Contact:

Rosemary Mackey
(630) 293-2200 ext. 139
rmackey@westchicago.org

From:
City of West Chicago

475 Main Street
West Chicago, Illinois 60185

City of West Chicago Updates a Communication Vehicle
West Chicago, Illinois: October 28, 2009 - Shifting patterns and preferences in the way people are gaining information today has prompted the City of West Chicago to update the homepage of its website to incorporate more news upfront. The redesigned look, which launches on Friday, October 30, 2009, maintains the emphasis on visually pleasing graphics, but includes a number of new option icons for browsers interested in specific topics.

With the amount of breaking news and information that was being generated and placed on interior pages, the City realized the need to reflect those items on the homepage for easy access. Following a layout more like the front page of a tabloid newspaper, the City’s newly designed homepage gives its users a small bite of many subjects while maintaining the successful structure of its previous navigation components.

“Our website has so many layers of information that we needed to incorporate more special interest ‘buttons’ on the homepage for ease in finding hot topics, and a flash element to highlight some of our news stories,” explained Rosemary Mackey, Communications Coordinator for the City of West Chicago. “We noticed a trend in user behavior. People were bypassing our homepage with a bookmark to the news page, signaling a preference to dive right into timely features and content immediately. Website analytics guided us in this redesign.”

The City hopes visitors to www.westchicago.org will enjoy the updated look and function of the homepage, and it will continue to monitor feedback regarding this key communication tool.

 

 

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West Chicago is a diverse, family-oriented community with a rich cultural mix and a proud heritage. It is the first Illinois community established by the railroads and continues to be a convenient transportation hub served by three major rail lines, Illinois' third-busiest airport and three state highways. West Chicago offers award-winning schools, a growing industrial park and convenient access to parks, shopping and restaurants. Additional information can be found on the City's website at www.westchicago.org or by calling Rosemary Mackey directly at (630) 293-2200 x 139.
 
 
CITY OF WEST CHICAGO   475 Main Street, West Chicago, Illinois 60185   T - (630) 293-2200   www.westchicago.org