Have you ever heard of Page County, Virginia? Probably not, although chances are good that you know of the county seat Luray, Virginia, because of Luray Caverns and their abundance of billboards along I-81. Well, it's time for everyone to know more about the charm of Luray and the indelible beauty of every square inch of Page County. About two weeks ago we launched www.luraypage.com to tell those stories to the world. I’d like to take you on the insiders tour of the website.
• The first thing on travel website visitor's minds is what is there to do at this destination. They are less interested in background, stats, amenities, etc. The bottom line is what can my family, friends and I do. With that in mind, this site places the Things to Do menu first where that question is answered in many ways and organized by subject. If the viewer’s eye is drawn to the unique Choose Your Level option first, those three pages are entirely about what exciting things there are to do.
• A focus group conducted by a state travel office revealed that visitors can’t get enough photos. Good photos help visitors project themselves into the scene. Even though some web “experts” suggest keeping photos to a minimum because too many can potentially slow the loading time, the focus group proves that rule simply doesn’t apply to tourism sites. The Luray & Page County site has lots of great photos that show a mix of beautiful scenery and people engaged in fun activities.
• The site plan was designed for easy navigation. Our objective was that a visitor could find whatever information they wanted within three clicks. Other times, viewers like to browse travel websites. This one sure is fun to browse. It’s rich in content with plenty of photos and concise, easy-to-read copy.
• Luray & Page County is a fantastic destination for families (although it’s also great for couples, seniors or a girlfriend getaway). Kids are as computer savvy as anyone, so we dedicated a page to telling young folks what they can do when they arrive in Luray & Page County. The Kids Page is designed and written specifically for kids. Of course, parents need to be assured that there are plenty of fun and safe things for their kids to enjoy. The Parents Page addresses that topic in detail.
• Multigenerational travel is a rapidly growing trend. Grandparents are frequently included on vacations and in many instances they’re footing the bill. Luray & Page County is ideally suited to multigenerational travel parties because of the opportunity to rent a cabin where family members can have private rooms but also share common kitchen, living room and porch/deck space. This site includes a Grandparents Page to explain exactly why Luray & Page County is the place to make memories with the grandkids. Note: Kids Pages on a travel site are few and far between, but I personally have never seen a Grandparents Page. I think it’s a unique and valuable addition to this site.
There is a lot more strategy and planning built into every section and page on the site. I could go on and on, but you’d probably prefer to just click around on the site at your own pace. Once you do, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Post them here on the blog or on our Facebook page.
