BARK 12

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR

Claire Swindell

SUB EDITOR

Laura Williams

DESIGN

Natasha Manns

SPECIAL THANKS

Jo Foxall - Transport for Wales

Jake Britten - DVS

Leah Davies - Royal Welsh

Agricultural Society (RWAS)

All content contained within this issue was correct at the time of publication in April 2024.

CLAIRE SWINDELL Consultant

DANIEL LEWIS Strategy Director

RHYS ASHMAN Creative Manager

LAURA WILLIAMS Marketing & Comms Executive

NATASHA HYDE Business Partner

RYAN HARRIS Digital Marketing Team Lead

TEGAN MALE Senior Accessibility Specialist

ABIGAIL PHILLIPS Content Strategist

JASON HOWARD .Net Developer

WELCOME

When we published the first issue of BARK in 2014, I didn’t anticipate that 10 years later we would be publishing issue number 12! When the idea was pitched to create a commemorative issue in celebration of our 10th birthday it was a great opportunity to share more about our first 10 years and the team at that time.

10 years later and BARK has evolved significantly into a standalone showcase of not only Spindogs and our work, but also insights from our network and a celebration of everything we love about the digital landscape. It is also now a staple of our content calendar every year.

In this issue you will find conversations with Jo Foxall from Transport for Wales and Leah Davies from the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS), both organisations we have worked with for much of our 2 decades in business. RWAS also celebrates a historic milestone this year - 120 years! And we wish them a very happy birthday!

You will also find Ryan’s take on Google’s decision to withdraw third party cookies and an insight into our recent launches with NSTA and Notting Hill Genesis, lots to digest and reflect on as you embark on your own digital projects this season.

I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to you, dear reader, whether you have read all 12 issues or this is your first, thank you for taking the time in your no doubt extremely busy schedule to sit down and get our take on digital marketing in 2024, and learn more about what drives us to pursue continued success for our clients and Spindogs.

Wishing you a great summer!

LIAM GILES Managing Director

JAKE BRITTEN, DVS

From

CHAT

TRANSPORT FOR WALES

JO FOXALL

As Director of Customer Experience (CX) at Transport for Wales (TfW), Jo Foxall and her team are leading the way in utilising the opportunities presented by emerging technologies to enhance the customer experience, without losing the human element. Claire sat down with Jo to get her thoughts on the evolving world of CX and what’s next for TfW.

CLAIRE SWINDELL

C: JO, YOU HAVE NOW WORKED IN CX FOR OVER 20 YEARS, HOW HAVE THINGS CHANGED IN THAT TIME?

J: The world of transport has certainly changed significantly during my career in the sector, with the arrival of different opportunities for customer contact, such as social media in the first instance. Coupled with challenges such as financial crises and the pandemic we have had to be extremely adaptable to the changing needs of our customer base. Now with emerging technologies, such as AI, we are seeing additional avenues for engaging with our customers and streamlining our customer contact processes so that we can respond quickly and efficiently to the most common customer queries. We understand the need for, and are committed to, always providing the option for a customer to speak with a member of staff to provide that personal touch where needed.

C: YOU ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT PROVIDING AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS, WHAT DO YOU LOVE SO MUCH ABOUT WORKING IN CX?

J: I have always appreciated the variety a role such as mine brings, as every day is different when you are engaging with so many different stakeholders, and across so many different channels. I also get a lot of job satisfaction from problem solving which can be a big part of the job. There are often many merits to the feedback we receive and by taking the time to listen, analyse, reflect and act we can often come up with elegant solutions to every challenge.

I also feel by always retaining a touchpoint with the end consumer my team and I are able to develop solutions based on real customer insights, that we have gained personally, as well as through the available data.

C: WHERE DO YOU FEEL OTHER ORGANISATIONS SHOULD BE PLACING THEIR FOCUS WHEN IT COMES TO CX?

J: I believe one of the most important aspects of CX is the need to manage expectations, and this is often where businesses fall down. Since the pandemic and lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 everyone in the sector has had to recognise how adaptable their strategies need to be. We saw a lot of change in a short space of time, changes that we may have thought would have taken much longer to implement if the necessity hadn’t become crucial in such a short space of time.

We were able to pivot and move our completely office-based contact centre to a home-based model. This has enabled us to develop a far more

agile model where we have been able to upskill colleagues and move them around contracts and channels as and where we are seeing spikes.

For our sector, communication and process are so important, to ensure we are always managing our customers’ expectations, such as wait times. We have seen increased demand for customer contact in recent years, particularly linked to Transport for Wales’ transformation of the rail network. That has posed a challenge for us in terms of resource, however has forced us to better manage our communication with customers to ensure they know the best ways to contact us for quicker responses, but has also allowed us to review our systems, processes and ways of working to focus our human resource where it is most needed and use technology to manage contact where a lighter touch is needed.

As with many other publicly funded organisations, we are committed to delivering all of our services bilingually and our North Wales based contact centre team, as well as many of our South Wales teams are able to deliver high levels of customer service in both English and Welsh.

C: WHO DO YOU FEEL DOES CX REALLY WELL?

J: I am particularly fond of the experience I get from brands such as John Lewis, Disney, Barclays and Amazon. What I get from all of these is good communication, consistency and the desire for a long-term relationship. They deliver on their promises to ensure a lifetime client, rather than treating the relationship as transactional, and this ensures we keep coming back. For me this approach to building relationships and the benefits of that to a business, was one of the first and fundamental things I learnt when I started my career in marketing and customer experience.

C: YOU ARE ALSO THE WALES LEAD FOR WOMEN IN TRANSPORT, A GROWING MEMBERSHIP PROVIDING SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN THE SECTOR. WHAT CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE HIGH ON YOUR MEMBERS’ AGENDA?

J: We are seeing a variety of themes coming from our Women in Transport members and one of the key things they are wanting support in is connecting with other women from other organisations who they can engage with, build relationships with and learn from. We are also seeing keen interest in menopause and other mid life challenges that women are facing in the workplace and how organisations can better support and retain women at mid life in their organisations such as delivery of training and workshops on understanding menopause, implementing adjustments to uniform policies to support women experiencing physical symptoms related to their cycles and menopause. We are also seeing increased requests for support with self esteem, imposter syndrome and being authentic in the workplace. There is a huge amount of help and support out there for women working in the sector through both Women in Transport and Women in Rail and we would encourage any women and men who are keen to learn more, to reach out to us and get involved.

C: WHERE IS YOUR FOCUS FOR THE CX TEAM AT TRANSPORT FOR WALES THIS YEAR?

J: Our current priorities are developing our customer proposition and contact centre strategy, and to do this we have to instil a company-wide customer culture, it cannot just be one team driving the change, we all need to lead with the customer at the heart of what we do and be prepared to listen and empathise with our customers – as no customers means no trains or buses!

To do this we have to take our team on this journey with us, so that they understand how emerging technologies can elevate what we are already doing and to ensure there is consistency across the business, and with over 4000 team members that is no small feat!

We have recently recruited 20 Travel Companions who will be based at our stations and interchanges across roles. These are blended roles which will support our Passenger Assist service, helping customers with additional requirements, at our stations and on to our services, but also supporting our customer teams handling complaints and customer contact. This is a really important and exciting role for us as these colleagues will be living the customer experience on the ground.

