp tuck shop for the office, with a selection of snacks, drinks and treats from fellow forces for good, including [Candy Kittens](https://candykittens.co.uk/), [Dash Water](https://dash-water.com/) and [Proper Popcorn](https://proper.co.uk/). Planet The planet is always a key stakeholder for us. We want to minimise any environmental harm, while maximising the positive impact that we can have on the world around us. ## What we said we'd do: - 1. - Carve out a proportion of our profits for [Surfers Against Sewage](https://www.sas.org.uk/). - 2. - Create products for our clients that can be seen through a lens of sustainability. What we delivered: Continuing our pledge We continue to include Surfers Against Sewage as our Planet Stakeholder as part of our profit-share scheme. A percentages of our profits is allocated to the marine environment charity each year. Making space for more We created two new products dedicated to helping clients address the sustainability of their digital presence. We now offer a [Training Masterclass in Sustainable Digital Design, and a Digital Sustainability Audit](https://yoyodesign.com/media/crziu1my/yoyo-sustainability.pdf "Yoyo Sustainability"). Through these, we aim to support businesses in balancing creativity and innovation with eco-friendly best practice. Keeping track Within the next month, we plan to formally measure our carbon impact through [Net Zero Now](https://netzeronow.org/). We're also encouraging other businesses to measure their emissions, and those around us to be more eco-conscious. Processes It's not just business as usual for us. Our policies keep us aligned with our ethics, and that we stay true to these through transparency and accountability. The value that we create for our customers in practice goes beyond the digital products and services we provide - it's about integrating and imparting what's important to us, and always keeping purpose at the centre. ## What we said we'd do - 1. - Update job specifications to incorporate responsibility for social and environmental action. - 2. - Increase annual leave from 25 to 29 days. - 3. - Opt to work with fellow B Corps and purpose-driven organisations. What we delivered: Making it official Doing good is incorporated into each team member’s job description, and is also included as an aspect of their performance review. We also formalised the role of People and Operations Manager to make sure that we follow through on taking action and execute decisions faster. Work hard, play hard The team get 29 days off each year, in addition to bank and public holidays. A fair playing field Every new potential client is a debate and a discussion involving the whole team - no red lines, and open discourse about potentially controversial issues. A helping hand Sought out spaces where we can help in times of conflict, supporting the local council in providing information to refugees from Ukraine with [a bespoke website](https://twhelpsukraine.info/). The only way is up We’ve had three promotions and four new hires this year and created new positions where necessary. Listening, not just hearing We completed a Culture Survey to include more voices in decision making, with action being taken to make sure these ideas come to pass. Based on the results of this survey, we've made a series of changes: - Increased comms and reporting to support transparency - Creating written summaries of important updates - Change to the format and content of monthly meetings - Introduction of an in-person quarterly team meeting - Covering the cost of official Yoyo events - Mixing up the type of socials to include more varied interests ## Our plans for continued improvement - ## People - Use a holistic picture of fulfilment - including fun, challenge, purpose and collaboration - to create different initiatives that tap into what’s important for the team, to create a workplace that works for everyone. - Encourage and support all team members to participate in external professional development and lifelong learning. - Promote and share B Corp values in all of our Comms, including podcasts, talks, and panels. - Getting more involved in B Corp Local and on BHive. - Reconsider the financial institution that provides the majority of our banking services. - ## Planet - Use our leadership, marketing and digital expertise to support Amplifi, which aims to get 200 local businesses involved, and 50 members on formal carbon reduction plans with Net Zero Now. Amplifi is a Tunbridge Wells initiative co-founded by our CEO Jenny, which brings business together around climate and community, aiming to reduce confusion and share knowledge to bring about meaningful change. - Set targets for reducing our energy consumption. - Implement further energy conservation and efficiency measures for our facilities. - ## Process - Ensuring the team use their volunteering days throughout the year, and encouraging them to donate their time through pro bono work. - Formalise policies for engagement, marketing and promotion of customers. - Promote diversity and social responsibility by formalising policies regarding suppliers. - Develop a client advisory board to provide guidance and advice on business policy. Until next year... Wow, what a year it’s been! From our incredible partnerships with great brands to leading the way in accessibility and sustainability, we’ve achieved so much in the last 12 months. There’s been bumps along the way as to be expected with the recent financial impacts across the whole industry, but we’ve held fast, worked together and it’s been really great to see our collective efforts proving that we’re not just talking the talk, but walking the walk when it comes to being a B Corp. Looking ahead, we’re focusing on creativity, action and growth. We’ll keep improving our processes, embracing flexibility, and spreading our sustainability messages further afield with the aim of providing value for our clients, elevating our people and protecting the planet in the process. With ambitious targets for our B Corp recertification and a focus on sustainability and social responsibility, we’re excited to keep driving positive change in the months ahead. Together, we’ll build on our successes and create a brighter, more sustainable future for everyone. Gregg --- # Yoyo Processes _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/yoyo-processes/_ ## Yoyo Processes - ![Several Yoyo employees working together in an office](https://yoyodesign.com/media/vjyiqmcs/045-yoyo-april-2023-web.jpg?width=100&height=100&quality=10&v=1db34539ef444a0) BAU Process 01 #bau-processes - ![A red book with the title 'NOW' written on the cover](https://yoyodesign.com/media/vjcns2m0/060-yoyo-august-2019-highres-3103.jpg?width=100&height=100&quality=10&v=1db3453aa604f50) SLA 02 #sla - ![A framed picture with the words "Keep it Simple "written on it](https://yoyodesign.com/media/ofmn5crd/018-yoyo-feb22-highres-0054.jpg?width=100&height=100&quality=10&v=1db345395e786b0) Payment Terms 03 #payment-terms ![Several Yoyo employees working together in an office](https://yoyodesign.com/media/vjyiqmcs/045-yoyo-april-2023-web.jpg?width=100&quality=10&v=1db34539ef444a0) ## BAU Processes. At Yoyo, we don’t use a ticketing approach when it comes to raising issues or responding to your technical requests as we prefer the personal approach at all times. – Our approach As part of your project you have a dedicated project manager looking after you as well as a Client Partner who will be responsible for overseeing the project and checking in regularly with you throughout. They are both on hand and available and both can be contacted if you need an urgent response at any time. We have long-standing relationships with all of our clients. Response time and our proactive, as well as reactive services are some of the key reasons for the strength of these relationships. Below outlines the typical process involved in our BAU service level reporting processes and resolutions. – The process - Email to your Project Manager. Depending on urgency, also your Head of Delivery and / Head of Client Partnerships. - For any site outages, we have StatusCake monitoring set up, and notifications are received immediately. In most situations, we are working on it as we update you. - Issues are dealt with depending on severity and urgency. The correct team member is identified to address the issue as soon as possible. - We do not have a ticketing system, as our customers typically prefer talking directly to their project manager / team who know their website and organization. - We prioritise resolving the issue and once resolved we understand cause of issue, review logs and determine if further work is necessary in order to mitigate risk in future. - It is not cost effective for our clients, especially our charity clients, to have round the clock immediate support for issues, but we manage our resource planning to allow time for issue resolution throughout the week. This ensures our time to respond and time to fix is fast. ![A red book with the title 'NOW' written on the cover](https://yoyodesign.com/media/vjcns2m0/060-yoyo-august-2019-highres-3103.jpg?width=100&quality=10&v=1db3453aa604f50) ## SLA. We do not offer out-of-hours support as part of our standard service. However, this can be arranged for a fee under a separate support contract if required. Our regular hours are 9 AM to 5:30 PM. In the rare event we are available and equipped to assist outside these hours, the agency fees will be charged at three times the hourly rate. We categorise each issue in accordance with the following definitions: – Urgent Your use of the Supported Software or Hosted Material is severely degraded, such that You are unable to access core functionality, with a direct impact on Your business processes. Acknowledgement: 4 hours Follow-up: 8 hours – Important Your use of the Supported Software or Hosted Material is degraded, such that Your access to some functionality, which is key to Your business processes, is limited or unavailable. Acknowledgement: 8 hours Follow-up: 24 hours – Moderate A non-urgent issue that requires investigation. Acknowledgement: 1 working day Follow-up: 5 working days – We shall use Our reasonable endeavors to acknowledge and follow-up each Issue notified to Us within the timescales listed above ![A framed picture with the words "Keep it Simple "written on it](https://yoyodesign.com/media/ofmn5crd/018-yoyo-feb22-highres-0054.jpg?width=100&quality=10&v=1db345395e786b0) ## Payment Terms. Our agency offers the below payment terms, requiring clients to settle their