The Cordwainer Website Revamp Strategy

Overview

The Cordwainer's website was identified as the top priority during the initial marketing onboarding call with Asymmetric Applications Group. While the site is not fundamentally broken, it has accumulated incremental changes from multiple parties over time — resulting in a cluttered experience that fails to convey the facility's premium, differentiated offering. The goal is a focused revamp that positions The Cordwainer as clearly superior to its primary competitor, ^[1].

The benchmark competitor is Bridges by Epoch (bridgesbyepoch.com), which recently relaunched with a new agency. Their site is described as "very personal" and effective. The Cordwainer's revamp should exceed it.

Critical Technical Fixes (Do First)

These issues directly suppress SEO performance and create legal exposure. They should be resolved within the first week of engagement.

Actions

• Install an ADA accessibility plugin (e.g., UserWay or AccessiBe). The same legal standard that applies to physical buildings applies to websites. Absence creates active litigation risk.
• Add missing legal policies to the footer: Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, Disclaimers, and any applicable healthcare disclosures. Currently only a Privacy Notice exists.
• Resolve speed issues — likely image optimization, caching, and script cleanup once the site is pulled into Asymmetric's environment.
• Fix security headers — can be resolved within a day or two once WordPress access is granted.

Content & Design Priorities

1. Hero Image

Current state: Aerial exterior shot of the building.
Problem: Fails to communicate the interior experience or the human warmth of the facility.
Fix: Replace with interior photography and/or resident lifestyle photos. The Cordwainer has a strong photo library (sourced from Instagram and internal folders) with far more compelling imagery already available. Real photos of residents and spaces are preferred over stock.

"We found on Instagram a bunch of really beautiful photographs of your facility that are far better than this one that's being used now for the hero." — Mark Hope

2. Navigation — Care Options Menu

Current state: "Respite Care" appears before "Dementia Care" in the Care Options menu.
Problem: Respite care is a secondary, opportunistic offering (short-term stays when a room is available). Dementia/memory care is the core business.
Fix: Reorder the menu so "Dementia Care" appears first. Consider whether "Respite Care" belongs as a sub-item or a separate lower-priority page.

3. Social Proof — Awards & Testimonials

Current state: Testimonials exist but are buried far down the homepage. Awards are not displayed on the site at all (they exist internally but were never added).
Fix:
- Surface testimonials higher on the homepage.
- Add award badges/logos (e.g., stars from Social magazine) to the homepage and/or About Us section.
- Consider a dedicated "What Makes Us Different" section above the fold on the About page.

"Even on the homepage, we should have some social proof." — Melissa Cusumano

4. Call to Action — Simplify

Current state: The homepage presents multiple competing CTAs: phone number, Schedule, RSVP, Apply, and others.
Problem: Dilutes user attention and reduces conversion. Visitors should be guided toward one primary action.
Fix: Identify the single most valuable action (recommended: "Schedule a Visit") and make it the dominant CTA. Secondary actions can exist but should be visually subordinate.

5. Service Descriptions — "Complete Care Services" Rebrand

Current state: Service descriptions reflect the old naming convention.
Fix: Update all service copy to reflect the new "Complete Care Services" branding, effective January 1st. Erica Lathrop to provide the updated disclosure statement, which describes the all-inclusive care model (up to 3 hours of care included, etc.).

6. Photo Label

Current state: Navigation or section label reads "Photos."
Fix: Change to "Gallery." (Minor, but flagged by ownership as a priority.)

7. Inquiry Forms — Remove Pricing

Current state: Pricing information appears in website inquiry forms.
Fix: Remove pricing from forms. (Assigned to Erica Lathrop.)

SEO Opportunities

Local Map Pack

The Cordwainer currently ranks #4 in the Google Maps local pack for relevant memory care searches. The goal is to move into the top 3. Improving technical health (speed, security) and building out local SEO signals (Google Business Profile, citations, reviews) will support this.

AI Overviews & Featured Snippets

Google is increasingly surfacing AI-generated overviews for informational queries. Target content opportunities include:
- "What is the average cost of memory care in Massachusetts?"
- "What is the difference between memory care and assisted living?"
- "What should I look for in a memory care facility?"

Blog posts or FAQ pages written to directly answer these questions can capture snippet placement and AI overview citations.

"Place for Mom" Aggregator

The Cordwainer has an existing agreement with A Place for Mom and a strong ranking there. This should be maintained and optimized as a supplementary lead channel.

The Cordwainer's Differentiators to Highlight

The website currently undersells what makes The Cordwainer genuinely distinctive. These should be woven into copy, imagery, and structure:

• The Learned Environment Program: A fully separate programming department (with its own director) that runs 2–3 unique events daily — above and beyond standard memory care programming. This is a rare differentiator and should be prominently featured.
• Strong Family Presence: Families visit daily and are deeply integrated into community life. This signals trust and quality of care.
• Awards: Multiple awards exist (Social magazine stars, etc.) that are not currently on the site.
• Google Reviews: Strong review profile — should be surfaced on the site.

Process & Next Steps

1. Access: Asymmetric needs WordPress credentials before any changes can be made. Bodo has the Sixth City login and can forward it immediately. Full access checklist (WordPress, Eldermark, social, DNS, CallRail) to be sent to Erica Lathrop.
2. Internal Review: Asymmetric will conduct a full page-by-page audit and prepare a prioritized change list.
3. Website Deep-Dive Call: Scheduled for Tuesday, November 18 at 11:00 AM CST / 12:00 PM EST with Mark, Sebastian, Bodo, and Erica.
4. Site Visit: Sebastian Gant to schedule an in-person visit to The Cordwainer (he is based in Rhode Island, approximately 1 hour away).

Assets Needed from The Cordwainer

• [ ] Full photo library (all awards, gallery photos, resident/event photos)
• [ ] Award badges/logos (Social magazine stars, etc.)
• [ ] All available testimonials
• [ ] Updated "Complete Care Services" disclosure statement
• [ ] Confirmation of photo release status for residents and employees

Related

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• ^[3]
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• ^[5]