We also have some great innovation programmes in place through our Lab at TfW, with teams dedicated to working on our problem statements, so that we have personnel focussed on what has already happened, what is happening real time and what we can see coming down the tracks –pardon the pun!

C: WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF CX LOOK LIKE FOR TFW?

J: It’s a really exciting time for transport, with the transformation of our rail network and TfW 2.0 which will see us move into multimodal transport and bus franchising, as well as with the availability of so many new opportunities to help our customers, both through in person interactions and enabling them to self-serve.

We have to listen to what our customers want, and support any additional needs they may have as well as using data and insights to inform and shape, own and improve the customer experience. We do not want to

remove the human element, rather use emerging technologies to enhance our existing processes, not replace.

The audience need across the breadth of Wales varies dramatically and we have to cater for everyone who is using our services, as well as working closely with partners and stakeholders such as Transport Focus and our regulatory body, The Office of Road & Rail (ORR) and so our commitment is to keep listening, keep reflecting and keep acting, delivering the best experience we can for our brilliant customers.

Thank you Jo, it is reassuring and inspiring to hear you have such a laser focus on the customer experience for the customers making two million rail journeys each period with TfW and we look forward to seeing how the experience evolves as a result of your investment in innovation.

Scan the QR code to find out more about the Women in Transport Network. Alternatively, visit www.womenintransport.com

“We have to listen to what our customers want, and support any additional needs they may have as well as using data and

ROYAL WELSH AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

LEAH DAVIES

Like many people, I have always associated the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS) with The Royal Welsh Show, the annual event held in Builth Wells that attracts in the region of 200,000 visitors to its 150-acre site over 4 days each year. So when I ran into Leah Davies recently and realised the society would be celebrating its 120th birthday this year, I was keen to hear more about how the society has evolved over the years and where it’s going in the future.

CLAIRE SWINDELL

“Utilising performance marketing campaigns targeting relevant and specific audiences on what the events, showground and society can offer to them will be crucial. There is an astounding amount of amazing things that happen in such a short time whilst events are on. Therefore, making it crucial getting what is important and of interest to people in front of them, and cutting through the noise. Which is a huge challenge in itself.”

Leah Davies, Marketing and Social Media Officer

Spindogs have worked with RWAS for many years now, having had a strong connection with Builth Wells in 2004 at our inception, and having attended and supported the Royal Welsh Show several times. As we celebrate our own 20th birthday this year, it was the perfect time to reflect on the changes to RWAS and its membership in recent years.

When you have an organisation so steeped in history, and based on the voluntary efforts of farmers in rural communities, how do you not only respect that heritage and engage those core members, whilst also keeping things fresh and attracting new, younger members, taking advantage of the digital landscape along the way?

It is a challenge, Leah is extremely enthusiastic about tackling in her new role as Marketing and Social Media officer at RWAS and coupling her agency career with her farming background, it is a challenge I am confident Leah is going to succeed in delivering on, so let’s dig deeper into how.

2024 is an extremely exciting time for the Society and what’s clear is that they have ambitious targets to develop both their signature events, membership engagement and making the most of the incredible showground that they have all year round. The question remains: How do you engage with your core membership that brings the stock and agricultural knowledge and protect their show experience, whilst also attracting new visitors such as families and foodies?

To help them find the answers the society has a large number of committees, a board and a council, covering every demographic, region,

and topic. This enables the society to obtain real-time insights into what is important to their membership and to act quickly to provide it. Whether it’s regarding the Smallholding and Countryside Festival, Royal Welsh Show and Winter Fair, education and training, or promotion of the sector. One such group is the Future Generation Committee, which caters to 18-40-year-old members who are focused on the future of the society. Bringing all of the meetings to Online platforms has ensured an engaged committee that can meet at any time, including members from all over the country. Historically, it would have come at a great time and expense to meet in person. Leah remembers a time when her family and friends needed to complete a postal form to book their member badges for the Royal Welsh Show and send an accompanying cheque. Having the ability to promote the event and take bookings online is game-changing in terms of the potential for the growth of the show. Leah can leverage the existing membership as her core audience, with plans to engage with a new and more urban audience via social media – a strategy she is keen to have up and running in advance of this year’s show.

Leah is also keen to use the RWAS social media channels to educate the consumer on Welsh agriculture, developing a deeper understanding of where our food is coming from. Taking inspiration from other household and agricultural brands who have used their social platforms to portray a sense of how important the origin and quality of their food is to their audience and what a difference this behind-the-scenes footage makes to their understanding and appreciation of the sector.

We also discussed the way social media influencers and celebrities have also broadened audience exposure to the sector. People such as Jeremy

Clarkson and Zoe Colville bring honesty to their content, revealing the reality of farming in the UK to a new audience. This appreciation for the sector from new avenues can only support our farming communities, and Leah is thrilled to see it getting the attention it so deserves.

There is no denying that the show is a showcase of the best stock in the UK and a key remit for the society is raising awareness of this excellence and educating the end consumer on why seeing Welsh agriculture thrive is important to us all. Leah wants to support the society in driving this understanding for the other 361 days of the year, and social media is going to play a key part in that strategy.

I mentioned that the sector has faced various challenges over the last 120 years. More recently Brexit and the COVID-19 Pandemic have come in quick succession, and we are still seeing the effects on the sector a few years on. With this in mind, Leah and her colleagues see the need to build a resilient community as a necessity, supporting the membership to futureproof their strategies and ensure adaptability is front and centre. With looking towards the future being a high priority.

This year’s show will see the launch of a dedicated horticulture village as well as new suppliers in the Feast area - a new food village with the best of Welsh food producers.

While you are on the website, I encourage you to read about the history of the society, founded in 1904, and take a look at other events in your region that will provide you with an opportunity to learn more about and support our Welsh farming communities.

The Royal Welsh Show will take place on the Builth Wells site from the 22nd-25th of July 2024 and more details and tickets are available on the RWAS website.

Scan the QR code to visit the RWAS website for tickets and more details. Alternatively, visit www.rwas.wales

Proud to be an accredited member of MemberWise

JAKE BRITTEN

Jake Britten is a South Wales TikTok sensation, as well Head of Marketing at one of our ecommerce clients, DVS. Jake first looked into TikTok as he wanted to know what all the fuss was about, having watched his step-daughter spend hours on the app during the first COVID lockdown in 2020. We sat down to ask Jake about how digital technology has changed over his career, and where he’s focusing his time, effort and resources in next year’s strategy.

N: JAKE, TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER SO FAR?

J: I began my career as a Housing Benefits Officer but soon realised it wasn’t for me. At the age of 22, I enrolled at Bristol University to study Business Management with a focus on Marketing. While my time at university was fun, I still struggle to see how the theory applies in my professional life, but, it’s undeniable that my degree significantly enhanced my employability and opened doors. I then secured a role as a Marketing Admin at a small business in the automotive industry.

Subsequently, I took a bold step to secure a position at DVS. While I may have ‘embellished’ my experience on my CV, over the past decade, I’ve proven my worth. Today, I proudly serve as the Head of Marketing, overseeing all marketing initiatives and leading a team of four talented marketeers.