invoices within 30 days of the invoice date. We also provide flexible payment options, including credit card, bank transfer, and online payment platforms, to accommodate our clients' preferences. Ahead of contracts being signed, we will send you a finance form for completion and if PO’s are required from your business, please do be sure to send these ahead of time so we can do our best to ensure payments are never delayed. – Payment schedule - 1st: 30% on sign off to secure resource (7 day payment terms) - 2nd: 30% and in agreed month (14 day payment terms) - 3rd: 30% and in agreed month (14 day payment terms) - 4th: 10% and to be paid ahead of launch (7 day payment terms) – Additional scope Any additional items will be reviewed and scoped at the agreed day rate. Your PM/CP will ensure you are notified if a requirement or request falls outside of project scope and we can provide costs at your request. --- # Town Hall _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/town-hall/_ ## Town Hall - Access 01 #Access - Transport 02 #Transport - Contacts 03 #Contacts - Meetings & Visitors 04 #Meeting - WiFi 05 #wifi - Workspace & Desks 06 #Workspace - The Facilities 07 #Facilities - Health & Safety 08 #Health - Town Square Membership 09 #Membership - Ground Floor Map 10 #Map ## Access Although not quite 24/7, the Town Hall building will be accessible 7 days a week, for most of the day. Reception is manned (by Fran) Monday - Friday, 08:30 - 16:00. She sits at the desk at the Monson Way entrance. Building access times Monday: 06:00 - 12am Tuesday: 06:00 - 12am Wednesday: 06:00 - 12am Thursday: 06:00 - 12am Friday: 06:00 - 12am Saturday: 08:00 - 12am Sunday: 09:00 - 12am Entrances There are 3 entrances into the Town Hall building. **** All are open Mon-Fri during office hours but earlier, later or at weekends, the building is only accessible via 'the backdoor'. Main Entrance/Reception This is on Monson Way and is the entrance you would use to access the building during office hours. This is where you will find Fran, pick up the post, collect visitors, have packages delivered, etc. The Steps This is the entrance you might naturally associate with the Town Hall, the grand looking doors with the steps, located on the corner of Civic Way. You can access the building through these doors during office hours but there is no manned reception here. It will eventually lead to the cafe and co-working area (currently under construction until Feb 2025). It's also the entrance closest to the Yoyo office. The Backdoor Also located on Monson Way but much less conspicuous, is an entrance that you would use to access the building during evenings and weekends. It's a heavy wooden, double door, see the map for details. Inside you will come across a whiteboard on the wall where you should write your name and company on entry and delete when you leave. This is a health and safety requirement and would be used by the fire brigade to locate anyone in the event of a fire/evacuation. Getting In All Yoyo employees will be issued with a Fob. This is a small, black object that looks like a mini highlighter pen. It may be small but it is mighty, granting you access to (almost) all areas in the building. It opens all doors to the building, accesses co-working spaces and allows you to move around the building through inter connecting doors on the corridors. Just hold it up to the small black boxes you will see by all the doorways. *We have to pay for them and there is a £10 charge for a replacement, please do take care not to lose them.* What the Fobs don't do, is open the Yoyo office door. This is done using an actual key and this key lives in a security box which is located under the Yoyo sign by the office door. The box code is 2002 This is to be kept confidential. First person in opens up, last person to leave locks up, key is never to leave the box. Gregg has a spare and Lucie has a skeleton key in the event of an emergency. ## Transport Our home at Town Hall is well located in the centre of Tunbridge Wells, with easy access to car parks and public transport. Public Transport **Train:** Tunbridge Wells Train Station is a 7 minute walk from the Town Hall. For directions, [see here](https://maps.app.goo.gl/Mjv4Bef5ASJNRvXi8). Bus he closest stops to Town Hall include Monson Road, Trinity Theatre, War Memorial and Royal Victoria Place and these are within a 2-5 minute walk. Common bus routes serving the area are 7, 1066, 233, 281, 285, 291 and 402. For real time schedules and updates please [check your journey here](https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/kent-and-surrey). Bike There are bike racks outside the main Town Hall entrance (the one with the steps) but you will need your own lock. There is a bike store in Crescent Road car park and I‘m reliably informed that the code is 2489. There is talk of having a bike store inside the building but this is still TBC Car Parking The closest public car park is on Crescent Road, just a 3-4 minute walk away. This is a large, multi storey car park and you can find [more information here](https://tunbridgewells.gov.uk/parking/car-parks/find-a-car-park/crescent-road). If you come into the office regularly, there is a 3 day parking permit available for Crescent Road which may work out to be better value across the year. There is also a multi storey car park further down the hill, opposite the train station, a 5-6 minute walk. [More details here](https://tunbridgewells.gov.uk/parking/car-parks/find-a-car-park/great-hall). If you allow a little extra time, there are residential roads closeby where you might find free parking. These are up to 15 minutes walk from the office and suggestions include: Mount Ephraim Road (north side) Some sections of this road may have free parking without restrictions, but be sure to check for any time limits or no parking zones. Brenchley Gardens Located a short distance to the east of the Town Hall, this street generally has unrestricted parking, but always verify if any restrictions are in place. Crescent Road A road that runs parallel to the Town Hall area and often has unrestricted parking on certain sections. It's worth checking for time-limited parking. Little Mount Sion Another street nearby where you might find free parking, though there could be some restrictions in certain areas, so be sure to confirm. Claremont Road Found to the west of the Town Hall, it can offer unrestricted parking. However, again, confirm by checking parking signs. Tunbridge Wells Common Some of the roads that surround the Common (like those off of Mount Ephraim) might have spaces without restrictions. Royal Chase This is a residential road located to the north of the Town Hall area. Generally, there are no major parking restrictions on this road, but you should still be cautious and look for any parking signs indicating time limits, resident-only parking, or no parking zones. Boyne Park Quite close to the Town Hall and is a quieter residential area. There are typically some unrestricted areas for parking, especially on the road leading to Boyne Park itself, but like other areas near the town centre, there may be time-limited parking or restrictions during weekdays. *Please note, parking restrictions are subject to change and it is your responsibility to double check this before parking, you do so at your own risk.* ## Contacts Our address is: Yoyo Town Hall Civic Way Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1XR *Whilst not required within our address, for information purposes, our office is Unit G20, which is also referred to as Unit 1.28.* Phone: Town Hall Reception is 01892 328181. Yoyo has operated without a direct office phone number for several years now without issue and will continue to do so. Reception will contact us via Slack with details of visitors, packages, etc. Useful numbers Lucie, Hub Manager: lucie@thetownsquare.co.uk / 07914 817910 (please only contact in the event that Emily/Gregg can't help) Jessica, Hub Assistant: **** jessica@thetownsquare.co.uk / Mon-Fri, 8:30 - 12:30 Fran, Receptionist: francesca@thetownsquare.co.uk / 01892 328181, Mon-Fri, 08:30 - 16:00 Site Council Emergency Number: 01892 554184 / 07967 686217 *for absolute last resort/ out of hours emergencies only, call out charge may apply.* ## Meetings & Visitors Visitors Be sure to direct your visitors to the Monson Way entrance, where they will find Reception. Fran will Slack the office channel when they arrive. PDF to share with visitors - map, address, parking, public transport Depending on how many visitors you have, you could lend them the Yoyo Guest fob for their time in the office or if it's a group, reception can issue them if required. As long as they're mostly with you within the building, they may not need one. Please note that visitors are not permitted in the co-working space, this is a Members only area. Once the cafe is up and running, this will be a nice place to sit and have a coffee but in the meantime, I'm told it's Yoyo office or meeting rooms only. If there is a client/contact who wants to work at Town Hall for the day and utilise the co-working area and facilities, we can purchase a Day Pass for them for £30. Please ask Emily for details. Meetings / Meeting Rooms Meeting rooms must be booked in advance using the Town Square system [Here](https://townsquare.officernd.com/) There is a cost for booking the rooms which is added to our monthly invoices. As members, we receive a 20% discount on the costs and we have one booking per month free of charge There is no catering service available so it's up to us to provide water, teas, coffees, snacks, food etc. I believe water jugs and glasses are available from the kitchen on the first floor but always double check I'm told that local cafe [Charlie's Angels](https://www.charliesangelskitchens.co.uk/) offer good quality and reasonably priced hot meal options for meetings and they will deliver to Town Hall. Options might be limited as they repurpose surplus food and work with whatever they have at the time. The weekly fire alarm drill is every Friday at 2pm - one to bear in mind for any key meetings/presentations There is a pod casting studio on site! For details of all meeting rooms, capacities and costs, [Click here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NU6V0ShiRjKizANJ8eWbbEGN2kLlMjEAbP4in-embPA/edit?usp=sharing) ## WiFi There are several different networks in the building: Town Hall Yoyo Office - 1.28 This is our office and is private and secure. - Only share with trusted contacts and partners Town Hall Members Co-Working Area We