The Client - My Family Silver

The Service - Website design, development, content management system, SEO

The Brief

To create a website that would bring together auction houses and dealers interested in selling silver items, enabling the user to browse the listings by their family crest or by item type.

The Method

The client had this fantastic idea but wasn't sure how to make it work online.  Datadial listened carefully to the concept and interpreted it to create a bespoke website.  Initially we were faced with several 19th century books from which to decipher the data that was required for the site.  For this we sourced additional help to check the information and then digitise it which resulted in 47,000 English family name records and 8,000 family crests.  Crests were scanned and enhanced if necessary and are displayed with translated family mottos where appropriate.

Datadial came up with ideas and solutions for the client in order to maximise the service offering.  These include the ability for users to add an auction to their calendars, sign up for alerts for when their family silver is listed, and two advanced search tools.

Usability testing was carried out during the development stage of the bespoke content management system to ensure it was as user-friendly as possible. Signed up dealers and auction houses each have access to the bespoke content management system allowing them to manage their own catalogue listings, upload images and text.  There is also the function for them to identify the crest by simply inserting a key word, eg horse, and the site then displays every crest which features a horse.  The vendors can run reports to view activity on their listings, click throughs, enquiries, etc.

SEO work was started six months before launch date by using a holding page and blog.  This helped give the site traction in search engines by the time it was launched, thereby avoiding the 6 months "dead time" as it usually takes Google 6 months to list any new domain name.

Key achievements

Datadial dealt with a mammoth amount of data in order to make this project work.  The result is an upmarket bespoke site which has attracted all of the large auction houses (Sothebys, Christies, Bonhams, etc) and major dealers, providing them with access to 1000s of potential customers.  The site was delivered on time and in budget.

And why Datadial?

Datadial came up with a structure and solution for both current and future requirements. 
Due to handling the design, programming, and SEO in-house we are able to ensure that all areas develop concurrently, hand in hand, for maximum impact. 

Our flexible approach and passion is unsurpassed and our ability to turn a client's idea into a reality, with added value, is priceless.  Kerry Bates, senior programmer, takes credit for deciphering the complex antiques and family crest information and then creating a structure for this data in an easy-to-use format.