Saugatuck, Michigan is truly the hidden gem of the Great Lakes. Known as America’s first inclusive destination, it’s the go-to summer retreat for travelers from Chicago, Detroit, and beyond. With its stunning beaches, sprawling sand dunes, and an impressive number of James Beard Award-winning restaurants, Saugatuck offers an array of experiences that attract visitors all year round. Yet, despite all the charm this picturesque town has to offer, the website didn’t fully capture its essence or do justice to what Saugatuck is all about.
Project Highlights
Redesigned the website to reflect Saugatuck’s year-round appeal, showcasing experiences beyond summer and boosting off-season tourism.
Implemented a flexible WordPress CMS, giving the editorial team more control and streamlining content updates across key areas like lodging, dining, and events.
Introduced seasonal navigation and landing pages, dynamically surfacing relevant content throughout the year to keep the site fresh and timely.
Launched the “I’m in Saugatuck” mobile feature, delivering real-time, location-aware content to enhance the on-the-ground visitor experience.
To help Saugatuck shine online, we partnered with the Saugatuck Douglas Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and their creative agency, Concept A. Together, we reimagined the digital experience for travelers. Our goal was to create a website that didn’t just showcase Saugatuck’s summer allure but highlighted the town as a year-round destination with something for everyone—whether you’re visiting for the first time or you’re a local looking to rediscover what’s on offer.
The new site brings Saugatuck to life in a vibrant way, giving users a more immersive and tailored experience. We emphasized the diversity of experiences available, from outdoor adventures on the dunes to cozy, off-season getaways in the winter months. By presenting the destination as a place to visit year-round, the new site helps Saugatuck boost tourism and revenue even when the summer crowds have gone. Visitors can now easily explore the area based on their personal interests, making it simpler to discover everything this charming lakeside town has to offer—whether they’re here for the food, the art, the outdoor adventures or simply the relaxing atmosphere.
The previous site’s platform was not only cumbersome for the editorial team but also lacked the flexibility needed to manage content effectively. Rigid templates and scattered, poorly structured data made updates a frustrating and inconsistent process. Partnering with the SDCVB and Concept A teams, we identified WordPress as the ideal solution, thanks to its robust content capabilities and the intuitive WordPress Block Editor (Gutenberg). This block-based editing tool empowers the team to create and update pages effortlessly, without requiring coding skills, offering them greater control, consistency, and ease of use.
To further enhance functionality, we carefully mapped content from the old system into WordPress and introduced expanded structured data fields tailored for operating hours, locations, and special events. These new fields allowed us to populate pages for restaurants, lodging, and activities with more precise information, enabling dynamic features such as scrollable maps and displaying recommended locations by proximity. This overhaul not only streamlined content management but also improved the user experience, making it easier for visitors to explore everything the region has to offer.
Like many destinations, Saugatuck experiences peaks and valleys in visitation throughout the year. To encourage year-round tourism and showcase the area’s charm in every season, we introduced a dynamic, season-based navigation feature paired with dedicated seasonal landing pages. These elements are designed to grab visitors’ attention no matter when they’re planning their trip.
By curating and promoting seasonal content across the site, we ensure that visitors thinking about their summer vacations are also aware of the exciting activities and attractions available in spring, fall, and winter. From cozy autumn festivals to serene winter getaways, the site now highlights all that Saugatuck has to offer beyond the popular summer months.
To streamline this effort, we built a robust tagging system that automates seasonal content curation. This system enables the site to dynamically feature relevant content throughout the year, keeping it fresh, engaging, and timely. By aligning the navigation and content strategy with the rhythms of the year, Saugatuck can now inspire and attract visitors in every season.
The new Saugatuck website offers a unique, mobile-first feature that enhances the visitor experience: "I’m in Saugatuck". When users view the site on their mobile devices while they’re in town, this button provides them with instant access to content tailored specifically for those currently visiting. Whether they’re looking for the latest weather forecast, up-to-the-minute event listings, or timely local updates, the information they need is front and center, making it easier to explore and make the most of their time in Saugatuck.
This dynamic feature ensures that visitors have all the relevant details they need, from events happening over the next week to important notices about local attractions or activities. It’s designed to help tourists feel more connected to the community and make spontaneous plans based on what’s happening in real-time.
For users who aren’t yet in Saugatuck, the site provides a detailed preview of everything the town has to offer. It serves as a virtual window, showcasing what visitors can expect—be it dining, shopping, outdoor activities, or art galleries—when they plan their trip. This real-time, engaging experience entices potential visitors by giving them a taste of what they could explore, see and do, helping them plan their next visit with excitement and confidence.