are members which is available around the building and in co-working areas. - Do not share outside the team. Town Hall Guest/Visitor For clients and visitors to use. - Share at will. Meeting room These have individual wi-fi, details of which you will find in each room Passwords are in OnePassword and can also be found [Here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Bn3R1U3noCqT3rey1Ny_3ArZTTaT7ui6k2AFzs5m5xo/edit?usp=sharing). ## Workspace & Desks Work Areas Within the Town Hall building, we have our own office. This is on the ground floor, Unit G20 / 1.28. All Yoyo employees also have access to the co-working spaces in the building. The main co-working area, located in the centre of the building, is still under construction and won't be functional until February 2025. This area will also include a cafe. Until then, a temporary co-working area can be found on the ground floor in Unit G10. See plan for location. Private meeting rooms are available to hire for workshops, presentations, team meetings, client meetings etc. See 'Meetings & Visitors' section for more info. Yoyo Desks Within the Yoyo office, we have: 6 individual desks, 4 have screens The long, tall table which can seat 3-4 people working with laptops The Room, for working and making private calls Soft seating which could accommodate a couple of people who wanted to perch with a laptop for a short period of time. The co-working space is of course available if your preferred work space is not available. ## The Facilities Catering Within our office we will have tea and coffee making facilities, along with a small fridge for milk and any personal food items/lunches/beers. At the end of our corridor (out the office door and turn right) is a room with a sink, a table and chairs and a water machine. There is also a hot water dispenser. On the first floor (along the corridor directly above us) there is a more substantial, shared kitchen area with dishwasher, microwave, toaster and kettle. There is also a fridge up there but this is not for storing any personal/Yoyo items. Toilets There are no toilets located on our corridor. The closest ground floor option is across the foyer and into the next corridor, opposite the temporary co-working rooms. Alternatively, on the first floor; go into the foyer, up the stairs and into the corridor to the left. ## Health & Safety Yoyo office We are responsible for anything and everything that goes on in the Yoyo office space. Our Health & Safety policy can be found Here. Town Hall building Town Square (who lease the Town Hall space from TWBC) is responsible for the maintenance and Health & Safety for all public/shared spaces within the building. Their Health & Safety policy can be found [Here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u-2PrnO0Lg5dK-3yzcq-mxGO6zEUyU8E/view?usp=sharing). Please note that weekly fire drills take place at 2pm on Fridays. ## Town Square Membership What's On Town Square organise events, talks, workshops, expos and more for their members. Some virtual, some taking place in the Town Hall building. I hear rumours of yoga classes and even a monthly sound bath taking place in the Chamber Room! Town Square actively encourage their members to mix, network and socialise Being in the know All Yoyo employees are signed up to receive the Town Square monthly newsletter. This is a great place to read about news, events, new members and operational/building info. Town Square use a system called Circle as a [members community page.](https://townsq.circle.so/home) We can post messages, ask questions, find our what's on and register for events. Everyone in the team should have access to this, please contact Emily if you're not sure. . --- # Team Benefits _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/team-benefits/_ ## Team Benefits - Benefits Intro 01 #Access - Health & Wellbeing 02 #Transport - Time 03 #Contacts - Finances 04 #Meeting - Personal Development 05 #wifi - Charity & Community 06 #Workspace - Perks 07 #Facilities - Optional Extras 08 #Health ## Benefits at Yoyo We believe that a great workplace is built on trust, support, and a genuine commitment to the wellbeing of our team. This benefits package reflects our promise to be a flexible, caring, and responsible employer — one that values not just the work you do, but the whole person you are. We’ve designed our benefits with real life in mind, supporting you across every stage of your journey — in your health and wellbeing, your time away from work, your financial goals, and your personal and professional growth. Whether it’s flexible working, access to mental health support, or opportunities to develop your career, our aim is to help you thrive. We're proud to offer a supportive environment where you can do your best work, feel valued, and know that your wellbeing matters. Most of our benefits are accessible as soon as you have passed your probation with a few exceptions. Please refer to the individual policies for more details. ## Health & Wellbeing Flexible Working Yoyo is a flexible workplace and we encourage employees to work in ways that support their wellbeing. Read more. Counsellor We provide our employees with access to a qualified counsellor. This is something you book directly and anonymously, Yoyo covers the monthly costs of these sessions. [Read more](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P6MH7OaFMFx_0mCEgD0tIpjmMexUCwy8gA3Kx9rWZvA/edit?usp=sharing). Simplyhealth - you and your kids Simplyhealth offers health plans that help cover everyday healthcare costs like dentist visits, eye tests, physiotherapy, and more. Yoyo offers this to all employees, enabling you fast access to a wide variety of health related appointments and treatments for you and your children. This is not an automatic enrolment and requires you to 'opt in' to the scheme. You are also able to add your partner for an additional monthly fee. More details coming soon! Eye care We will cover the cost of an annual high street eye test as well as a financial contribution to glasses specifically required for working. [Read more](https://docs.google.com/document/d/194LfMHQAb7rfP9LZBX-Ksrvcgt91-97UqLhxIDogO6A/edit?usp=sharing). Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) Using a wellbeing provider called Health Assured, this service is in the form of a 24/7 helpline and offers support for both the emotional and physical wellbeing of you and your family - for free. [Read more](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cZRDefdeNNksMZPWed14dZ8RPoDDxz0m/view?usp=sharing). ## Time Holiday allowance **Yoyo provide a generous holiday allowance of 29 days per annum, in addition to bank holidays. This is prorated for part time employees. [Read more](https://docs.google.com/document/d/19MwgXaJIOMsySZ9uaQMrZD163N0Dp8YKbTpFXVbMWWo/edit?usp=sharing).** Life leave This is an extended period of time that you would like to take away from work for any sort of personal reason. It is planned and agreed with Yoyo in such a way that means you are able to return to your job at the end of it. [Read more](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fPweFOPSFrnJTFk3Q_DwVz6LT9PTVheMnJy3YzzGb5c/edit?usp=sharing). Enhanced Maternity & Paternity Leave We are proud to offer more than the minimum statutory maternity and paternity pay to cover you during this incredibly important time. [Read more](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_lZBtwjvGuUSwUKM4MCcgyEXLsbhGbWIcrA3zZONd9M/edit?usp=sharing). ## Finances Profit Share There is a profit-share scheme in operation in respect of your employment. Every six months, if the company has made a profit, a proportion of it is given to our employees as a bonus which is split equally across the whole team. This amount is prorated accordingly if you work part time. [Read more](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EX_LTzc4tjz0Y97dSoCOhb5dM2e6LuBUKhXzdKUGB3g/edit?usp=sharing). Pay Reviews ADD DETAILS Read more. Life Assurance The Company provides a Life Assurance benefit of four times your normal annual pay should you die whilst in our employment. This policy is held with Aviva and you are automatically included as soon as you become a Yoyo employee. [Read more](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vuYbLCI_Xan9POP1d7dUZbpbF3SsgkIOzuStasGt_Po/edit?usp=sharing). Pension Yoyo employees are automatically enrolled in our pension scheme with [People’s Pension](https://thepeoplespension.co.uk/) after 3 months of employment. [Read more](https://docs.google.com/document/d/19NraGGNhIs8Yk9BNJElM3DSQA160tHl0jLqt9ILM_nI/edit?usp=sharing). Personal Loan Money worries can really affect your wellbeing and stress levels and we want to support where we can. [Read more](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jdmgO_dhqsKjd1XaE-fsnzvNeeihYUdjgsXMZVnZTtg/edit?usp=sharing). ## Personal Development Performance Review Process We hold annual performance reviews in October of each year, with an optional 'check in' session in April. Read more. Training We're passionate about your career and development, we want to see you flourish and succeed. We have a generous annual training budget and a target to ensure that every single employee does some form of training every year. Read more. ## Charity & Community Volunteering Days If you are passionate about a cause, we want to give you the opportunity to support it by providing your time. Therefore each member of the Yoyo team can take up to 2 full days or 4 half days a year to volunteer to a cause of their choice. (Prorated for part time employees). [Read more](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DBnnww3vNq0cAgZwcEHrl4iTa0AhLAQkl9DSB1BgmD0/edit?usp=sharing). Match Funding We want to donate as much of our annual pot as possible to the causes that matter the most to you. For every £1 that you donate, Yoyo will match it and donate to your chosen charity. [Read more](https://docs.google.com/document/d/15BCyLQ2Zhpv7RAYq9cduRq5iBofrnaM_7VPqlbjmtxI/edit?usp=sharing). ## Perks Employee of the Quarter (EOTQ) During the course of each quarter, we all have the option to cast votes for our 'employee of the month'. There is a reward for the person with the most votes at the end of each quarter. [Read more](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ymrwc8WETEb06_7NBkGLwP1Kw6NdHd3eSz7FcK5fCRg/edit?usp=sharing). Loyalty Bonus A gift to those employees who have been with us for 5 or 10 years, or perhaps even longer! [Read more](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JPrFE5LoONbVjzMl8My4as7IPrs6ZryxARVjrAyBF98/edit?usp=sharing). Recruitment