REDESIGNED SEECHICAGODANCE.COM LAUNCHES
2009-06-25 11:03:31 AM
Audience Engagement Focus on Make Over of the Chicago Area's Most Comprehensive Website.
New Features Include Professional Preview Articles and Reviews, User Reviews, Sharing Options for Social Networking Sites, RSS Feeds and expanded Hot Deals.CHICAGO - Audience Architects launches the redesigned version of the Chicago area's most comprehensive dance website, SeeChicagoDance.com (SCD), June 25. New features include professional preview articles and reviews, user reviews, sharing options for social networking sites, RSS feeds and expanded hot deals."The original version of SeeChicagoDance.com was extremely well received by both Chicago's dance community and dance audiences," says Sarah Nelson, content manger for SCD and the sister site TakeChicagoDance.com, "but we wanted to encourage more user interaction and engage audiences on a deeper level. As a nonprofit organization, our primary mission is to build audiences for dance. By providing a more interactive user experience coupled with behind-the-scenes articles and video previews we are taking important steps to make Chicago area dance even more accessible to audiences."SeeChicagoDance.com premiered in September 2005 as an audience development tool for dance companies and presenters in the greater Chicago area. At its core has been its comprehensive calendar searchable by date, company, venue, location and genre; and a directory of companies, presenters, venues and events. Visitors to the site have been able to sign up to receive eBlasts with last minute discounts and a monthly eNewsletter.In addition to the existing features, the redesigned SCD will also include:
- Professional critic reviews and articles - Veteran dance writer Sid Smith who also writes for the Chicago Tribune will serve as editor heading a team of freelance writers including Zachary Whittenburg. These writers will provide reviews and advanced stories to be published exclusively for SCD;
- User reviews - Site users will be able to comment about companies in general or about a particular performance;
- RSS feeds - SCD Facebook and Twitter pages will automatically be updated when critic reviews are posted and when the monthly e-newsletter and discounted ticket offerings are updated on the site. In addition, users will have the ability to share event information on their Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and De.li.cious accounts or invite a friend to a not-to-be-missed dance event;
- Expanded Hot Deals - Hot Deals will now promote other arts events in an effort to promote audience crossover and expand public awareness of dance;
- Online Ad Manager - This new function will give companies the abilities to reserve and purchase ads online for SCD, and list performance as a featured listing to make them show up higher on search results pages;
- Back end - The redesigned SCD will feature an easier interface for companies to upload, post and edit their information.TakeChicagoDance.com, SCD's companion site focusing on dance instruction, will relaunch with similar enhancements later this year.The site redesign has been made possible in part due to valuable support from Arts Work Fund. Additional support provided by The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation and The Sage Foundation. For more information about SeeChicagoDance.com, or sponsorship opportunities, contact content manager Sarah Nelson at 773.327.3830x117 or email sarah@audiencearchitects.com. # # #Audience Architects, NFP. Carol L. Fox and Niki Morrison formed Audience Architects in 2006 and received 501(c)3 not-for-profit status in January 2008. Audience Architects maintains SeeChicagoDance.com and its companion site, TakeChicagoDance.com. Its mission is to build new and broader audiences for Chicago area dance organizations by providing community-wide audience development initiatives for dance performances and instruction, professional development opportunities, and direct service to the field.
