Discover South Kensington

Discover South Kensington is an initiative which unites the leading cultural and educational institutions of South Kensington, a globally renowned hub for science, arts, and innovation. As one of the world's top cultural destinations, the area welcomes over 20 million visitors annually, fostering knowledge and inspiring future engineers, designers, scientists, musicians, and artists. This drive, led by the Exhibition Road Cultural Group, aims to address common challenges and deliver change through a collective voice. The group comprises esteemed members such as the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Imperial College London, and many others, all contributing to the district's rich tapestry of discovery and exploration.

The Brief

Discover South Kensington tasked ixxy with developing a comprehensive website to enhance the visibility and engagement of the district's cultural and educational activities. The specific objectives of the brief included:

• Showcase Events and Activities: Develop a site that highlights the diverse range of events and activities taking place in South Kensington, making it easy for visitors to find and explore what the area has to offer.
• Promote Member Activities: Increase awareness and visibility of the various activities and offerings from each member organisation, ensuring each institution's contributions are prominently featured.
• Automated Updates: Implement a user-friendly system for visitors to sign up for automated updates, delivering the latest news and event information directly to their inbox.
• Bespoke 'trails' Feature: Create a unique feature called 'trails,' providing curated guided walks that offer thematic explorations of South Kensington's rich cultural landscape.

The Design

The design of the Discover South Kensington website is meticulously structured to provide an intuitive and engaging user experience, ensuring easy access to the wealth of cultural and educational activities in the area. The site is divided into several key sections, each tailored to specific user needs and preferences:

Places to Go: This section highlights the various types of events happening across South Kensington, categorising them by themes such as arts, science, music, and family-friendly activities. It offers visitors a broad overview of what the area has to offer.

• What's On: A detailed breakdown of each event, this section allows users to filter events by type, date, and location, helping them find their ideal activities. Whether looking for a specific exhibition, concert, or workshop, users can quickly pinpoint events that match their interests.
• Discover More: This section provides a roundup of news and updates from South Kensington, keeping visitors informed about the latest developments, special announcements, and stories from the district’s institutions.
• Trails: Offering curated guided walks, the 'trails' feature provides thematic explorations of South Kensington's rich cultural landscape. Users can embark on walks tailored to their interests, whether it’s historical landmarks, artistic highlights, or scientific wonders.
• Places to Eat: Featuring a comprehensive list of dining options in the area, this section helps visitors find the perfect place to eat, from casual cafes to fine dining restaurants.

To enhance usability, each section is color-coded, allowing for easy navigation and a visually cohesive experience. Additionally, the website includes a 'My Favourites' option, enabling users to curate their own list of events and share it with friends and family.

The primary call to action throughout the website is to 'Sign Up' for the newsletter, encouraging visitors to have the latest events and updates delivered directly to their inbox, ensuring they never miss out on what’s happening in South Kensington.

The Implementation

The Discover South Kensington website was developed on the foundation of our own ixxy Content Management System (CMS), which is tailored to meet the unique requirements of every client. This bespoke CMS ensures the site is not only functional but also flexible, allowing for seamless management of a wide range of events and activities. Key customisations and integrations include:

• Custom Events Functionality: Our CMS has been enhanced with non-standard functionality to handle various types of events, including one-off and recurring events. This customisation ensures that all events are presented accurately and intuitively to the public, enhancing user experience and engagement.
• Email & Marketing Platform Integration: To maximise the efficiency of the client's direct email channel, we integrated their chosen platform Mailchimp with the CMS. This allows for streamlined management of email campaigns, ensuring timely and targeted communication with subscribers.
• Customised Subscriber Integration: We developed tailored solutions to optimise subscriber integration, making it easier for visitors to sign up for updates and for the client to manage their subscriber base effectively. This customisation helps in building a robust and engaged audience.
• Bespoke 'Trails' Feature: One of the standout features of the site is the 'trails' section. We developed this feature to offer interactive and downloadable maps, providing users with curated guided walks around South Kensington. This feature not only enhances the user experience but also promotes deeper engagement with the area's cultural and educational offerings.

Our tailored CMS solutions ensure that the Discover South Kensington website is a dynamic, user-friendly platform that effectively showcases the district's rich array of events and activities while providing robust tools for client management and communication.

Beyond Launch

Our commitment to Discover South Kensington extends well beyond the initial launch of the website. We provide ongoing support to ensure that the technology remains up to date and continues to meet the evolving needs of both the client and visitors. This includes updating the site’s technology to keep it secure, fast, and compatible with the latest web standards, thus preventing potential issues and maintaining smooth operations. Additionally, we work closely with the client's team to improve workflows and day-to-day tasks, streamlining processes and providing ongoing training to enhance efficiency. Looking to the future, we advise Discover South Kensington on strategic development, suggesting new features, optimising existing functionalities, and leveraging the latest digital trends to ensure the website remains a premier resource for visitors.

A key part of our ongoing support is managing their PPC (Google pay-per-click) campaigns, which play a crucial role in driving targeted traffic to the site. This paid traffic strategy significantly contributes to growing the site’s visitor base by attracting the most relevant audience. Our goal is to help Discover South Kensington thrive and maintain its status as a world-leading destination for science, arts, and innovation.

"I have worked with Ixxy for many years and during this time it has felt like we have worked as a partnership to enhance the online experience for our visitors. Highlighting the diverse and wide range of cultural events in South Kensington has been a key priority and with Ixxy’s creativity, we have been able to make it easier to find out what’s on depending on interests through with their help. Over time, Ixxy have helped us add new functionality to both the front and back end which has as made the site more user friendly for us as a team and also improved the overall visitor experience. We have also been able to rely on the team for a rapid response if there is a technical problem with the website and any issues are resolved effectively and speedily. I can highly recommend working with Ixxy."

— Sarah Berresford, Head of Marketing - Discover South Kensington