Our Town Motueka launches classy new website

November 21st, 2012
[by David Armstrong]

The business promotion group Our Town Motueka (OTM) has unveiled its classy new website, as a key part of its strategy to encourage more use of Motueka businesses and retailers thereby building a stronger community.

The state-of-the-art website, which includes a mobile version, was designed by Motueka web designer/photographer Andre Ismael of Lightstyle, and you can view it by clicking here.

Development began in late July, with Andre and OTM administrator Lori Keller worked closely on the layout, the transitions, and the headings of the site. Lori wrote all the content.

Our Town Motueka represents about 450 business owners and ratepayers in the main business area of Motueka. It is run by a voluntary committee of predominantly Motueka business owners, and employs Lori as a part-time manager for 24 hours per week.

The main part of the new website will be an extensive, category-rich business directory, allowing businesses to freely promote their products and services, as well as location and contact details. It is largely up to those businesses to avail themselves of this opportunity by providing information to Lori.

The site also has sections for promoting local tourism, as well as local news items to which Motueka Online is freely contributing.

Previously OTM's only presence on the web was a page on Motueka Online. Lori says that until now there has not been a commercial website designed to showcase the businesses of Motueka.

"Motueka Online does a tremendous service to the community with its coverage and depth, but it is a non-commercial site, so the Committee Members of Our Town Motueka decided a website showcasing the business community would be a wise investment for the organisation and the businesses it represents," she says.

Lori explains that the website is actually two websites: a desktop version and a mobile version. "It was designed to give people easy access to information about our town, its businesses and the reasons for doing business here.

"As such, we wanted it to be a tool for locals, visitors and business people - to get regular news, to get business tips, to showcase their employees, special events etc.

"Motueka businesses now have a single online service database that can be showcased," she adds. "It can be used in marketing strategy as the 'key' point of reference for the town and for those wishing to do business here. I would encourage locals to go online and look at the site and offer suggestions for content."

Content-wise, the site is still far from complete. "There is still some work to be done to make sure internal hyperlinks work correctly, so please accept our apologise if everything isn't as correct as it should be.

"We also plan to add more photos and links to other organisations and maps etc as we get files from contributors." And Lori needs help from businesses to fill out the content to ensure site visitors can get all the information they need.

"We have 95% of businesses in Motueka listed on the site, but they need to supply content - such as a photos, a logo and up to 100 words of text - to make their listing really worthwhile."

Our Town would love to have everyone in the town access their site and be a member. "Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our monthly newsletter . . . the more the merrier!" Lori says.

>> , to be added to the page. [If this link doesn't work, use this form instead]

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