Cornerstone Market and Produce existed as a business, a building and a brand before we got anywhere near it. They already had a name, a logo and some solid ideas of what they wanted to be and where they wanted to end up. With this established base intact we had to jump in mid-stream and try not to turn the boat over in the process.
Of course, we wouldn’t be jumping in the boat at all if we didn’t feel like we had some contributions to make to the trip. One particular existing condition we felt we could assist with, prior to site design or marketing suggestions, was an adjustment of Cornerstone’s domain name.
The domain that existed prior to our arrival was a somewhat cumbersome www.cornerstonemarketandproduce.com. Ok, somewhat cumbersome might be a bit of an understatement. Aside from the length and the way the words kind of run together, the domain took up an inordinate amount of space on a business card. It also wasn’t exactly the sort of thing that Google drools over. I know . . . I know . . . the Google algorithm doesn’t care about domain names, but tell that to all the top ranked sites using keywords separated by dashes.
Now, we’re not big SEO proponents, at least not in the sense that we would put keyword considerations ahead of useful content and user experience, but when the opportunity to avail oneself of a useful tactic without damaging content delivery arises . . . we will use it. This seemed to be the case with the domain name. Not only could we make search engines happy, but we could also make the name easier to type and remember which is even more important.
Unfortunately, with a name like Cornerstone, domain availability was somewhat limited. One couldn’t simply get www.cornerstone.com an call it a day. However, in the end it didn’t take as much thought or creativity as we feared to find a suitable alternative (we sometimes really fear thought and creativity). After a brief period of exploration and deliberation we found and settled on www.cornerstone-market.com.
This new domain should be easier to type and easier to find as the two words in it will appear naturally throughout the pages. While the dash is not ideal from a user’s point of view, it was the best option available. The old domain, still printed on the stores menus and cards will be forwarded to the new site once it is up and ready, but those following our work with Cornerstone can visit the new site now.
Usually, sites are built, carefully reviewed and then launched, available to the public only in finished form. This is so designers won’t get made fun of for the many errors made during the development process (designers are sensitive) However, for this project we have decided to allow access to the site in progress. Swing by, take a look and give us your thoughts. Just remember, it is far from finished, and we don’t handle teasing well.