Check out the new website for Main Stage West, a theater in Sebastopol CA, where “Good things come in small packages…” This is the website we worked on as part of the WIMPgives event I mentioned couple of weeks ago. The team included Nate Bauer, who designed the site, using some of the ideas and preferences of Keith Baker, MSW’s Managing Artistic Director, aka the “client” and Erin Casteel, who built the site based on the new design and the existing content of the previous incarnation of the site. Meanwhile as a project manager and content strategist I worked with Keith

• going through the content and structure of the site
• creating and optimizing MSW’s social media channels
• performing a mini-on-page SEO and educating the client about it.

In case you are interested in some technical aspects of the site: it has custom post and page types, rotating slider of upcoming shows on the home page, random picture for the background of the home page.

I enjoyed the experience: we were working hard, barely stopping for food (which was generously provided by sponsors) or professional massage (which my colleagues really appreciated), but at the same time had lots of fun as we the goal of the day became closer and closer. At the end of the day all the volunteers and clients gathered for showing off the sites we’ve built to each other and to vote on the best ones. We grabbed the third position. This is not bad, considering while the site was fully functional by then, we didn’t make it live as a few more final touches were missing. Those were done the following week.

I got a lot out of the day; e.g.

• worked with cool and professional people I didn’t know before
• learned about the aspects of WordPress I wanted to
• the good feeling that I helped a worthy non-profit in need
• publicity as my name is mentioned on the event’s site
• free food :-)
• tickets to the theater

I am looking forward seeing the pictures and videos that were shot and to participating in similar events in the future.