Bonus A bonus for employees who refer a candidate for a position at Yoyo - and they are successful! [Read more](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RF6p9a9033-yTVm-ke6jgrY37jpz9c2u_te50sjkTRs/edit?usp=sharing). New Client Bonus A bonus for employees who introduce a new client to the business. [Read more](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uw1TxSmAY9LM2AI-irU6Oqy4q2BVkFDpzuJo-8oE9FM/edit?usp=sharing). CharlieHR - Perks at Work Yoyo employees can access Perks At Work, via our HR Portal, CharlieHR. There are hundreds of member pricing discounts to take advantage of. You can access this directly from your CharlieHR profile, speak to Emily if you have questions. ## Optional Extras We're really pleased to offer our employees access to these optional benefits but please note that the costs are covered by you. Please be sure to read the details for more information. SimplyHealth - adding your partner The cost for our employees and their children to be included on our health plan with SimplyHealth is covered by Yoyo. You have the option to add your partner to the scheme and cover the additional cost. More details coming soon! Electric Car Scheme - Octopus Yoyo employees are able to lease an electric car through our partnership with [Octopus Electric Vehicles](https://octopusev.com/salary-sacrifice/employee). This works via a salary sacrifice scheme, meaning you pay for it from your pre tax salary. Read more. Cycle To Work Scheme Yoyo employees are able to lease a bike an/or accessories through our partnership with [Cyclescheme](https://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/). This works via a salary sacrifice scheme, meaning you pay for it from your pre tax salary. Read more. . --- # Yoyo's Approach to AI _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-ai/_ Our Approach # Yoyo's Approach to AI ## Contents - Integrating AI 01 #integrating-ai - Our AI principles 02 #our-ai-principles - Our AI policies 03 #our-ai-policies - Ethical AI Checklist 04 #ethical-ai-checklist - How we use AI 05 #how-we-use-ai ## Integrating AI We encourage thoughtful and responsible adoption of AI. Our Yoyo mission is to help Good Brands succeed, so that they can deliver an even greater impact to society and the planet. As a B Corp, Yoyo is committed to ethical business practices and our values remain consistent - people, community and the environment will always be central to our decision-making. AI will help Yoyo to achieve our goals through: - **Increasing** the value that we give to our clients through greater insight and additional time created for higher impact activities. - **Decreasing** time spent on repetitive tasks. This allows us to focus on more impactful and meaningful activities and/or gives us more space to strategise and be creative. ## Our AI principles - 1. Be thoughtful - Every AI-related decision should be grounded in our agency’s strategy, purpose, ethics, and values. Always consider whether AI is the right tool for the task. Be intentional in how you experiment - whether starting with human thinking or exploring an AI-led approach. - 2. Human first - AI is only as good as the people using it. These tools augment human creativity and strategic thinking, they shouldn’t replace them. We value creativity, vision, innovation, and sound judgment. Ultimately, people remain accountable for the work we deliver. - 3. Continuous learning - The AI landscape is evolving rapidly. We are committed to building a culture of ongoing learning, experimentation, and adaptation. We encourage everyone to stay curious and open to new tools and techniques and the ways in which they can best be utilised to bring the greatest value to our team and our clients. - 4. Embrace the tech - AI tools are already being used across all departments and roles. This will only increase. Every team member has a role to play in embracing the technology. We share our progress and celebrate AI successes together. - 5. Trust is everything - Trust takes time to build and can be lost quickly. If our work loses credibility through poor use of AI, that trust can be damaged. Our processes must be designed to protect the quality and integrity of our work at all times. - 6. Quality and creativity first - Speed is not a substitute for standards. Every piece of work must include human input to ensure it meets our expectations for quality, originality, and creativity. AI is not always accurate. Always verify the sources. - 7. Be transparent and ethical - We must always strive to minimise bias and act with integrity. Data privacy and security are non-negotiable. ## Our AI policies Transparency with Clients Why it matters: Our clients have a right to know when and how AI is used in the creation or delivery of their work. How we do this: - Disclose AI use in contracts, SoWs, or onboarding docs - Send updates & host sessions with our clients to discuss AI usage - Our Yoyo approach to AI visible to everyone Security, Data Privacy and Confidentiality Why it matters: To protect the privacy of our customers and our business, client or internal data must not be uploaded or shared through AI tools that retain or train on user inputs. This includes data related to customers, employees or partners. How we do this: - Use closed, private systems, when using company and client materials. Internally we use Gemini, as part of our Google Business Workspace. Gemini does not share data outside of Yoyo, it brings the same enterprise-grade security as the rest of the Google Workspace. - Use third-party tools (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, etc.) if preferred for non confidential research (e.g. anonymous, with no actual data) but opt out of training in the settings. - Use reputable tools that have been developed by reputable companies. Research must be conducted about the history, the reputation and the customer reviews on every AI tool used. Employees must evaluate the security of any AI tool before using it. If there is any doubt, discuss with Yoyo’s Technical Director. - Apply the same security best practices for all company and customer data. This includes strong passwords, keeping software up-to-date and following other internal policies around data and security. - Regular education on data privacy across the team, as well as during onboarding. Intellectual Property and Licensing Why it matters: AI tools that generate content, code, or imagery may raise questions about copyright ownership. How we do this: - Verify and document the licensing terms of all AI tools before use, ensuring outputs are permitted for commercial purposes. - Avoid using AI-generated content (especially images or code snippets) in client-facing work without review and documentation of sources. - Disclose all AI generated content to clients. - Clarify that AI-generated work may not always be eligible for copyright protection in certain jurisdictions. Accountability and Attribution Why it matters: AI is a tool, not a creator. The responsibility for decisions and outputs lies with humans. This applies to internal work and the work that we produce for our clients. How we do this: - Understand the steps AI has used for its analysis, insight or decision-making. Check sources, use prompts to dig deeper and in some cases, use different Large Language Models (LLMs) to check work. - Ensure human oversight, sign-off and accountability at each stage, especially in client deliverables, legal docs, and proposals. Tool Overreliance and De-skilling Why it matters: Excessive use of AI may reduce critical thinking, creativity, and skill development. How we do this: - Encourage AI as a co-pilot, not an autopilot. Human reasoning must lead decision-making. - Experiment with doing some tasks with AI, and some without, so that we are continuing our curiosity and learning around the opportunities and drawbacks of using the tools. - Promote internal training that upskills team members in areas beyond AI. Continue attending conferences and events that showcase creativity and innovation. - Integrate reflection questions into project retros, like ‘What did we learn by using AI on this?’ and ‘How?’. Accuracy and Verification Why it matters: AI is known to "hallucinate" facts, misinterpret nuance, or oversimplify complex topics. How we do this: - Establish a mandatory review step for any AI-generated content before it's sent to clients or published. - Build a checklist or prompt repository that includes: "Have you fact-checked the claims?", "Do the numbers have cited sources?", etc. - Make it the norm to always verify stats from tools like Perplexity. Inclusive AI Adoption Why it matters: AI can be empowering, but not everyone adopts it at the same pace or comfort level. We have always held ‘One team, One Yoyo’ and this applies to integrating AI - it’s important that everyone is supported during this process of change. How we do this: - Provide everyone time for AI experimentation and provide accessible training. - Celebrate small AI wins (via newsletter or Slack) to demystify adoption and reduce resistance. - Provide 1:1 support for less confident users: AI taskforce and AI champions are assigned. Bias and Fairness Why it matters: AI tools may reinforce societal, cultural, or algorithmic biases - especially in copy, imagery, hiring language, or persona creation. How we do this: - Encourage bias checks for all AI-generated outputs, especially content related to people, demographics, or industries. - Build checks into content review processes - *Are we representing diverse perspectives?* - *Does this language unintentionally stereotype?* - Test prompts against varied inputs to ensure consistency and fairness. Ethics Reviews and Governance Why it matters: Having a framework for ongoing review builds trust, especially as tools evolve. How we do this: - Use the existing AI taskforce to hold regular “ethics check-ins” or tool audits - Keep a register of approved tools, their use cases, and any known risks/limitations - Create a simple AI Ethics Checklist that can be applied at the start of any major project - see below. ## Ethical AI Checklist - 1. Is it fair? - 1. Are the sources diverse and inclusive? 2. Could the output reinforce harmful bias or stereotypes? - 2. Is it clear? - 1. Can you explain how the AI reached this result? 2. Would this be understandable to someone unfamiliar with the tool? - 3. Is someone responsible? - 1. Who is accountable for reviewing and signing off the output? 2. Have you taken ownership of the result, not just the tool? - 4. Does it respect privacy? - 1. Are you using confidential or client data responsibly? 