At DVS, we specialise in distributing CCTV equipment and services to the security industry, ranging from cameras to comprehensive security systems. My journey from humble beginnings to a leadership role shows the power of continuous learning, and seizing opportunities for growth.

CHAT

NATASHA HYDE

N: HOW HAS THE ROLE OF MARKETING EVOLVED OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, AND WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTORS IN THE FIELD?

J: Over the last decade, the biggest change has got to be the rapid expansion of social media. Staying ahead in this dynamic environment demands a constant immersion in emerging social media channels. It’s crucial not only to understand these platforms but also to discern how they can be leveraged to engage with your target audience effectively.

However, managing communication on social media can be challenging, given the plethora of channels and interactions. From direct messages to untagged mentions, the volume of incoming data can be overwhelming. Yet, this surge in connectivity has also facilitated a shift towards more interactive and personalised communication. At DVS, we’ve embraced this shift by fostering direct dialogue with our customers through an active private Facebook group, enabling us to gain invaluable insights into their preferences and needs – no development happens without significant consultation with our core customer base!

Another game-changer in recent years—and one that will undoubtedly continue to shape the future of marketing—is the integration of AI. Despite some scepticism regarding its ability to deliver personalised interactions, the key lies in understanding how to harness its full potential. At DVS, we’ve already begun implementing AI tools, which have significantly enhanced the efficiency of our marketing operations. The remarkable pace of AI development means that its current capabilities represent only the tip of the iceberg, promising even more groundbreaking advancements in the near future.

N: HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED ANY MAJOR FAILS WHERE YOU’VE HAD TO CUT YOUR LOSSES?

J: Our venture into podcasting, for sure. While initially well-received, we quickly realised that the return on investment was unsustainable. Podcasting is a highly competitive market, and without a clear and compelling reason for listeners to tune in, our efforts fell short. We initially relied on our personalities to carry the show, which garnered some success at the start but eventually fizzled out.

After about 12 months, we made the tough decision to pull the plug. Despite achieving a decent number of listens, the time and resources required to maintain the podcast outweighed any benefits. We hadn’t fully grasped the intricacies of podcasting until later stages, which made the endeavor even more time-consuming than anticipated.

The initial success of the podcast led to unexpected demands from suppliers and customers who wanted to participate, creating additional pressure to continue. This unintentionally created a burden as the behindthe-scenes workload increased substantially for my team.

In hindsight, it’s clear that we underestimated the complexities of creating a podcast and the ongoing commitment required. For anyone considering entering the podcasting realm, I would strongly advise thorough planning and consideration beforehand to avoid similar pitfalls. While our podcast journey was an educational experience, it ultimately taught us the importance of planning and realistic expectations in marketing endeavours.

However, despite that, I’m not saying it won’t be back, so watch this space!

“My journey from humble beginnings to a leadership role shows the power of continuous learning, and seizing opportunities for growth.”

N: WHAT’S BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE DVS CAMPAIGN TO DATE?

J: My favourite marketing campaign to date has got to be the one where we sent a catalogue to space! Admittedly, it wasn’t the most successful campaign, and I attribute that partly to my timing - we launched it on April 1st, so many people thought it was just an April Fools’ joke, and, to be fair, incorporating playful and unexpected elements into our brand strategy isn’t anything new - we’d pulled similar stunts before, like the IKEA flatpack cameras the year prior.

Despite the initial setbacks and the legal hurdles we had to overcome, the space catalogue campaign stands out as a highlight for me. It marked a departure from our usual day-to-day marketing efforts and required considerable effort to pull off. The process of retrieving the footage from space was lengthy, but ultimately, it was a project I felt immensely proud of. It’s moments like these where the support and encouragement from the DVS team really shine, they’ve consistently championed innovative ideas and continue to do so.

N: AND FINALLY, WHAT DO YOU SEE THE NEXT TRENDS BEING?

J: The biggest marketing trend of 2024 revolves around the evolution and dominance of short-form video content. While this trend isn’t entirely new, its significance has skyrocketed, especially in comparison to long-form content like YouTube videos. Don’t leave it behind!

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, where attention spans are dwindling and social media consumption patterns have shifted towards platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, the challenge for marketers is to capture audience attention within a matter of seconds.

Short-form videos have become the go-to tool for sales and brand promotion. They need to be concise, captivating, and deliver the unique selling proposition (USP) within the first few seconds. Unlike long-form videos, which are more instructional and informational, short-form videos serve as quick sales pitches, highlighting the value proposition of a product or service succinctly.

However, simply creating short videos isn’t enough. Marketers must develop a strategic approach to their short-form video content.

Understanding audience behaviour, consumption patterns, and the fleeting nature of attention on social media platforms is crucial. Every second counts, and marketers must craft content that resonates almost instantly to maximise the algorithm. Scan the

CHAT

TECHNOLOGY IS BEST WHEN IT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER.

WORK

HELPING NSTA BUILD A BLUEPRINT FOR DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

DAN LEWIS

ABIGAIL PHILLIPS

The North Sea Transition Authority licences, regulates and influences the UK oil and gas, offshore hydrogen, and carbon storage industries. It supports UK energy security, drives emissions reduction from UK supplies, and helps accelerate the transition to net zero to realise the potential of the North Sea as an integrated energy basin.

Founded as the Oil and Gas Authority in 2015, the organisation changed its name to the NSTA in 2022 to better reflect its evolving role in the energy transition. The website redesign presented an opportunity for the NSTA to highlight and showcase its expansion into areas such as carbon storage, emissions monitoring and, more recently, offshore hydrogen.

The team at NSTA enlisted our support to lead a discovery process - to identify and define the website requirements and guidelines for building a new website.

UNCOVERING ADDITIONAL TIME-SENSITIVE DRIVERS ADDS FURTHER IMPETUS TO DISCOVERY

With the NSTA’s current content management system (CMS), which powers both the website and intranet, reaching the end of its life, there was added impetus to the project whichapplied a limited timeline to both Discovery and implementation of its outcome. The Spindogs team adjusted their approach to inform both an MVP solution and subsequent phased implementation to ensure we could support the NSTA in upgrading to the latest Umbraco version, while meeting the challenges of the timeline.

From our initial discussions, it was clear that the technology and processes used weren’t providing the best user experience for NSTA’s editors and audiences. The version of Umbraco (7.15.7) was coming to the end of its life, which posed numerous technical risks, not to mention security vulnerabilities that came with the soon-to-be outdated site. As the team looked at upgrading to Umbraco 10 and the latest version of long-term support (LTS), rebuilding the website on a newer version of Umbraco would reduce these risks and provide

a better user experience for all audiences, both internal and external, who engage with NSTA online.

The NSTA also had an intranet that was powered by the same Umbraco CMS front-end, causing complications and additional steps when it came to updating and uploading content. Our remit included a review of the intranet setup and researching alternative platforms to help provide a streamlined infrastructure and make it easier for editors and internal audiences to produce, manage and engage with the content.

