wiki/clients/current/sbs/2026-04-05-website-redesign-kickoff.md · 1367 words · 2026-04-05
Website Redesign Kickoff — 2026-04-05
Overview
In-person kickoff meeting at Asymmetric with SBSWI principals Chris Sisinni and Brandon Aman. The session established scope, messaging strategy, information architecture, and a phased timeline for a full WordPress website redesign targeting a mid-February launch. The current site (hosted on Hibu, not WordPress) will be rebuilt from content rather than cloned.
Attendees: Mark Hope, Sebastian Gant, Melissa Cusumano (Asymmetric); Chris Sisinni, Brandon Aman (SBSWI)
Key Decisions
| Decision |
Detail |
| Platform |
Full rebuild on WordPress; hosted by Asymmetric |
| Domain/Registrar |
Domain stays at SiteGround; Asymmetric manages DNS post-cutover |
| Hibu migration |
30-day notice required; timing to align with launch plan |
| Launch target |
Mid-February |
| Primary CTA |
Form-first (routes to info@sbswi.com, team-wide visibility); secondary CTA is phone |
| Appointment scheduling |
Appointment request widget (3 date choices + AM/PM windows) preferred over live calendar due to calendar hygiene concerns — decision pending SBSWI confirmation |
| Services nav |
Convert to dropdown listing top services |
| Case studies |
Normalize to consistent template; add category filters; seed with top 20 |
| Sustainability counter |
Quantify and display "square feet saved from landfill" on homepage and per case study |
| Blog/SEO |
AI-assisted drafting with human prompting and review; structured for search and LLM answer inclusion |
| Check-in cadence |
Biweekly; next working session Dec 8 |
Messaging Pillars
- Restoration-first philosophy — Repair, coatings, and metal roof restorations extend roof life and minimize disruption. Tear-off is a last resort, not a first instinct.
- Manufacturer-backed labor warranties — Partners like IKO inspect completed work and warrant both labor and materials. If SBSWI ceases operations, the manufacturer backs the warranty. This is a meaningful differentiator from contractor-only warranties.
- NRCA credibility — NRCA membership signals gold-standard professionalism. Licensed with multiple manufacturers (logos to appear on site with mutual linkbacks for SEO benefit).
- Sustainability — Quantify landfill diversion per project and display a running counter on the homepage.
- Values and longevity — Decade in business, St. Jude charity giving, maintenance contracts that keep SBSWI as the client's long-term roofing partner.
Navigation
- Services → dropdown with: Commercial Roofing, Roof Inspection (free), Roof Repair, Maintenance, Roof Restoration/Coatings, Metal Roofing
- Terms & Conditions → move to footer
- Contact / Request Estimate → consolidate into single page
Homepage Modules
- Hero: drone video loop (optimized for web)
- Primary value proposition + form-first CTA
- Services overview
- Social proof: NRCA badge, manufacturer logos, Google/other reviews
- Sustainability counter (sq ft saved from landfill)
- Secondary CTA: phone
Case Studies
- Normalized template: consistent imagery, iconography, and metrics (including sq ft saved from landfill)
- Filters: Agriculture, Metal, Restoration, Single-ply, Sustainability (and others TBD)
- Seed with top 20; expand over time
- Single consolidated page
- Appointment request widget: 3 preferred dates + AM/PM window preference
- Mobile-optimized; reviews must remain prominent on mobile
Target Audiences (Personas — Draft)
| Persona |
Primary Motivations |
| Facility Manager |
Capex planning, minimal operational disruption, multi-year maintenance roadmap, reliability over price |
| Building Owner |
Best outcome per dollar, open to staged/phased approach, price-sensitive |
| Property Manager |
Responsiveness, coordination ease, predictability |
Note: Nonprofit and senior living buyers may warrant additional persona notes — SBSWI to review and annotate.