2. Is this being processed within a secure or approved system? ## How we use AI Below is an insight into how AI is used across the organisation. Other tools are being tested but below are the key ones that are used across the agency. This is updated every quarter. - Sales & Marketing - We use AI to accelerate content creation, improve new business research, and efficiently manage client communications. Tools & Use Cases: - Gemini - researching and strategising around our events or supporting with our new business outreach and proposals. Used also to support with planning of content strategy and creation. Also used on on briefs and documents to quickly locate information and to summarise documents. This is a closed system - information remains confidential. - Fireflies - recording all new biz calls. Captures details, summarises calls and is used to quickly bring other team members up to speed. - Google LLM Notebook - supporting the collation of content around our existing clients and projects in order to help and support our case study creation and client comms. - Operations - We use AI to ensure the accuracy of legal and contractual documents, and to develop and refine internal processes. Tools & Use Cases: - Gemini / Claude - checking clauses in contracts and Statements of Work (SoWs), defining new processes, creating agendas, and sense-checking proposals. Gemini is used for confidential information. - Built-in AI in Scoro (Yoyo project management system) - assistance with how a process or feature should work. - Client Services & Project Management - We use AI to help streamline document creation, client communication, notetaking and research wherever possible. Tools & Use Cases: - Gemini - enhance client communication, summarise large email chains, creating quote breakdown descriptions for Scoro, build project briefs from templates and onboarding info, summarise whole Figjam boards after workshops, creating the framework for research studies, summarising the research outcomes, finding themes in the analysis. - Copilot - creating Excel documents & converting Project Framework Agreements into spreadsheet format for the development team estimates and Jira tickets. - Fireflies / Gemini - meeting notes for most client calls. - Claude & Google LLM Notebook - useful for client insight and discovery phase research and helpful for creating quick overviews when time is limited. - ELI and Sidekick - Scoro and Shopify AI chat bots, for quick in-platform queries and setting rules e.g. customer segmentation (in Shopify). - \*Recommended but not using directly - VWO A/B testing partner. - Design - We use AI to research and ideate, acting as a creative partner to support our work in content, design strategy and media creation. Tools & Use Cases: - NotebookLM / Perplexity - client immersion and research support - Claude - initial concept, content generation and design strategy - Figma - AI features support rapid ideation and prototyping to let the design team test ideas before committing time to refinement - Photoshop - image retouching, compositing and generative editing - Gemini - conversational image creation, editing and adjustments - Magnific - AI upscaling and enhancement of existing imagery such as adding detail, relighting and restyling assets to finished quality - Framer - AI-assisted website design and build, allowing designers to launch working sites - Cursor / Copilot - AI coding tools used for rapid prototyping and front-end work by designers within the team - Development - We use AI to assist with writing, reviewing, and refactoring code, writing and improving documentation, and debugging errors. We use AI as a pair programmer for development, debugging, and research. Tools & Use Cases: - Gemini - planning code solutions, planning technical architecture, researching technology solutions, and interpreting error messages. - Copilot (VS Code and Visual Studio) and Cursor - coding support, refactoring, and suggesting implementations. Simplifying and improving performance of complicated logic, generating user and developer documentation, and mapping out code approaches. - Finance - Currently rolling out the following updates to support our Financial analysis & planning: Tools & Use Cases: - Xero Analytics with AI Insights - an integration in the Xero Accounting Software enabling us to analyse business performance for faster, data-driven decisions. - Gemini Gems - currently developing a Finance Gem within Gemini Gems to support reporting and analysis at Yoyo. The goal of this tool is to automate variance analysis by comparing actual results to budgets across various spreadsheets. It will also be used to analyse datasets in Google Sheets and identify trends. This is a closed system, ensuring all information remains confidential. --- # Yoyo's Approach to Accessibility _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-accessibility/_ Our Approach # Yoyo's Approach to Accessibility Inclusive Design We believe in a digital world without barriers. Our Yoyo mission is to help Good Brands succeed, so that they can deliver an even greater impact to society and the planet. As a [B Corp](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp Digital Agency"), Yoyo is committed to ethical business practices. True impact is only possible when digital experiences are inclusive of everyone, regardless of their physical, cognitive, or situational circumstances. Accessibility helps Yoyo to achieve our goals through: - Increasing the reach of our clients by ensuring their message is perceivable by the 20% of the population living with a disability. - Enhancing usability for all. Accessible design is simply better design; it improves the experience for mobile users, older audiences, and those in challenging environments. ## Accessibility Principles - 1. Accessibility is a non negotiable - Every design decision should be grounded in our agency’s purpose. We view WCAG compliance not as a checkbox, but as a moral and strategic foundation for every project. - 2. Creativity without compromise - Accessibility isn’t a creative constraint; it’s a catalyst for innovation. We use inclusive requirements to push the boundaries of how we present information beautifully and functionally. - 3. Human-first testing - Tools and automated checkers are helpful, but they don't replace lived experience. We prioritize empathy and human feedback to ensure our work functions in the real world, not just in a lab. - 4. Continuous evolution - The digital landscape and accessibility standards (WCAG) are always changing. We are committed to a culture of ongoing learning to stay ahead of legal requirements and emerging assistive technologies. - 5. Trust through transparency - We are clear with our clients about the accessibility status of their platforms. We believe in building digital products that protect our clients’ reputations and foster trust with their entire audience. Accessibility Policies Transparency with clients Why it matters: Clients need to understand the level of compliance their site achieves and how it impacts their legal and ethical standing. How we do this: - Include accessibility goals in every Statement of Work (SoW). - Provide clear accessibility statements for every website we launch. Security and Assistive Technology Why it matters: To ensure privacy, our accessible implementations must work seamlessly with screen readers and software without compromising user data. How we do this: - We use standard, semantic HTML5 which is natively understood by assistive tech, avoiding "hacks" that could lead to data vulnerabilities. #### Accountability and Attribution Why it matters: Accessibility is a team-wide responsibility. It is not just the "developer's job" or the "designer's job." How we do this: - Establish "Accessibility Champions" within every department (Design, Dev, PM). - Integrate accessibility reviews into our standard "Definition of Done." Accuracy and Verification Why it matters: Automated tools only catch about 40% of accessibility issues. Manual verification is essential. How we do this: - Conduct manual keyboard-only navigation tests on all primary user flows. - Use color contrast analyzers and screen reader testing (NVDA/VoiceOver) before any site goes live. ## Accessibility Checklist - 1. Is it perceivable? - - Are we providing high-quality alt-text for images? - Is there enough color contrast for text and interface elements? - 2. Is it operable? - - Can the entire site be navigated without a mouse? - Are interactive elements (buttons/links) large enough to hit easily? - 3. Is it understandable? - - Is the navigation consistent and predictable? - Are error messages clear and helpful rather than confusing? - 4. Is it robust? - - Does the code follow W3C standards? - Will it work on older devices and different types of assistive software? ## How we build for Accessibility - Design - We use inclusive design frameworks to ensure visual impact never comes at the cost of clarity. Tools & Use Cases: - Figma (Stark/A11y plugins) - Adobe Color Contrast, - High-contrast style guides. - Development - We build with a "Semantic-First" approach, ensuring the skeleton of the site is accessible before the skin is applied. Tools & Use Cases: - WAVE, - Axe DevTools, - Lighthouse, - Screen Reader testing (NVDA, VoiceOver). - Project Management - Project Management We ensure accessibility is a core KPI from the discovery phase through to delivery. Tools & Use Cases: - Scoro (tracking accessibility audits), - WCAG 2.2 Checklists. - Content & Strategy - Our content partners can help clients craft content that is easy to read and navigate for everyone. Tools & Use Cases: - Hemingway Editor (for readability), - Plain English Campaign guidelines. ## Looking to find out more about how you can make your website more Accessible? [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # Yoyo's Approach to Sustainability _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/yoyos-approach-to-sustainability/_ Our Approach # Yoyo's Approach to Sustainability ## Contents - Integrating sustainability 01 #integrating-sustainability - Our sustainability principles 02 #our-sustainability-principles - Our sustainability policies 03 #our-sustainability-policies - Sustainability checklist 04 #sustainability-checklist - Sustainability at Yoyo 05 #sustainability-at-yoyo ## Integrating sustainability Integrating Sustainability We believe that digital design shouldn’t come at a cost to the planet. Our Yoyo mission is to help Good Brands succeed. As a [B