JOINING THE DOTS ON THE NSTA’S DIGITAL LANDSCAPE

At Spindogs, the majority of our work is based on evidence. We don’t like to make assumptions, which is why we take the time to research and gather data to inform our decision making and recommendations. The Insights stage of Discovery is designed to arm both us and our clients with an unbiased snapshot of the current digital status before progressing with defining the features and functionality of the new website.

The Insights stage combined all of our expertise to deliver a range of analyses and audits to help provide us with the information and data we needed to propel us into the subsequent interactive Exploration phase. As part of the Insights stage, our teams delivered in-depth UX, technical and accessibility analyses, as well as an audit of the existing analytics set up and a review of the visual brand, to assess and understand both current

During the Discovery process, we were fully aware of the importance of creating engaging visual content which showcased the NSTA’s work, while also meeting the required accessibility standards. We undertook a detailed accessibility audit, identifying inherent issues with underlying technology, layout design and content. Key to maintaining accessibility post-launch is regular content maintenance, and we provided clear guidance on where to be mindful and how to implement consistent accessibility practices.

In addition to relying on the subsequent Exploration sessions, we also took the opportunity during the Insights stage to directly interview key stakeholders in one-to-one sessions. This ensured that we not only built-up additional insight but maintained project momentum and buy-in from the NSTA’s stakeholders. While slightly out of the norm for most Discoveries, it’s crucial when working with organisations where many disparate voices will be heard to fully engage and take stakeholders on a journey of project ownership and inclusion.

ACTION-FOCUSED INSIGHTS PROVIDE PLATFORM FOR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

The NSTA immediately recognised the value of the Insights Report in painting a detailed picture of their digital landscape, quickly identifying deficiencies in technology and infrastructure and highlighting areas of focus for both site structure and content hierarchy. The NSTA singled out the stakeholder feedback as being extremely educational with clear scene setting for the next stage of the process.

Armed with the research and detailed understanding from our series of best practice reviews and audits, we were in a good position to move forward into the Exploration phase, which would provide us with opportunities to engage with key stakeholders at NSTA, challenge assumptions and define features and functionality for the new marketleading website and intranet.

IDENTIFYING AND DEFINING WEBSITE REQUIREMENTS

Drawing on our research and insights, we collaborated to deliver a series of Exploration sessions with key stakeholders across multiple departments. The aim of the Exploration stage was to identify NSTA’s user personas; the drivers behind their visits to the website, any frustrations felt across different departments and the features and functionality that would help provide a better experience for all audiences. We also held collaborative sessions to gather feedback on the existing intranet infrastructure and the benefits of using Umbraco vs Sharepoint as a resource hub.

The inclusion of experts drawn from our key areas – brand, technical and marketing – ensures that we can take a holistic view of activity. This enables us to include a team of specialists in each workshop, capture the most important information and ensure we’re providing a full-service to our clients. For example, our time spent discussing and identifying user personas and their journeys informed our sessions on website design and

content hierarchy, giving us a better understanding of what users need, the functionality that supports them and how the page layouts will provide a better user experience for everyone.

MAKING VIRTUAL A REALITY

With the NSTA team located in Aberdeen and London, and Spindogs in Wales, the entire Exploration process had to be remote. Despite participants being geographically separate, we successfully held several virtual exploration sessions with the NSTA team. By using Microsoft Teams to host our exploration sessions and visual collaboration tools like Miro and LucidChart, we were able to collaborate, discuss and define the requirements for a market-ready website and intranet that serves the NSTA and their audiences.

By creating ‘drop-in’ style sessions, it enabled more of the NSTA’s team to join sessions, and to further improve engagement we halved the time we would typically allow for sessions to fit better into calendars and ensure attention throughout. From MoScoW -led interactive functionality workshops to the shared review of proposed sitemaps and wireframes, our sessions were engaging and productive.

DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WITH IMPACTFUL OUTCOMES

Each Exploration session helped us to understand the challenges and frustrations different departments had when using the current website. These discussions informed our recommendations and made sure that we were aligned with internal processes and governance changes. While focused on a website and intranet-led outcome, the facilitated sessions identified challenges and underlying frustrations with internal processes. This has led to workflow adaptations and our final technical recommendations factored in Umbraco Workflow, a package designed to make authoring and content management more efficient

Throughout the discovery process, there were a lot of conversations around the importance of showcasing the three pillars of the NSTA’s work – energy security, emissions reduction and accelerating the transition incorporating the move to net zero on the website. Without facilitating these conversations in the Exploration sessions, the move to net zero wouldn’t have shaped the user journey and website designs, especially the content hierarchy in terms of the navigation and site content.

Crucially, with members from across the Spindogs team participating in each session, it ensured that both these insights were not only shared but experienced first-hand enabling us to challenge and adapt immediately. This enabled us to reassure the NSTA stakeholders and provide richer context to our recommendations.

DOCUMENTING A STRATEGY FOR THE FUTURE

Following the Exploration session, we provided a comprehensive briefing pack in the form of a Discovery Report that included technical and creative specifications and recommendations to inform the subsequent website and intranet projects. By gathering our findings and outcomes from our analyses and exploration sessions, we gave NSTA the tools and knowledge to bring their website plans to fruition.

As part of the Discovery Report, we defined the website requirements; the functionality and features that support users, the user personas and their journeys, as well as measurement strategies for the new website and an in-depth look at how the intranet is expected to work. In addition to our findings, the Discovery Report also included a creative brief and guidance on how to ensure consistency across the website from a brand perspective, including recommendations on how to use colours, typography, imagery and icon buttons.

It also included wireframes for key page types that align with the user journeys, suggestions on how to configure the website for analytics platforms and measure suggested KPIs, as well as a clear set of guidelines for content population, detailing what content can be migrated and an agreed hierarchy of messaging and information on key pages.

Most importantly, the NSTA team now has the insights, data and a clear set of briefs to successfully procure and bring their website project to life.

“The level of detail and insight Spindogs provided in the discovery phase laid solid foundations for the development and deployment of our vastly improved website. We were particularly impressed by the stakeholder feedback gleaned and the recommendations Spindogs came up with.”

John Seabourn, NSTA Chief Digital and Information Officer

EEMUA’S NEW WEBSITE DESIGN SETS STANDARD FOR MEMBERSHIP EXCELLENCE

RUN BY ENGINEERS, FOR ENGINEERS

EEMUA - the Engineering Equipment and Materials Users Association - is a non-profit global membership organisation for users of engineering equipment and materials. With a commitment to advancing industrial safety and fostering cooperation, EEMUA plays a pivotal role in promoting good practices and knowledge sharing in the industry.

Run by engineers, for engineers, EEMUA is recognised as a source of expertise and information across heavy engineering and serves as a trailblazer in applying and filling gaps in standards, and showcasing what good looks like. Aiming to be the go-to resource worldwide for anyone who owns or utilises engineering equipment and materials, EEMUA wants companies to view their membership as essential, regardless of the organisation’s size, sector or location.

With ambitions for growth and an expanding global membership base, EEMUA needed a website with a modern outlook, whilst preserving its legacy of excellence, and a website that could resonate with a new generation of engineers.

A ONE STOP SHOP FOR MEMBERS

The primary objectives behind the creation of the new website was to enhance the visibility of EEMUA’s offerings for its existing members and attract a wider audience. This involved establishing the website as a central access point for training, events and resources tailored to its member and stakeholder needs, serving as a one stop shop for information.

