After Hurricane Katrina, the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra needed to energize new and returning youth. They turned to Plaine Studios to develop a website which would not only appeal to youth and their parents visually, but would provide useful tools in allowing youth and parents to interact with one another as well as assist GNOYO in organizational operations.
The Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra (GNOYO) has been recognized both locally and nationally for its commitment to music education. In its thirteenth season, GNOYO provides young musicians the opportunity to participate in a high-quality full orchestra program. Following Hurricane Katrina, the organization needed to attract new students and reinvigorate previous youth participants and parents returning to the area. GNOYO contacted Plaine Studios to help give their website a dynamic appeal that would reach out and energize young people to get involved, as well as provide a tool to assist general organizational operations.
Plaine Studios delivered a high-impact website aimed at attracting both youth as well as their parents. With a fresh design and rich color palette, the new GNOYO website showed New Orleans and beyond, that not only was GNOYO back, but it planned on becoming a part of the fabric of the new New Orleans culture. Plaine Studios also delivered photography used on the website as well as video clips from past performances. Plaine Studios delivered a website that reflected GNOYO's professionalism; one which now not only served to assist in the development of New Orleans youth and culture, but also provided a creative outlet from the stresses of rebuilding post-Katrina.
The site serves as a useful tool in providing information about the organization and allows GNOYO to conduct business in a much more fluid manner. Plaine Studios delivered a password-protected area of the website for students and their parents, which allows the students to interact with one another via a message board. Additionally, this area of the site allows students to access newsletters, complete a "MySpace" type profile about themselves to share with other students, view the student handbook and policies, complete an online absence form that is submitted to GNOYO if they are unable to attend a rehearsal, and auto-populates a student directory with information provided.
The website also features online applications accessible to the public for anyone interested in participating in any of its programs, ordering recordings of concerts on CD, or volunteering with the organization. It also contains a section which allows GNOYO alumni to complete information about themselves and their post-GNOYO activities to be submitted for inclusion on the website.
With an easy-to-use and robust content management system, GNOYO is able to update and maintain the website in-house at no cost to the organization. The GNOYO staff also maintains an email marketing list, which features an email template that mirrors the design of the site, allowing GNOYO to cohesively present themselves in the digital world.
GNOYO's previous website, which was online for several years, consistently appeared on page 24 of a Google search for "youth orchestras". As of May 2007, the new website optimized by Plaine Studios, now consistently appears near the top of page 2 of a Google search for "youth orchestras" and has been steadily climbing since launch.
Plaine Studios delivered the high-impact image and high level of functionality necessary to inspire students and parents to get involved with the organization. It also facilitates more efficient operations within the organization. Shortly after site launch, GNOYO received a Louisiana Governor's Arts Award and later was awarded one of the highest honors of all - a national Coming Up Taller award presented by First Lady Laura Bush at the White House for their outstanding community arts and humanities programs for youth. In 2007, Plaine Studios also received an ADDY Award for the website.
"Plaine Studios listened to GNOYO's needs and created an end result that couldn't make me happier. Understanding our desire for a site that reached a broad audience (young musicians, parents, community members and donors) they created a fun, informative and visually stimulating site. The site provides newcomers with a wonderful introduction to our programs, while also appealing to our members by providing constant updates such as video clips, new photographs and news items. With Plaine Studios' design, I feel proud when sending new members or potential donors to our site."
Marianna Roll
Executive Director
Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra
"It is dynamic, easy to maneuver, informational and incredibly attractive. Clearly, it was a dedication of time and talent..."
Margaret Shields
President
Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra