Building a Seamless User Experience
When Genesee County Parks & Recreation set out to redesign its website, the goal was clear: create a user-friendly platform that was responsive, accessible, and simple to navigate. The project was contracted through Cynerge Consulting, an authorized reseller of LocalHop services, and developed by LocalHop. The revamped website reduced navigation friction with a custom mega menu, improved searchability, and enhanced the mobile experience. As a result of the redesign, the website’s performance improved significantly. The Google Lighthouse performance score—an indicator of how fast and efficient a site is—rose by 35%, meaning users now experience a much smoother and faster browsing experience. Additionally, the Speed Index, which measures how quickly visible content loads, decreased from 2.4 seconds to 1.7 seconds. This reduction means visitors can access information more quickly, leading to a better overall user experience.
LocalHop implemented a tailored mega menu using the Divi Mega Pro Plugin, featuring images and custom formatting for intuitive navigation. The redesign reduced clicks while maintaining a streamlined, visually appealing interface. The improved structure allowed users to locate information with fewer steps, validated by engagement metrics and user feedback post-launch.
Driving Performance and Stability
Speed and stability were at the heart of the redesign for Genesee County Parks & Recreation. By hosting the site on WP Engine, LocalHop ensured continuous performance monitoring, automatic backups, enterprise-level security, and optimized server infrastructure—all essential for maintaining a fast and reliable website.
To complement this robust hosting foundation, the development team leveraged the Divi Theme Builder to create a visually cohesive, lightweight site optimized for faster load times. A focus on simplicity and performance made the website not only faster but also more engaging for users, ensuring a seamless experience across devices.
These improvements were critical in achieving key performance gains, including reducing the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) from 5.1 seconds to 2.0 seconds, meaning the most important page content now loads significantly faster. Additionally, the Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) improved from 1.081 to 0.468, ensuring a smoother, more stable browsing experience with fewer unexpected layout shifts. With load times now well below the two-second threshold known to drive higher engagement, user satisfaction and accessibility have dramatically improved.
Migrating to WP Engine is simple, with built-in tools that allow for seamless content transfer and minimal downtime. If your organization isn’t hosting on WP Engine yet, now is the perfect time to switch and experience the benefits of faster load times, increased security, and expert WordPress support for a better user experience.
Ensuring Accessibility Across Devices
To meet the needs of all users, LocalHop prioritized responsive design throughout the project. The website was rigorously tested across a range of screen sizes to ensure consistent experiences on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. This focus on mobile responsiveness allowed Genesee County Parks & Recreation to better serve its audience, who increasingly access information on the go.
LocalHop’s training on an intuitive visual builder empowered the client’s team, enabling them to make real-time updates without requiring advanced technical skills. This adaptability ensured the website could meet evolving community needs while staying aligned with Genesee County Parks’ mission of providing quality recreational opportunities for everyone and preserving natural resources.
By offering hands-on training sessions, LocalHop focused on the visual builder’s ease of use, allowing staff to quickly learn and apply their new skills with confidence. The new website not only streamlined internal management but also directly supported Genesee County Parks’ vision—”Parks Bring People Together”—by making it easier than ever for residents to find information, plan visits, and engage with outdoor spaces.
Feedback from the client’s staff highlighted the system’s user-friendliness, allowing them to focus on their core mission without being hindered by technical challenges. With a website that is now easier to manage, navigate, and update, Genesee County Parks can better connect the community with nature and recreational opportunities for years to come.
Overcoming Challenges with Innovation
One of the project’s biggest challenges was creating an advanced mega menu that balanced functionality and aesthetics. Mega menus can be resource-intensive, difficult to structure intuitively, and prone to slow load times if not optimized properly. Additionally, ensuring mobile responsiveness, accessibility compliance, and seamless user experiences across devices required careful planning and testing.
LocalHop addressed this by customizing the Divi Mega Pro Plugin, enabling a dynamic, user-friendly solution that maintained performance without sacrificing usability. The plugin allowed for rich formatting, images, and structured content, making it easier for users to quickly scan and find relevant information while ensuring clean visual hierarchy and branding consistency. Thoughtful design choices helped reduce cognitive overload, keeping navigation intuitive and efficient.
This innovative approach delivered results that exceeded client expectations. Users now enjoy smoother navigation, faster access to key information, and a more visually engaging interface. At the same time, the client benefits from a scalable, future-proof solution that ensures long-term usability and adaptability.
Measurable Results That Matter
The redesigned website delivers significantly improved user experience, as reflected in key performance metrics:
· Google Lighthouse Score: Increased by 35%, placing the site within the excellent performance range (90+).
· Speed Index: Improved from 2.4 to 1.7 seconds, meaning content appears even faster for visitors.
· Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Reduced from 5.1 to 2.0 seconds, ensuring the most important content loads quickly—well within the ideal under 2.5 seconds.
· Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Lowered from 1.081 to 0.468, minimizing unexpected page shifts that disrupt the user experience.
These enhancements result in a faster, more visually stable, and engaging website, ensuring a seamless experience for visitors.
Conclusion: A Collaborative Success
LocalHop’s partnership with Genesee County Parks & Recreation demonstrates the impact of thoughtful design and technical innovation. By focusing on user experience, performance, and accessibility, LocalHop delivered a website that not only meets but exceeds expectations.
Ready to elevate your digital presence? LocalHop is here to help organizations like yours achieve remarkable results—get your quote today and secure your discount!