LAURA WILLIAMS

JASON HOWARD

KENTICO

Alongside keeping their current members happy, the goal was to attract and engage a new generation of engineers through a modernised platform. EEMUA wanted to be a hub for knowledge management, encourage greater member engagement and remain at the forefront of industry innovation and cooperation.

The aspiration to modernise the website stemmed from updating the underlying Kentico technology to support EEMUA’s expansion initiatives across new and existing markets. The overhaul aimed to position the website as a catalyst for driving EEMUA’s growth and ensuring its continued success in the industry.

KENTICO 12 TO KENTICO 13

EEMUA has long been a supporter of CMS platform, Kentico, leveraging its comprehensive suite of features, including eCommerce, contact management, mailing, and website functionalities for their previous website. Given the organisation’s prior investment in Kentico 12, an upgrade to Kentico 13 was a natural progression. The choice was further reinforced by our own positive experiences with Kentico version 12, coupled with the CMS’ flexible nature, robust content management tools, and support for .NET technology.

One of the biggest challenges faced during the migration from Kentico 12 to Kentico 13 involved transferring existing customer data, to ensure seamless continuity and prevent any disruptions to current user accounts or historical data. Contact information was of huge importance to EEMUA, and having sight of historical data such as previous orders, member

activity, and newsletter subscriptions was pivotal to the success of this project. Whilst the upgrade did take longer than initially anticipated, we were able to keep the user, contact, e-commerce, and newsletter data, along with the majority of pages being re-used such as events and training, so there was minor work required from EEMUA’s in-house team after the upgrade. Despite a few initial difficulties, we were able to successfully integrate historical data into the new system.

Additionally, the website integrates with a third-party training system which enables convenient access to e-learning modules directly from the website, streamlining the user experience. Data management, including e-learning exam completions, is efficiently managed through Kentico’s scheduled task ensuring smooth operation and seamless interaction for users.

We also aimed to future-proof the platform. This involved upgrading to the latest technologies, like .NET core, ensuring compatibility with modern web standards, improving security, and enhancing overall system efficiency.

A SLEEK NEW DESIGN

An upgrade to Kentico 13 was the perfect excuse to give the website a sleek new design. To appeal to a new generation of engineers, we aimed for an aesthetically appealing and user-friendly website; every design decision was centred around the needs of the members and future members of EEMUA, resulting in a modern and cohesive interface that seamlessly adapts across desktop and mobile devices.

Our strategy involved simplifying the website navigation by reorganising content, implementing clear menus, and strategically placed call-toactions, to guide members towards the desired actions such as signing up for a webinar, accessing EEMUA’s training resources, or accessing the latest industry news.

The content hierarchy was redefined for a logical structure, adhering to accessibility guidelines and to promote member engagement, both critical to the success of the project.

For the new page designs, we utilised widgets to create content pages, and whenever possible we repurposed existing pages, reducing the need for EEMUA’s in-house team to recreate content for the new site and minimise the editing post-upgrade.

EEMUA’s website utilises heavy use of email marketing and newsletter sign-ups, and so for this project we introduced a revamped approach that includes new-style alerts, featuring a significantly improved set of email designs, and better newsletter management for users.

A WEBSITE READY TO GROW WITH EEMUA

The new website has achieved significant outcomes since launch, including successful scalability and future-readiness through an upgrade to Kentico 13 Xperience.

Notably, the project has improved the overall user experience and improved the website’s design to better align with the modern EEMUA brand, instilling trust and credibility and acting as a shop window for future members and stakeholders.

The website now boasts superior mobile responsiveness, ensuring optimal performance on various devices, with a content strategy that has been optimised to align seamlessly with end-user needs.

The new website has garnered generally positive feedback from both internal and external stakeholders at EEMUA, which is always a welcome outcome and underscores the success of the project and its impact.

MY INTEREST IS IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE I AM GOING TO SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE THERE.

NOT OUR WORDS, BUT THE WORDS OF CHARLES KETTERING.

NOTTING HILL GENESIS DELIVERS A NEW RESIDENT-FOCUSSED DIGITAL EXPERIENCE

PROVIDING COMMUNITY AND DIGITAL SUPPORT FOR RESIDENTS

In the current economic climate, the housing association industry is making it possible for people to have a comfortable home and build a life in their community. But with demand increasing, it’s only right that housing associations have the right tools in place so they can give the ultimate experience to their customers. A digital platform enables them to get the support they need at the click of a button, all from the comfort of their home.

As an industry leader, it was time for Notting Hill Genesis to reevaluate their digital presence. With a pool of developments across vibrant communities in London, the housing association realised they needed to do more to give their customers an industry-leading website that supports their content and journey needs.

MORE THAN JUST A HOME

Notting Hill Genesis is a not-for-profit organisation that focusses on providing safe and comfortable homes at below-market rents for people in London. More than just a place to stay, the team offers their customers an opportunity to build a life for themselves and be part of a community.

Having established themselves as one of London’s largest housing associations and a leading advocate and trusted partner to local councils, Notting Hill Genesis decided it was time for a new and exciting website for both arms of the association, Notting Hill Genesis and NHG Homes - that aligned with their messaging and values and reflected their status and position in the market.

ABIGAIL PHILLIPS

At Spindogs, we understand that a new website isn’t just a box-ticking exercise for housing associations. A website should be a digital platform that helps customers feel connected and heard, supporting them with finding homes, managing their accounts, or making them feel comfortable reaching out when they need extra support. As champions for housing associations, helping Yorkshire Housing and Southern Housing to deliver the most effective communication and services to their customers, we were delighted to partner with Notting Hill Genesis on this project.

DRIVING ENGAGEMENT AND A BETTER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Ultimately, the main goal for the new NHG Homes website was to enhance the customer experience through clever design, improved functionality, and intuitive layouts. By prioritising these elements, we aimed to ensure that their customers could access the information they need, while simultaneously enhancing NHG Homes’ lead quality.

The new website should attract potential residents to view the developments and encourage them to book a viewing or learn more about a home. The previous website didn’t guide or educate users on the homes available and there was a lack of information about them. This website needed to boast about the homes available, providing features and tools to help users find a new home that was attractive to their lifestyle and budget, feeding their appetite to want to find out more and register their interest.

“Notting Hill Genesis trusted us to develop two websites that not only reflected the new brand, but also encouraged their customers to self-serve and get the support they needed within a couple of clicks.”

Dan Evan-Hughes, Senior Designer, Spindogs

On the other hand, the Notting Hill Genesis website needed to be a digital platform that was resident-focused and enhanced their experience by facilitating self-service options and providing the information they needed to manage and feel comfortable in their homes.

PUSHING THE VISUAL BOUNDARIES

Notting Hill Genesis were in the process of rebranding their sales arm to NHG Homes, wanting to portray a new, warm, and exciting look that reflected their reviewed messaging and values. Although a third-party agency created the new brand, the team trusted us to be an ally in their vision and to deliver a digital design system that echoed the brand and met usability and accessibility standards. Taking shapes and the colour palette from the new brand, we created a set of flexible page templates that complied with the primary palette to ensure customers had a userfriendly and accessible experience. With the flexibility of the site and new branding, we were able to push the boundaries to provide NHG Homes with a fun shop window, throwing complementary colours in areas such as the headers, testimonials, and content blocks, to help bring the new brand to life.