Corp,](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "yoyodesign.com") we recognize that the digital revolution has an "invisible" environmental impact; the digital sector’s share of global greenhouse gas emissions has increased by half since 2013, now sitting at roughly 3.7%. Sustainability isn’t an "add-on" for us; it is a core constraint that drives better, more efficient innovation. By reducing the digital weight of our outputs, we create faster, more accessible, and more effective experiences for our clients. ## Our sustainability principles - 1. Efficiency by Design - 80% of a product's environmental impact is determined during the design phase. We prioritize efficient user journeys to reduce the time spent on-device, ultimately lowering energy consumption. - 2. Transparency & Accountability - We don’t greenwash. We use data-driven tools to measure the carbon footprint of our digital products and are honest with our clients about the trade-offs between high-intensity media and environmental impact. - 3. Digital Sobriety - We advocate for "Digital Sobriety" building what is necessary, not just what is possible. We challenge ourselves to create high-impact experiences without the "bloat" of unnecessary features. - 4. Planet-Centric Thinking - Our work doesn't just consider the User Experience (UX); it considers the Planet Experience (PX). We weigh every creative decision against its long-term environmental cost. ## Our sustainability policies Green Web Hosting Why it matters: Data centers are massive energy consumers. How we do this: We encourage and prioritize hosting partners that run on 100% renewable energy and have high Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) ratings. Asset Optimization (Media & Video) Why it matters: Video and high-res images are the heaviest contributors to page weight. How we do this: We implement "Lazy Loading," use modern formats like WebP or AVIF, and avoid auto-playing videos wherever possible to save bandwidth. Sustainable Development Practices Why it matters: Clean code runs more efficiently, requiring less processing power from the end-user's device. How we do this: We practice "code minification," limit the use of heavy frameworks, and prioritize system fonts over custom web fonts to reduce HTTP requests. Carbon Budgeting Why it matters: Just like a financial budget, a page should have a weight limit. How we do this: We set a "Carbon Budget" at the start of projects to ensure the final site remains within a specific CO2-per-page-view threshold. ## Sustainability Checklist - 1. Is it necessary? - Does this feature/video/animation add genuine value, or is it "digital noise" increasing the carbon footprint? - 2. Is it optimised - Are all images compressed? Is the code clean? Are we using system fonts where possible? - 3. Is it accessible? - Sustainability and accessibility go hand-in-hand. An easy-to-navigate site is a low-carbon site. - 4. Where does it live? - Is the site hosted on servers powered by renewable energy? ## Sustainability at Yoyo How we practice Sustainability ## Below is how we apply eco-conscious thinking across our departments. - Strategy & UX - We streamline user journeys to ensure the fastest path to information, reducing "screen time" and overall device energy consumption. Our discovery phases prioritize low-energy research tools and remote-first collaboration to minimize our carbon footprint. - Design - We utilize darker UI palettes where appropriate to save energy on modern OLED screens and prioritize lightweight SVG illustrations over heavy, high-resolution photography. Every creative asset is weighed against its environmental impact without sacrificing visual excellence. - Development - By building-in "Dark Mode" options and utilizing static site generators, we significantly reduce server-side processing and client-side power usage. Our code is minified and optimized to ensure high performance on the lowest possible bandwidth. - Client Services - We integrate sustainability training into our project process to empower our clients with the knowledge to make informed, low-carbon digital choices. Our formalised corporate gifting policy prioritizes B Corp partners, ensuring every token of appreciation reflects our commitment to measurable carbon savings. - Operations - As a [B Corp](https://yoyodesign.com/about/b-corp-digital-agency/ "B Corp Digital Agency"), we maintain rigorous internal audits of our supply chain and office energy use to ensure our business remains planet-positive. We conduct regular "digital clean-ups" to purge unnecessary cloud storage and minimize the environmental cost of our data smog. Let's build a greener web together. [Talk to us](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/ "Contact") today to find out how we can help you create digital experiences with sustainability in mind. --- # Elevator _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/elevator/_ Elevator # Our approach to building *exceptional* websites, better. ## Every client is unique, but great website experiences share common foundations. *Elevator* is our proven approach to building websites that combines years of experience with the flexibility and creativity of fully bespoke design. ## What this means for your project - Faster without compromising *quality* - We've refined core functionality through hundreds of projects. Components like navigation, content layouts, forms, and search are built on proven patterns, tested across multiple browsers and devices. This means we spend less time reinventing the wheel and more time on what makes your project special. - *Best* practice built in from day one - Every element follows accessibility standards, SEO guidelines, and UX principles learned from years of experience. Your website launches with these fundamentals already in place, giving you confidence and reducing risk. - More budget for *strategic* work - By handling common requirements efficiently, we free up time to focus on understanding your business, your users, and the experiences that will differentiate you in the market. The result is a website that works brilliantly at every level. - *Clear* scope and confident estimates - We can quickly identify which elements of your project use proven approaches and which require custom development. This clarity means fewer surprises, more accurate timelines, and better conversations about priorities and trade-offs. *How* it works During discovery, we identify the critical pages and flows that define your [user experience](https://yoyodesign.com/services/ux/ "UX"). These become our design challenges, where we invest creative energy to create something unique and impactful. For everything else, we leverage proven solutions built on [Umbraco](https://umbraco.com/) that we know work. The approach is flexible. We can fully customise any element when it matters, but we don't waste time rebuilding functionality that already works. As a [Umbraco Gold Partner](https://yoyodesign.com/services/umbraco/umbraco-certified-partner/ "Umbraco Certified Partner"), we've built our approach on one of the most robust and flexible CMS platforms available. Every project also helps us improve, meaning the foundation gets stronger with each implementation. What this *isn't!* Elevator isn't a theme or template. Your website will look and function exactly how you need it to. We're not constrained by predetermined layouts or limited customisation options. Think of it as starting with professional-grade building blocks instead of raw materials. We're still building something completely custom, we're just doing it more efficiently and with greater confidence in the outcome. The *result* You get a website that launches faster, performs better, and delivers more value, because we're not spending time on problems we've already solved. And we get to focus on what we do best, creating experiences that make an impact. [Get in touch](https://yoyodesign.com/contact/) --- # Yoyo Digital Strategy Session \(Charities\) _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/yoyo-digital-strategy-session-charities/_ Yoyo Digital Session for Charities A free 1-to-1 digital advice session *tailored for charities*. Are you a digital marketer or strategic lead in the charity sector struggling to bridge the gap between a brilliant communication strategy and a website that actually delivers it? This month, we’re opening up our calendars to offer charities a free, one-to-one digital strategy session. This isn't a "one-size-fits-all" sales call. It’s a chance to sit down with a specialist who lives and breathes your specific challenge. Whether you’re eyeing up a rebrand, planning a site overhaul, or just suspect your tech stack is getting a little outdated, we’re here to help you find the right path forward. Every charity has different hurdles. To ensure you get the most value, we pair you with the digital expert at Yoyo who is best suited to your current goals: ## Who do you need to talk to? - Brand & Digital Strategy - Talk to our Client Strategy Director Perfect if you are planning a website overhaul or a major rebrand and need to ensure your digital platform actually drives your mission. Dan or Anna can help you bridge the gap between "big picture" ambition and technical reality ensuring your new site isn't just a brochure, but a strategic engine that aligns your digital voice with your high-impact offline campaigns. - SEO & AEO - Talk to our SEO Consultant Perfect if your organic visibility has stalled, or you’re worried about how AI-driven search (like ChatGPT and Perplexity) is changing how donors find you. This is for charities who want to dominate the "authority" space for the causes they champion, ensuring that when supporters seek answers, your mission is the first one they encounter. - Technical Integration & UX - ##### Talk to our Technical Director Perfect if your current tech stack feels like a "frankenstein" of systems that don't talk to each other. If your CRM, donation platform, and website are creating manual work rather than automating growth, Calvin or Dan can help you map out a seamless, "lightweight" infrastructure that prioritizes a frictionless user experience and data integrity. - E-commerce, Conversions and Optimisation - Talk to our Growth Partner Perfect if you’re seeing high traffic but low conversion, or your fundraising shop feels clunky and outdated. This is specifically for charities facing donor drop-off at the final hurdle. Dan can help you optimize your donation funnels and digital shop, turning casual interest into committed, long-term