VistaGraphics Inc. welcomes the opportunity to submit a bid for the Gloucester 250th Commemorative Website that highlights the county’s rich history, exciting upcoming events, and other related content.
VistaGraphics, Inc & VistaDigital Agency has evolved from humble beginnings into a full-service media company, offering custom publishing, lifestyle content, web development, digital advertising, SEO/SEM, and event management.
Read more about our roots >>
Requirements
VistaGraphics, Inc. has thoroughly reviewed the Statement of Needs for the Gloucester County 250th Commemorative Website. We understand that this project requires a dynamic, user-friendly platform to:
Market Gloucester’s Commemorations: Showcase upcoming events, historical figures, and activities tied to the 250th anniversary.
Share Historical Significance: Highlight Gloucester’s unique contributions to the American Revolution through compelling content and multimedia elements.
Foster Public Engagement: Provide an accessible, informative resource to celebrate Gloucester’s legacy and connect with diverse audiences.
Our extensive experience in designing and developing tourism and historical websites, including GoWilliamsburg.com and BeachEventsVB.com, positions us to exceed these objectives.
Content Management System
Utilizing the WIX platform, we will ensure scalability and provide county staff with an easy-to-use content management system (CMS) for seamless updates.
Our work on BeachEventsVB.com demonstrates our expertise in configuring CMS platforms that empower clients with full control over their website’s content and management.
Similarly, our project for Putt-Putt Fun Center® required managing unique challenges, including a corporate site and 30 franchise locations. We implemented solutions for active user permissions and dynamically updating operating hours for holidays and seasonal attractions, ensuring franchise owners had full autonomy over their respective sites.
Delivering a seamless, user-friendly CMS is our specialty, and we look forward to bringing this expertise to Gloucester County’s 250th Commemorative Website.
Interactive Features
We develop all kinds of engaging user experiences for our clients, including:
- interactive maps: see GoWilliamsburg.com
- event calendars: see BeachEventsVB.com
- multimedia timelines: see Putt-Putt Fun Center® Lynchburg, VA Specials
The proposed interactive timeline for Gloucester reflects our expertise in creating complex, custom features where visual and functional interactivity heightened user engagement.
Historical/Education Resources
The platform will provide a hub for educational resources and history enthusiasts, featuring downloadable, curated content.
Similar to our file repository at VistaGraphics, Inc., we will craft a welcoming and accessible interface for downloading these resources.
Accessibility and Multilingual Support
Our commitment to inclusivity includes responsive design and multilingual options, leveraging WIX’s multilingual and SEO plugins and other built-in tools to provide a seamless experience across devices and audiences.
This approach, demonstrated in our ADA/WCAG optimization for BeachEventsVB.com and GoWilliamsburg.com, highlights the synergy between excellent SEO, accessibility, and multilingual support to create a universally user-friendly platform.
Search Engine Optimization
Proven SEO strategies drive visibility and engagement, and for all our projects, optimization efforts have consistently increased web traffic. By integrating structured header tags for clear content hierarchy, descriptive alt tags for images to enhance accessibility and SEO, and keyword-rich image naming conventions, we ensure SEO is a core element of our designs from the start—not an afterthought.
Technical Requirements
Analytics
We will leverage WIX Analytics and integrate Google Analytics, if required, to provide actionable insights, drawing on our extensive experience with advanced tracking and reporting to meet Gloucester County’s marketing needs.
For GoWilliamsburg.com, we implemented specialized Google Analytics 4 code to enable granular tracking for Williamsburg Hotel & Motel Association (WHMA) to promote accommodations, attractions, and deals.
Allowing while for Putt-Putt Fun Center®, we utilized Microsoft Clarity to anonymously observe user interactions across pages and devices, ensuring usability and accessibility needs were continually met.
It has been more than a decade since VistaGraphics and the Williamsburg Hotel & Motel Association entered into a partnership agreement. Our strategic partnership has been the smartest thing the W.H.M.A. has done during that time. If we could go back in time and do anything differently it would only be to do so sooner rather than later.
I could go on with a number of euphemisms and kind words, but when you boil it all down. From the person that answers the phone to the C.E.O. and everyone in between. Our relationship works because we trust our friends at VistaGraphics.
I am available to answer any questions you may have at 757-220-3330 or Ron.Kirkland@widomaker.com
Maintenance and Training
Comprehensive training for county staff will ensure a smooth handoff.
We were able to join Putt-Putt Fun Center® in North Carolina to train their team on the extensive and robust backend we created for their corporate team. We also created a series of videos and training documentation to assist the franchise owners with updating their own hours, events, and seasonal activities.
We prioritize equipping teams with the knowledge and tools to confidently manage their websites post-launch. We have provided on-site training as well as training videos and training documentation. We were able to assist BeachEventsVB.com as well throughout their initial launch as well as their re-design.