Similarly, with the Notting Hill Genesis site, the aim was to create a digital experience but with a focus on supporting existing customers. Customers needed to be able to find the information they needed through a simple and effective user interface (UI) and user journey. With that in mind, we needed to ensure that the website not only reflected the new brand guidelines but also complemented the user journey, providing synergy at every touchpoint. We designed fail-safe, flexible content blocks that could be used anywhere across the site, enhancing the user experience and helping customers find what they were looking for with ease.

DELIVERING A DIGITAL EXPERIENCE

As part of any project of this size, we must interrogate the current state of the website and identify opportunities to ensure we deliver an effective customer experience. We call this the discovery phase, which includes a series of exploration sessions. We held several sessions with the Notting Hill Genesis team to define user personas and their user journeys, confirm how the website would work from a technical perspective, and recommend any features and functionality that would enhance the user experience. These sessions were key for informing the design and development of both websites.

Umbraco was the right choice of platform for developing these sites. With an easy-to-use CMS, Umbraco provides fully customisable pages that would complement the brand refresh and make it easier for the team to manage and edit the content on both sites.

The current website wasn’t user-friendly and didn’t provide existing and new customers with a reassuring experience, especially on mobile. The mobile experience didn’t support customers with finding a home or make it easy to find information about developments. As the map didn’t show on mobile properly, customers would have to scroll through pages of search results to find a property that met their requirements, which was frustrating and time-consuming. To combat this, we provided mobile-first designs for a set of key pages that demonstrated how users would be able to navigate the website on mobile and find a home that matched their criteria, within as few steps as possible.

Notting Hill Genesis had a strict IT system, which meant that there was a lot of cross-collaboration to ensure a smooth transition. We collaborated

closely with their infrastructure team to ensure a smooth change between systems and to quickly action any IT-related issues. We also helped their IT team with producing technical documentation for them to successfully create and receive technical reports designs from the system.

SUPPORTING NEW AND EXISTING CUSTOMERS

A critical challenge that we had to overcome was managing Notting Hill Genesis’ API integrations with their CRM system. With lead generation as a target for NHG Homes, the website required an API connection that integrated with the CRM system. This would enable customers to book a viewing and submit their interest in a development online within a couple of clicks.

Likewise, the Notting Hill Genesis site needed to help existing customers self-serve online and get in touch using the website rather than the phone. Forms were set up on the website and integrated with the CRM to enable existing customers to contact the customer service team through the portal and on other key pages throughout the website.

Search is really important when it comes to enhancing the digital experience as it means users can find what they’re looking for, like finding a home in their preferred location or help with fixing a leaking tap, with

ease. The search functionality didn’t meet expectations on the existing site. Users were limited by what they could search for and were unable to filter their search by development or budget – two of the main reasons why users visited the site. Also, the search results didn’t offer alternatives if there weren’t any properties available. Using our expert knowledge, we provided an interactive solution to create an affordability calculator that not only integrated with the API, but most importantly, made it possible and fun for users to find a home in their desired location. This bespoke search functionality enables users to filter their search by location and budget that are based on their salary and income, giving them results that match their criteria.

COLLABORATION AND CONSISTENCY

From the beginning, we have provided consultancy and agile management throughout the project, sharing our recommendations and expertise to ensure that both websites launched to the highest standard and in line with each other.

Working closely with a third-party media partner on the NHG Homes site, we completed the SEO launch, which involved setting up GA4 for reporting and making sure the website was optimised for SEO. Having access to a robust data reporting dashboard is super important for housing

associations to understand what their customers are searching for and how they are navigating the website so that they can improve the website and be confident that they’re delivering an effective customer experience.

We also provided the NHG Homes team with more insights by implementing a bespoke data layer on the website. This means that the team can view what users are searching for, what properties and features they are interested in, and get a better understanding of how popular their properties are and how they’re performing.

PUTTING YOUR CUSTOMERS FIRST

As we move into the next phase of the project, which would see a members’ area added to the website, we continue to focus on delivering an accessible digital experience for new and existing customers. Collaboratively, we have made it easier for new customers to find a home and helped existing customers find the information they need to build their lives and make their Notting Hill Genesis property a London home.

“Communication, transparency, and trust have been the cornerstones of this project. These values enabled us to overcome challenges and create two visually appealing websites, with substantial technical capability and power, which will prove invaluable for Notting Hill Genesis.”

Rebecca Edwards, Business Partner, Spindogs

NOT OUR WORDS, BUT THE WORDS OF DEAN ACHESON.

A TWO-YEAR GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP WITH TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES

“We’re hugely excited to continue our working relationship with Spindogs and to build on our existing digital platforms that will continue to provide cutting-edge solutions to our dealers and customers all over the world”

We are pleased to announce a new two-year deal with our long-standing client, and the largest UK-owned motorcycle manufacturer, Triumph Motorcycles Ltd.

The two-year contract will see us continue to develop digital solutions and data systems for the motorcycle giant.

We have previously worked with Triumph on a range of digital tools for the brand, first partnering back in 2017, and have been responsible for the development of a global first in the twowheel automotive industry in an online service booking tool. The partnership has also seen us develop and deploy a cutting-edge cloud-based platform for the Triumph brand across 800 dealers in 35 countries worldwide, including direct DMS connection to more than 600 dealers.

This new contract will see our two companies continue to develop new digital systems for Triumph’s global dealer network to support the brand’s growth and customer service objectives.

“Renewing our partnership with Triumph underscores our shared commitment to digital innovation. Our collaboration has already set new benchmarks in the motorcycle industry, and we’re excited to keep that momentum going. Together, we’ve pushed the boundaries of digital excellence in the motorcycle industry and this new agreement reflects that success.”

Liam Giles, Managing Director, Spindogs

Malcolm Heeley, Global Head of Aftersales - Commercial

GOOGLE’S DEPRECIATION OF THIRD-PARTY COOKIES

RYAN HARRIS

In January 2020, a significant move set to reshape the digital advertising landscape was announced by Google, the phaseout of third-party cookies support in Chrome. Google’s original plan was for support to be phased out within two years, but four years on, only 1% of Chrome users have been restricted from third-party cookies with a new target of autumn 2024 being announced more recently. This decision marks a pivotal shift away from a long-standing practice that has been at the core of online advertising strategies, stirring up the industry and prompting online advertisers to rethink how they reach and engage with their target audiences.

Cookies, which are small text files used to track the online activities of internet users, have been instrumental in enabling effective personalised advertising across all platforms. While firstparty cookies collect data directly for the website being visited, third-party cookies track user behaviour across different sites, providing a wealth of information and data for advertisers to tailor and optimise their campaigns. However, this capability has raised significant privacy concerns among users and regulators alike for its somewhat invasive nature.

The growing demand for greater privacy and control over personal data from users and regulators largely influenced Google’s decision to begin phasing out support for third-party cookies on

“The loss of third-party cookie support will necessitate a fundamental change in how advertisers approach audience targeting and personalisation .”

