Markus Hamence Inc, created by Adelaide based designer and interior stylist Markus Hamence, needed a new web presence to match his new brand. Markus designed the site to match his new branding efforts, and then tasked Scott Reynolds with further developing and finalising the build of the site. The site had to have an edgy design, but still be completely usable no matter the device a visitor used. As a result, it was decided to make use of a strong pattern throughout, but use this in a layered manner to create depth and focus towards the pieces of content that were most important to catch a visitor’s eye. Scott Reynolds built the site using the popular WordPress CMS, and this has enabled Markus Hamence Inc to update the site independently without the need for a web developer to be on hand.
The Markus Hamence Inc site needed to include eCommerce functionality, to enable Markus to create and distribute items easily. Scott Reynolds implemented the popular WooCommerce framework as an eCommerce platform, and then assisted Markus in linking this to a credit card payment gateway to ensure that customers could complete the entire transaction without having to jump between sites or complete lengthy manual bank transfers. Because the site is also hosted by FLIQ, the hosting and technical side of Scott Reynolds, the required security features were easily implemented and the site is now able to run fully autonomously. Markus can add new products or remove old ones, and the system manages the inventory held on hand by Markus Hamence Inc at all times ensuring that customers won’t end up ordering a product that is actually out of stock.
The site is fully responsive and scales down to any device used to browse the pages. This included creating a separate menu system to enable easy navigation on smaller devices, and also adjusting content where required to ensure the look and feel Markus Hamence Inc was looking for could be delivered every time. This responsive nature of the site is achieved almost entirely in CSS, with only navigation elements relying on JavaScript to deliver the best experience. The approach used here enables the site to be as resource-light as possible, further improving the experience for the visitor.
While most of the functionality is part of the WordPress Content Management System (CMS), some custom functionality was required to accommodate the information grouping required on the site. This included utilising custom post types for gallery items, press pieces and work items, and this allowed the standard WordPress admin section to be extended for managing this additional content. Markus Hamence Inc is able to control both the look and feel of the site, along with all information presented without needing any code changes. This allows for more responsive content, ensuring that the latest information is always available for visitors.
The site is linked with Google Analytics to allow Markus to identify trends and better improve the flow of the site as it matures, and having this data easily available means that decisions can be made and supported by the evidence available – rather than simply by feel. Further SEO work will be completed behind the scenes, however even on launch the site is performing well above initial expectations. Check it out and see if you can accessorise!
View this project live: markushamence.com