From a Large Static HTML Site to a Drupal Powered CMS

The Need

The Archdiocese Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (Archdiocese) wanted to use its Antiochian.org web site to promote awareness and understanding of the Orthodox Faith and the work of the Archdiocese.  They needed a web site to serve as a tool for effective communication to various audiences, including persons within the Archdiocese, other churches, the general public, and the press.

The site had to be easy to use for site visitors and for those who added content and administered the site.  The site’s appearance and user experience needed to be pleasing, as well as serve to further communicate who the Archdiocese is as an organization and as a church.

Sections of the site needed a cohesive look and user experience, to communicate unity across its many departments and organizations.

Web site accessibility was also an important consideration when developing the organization’s site.

The Results

Successful migration of the organization’s main web site from a large static html site to a Drupal powered CMS, realizing the following benefits:

  • A web site based on a system and standards that are widely supported in the business and non-profit communities, providing many new support options
  • A standardized system to make updates in a timely fashion and provide better support
  • Improved search capabilities for visitors to easily find content relative to their interests and needs
  • A better audio system, improved video postings, an easier way to syndicate content and to enable users to subscribe to the site content

Significant Growth

  • 87% growth in the number of unique visitors to the site each month, for a number of consecutive months, with steady growth continuing
  • 375% increase in the number of pages the visitors are reading on the site each month

In other words significantly more visitors reading significantly more pages on the site.

The Old Site
Today's Site
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Screen Grab 5-7-2008 5.53.20 PM 0001

More Pages with Better Content Resulting in Better Search Engine Ranking

Antiochian.org now has over 4,000 pages of quality content, indexed and searchable for visitors.

The site has gone from not being in the top one hundred search results for its key terms on any search engine, to being number 4 on Google, number 4 on MSN, and number 1 on Yahoo.

The Response

In the Archdiocese’s official magazine, The Word, they described my work for them as follows:

…the professionalism he brought…includes a solid technical infrastructure…a foundation on which we can build a web site that serves our [mission]. From a top-line server … to a premier open source software platform [Drupal] that we can grow affordably for the foreseeable future, Sean has left us a vehicle…that we can use for a powerful witness….

March 2008 – The Word Magazine-The Official Print Publication of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

Comments from the site’s users

Our web site is an effective tool for our church ministry. However, we cannot use this tool in isolation. It is part of a complex network, both material and technological. Antiochian.org provides this crucial network that enables our church to accomplish its witness. Antiochian.org offers:

  • an exceptionally comprehensive resource
  • an extensive wealth of materials
  • the most updated information
  • a dynamic and constantly developing web site
  • a systematic and methodical layout and structure
  • a practical and accessible environment for all users

The staff at antiochian.org are most courteous, provide immediate response, offer outstanding technical support, resolve every issue efficiently, request suggestions and implement them.

Dolly Crow, Antiochian Women

Thanks to the outreach of the CMS, I was able to easily craft a web page that Oratorical contestants, their parents and their priests can access. It’s made communication means so much easier. When the CMS works for you, everyone benefits, especially in the Oratorical Festival.

Peter Samore, NAC Oratorical Festival Coordinator

The Archdiocese Web site and its Content Management System has greatly improved the communications and efficiency of all of us doing the Good work of the Church

Michael Srour, the Fellowship of Saint John the Divine

The Internet has become a vital part of our ministry. When scattered across the continent, Antiochian.org has been a great help for us, in bridging the communication gaps within the Fellowship of St. John the Divine, and keeping us connected with the other organizations and departments of our God-protected Archdiocese. The guys…have been easily reachable, quick to reply with valuable solutions, and always providing us with updated state-of-the-art technology, so vital in internet ministries.

Nicolas Ellaham, Fellowship of St. John the Divine – President, Diocese of Ottawa, Eastern Canada and Upstate New York

The Archdiocesan Content Management System has been an invaluable aid in keeping the web site of the Diocese of Oakland and the East current and relevant to our “customers”: the faithful of the diocese and more widely, those around the world who visit the site. Without the diligent and prompt work of the [site] staff, we would be unable to produce the high quality site that we have.

Dn. John Shumski, Diocese of Oakland, PA and the Southeast

I congratulate you…on an outstanding archdiocese web site. The new site looks great - very professional - very informative - interesting – is [easy] to navigate - and filled with useful material!

Very Rev Dr Joseph F Purpura, Chairman, Department of Youth Ministry

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