Proposed Timeline
Phase 1: Meeting & Site Design
| Category | Who | Task | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting | Vista & Client | Meeting to review contract & project details. | Weeks 1-3 |
| Action Item | Client | Client submits all content, branding materials, and relevant resources. | Weeks 1-3 |
| Milestone | Vista | Vista creates 2 Homepage Mockup designs and sends to client for approval. | Week 4 |
| Action Item | Client | Client selects a Homepage design to advance to internal page design. | Week 5 |
| Milestone | Vista | Vista creates internal page design and sends to client for approval. | Week 6 |
| Action Item | Client | Client approve the internal page design to advance development. | Week 7 |
Phase 2: Development
| Category | Who | Task | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development | Vista | CMS & plugin installation and configuration. | Weeks 8-9 |
| Development | Vista | Build templates for all core and sub-pages based on approved designs. | Weeks 8-9 |
| Development | Vista | Format and upload Client-provided content into the CMS. | Weeks 9-11 |
| Development | Vista | Develop and test interactive elements, such as the timeline, events calendar, and map. | Weeks 10-12 |
| Development | Vista | ADA/WCAG optimization: testing and adjustments to meet standards. | Weeks 10-12 |
| Milestone | Vista | Vista sends beta site to Client for feedback and revision requests. | Week 13 |
| Action Item | Client | Client reviews beta site and submit any changes or approvals to proceed. | Weeks 14-15 |
Phase 3: Launch and Training
| Category | Who | Task | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development | Vista | Vista completes revisions and conduct final quality assurance testing. | Week 15 |
| Launch | Vista | Transfer Wix/Sync.com ownership and launch the site to the Client domain. | Week 16 |
| Training | Vista & Client | Vista trains Client on Wix CMS usage and website management. | Week 17 |
Key Personnel
Randy Thompson
Randy’s education, a BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration with a marketing concentration), BS (Bachelor of Science in Distributive/Marketing Education) and an MBA (Master’s in Business Administration) was early preparation for founding and growing VistaGraphics, Inc., a regional media company.
After four-and-a-half years in sales and sales management for an international consumer goods company, Randy took the entrepreneurial leap by purchasing the rights to a local market of a national travel magazine in 1985. In 1987, Randy launched his first independent guide, the Virginia Beach Visitors Guide.
Randy’s role with this project is oversight and, more importantly, insight that stems from working with the local hospitality industry for 35+ years.
randy@vgnet.com • 757-348-0982
Paul Brannock
Paul has been a member of the VistaGraphics, Inc. family for more than 30 years and has played a major role in the company’s growth, expansion and product development.
With his extensive knowledge of the travel and hospitality industry, Paul has greatly contributed to the overall success and stability that VistaGraphics, Inc. enjoys. As President/Associate Publisher, Paul contributes to every aspect of the company’s daily operations and manages a talented team of sales, circulation, marketing and administrative professionals.
Paul’s role will be a liaison throughout production of the website.
paul@vgnet.com • 757-639-3655
Jay Bellamy
Jay has been with VistaGraphics, Inc./VistaDigital Agency for 25 years. He is highly proficient in aiding customers reach their desired audience via SEO, SEM, website development/design, programmatic advertising, mobile solutions, myriad video streaming services and targeted email marketing. Over the years, Jay has worked with numerous DMOs across the state of Virginia and North Carolina.
Throughout the development process, Jay’s role will be to serve as one of the main points of contact, ensuring clear communication and meticulous attention to detail at every stage.
jay@vgnet.com • 252-202-4105
Chris Murphy
As Web Creative Director for VistaDigital Agency, Chris leads our web team. She is our main front-end web designer and designs responsive, user-friendly websites with ADA Compliance.
Chris creates all web schedules and oversees web design/development timelines for more than 40 client websites, some of which are sites for Virginia DMOs such as the Virginia Beach Hotel Association (vbha.net) and the Williamsburg Hotel & Motel Association (gowilliamsburg.com) as well as our 26 corporate branded websites.
Chris’s role will be support for our Senior Web Developer.
cmurphy@vgnet.com • 757-213-2499
I.J. James
I.J. will serve as the Project Manager and Senior Web Developer for the Gloucester 250th Commemorative Website.
With extensive experience in government, and tourism website development, she brings specialized expertise in ADA/WCAG compliance, inclusive design, Google Analytics 4 implementation, SEO optimization, CMS platform development and custom solutions. As Project Manager/Senior Developer, I.J. will oversee all phases of development, from initial setup through final deployment. Her responsibilities encompass technical development and implementation, design execution and content integration, and platform optimization, as well as quality assurance and accessibility testing.
Working closely with Chris Murphy, Web Creative Director, I.J. will ensure that approved designs are translated into fully functional, responsive pages that meet all project requirements while maintaining high standards for accessibility and user experience.
I.J.’s proven track record of successful project delivery, combined with her expertise in inclusive design and analytics, makes her ideally suited to manage this historically significant project.
ij@vgnet.com
Thank You
For giving us the opportunity to create this proposal for your company. VistaGraphics, Inc. looks forward to growing this relationship in the future.