financial support through data-driven UX. ## How it works We want to make sure your session is high-impact from minute one. To help us pair you with the right expert, follow these simple steps: Book your preferred date and time slot Choose your preferred date and time, using the link below. Tell us your challenge During booking, be sure to include a sentence or two about the challenge you're currently tackling (e.g., "We're planning a rebrand" or "Our SEO has stalled") Get paired Our team will review your needs, the date and time that works for you and will be sure to introduce you to the specialist in-house who can provide the most value. Confirm your slot We’ll follow up to confirm it's in the diary! Why we're doing this? We believe your website should be your digital heartbeat - where your strategy meets your supporters. We want to work together to help make your charity's digital presence a leaner, greener, and more effective part of your mission. For the below button to work, you will need to accept cookies by opening up the cookie settings. [Book your 1-2-1](https://calendly.com/daniel-barron-yoyodesign/strategy-session) “ > > The digital 1-2-1 sessions were a total breath of fresh air. It was entirely no-pressure, with no sales pitch and more a genuine conversation helping us to achieve our mission. The expert advice was hugely valuable, giving us actionable steps that have already streamlined our charity's outreach. --- # Yoyo Digital Strategy Session \(B Corps\) _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/yoyo-digital-strategy-session-b-corps/_ Yoyo Digital Session for B Corps A free 1-to-1 digital advice session *tailored for B Corps.* Are you a digital marketer or strategic lead in a B Corp but are still struggling to bridge the gap between a brilliant communication strategy and a website that actually delivers it? We’re opening up our calendars in June and July to offer you a free, one-to-one digital strategy session. This isn't a "one-size-fits-all" sales call. It’s a chance to sit down with a specialist who lives and breathes your specific challenge. Whether your B Corp business is eyeing up a rebrand, planning a site overhaul, or just suspect your tech stack needs a little more TLC, we’re here to help you find the right path forward. Every B Corp has different hurdles. To ensure you get the most value, we pair you with the digital expert at Yoyo who is best suited to your current goals: ## Who do you need to talk to? - Brand & Digital Strategy - Talk to our Client Strategy Director Perfect if you are planning a website overhaul or a major rebrand and need to ensure your digital platform actually drives your mission. Dan or Anna can help you bridge the gap between "big picture" ambition and technical reality ensuring your new site isn't just a brochure, but a strategic engine that aligns your digital voice with your high-impact offline campaigns. - SEO & AEO - Talk to our SEO Consultant Perfect if your organic visibility has stalled, or you’re worried about how AI-driven search (like ChatGPT and Perplexity) is changing how your audience finds you. This is for B Corps who want to dominate the "authority" space for the causes they champion, ensuring that when users seek answers, your mission is the first one they encounter. - Technical Integration & UX - ##### Talk to our Technical Director Perfect if your current tech stack feels like a "frankenstein" of systems that don't talk to each other. If your CRM and website are creating manual work rather than automating growth, Calvin or Dan can help you map out a seamless, "lightweight" infrastructure that prioritizes a frictionless user experience and data integrity. - E-commerce, Conversions and Optimisation - Talk to our E-Commerce Specialist Perfect if you’re seeing high traffic but low conversion, or your shop feels clunky and outdated. This is specifically for B Corps facing drop-offs at the final hurdle. Dan can help you optimize your funnels and digital shop, turning casual interest into committed, long-term financial support through data-driven UX. ## How it works We want to make sure your session is high-impact from minute one. To help us pair you with the right expert, follow these simple steps: Book your preferred date and time slot Use the Calendly link below to book your free session with one of our team. Tell us your challenge During booking, be sure to include a sentence or two about the challenge you're currently tackling (e.g., "We're planning a rebrand" or "Our SEO has stalled") Get paired Our team will review your needs, the date and time that works for you and will be sure to introduce you to the specialist in-house who can provide the most value. Confirm your slot We’ll follow up to confirm it's in the diary! Why we're doing this? We believe your website should be a continuous work in progress and we want to work together with fellow B Corps clients to help them really make the most of their platform and wider strategic goals. For the below button to work, you will need to accept cookies by opening up the cookie settings. [Book your 1-2-1](https://calendly.com/daniel-barron-yoyodesign/strategy-session) “ > > The digital 1-2-1 sessions were a total breath of fresh air. It was entirely no-pressure, with no sales pitch and more a genuine conversation helping us to achieve our mission. The expert advice was hugely valuable, giving us actionable steps that have already streamlined our outreach. --- # Yoyo Digital Strategy Session \(Umbraco Clients\) _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/yoyo-digital-strategy-session-umbraco-clients/_ Yoyo Digital Session for Umbraco Clients A free 1-to-1 digital advice session tailored for *Umbraco clients* looking to navigate *AI search* and *modern SEO.* Are you a digital marketer or strategic lead using Umbraco but wondering if your site is actually ready for the future of search? With the rapid rise of AI search engines like Google's AI Overviews, digital engagement is shifting faster than ever. To ensure our Umbraco clients don't lose valuable organic traffic, we’re opening up our calendars in July to offer you a free, one-to-one digital strategy session. This isn't a "one-size-fits-all" sales call. It’s a chance to look at how your Umbraco site handles critical modern SEO elements like **Schema markup (structured data)** which acts as a translator for search engines and AI models alike. Whether you need a simple SEO audit, want to explore eye-catching Rich Snippets, or just suspect your technical setup isn't fully optimized, we're here to help you find the right path forward. Every client has different hurdles. To ensure you get the most value, we pair you with the digital expert at Yoyo who is best suited to your current goals: ## Choose your focus area - AI Search & SEO Visibility - Talk to our SEO/AEO Consultant Perfect if your organic traffic has stalled, or you want to ensure your content is being crawled and cited by AI tools like Google’s AI Overviews, Perplexity, and ChatGPT. - Schema Markup & Technical Architecture - Talk to our Technical Director Perfect if you want to know exactly how to integrate structured data into your Umbraco templates seamlessly, or you want to review your overall site health and CRM integrations. - Content Structure & Digital Strategy - ##### Talk to our Client Strategy Director Perfect if you want to align your Umbraco platform with high-impact campaigns and ensure your overall site architecture is optimized for modern user engagement. - Conversion Rate Optimisation - Talk to our CRO Lead Perfect if you already have healthy search traffic but struggle to convert those visitors into leads, sign-ups, or e-commerce sales once they arrive. ## How it works We want to make sure your session is high-impact from minute one. To help us pair you with the right expert, follow these simple steps: Book your preferred date and time slot Use the Calendly link below to book your free session with our team. Tell us your challenge During booking, be sure to include a sentence or two about the challenge you're currently tackling (e.g., *"We want to check our Schema markup setup,"* *"Our organic SEO has stalled,"* or *"We need to understand AI search readiness."*) Get paired Our team will review your needs, the date and time that works for you and will be sure to introduce you to the specialist in-house who can provide the most value. Confirm your slot We’ll follow up to confirm it's in the diary! Why we're doing this? We believe your website should be a continuous work in progress and we want to work together with our Umbraco clients to help them really make the most of their platform and wider strategic goals. For the below button to work, you will need to accept cookies by opening up the cookie settings. [Book your 1-2-1](https://calendly.com/daniel-barron-yoyodesign/strategy-session) “ > > The digital 1-2-1 sessions were a total breath of fresh air. It was entirely no-pressure, with no sales pitch and more a genuine conversation helping us to achieve our mission. The expert advice was hugely valuable, giving us actionable steps that have already streamlined our charity's outreach. --- # Yoyo Digital Strategy Session _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/yoyo-digital-strategy-session/_ Free Yoyo Digital Session A free 1-to-1 digital advice session Are you a digital marketer or strategic lead struggling to bridge the gap between a brilliant communication strategy and a website that actually delivers it? This month, we’re opening up our calendars to offer a free, one-to-one digital strategy session. This isn't a "one-size-fits-all" sales call. It’s a chance to sit down with a specialist who lives and breathes your specific challenge. Whether you’re eyeing up a rebrand, planning a site overhaul, or just suspect your tech stack is getting a little outdated, we’re here to help you find the right path forward. Every business has different hurdles. To ensure you get the most value, we pair you with the digital expert at Yoyo who is best suited to your current goals: ## Who do you need to talk to? - Brand & Digital Strategy - Talk to our Client Strategy Director Perfect if you are planning a website overhaul or a major rebrand and need to ensure your digital platform actually drives your mission. Dan or Anna can help you bridge the gap between "big picture" ambition and technical reality ensuring your new site isn't just a brochure, but a strategic engine that aligns your digital voice with your high-impact offline campaigns. - SEO & AEO - Talk to our SEO