Fall is in the air. It’s a time of change in nature, and for Maine Audubon’s digital presence, too.
Our website has served us well for many years. It’s full of rich information about our conservation projects, upcoming workshops and programs, and advocacy efforts. But (as tends to happen) the world has changed around it: today, one in two visitors to maineaudubon1.wpengine.com is on a mobile device; they’re looking for our information in new ways; and even our own organization’s programs and priorities have outgrown the structure of the site.
After lots of work and internal discussion about how best to address these changes, and with valuable input from some of our users about their experiences on the site, we will soon be launching a new website focused on modernizing our digital presence and delivering our content in a way that works for everyone, regardless of screen size. We are also in the process of moving our event registrations to a new system that should make registering faster and easier for customers.
Here’s a little more about the changes you’ll soon see:
- A new navigation helps you accomplish any of the wide variety of tasks that may have brought you here — whether it’s finding an upcoming event, making plans to visit a sanctuary, finding answers to a wildlife question, learning about a conservation project, becoming a member, or getting involved as a citizen scientist or activist.
- The first time you register for an event or program, you’ll need to create an account in our new events registration system (if you’re a member, you’ll receive a 20% discount at checkout). The next time you register, your information will be saved in your account and the process will be that much easier.
- Be sure to check out “Maine’s Naturalist,” a new hub of information about wildlife on our site, including the latest notes from staff naturalist Doug Hitchcox and a growing body of #MainesNaturalist content from around the state.
Our partner in this redesign is Rainstorm, Inc. of Orono, Maine. Since last spring, the team at Rainstorm has worked with us to create this new digital home for Maine Audubon, and they’ve been great partners throughout the process. We are very excited about the new site we’ve built together.
Websites are always evolving, and ours is no exception. One of the best things about the new site is that it is built to be a platform on which we can grow. Your feedback and reactions to these new changes will be integral in helping us figure out what form that growth should take. Please share any questions or comments you have with me directly at jcluchey@maineaudubon.org.
Thank you in advance for your thoughtfulness and candor as we take this important step.