Service Regions
- Core: Greater Milwaukee metro, Dane County (Madison)
- Strategic: Fond du Lac, Walworth (agriculture and metal restoration focus)
- Service counties to be listed on site; geo settings will inform future Ads campaigns
Stack
- WordPress on Asymmetric hosting
- Domain registrar: SiteGround (stays; Megan holds access)
- DNS management: Asymmetric post-cutover
Migration Notes
- Current Hibu site is not WordPress — rebuild from content, not a clone or migration
- Hibu requires 30-day cancellation notice; timing decision due by ~Jan 10
- Build on staging environment → QA → push live
DNS / Email Deliverability
- CenterPoint Connect email/link deliverability issues currently exist
- Resolution: implement proper SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and CNAME records at DNS cutover
- SiteGround access needed from Megan to retrieve existing DNS records
URL Preservation
- Preserve all existing slugs and set up redirects to protect QR codes in the field
- Inventory all QR code endpoints before launch
Content & Assets
Brand
- Colors: orange and blue (team gear); formal brand guidelines to be provided by SBSWI
- Logos needed: NRCA (provided), IKO, IAAP, Progressive, others
- Drone videos: SBSWI to upload via Google Drive or WeTransfer
- Project photography: SBSWI has final-product photos; action/process shots are sparse
- Plan: use curated stock placeholders now; arrange targeted photoshoot (staged acceptable) once schedule allows
Blogs / SEO
- Goal: generate qualified commercial-intent traffic
- Topic areas: roof inspections, restoration vs. tear-off, coatings for metal/agricultural roofs, lifecycle/capex planning, business disruption avoidance
- Approach: AI-assisted drafting with human prompting and review; structured for both search ranking and LLM answer inclusion
- Backlog of 10–12 topics to be outlined by Asymmetric
Lead Flow & Measurement
- Current state: very few legitimate inbound leads; many solicitations; no call tracking in place (Chris manually asks callers how they found SBSWI)
- Target state: conversion-ready site — frictionless form, commitment-oriented appointment request, clear proof, fast load, mobile-optimized
- Form routing: info@sbswi.com (team-wide); internal CC list to be confirmed
- Call tracking: to be discussed; not currently implemented
- Ads discussion: schedule 4–6 weeks pre-launch
Action Items
Asymmetric (Sebastian / Melissa)
| Task |
Due |
| Send credentials request checklist to SBSWI (Hibu admin, SiteGround, DNS host, GA/Search Console, email DNS records, YouTube links) |
Nov 22 |
| Deliver homepage wireframe + moodboard (value prop, services dropdown, hero video, social proof, sustainability counter) |
Dec 6 |
| Draft initial personas (Facility Manager, Building Owner, Property Manager) and share for SBSWI edits |
Dec 6 |
| Outline blog/SEO topic backlog (10–12 items, commercial intent) |
Dec 6 |
| Provide case study template and filtering model; define required fields and image specs |
Dec 6 |
| Recommend form design (fields, routing, internal CCs) and appointment request module |
Dec 6 |
| Audit mobile UX for reviews placement; propose replacement for current floating icons |
Dec 6 |
| Plan URL mapping and redirect inventory (including QR endpoints) |
Dec 6 |
| Prepare DNS/email deliverability plan (SPF/DKIM/DMARC/CNAME) for cutover |
Dec 6 |
SBSWI (Brandon + team)
| Task |
Due |
| Provide access credentials: Hibu portal, SiteGround login (Megan), DNS management creds, CenterPoint Connect DNS record guidance |
Dec 1 |
| Upload assets to shared folder: brand guidelines, NRCA/manufacturer/affiliation logos, high-res photography, drone videos, existing video loops |
Dec 1 |
| Confirm form routing address (info@sbswi.com) and internal CC list |
Dec 1 |
| Select top 20 case studies (titles, summaries, metrics incl. sq ft saved from landfill, dates, location, roofing system, photos) |
Dec 8 |
| List service counties to display on site; note any QR code URLs currently in the field |
Dec 8 |
| Review and annotate draft personas; add notes for nonprofit/senior living buyers if relevant |
Dec 8 |
| Decide on appointment request approach: AM/PM windows vs. live calendar |
Dec 8 |
| Decide on Hibu cancellation notice timing (30-day) aligned to launch plan |
~Jan 10 |
Timeline
| Phase |
Activities |
Target |
| Phase 1 — Planning |
Questionnaire validation, personas, initial SEO keyword research |
Now → Dec 6 |
| Phase 2 — Design |
Homepage wireframe/moodboard, approvals, revisions; subpages inherit system |
Dec 6 → Jan |
| Build |
Staging environment build, QA, URL/redirect mapping |
Jan |
| Launch |
DNS cutover, Hibu cancellation, go-live |
Mid-February |
Note: Brandon out Jan 9–19. Design approvals should be complete before then.