Annodyne Develops Cutting-edge Website for The Culinary Arts Institute of Montgomery County Community College

    BLUE BELL, PA, March 27, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Philadelphia-area engagement marketing agency Annodyne has designed and developed a new website for The Culinary Arts Institute of Montgomery County Community College. The mobile-optimized site features an impactful video on the home page, user-friendly navigation and compelling photography.

As the agency of record for Montgomery County Community College, Annodyne has designed and developed a new website, mc3.edu/culinary, for its Culinary Arts Institute.

Annodyne was charged with designing a website that would highlight The Culinary Arts Institute's top-notch facilities and esteemed faculty. Culinary Institute Director Francine Marz wanted a site that would show the staff's and students' passion for their work. She also wanted to illustrate how the Institute is on par with other reputable culinary schools.

The agency conducted on-site photo and video shoots to add to its library of images, as the site is very strong on visuals. Because food is so colorful, it plays a prominent role in imagery throughout the site. Short of prospective students being able to taste the school's culinary creations, they are offered a virtual tour via the new website.

In addition to the on-site photography and videography, Annodyne spent two days at the Institute, observing and interviewing both students and administration. The students' dedication to their profession and eagerness to share their experiences and learning became evident. This led to the integration of students' Instagram photos on the home page. Photos are automatically pulled from the Institute's Instagram feed, based on a hashtag provided by the staff that designates site-worthy images. Another interactive feature on the home page is the ask-a-chef feature, giving visitors an opportunity to submit a question to be answered by one of the Institute's chef instructors. This helps connect prospective and current students with the administration, helping to more quickly build lasting relationships.

The on-campus research also revealed that students have enormous respect for Chef Marz. Annodyne discovered that she played a large part in their decision to attend the Institute. This prompted Annodyne to design the site to generate tour/visit signups vs. leads.

Since the site launch in January, the Institute already has experienced a sizable increase in visits and tours:
• 52 percent of those who signed up for a tour came from the redesigned website.
• 15 percent of those who visited ultimately became students.
• The Institute's enrollment efforts are up 50 percent.
• 50 percent of new applicants for spring 2015 came from Annotrak , Annodyne's proprietary lead tracking and lead management platform.

As part of the website development, Annodyne created a video for the home page to immediately engage visitors and capture their attention.

The 38-second video packs a punch, opening with a close-up of a hand turning the colorful dial of a professional gas cooktop stove, the bluish-purple flame flickering, and onions mid-flambe in a stainless steel skillet. Throughout the video, a decidedly upbeat soundtrack matches the fast pace and sets the tone to reflect the caliber and excitement found at the culinary institute.

Viewers get a peek at the building's exterior, then "meet" staff and students in their element. The video provides a behind-the-scenes look as students prep, prepare and plate their culinary creations. The closing frame of the video is a dramatic one, intended to leave a lasting impression, and fades to the Institute's name and logo to reinforce brand recognition.

Framework for the site was developed using HTML 5 and CSS3. The site is optimized for mobile, with a fully responsive design.

For more information on Annodyne, call 215-540-9110 or visit Annodyne.com.

Annodyne Inc. is a suburban Philadelphia marketing agency specializing in engagement marketing. Based in Blue Bell, Pa., Annodyne serves a wide range of local and national clients across all verticals, including tourism, higher education, healthcare and B2B solutions. Since 2001, Annodyne has grown year over year -- even through the economic downturn.

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