Chrome. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the US reflect this shift towards prioritising user privacy. Additionally, the decision from other major web browsers such as Safari and Firefox who have already blocked third-party cookies by default has put a huge amount of pressure on Chrome, the world’s most popular browser, to follow suit.

As a result of Safari and Firefox’s decisiveness and action, they have positioned themselves as champions of user privacy, gaining favourable reception from privacy-conscious users, something which Google would have surely made note of. Google’s delayed response to depreciate thirdparty cookies can be seen as an effort to balance the competitive edge in privacy features while also considering the ramifications for its advertising business.

For online advertisers, the depreciation of third-party cookies in Chrome signals the end of an era. The ability to track users’ browsing activities across sites for targeted advertising has been a cornerstone of digital marketing strategies, enabling advertisers to optimise their campaigns and measure their effectiveness with unparalleled precision. The loss of third-party cookie support will necessitate a fundamental change in how advertisers approach audience targeting and personalisation as well as overall online advertising strategies and more importantly, investments.

Despite the radical announcement, this isn’t something that digital advertisers are unfamiliar with, as the online advertising industry is constantly being thrown curveball after curveball, keeping industry experts on their toes and having to re-adjust their thinking. As the industry grapples with these changes, several strategies have emerged as viable paths forward that can provide some hope for optimism.

• First-Party Data Collection: Emphasising the collection of firstparty data will become paramount. Advertisers will need to focus on

building direct relationships with their audience and encouraging users to share their information voluntarily so this can be used to build accurate profiles of their target audiences which can then be translated into their online campaigns.

• Privacy Sandbox Initiatives: Google’s Privacy Sandbox aims to develop alternative technologies that uphold privacy while still delivering targeted advertisements. Advertisers should stay up to date on these developments and prepare to adopt these new tools.

• Contextual Advertising: Shifting focus towards contextual advertising, which targets ads based on the content of the webpage rather than the user’s past behaviour, offers a privacy-friendly alternative, whilst still delivering ads to relevant users.

• Enhanced Audience Modelling: Leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence to predict user behaviour based on aggregated data, rather than individual tracking, presents a sophisticated way to maintain advertising efficacy. More and more campaign types across the most popular advertising platforms are utilising enhanced AI technologies that help better target users outside of traditional targeting methods.

To summarise, Google’s depreciation of third-party cookies highlights a wider industry movement towards prioritising user privacy over invasive tracking. While it poses challenges for advertisers used to the granular targeting capabilities of third-party cookies, it also opens up opportunities for innovation and the adoption of more transparent, privacy-respecting advertising practices. Advertisers that adapt quickly and strategically to this new landscape will not only comply with the evolving regulatory and consumer expectations but also secure a competitive advantage in the privacy-first digital future and benefit the most whilst others fall behind and play catch up.

ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES AND LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANISATIONS

Web accessibility can be daunting, especially when there are legal requirements and real consequences for public sector organisations when your website is not compliant, and when there is the risk of excluding some of your target audience.

The GDS (Government Digital Service) have been ramping up their reviewing efforts, last year they reviewed 437 websites and 10 mobile apps, they found 3100 accessibility issues that have now been fixed. Unfortunately, for over 100 of the reviewed organisations, GDS worked with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to take further action.

Currently, the government is reviewing websites and mobile apps against the WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. These are guidelines written and maintained by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the main international standards organisation for the Internet.

In October 2023, W3C published a new version of the guidelines, WCAG 2.2, and from October 2024, the government will be reviewing guidelines against this new version.

The new WCAG version is backwards compatible with the old version, so if you satisfy all of the 2.1 criteria, you will satisfy all of the 2.2 criteria. In the new version, there are 9 additional criteria and one has been removed:

• 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) (AA)

• 2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced) (AAA)

• 2.4.13 Focus Appearance (AAA)

• 2.5.7 Dragging Movements (AA)

• 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) (AA)

TEGAN MALE

“Inaccessibility is proactive, so at the beginning of a project it is important to ask the question, “who are we willing to exclude?”

Gareth Ford Williams - A Little Book of Accessibility

• 3.2.6 Consistent Help (A)

• 3.3.7 Redundant Entry (A)

• 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) (AA)

• 3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced) (AAA)

• 4.1.1 Parsing (Level A) is to be removed

WHAT ARE THE LEVELS OF ACCESSIBILITY

1. Level A (Basic Accessibility):

This is the minimum level of conformance.

• Addresses the most basic accessibility requirements.

• Focuses on ensuring that web content is accessible to some users with disabilities.

• Provides a foundation for improved accessibility but may not address all user needs.

• Skills and training

• Knowledge gap with new technologies

• Lack of access to training

2. Level AA (Standard Accessibility):

‘This is the standard level of conformance and is recommended for most websites and web applications.

• Builds upon Level A and includes additional criteria for a more comprehensive level of accessibility.

• Many organisations aim for Level AA compliance to meet legal requirements and provide a more inclusive online environment.

3. Level AA (Standard Accessibility):

This is the highest level of conformance and includes the most rigorous accessibility criteria.

• Provides the highest level of accessibility, accommodating a broad range of disabilities and user needs.

• Meeting Level AAA criteria may be challenging for some websites and may not be feasible in all situations.

• Some criteria at this level may be difficult to implement without impacting the design or functionality of the web content.

The government reviews websites against Level AA (standard accessibility), this addresses a wide range of disabilities and ensures a better user experience for a broader audience. Here is a brief overview of the changes for Level AA:

2.4.11 FOCUS NOT OBSCURED (MINIMUM) (AA)

When an element receives keyboard focus, the element is not entirely hidden by other content or elements on the page.

What to do

Ensure when an item gets keyboard focus, it remains partially visible.

Why it’s important

Maintaining visibility for elements in focus is vital for users who rely on keyboards, as they need to perceive which element is currently selected without mouse interaction.

2.5.7 DRAGGING MOVEMENTS (LEVEL AA)

Functionality that uses a dragging movement for operation must be achievable by a single pointer input without dragging.

What to do

Ensure there is a straightforward pointer-based alternative for actions that typically involve dragging.

Why it’s important

Some users may face challenges using a mouse for dragging actions, and need to use alternative methods to operate dragging movement.

2.5.8 TARGET SIZE (MINIMUM) (LEVEL AA)

All interactive targets (i.e. links and buttons) should take up at least 24×24 pixels. This can include white space around the target.

What to do

Verify that interactive targets either meet the specified minimum size or have adequate spacing around them.

Why it’s important

Some individuals with physical impairments may find it challenging to click on small buttons placed closely together. Ensuring a minimum target size enhances accessibility for all users.

3.2.6 CONSISTENT HELP (LEVEL A)

If a page contains a website help mechanism that is repeated on multiple pages, they must occur in the same order relative to other page content, unless a change is initiated by the user.

What to do

Ensure that help elements are consistently located when present on multiple pages.

Why it’s important

Maintaining a consistent placement of help features aids individuals seeking assistance, as they can more easily locate and access help resources when they are positioned in the same place across various pages.

3.3.7 REDUNDANT ENTRY (LEVEL A)

Information previously entered by or provided to the user that is required to be entered again in the same process is either auto-populated or available for the user to select.