Consultant Perfect if your organic visibility has stalled, or you’re worried about how AI-driven search (like ChatGPT and Perplexity) is changing how donors find you. This is for charities who want to dominate the "authority" space for the causes they champion, ensuring that when supporters seek answers, your mission is the first one they encounter. - Technical Integration & UX - ##### Talk to our Technical Director Perfect if your current tech stack feels like a "frankenstein" of systems that don't talk to each other. If your CRM, donation platform, and website are creating manual work rather than automating growth, Calvin or Dan can help you map out a seamless, "lightweight" infrastructure that prioritizes a frictionless user experience and data integrity. - E-commerce, Conversions and Optimisation - Talk to our E-Commerce Specialist Perfect if you’re seeing high traffic but low conversion, or your fundraising shop feels clunky and outdated. This is specifically for charities facing donor drop-off at the final hurdle. Dan can help you optimize your donation funnels and digital shop, turning casual interest into committed, long-term financial support through data-driven UX. ## How it works We want to make sure your session is high-impact from minute one. To help us pair you with the right expert, follow these simple steps: Book your preferred date and time slot Use the Calendly link below to book your free session with our team. Tell us your challenge During booking, be sure to include a sentence or two about the challenge you're currently tackling (e.g., "We're planning a rebrand" or "Our SEO has stalled") Get paired Our team will review your needs, the date and time that works for you and will be sure to introduce you to the specialist in-house who can provide the most value. Confirm your slot We’ll follow up to confirm it's in the diary! Why we're doing this? We believe your website should be your digital heartbeat - where your strategy meets your audience. We want to work together to help make your digital presence a leaner, greener, and more effective part of your organisational mission. For the below button to work, you will need to accept cookies by opening up the cookie settings. [Book your 1-2-1](https://calendly.com/daniel-barron-yoyodesign/strategy-session) “ > > The digital 1-2-1 sessions were a total breath of fresh air. It was entirely no-pressure, with no sales pitch and more a genuine conversation helping us to achieve our mission. The expert advice was hugely valuable, giving us actionable steps that have already streamlined our outreach. --- # Client Advisory Board _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/client-advisory-board/_ Board 2026 # Client Advisory Board Play Co-creating the future of our agency and developing our strategic partnership The vision At Yoyo, we believe our best evolution happens when we listen to the people who know us best. We are inviting a select group of our most engaged clients to become invested stakeholders in Yoyo’s future, and optimise how we add value to you through our expertise and services. The Client Advisory Board is designed to elevate our role as a true strategic partner by building your voice directly into our decision-making process. Why you? You have been specifically selected because of your deep operational experience with Yoyo and your expertise within your own organisation. We recognise you as a leader who understands where the friction lies and has the vision to help us pivot our approaches. This is an invitation to go "behind the scenes" and influence the agency that supports your brand. The purpose of CAB is a dedicated space to refine the "Yoyo experience" and maximize the impact we deliver to your charity or business. - **The Client Voice:**Infuse your feedback into our service evolution and deliverables. - **Value Creation:**Identify new ways for Yoyo to solve your most complex challenges. - **Operational Excellence:**Address friction points to streamline how we work together. - **Invested Advocacy:**Turn our successful partnership into a long-term strategic alliance that follows you throughout your career. ## The format - ## Quarterly - Four sessions per year - - ## Mid month - July 2026 - October 2026 - January 2027 - April 2027 - ## The session - 60 minutes structured discussion - 30 minutes collaborative ideation - ## The preparation - A concise "pre-read" sent 2 weeks prior so you can arrive prepared to contribute, without homework. - ## The platform - Three sessions via Google Meet - One annual in-person dinner to celebrate our progress, and meet and network with each other. - ## The tenure - You stay as long as you feel the value. - We will hold an annual reflection to ensure the partnership remains mutually beneficial. We’ll be co-designing the agenda with you, ensuring we’re addressing everything from spicy topics to new ideas, and everything in-between. Some of the topics we’d love your input include the following: - **Service Experience** - Are we over-communicating (cluttering your inbox) or under-communicating (leaving you wondering what’s happening)? Help us improve our service experience. - **Emerging Tech** - What AI tools are you experimenting with that you wish we would integrate into our workflow? We want to make working with us as frictionless - and enjoyable - as possible. - **Value Perception** - If we doubled our prices tomorrow, what specific part of our service would make that cost still feel "worth it"? Where do you see the most value in our work, that we should lean more into, and where can we deliver more value across our service portfolio? Our commitment to you This is not a focus group; it is a board. To ensure your time translates into action: - **The Feedback Loop:** Within 4 weeks of every meeting, we will issue a "You Suggested, We Implemented" report, detailing exactly how your input is changing Yoyo’s roadmap. - **Networking:** Connect with a small, engaged group of 4 - 6 like-minded decision-makers. - **The Perks:** A unique addition to your professional profile, exclusive "insider" access to Yoyo leadership and behind the scenes access to the workings of a digital agency. Added treat of Deliveroo vouchers for our digital sessions, and an invitation to our Annual Board Dinner. ## The board ^(2)^ ### 2026 ^(2)^ - Anna Dixon Client Strategy Director - Yoyo - Will you join us? Advisory Board Member Would you like to join us on this journey? Please RSVP to Anna Dixon - Client Strategy Director anna.dixon@yoyodesign.com --- # Free Digital Impact Strategy Session _Source: https://yoyodesign.com/free-digital-impact-strategy-session/_ Yoyo Digital Session for Charities A free 1-to-1 impact report session *tailored for charities*. Is your impact getting lost in a boring PDF*?* You and your team work incredibly hard all year to achieve your results. They tell a powerful story of goals hit, lives changed, and missions delivered. But when that incredible story gets squeezed into a rushed PDF at the eleventh hour, it rarely does your hard work justice. In our[latest research study,](https://yoyodesign.com/latest/how-to/how-to-turn-casual-scrollers-into-committed-donors-with-impact-content/ "How to turn casual scrollers into committed donors with impact content")when we analyzed how leading charities communicate their impact, we found a consistent problem: the most critical achievements and emotive human stories are locked away inside static, 80-page PDF annual reports. Casual website visitors aren't downloading those. What to expect? In this free 1 hour consultation, our Growth Partner, Dan Barron, will help map out exactly what you need to make your 2027 impact report a success. This session is designed to assess your current setup and outline how our team can transform your approach. We will explore: - **Your current data landscape:** We will discuss where your data currently lives and scope out what it will take for our team to rescue your story from static PDFs. - **The "Six Pillars" Audit**: Dan will map your current messaging against our six essential pillars of impact to identify where you might be leaving donations on the table. - **The "So What?" Translation:** We will discuss the process our design and strategy experts use to tie your massive macro-numbers directly to tangible, human outcomes. “ > > Done well, your impact report shouldn't just be an annual obligation, it should be one of your most persuasive tools for inspiring funders, partners, and supporters. See our methodology in action [Amref Health Africa](https://yoyodesign.com/work/amref-health-africa/ "Amref Health Africa")reaches 20 million people across 40+ countries annually, but their digital presence was stuck in a print-first mindset. They needed to engage a massive wave of warm social media leads who loved the cause but hadn't yet hit 'donate'. We brought their impact to life by: - Building a high-impact digital report rooted in powerful, first-person storytelling instead of dry statistics. - Using a colour-led visual identity, where each of their five core missions is represented by a distinct colour (e.g., deep ocean blue for Water & Disease Prevention). - Building the platform from the ground up to meet strict WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards, ensuring their vital message is open to absolutely everyone. [View Digital Impact Report](https://yoyodesign.com/work/amref-health-africa/) ### Amref Gallery - - - - - - - Meet Dan Barron, Growth Partner Dan helps charities and purpose-driven organizations align their digital presence with their real-world impact. You can simply hand him your raw data and results, and he’ll show you how the team at Yoyo can build the narrative, bring it to life, and take the stress off your plate. [Book your 1-2-1](https://calendly.com/daniel-barron-yoyodesign/strategy-session) ## Ready to rethink your digital impact? Book your preferred date and time slot Choose your preferred date and time, using the link below. Tell us your challenge During booking, be sure to include a sentence or two about the challenge you're currently tackling with your current impact reports. Confirm your slot We will review your challenge, the date and time that works best for you and Dan will follow up to confirm it's in the diary! “ > > The digital 1-2-1 sessions were a total breath of fresh air. It was entirely no-pressure, with no sales pitch and more a genuine conversation helping us to achieve our mission. The expert advice was hugely valuable, giving us actionable steps that have already streamlined our charity's outreach.