BEAD announces redesign of visitbead.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 28, 2012

For more information, please contact:
Miah Michaelsen, Assistant Economic Development Director for the Arts, City of Bloomington, 349.3534

BEAD Announces Redesign of visitbead.com

Bloomignton, IN - The City of Bloomington Entertainment and Arts District (BEAD) has launched a redesigned website, [www.visitbead.com|www.visitbead.com]. The new site, the first major redesign in three years, is meant to be a comprehensive destination website unique among cultural districts nationwide.

"We think this redesign accomplishes that and provides site visitors more overall functionality. We want to continue to drive more visitors to BEAD to enjoy the arts and cultural events, dining and retail opportunities here," said Assistant Economic Development Director for the Arts Miah Michaelsen. "We believe this site is an important tool in those efforts."

The primary target audience for the redesigned site is prospective visitors to Bloomington. Goals for the redesign include representing the vibrancy of BEAD as well as its attractions and events in a visually compelling manner and enhancing the site's "stickyness" to encourage increased time and return visits to the site.

"Visitor feedback and website analytics indicated that the site needed to provide better event information and more visuals highlighting downtown's unique character," Michaelsen said.

Additional new features on [www.visitbead.com|www.visitbead.com]:

• Streamlined "Event Calendar" sections to provide more readily accessible event information
  Enhanced search functionality (one search across the entire site with faceted results)
• Improved tagging and categorization tools that help visitors find events and attractions based on specific interests
• Integrated social network capabilities that allow site users to gain access to information about last-minute events and special offers occurring through BEAD

Staff from BEAD and the City's Information Technology Services Department worked with Finelight Bloomington on the redesign.

This project is another effort under the City's strategy to leverage and expand the economic development potential of the arts in Bloomington. According to the 2012 Americans for the Arts study Arts and Economic Prosperity IV, the local nonprofit arts sector contributes $72.3 million to the economy and supports 3,430 jobs.

For more information on the website contact Assistant Economic Development Director for the Arts Miah Michaelsen at [mailto: michaelm@bloomington.in.gov] or 349.3534.

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