What to do

Incorporate autocomplete, auto-fill mechanisms, or refrain from requesting identical information more than once.

Why it’s important

Reducing the need for redundant data entry minimises cognitive load and lowers the risk of errors in the user’s interaction with the system.

3.3.8 ACCESSIBLE AUTHENTICATION (MINIMUM) (LEVEL AA)

Making sure a cognitive function test (such as remembering a password or solving a puzzle) is not required for any step in an authentication process.

What to do

Avoid requiring users to solve, recall, or transcribe information during the login process.

Why it’s important

Individuals with cognitive disabilities may face challenges in solving puzzles, memorising credentials, or entering one-time passcodes. Eliminating such requirements enhances accessibility for a broader user base.

These new regulations for public sector organisations represent a significant stride toward ensuring equal access to digital information and services for people with disabilities. By adhering to accessibility standards, your website can broaden its reach, enhance user experience and contribute to a more inclusive society.

At Spindogs, we offer an Accessibility Assessment to review your website and lay out your required accessibility changes in a way you can get your head around, so that we can make a plan to resolve any accessibility violations that have been flagged before your website gets reviewed by the government.

While undergoing an accessibility assessment is not sufficient to make your website fully accessible, it serves as a valuable step in the right direction. We can provide you with recommended actions to help you focus your time and budget for improving its accessibility and achieving the best results.

THE BEST WAY TO PREDICT THE FUTURE IS TO CREATE IT.

NOT OUR WORDS, BUT THE WORDS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

HOUSTON: MISSION CONTROL FOR YOUR DIGITAL STRATEGY

CLAIRE SWINDELL

Three years ago, our talented team of digital marketers decided there must be a more strategic way of identifying which keywords we should be focussing on and investing in, rather than the time-consuming multi-channel approach that we, and most other agencies, had been using for years. Whilst there are existing platforms and tools in the market, they all have limitations and we felt there must be a better way.

Fast forward to 2024, and we are pleased to launch, Houston, our unique toolkit that helps you remove the guesswork from your digital marketing planning and fast track the results of your campaigns.

To put in to context, imagine you knew the themes of next week’s pub quiz – it would make it easier to plan your team and update your knowledge on those themes.

To take it to the next level, imagine you knew the questions for next week’s pub quiz – you would stand a pretty good chance of winning the quiz!

That’s what we aim to do with Houston, get you swift access to the insights you need, at the touch of a button, meaning you can plan resource, budget and activity extremely efficiently.

• Houston is a new approach to keyword research, that harnesses data to get to the answers you need faster, removing the need for hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of in-depth market research and analysis.

• Houston identifies which keywords you should be targeting based on volume, competition and more importantly value

• Houston shortcuts your planning, providing an unparalleled level of detail, getting you straight to the insights you need to power up your campaigns and get bottom line results.

We’ve done the hard work so that you don’t have to, and we now have numerous clients making the most of the insights Houston is able to provide, giving them a competitive edge on their paid campaigns, and providing insights which have led to new product development.

What’s the bottom line? Tangible results, we aren’t kidding when we say this toolkit is game-changing and we can’t wait to show you how.

Want to know more?

Our Strategy Director Dan Lewis is happy to have a call to discuss how Houston could transform your digital strategy and level up your results Email us at marketing@spindogs.com and we will be in touch to schedule your call.

“The level of insight Houston is able to provide for our clients is nothing short of remarkable, I am extremely proud of what the team has achieved with this new toolkit”

Liam Giles, Managing Director, Spindogs

As

DATES

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

30th April 2024

BARK LIVE!

Join our team of experts in London for the launch of BARK 12 our in-house magazine for senior marketers at the Spindogs digital marketing conference at The Hoxton Hotel, Shoreditch on Tuesday 30th April.

16th May 2024

This is the annual digital focused conference that provides membership associations with the opportunity to hear the latest digital focused achievements and best practice insights on key digital topic areas. This will take place on 16th May 2024.

22nd-24th May 2024

SOCIAL HOUSING STRATEGY FORUM

The event provides pioneering views on the existing and forthcoming challenges in the housing sector, with discussions focused on tangible solutions to these development areas.

25th-27th June 2024

HOUSING 2024

Housing 2024 is Europe’s biggest housing conference, tackling subjects like leadership, sustainability, affordable housing, and economic recovery. A must have date in the diary for housing professionals.

1st July 2024

THE END OF UNIVERSAL

ANALYTICS

On the 1st July, all customers will lose access to the Universal Analytics interface and API. This means that your valuable historical data will vanish, unless it has been backed up or exported.

September 2024

GOOGLE 3RD PARTY COOKIES

PHASE-OUT

Google is ending third-party cookies for all Chrome users in 2024. If your marketing depends heavily on targeted advertising with third-party cookies, begin reviewing your paid strategy now before Google completely retires third-party cookies in the latter half of 2024.

13th November 2024

AUTOMOTIVE MANAGEMENT LIVE

Automotive Management Live welcomes motor retail managers from across the UK to shape the future of the industry and network with peers and suppliers.

24th February 2025

UMBRACO 8 EOL

Umbraco End-of-Life deadline date is 24th February 2025. If your website is currently running on version 8, we cannot stress enough how important it is to have a plan in place to upgrade very soon.

www.spindogs.com/careers

PROUD TO RETAIN THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATIONS

As a G-Cloud supplier, we have been approved to provide IT and software services throughout the UK to public sector customers within the UK government’s G-Cloud framework.

Being a Microsoft Advertising partner gives Spindogs opportunities to nurture and grow our intelligent search and digital business, access to the Microsoft community and technical experts, and recognition for our work with Microsoft Advertising.

Umbraco Gold Partners are officially Umbraco-certified and take an active part and interest in the development of Umbraco as a CMS.

Cyber Essentials is a Governmentbacked scheme that helps to protect against a whole range of the most common cyber-attacks. Certification gives you peace of mind that your defences will protect you against the vast majority of common cyber-attacks.

We are a Memberwise Recognised Supplier. We have also taken part in the Memberwise Digital Excellence (2023) Research Project and have become digital excellence champions.

Google Partners is a marketing programme for agencies that manage Google Ads accounts on behalf of businesses. Achieving Partner status means that we have demonstrated Google Ads skills and expertise, delivered client revenue growth and sustained and grown its client base.

As we celebrate turning 20 this year we would like to say a huge thank you to all of our clients and colleagues, past and present, who have trusted and supported us for all of these years, you have helped make it an incredible two decades in business, and we can’t wait to see what happens next!

SPINDOGS TURNS 20

DIGITAL IS AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO

For two decades we’ve evolved alongside the latest technologies to create bespoke digital solutions for a variety of sectors. This includes building new websites, developing intuitive systems and taking established businesses to the next level with transformational rebrands.

We work with global clients in housing, education, automotive, professional services, membership and transport – to name a few!

We care about the same things our clients do – brand visibility, lead pipeline and the bottom line. In essence, realising client success is what gets us out of bed in the morning – your success is our success.

GET IN TOUCH

To learn more about partnering with Spindogs, get in touch with our Business Development team:

E: info@spindogs.com

T: 02920 480 720

PROUD TO WORK WITH

Until next time...