Jules O'Brian website development

Jules approached Redcentaur to help her develop this project. After a few emails and conversations, we fleshed out the scope of the project and an idea of the website’s contents. Jules was central to this discovery phase and her input was valuable.

Project details

Client:	Jules O'Brian
Project:	Jules O'Brian website development
Date:	31 Jan 2024

Scope

Jules is a previous client of Redcentaur, having hosted a website with us before. It was great to hear from her again and to offer our services to support her in this project.

Jules O’Brian, a talented comedian with a unique blend of observational humour about her own life and experiences, needed a website that would effectively showcase her comedic style, attract new fans, and serve as a professional platform for booking and press inquiries. Without an existing website, she needed a digital home that reflected her personality and professionalism.

Jules wanted us to not only develop the site for her but also to host and maintain it on her behalf. We knew Jules has the technical skill to update the content on the site herself, but she felt more comfortable passing the content to us so that we could take the strain out of it. This would also enable us to keep on top of general server, security, and site maintenance requirements at the same time.

Our solution

Redcentaur collaborated closely with Jules to develop a comprehensive online strategy that met the needs of her work. The website focussed on:

Brand identity and voice: We began by delving into Jules’s comedic voice, identifying her target audience, and clarifying her brand message. This involved discussions about her comedy influences, her performance style, and the overall image she wanted to project. We helped her articulate what sets her apart on the comedy scene, with reference to her background, so we developed a website that is based on her personality: using a .me.uk domain name and a site logo that looks like a signature;
Custom website design: We designed a visually appealing and user–friendly website that reflects Jules’s personality. The design was clean, modern, and easy to navigate, ensuring visitors can quickly find the information they are looking for. We focussed on creating a design that was both professional and approachable, mirroring her on–stage persona;
Gig date management: A dynamic list of gig dates was introduced as one of the key focal points of the website. This feature allows us to easily update Jules’s upcoming shows and to provide information about tickets and location to her fans. It is essential for driving sales for promoters and keeping her audience informed about future work, including promotion of her one–woman show dates;
Social media integration: Seamless integration with Jules’s social media profiles, allowing visitors to easily connect with her and stay updated on her latest activities. This cross–platform connectivity is vital for building a strong online community;
SEO optimisation: We optimised the website for relevant keywords related to Jules’s style and location, improving her search engine rankings and increasing her visibility to potential fans and promoters. This included optimising page titles, meta descriptions, and website content, an ongoing process when new content is delivered; and,
Mobile responsiveness: The website was designed to be fully responsive, ensuring a consistent and enjoyable user experience across all devices, from desktops to smartphones. This is essential in today’s mobile–first world.

Jules was involved throughout the project development and provided feedback to our ideas and suggestions. She was responsive in our discussions and helped us to identify the direction to take. Because of this collaborative approach, we were able to create a website for Jules that looks professional and effectively reflects her personality.

Successes

The outcome of the project is a website (https://julesobrian.me.uk) that reflects and projects Jules’s personality. The website feels intimate, as though you are getting to know her personally, and that you are having a chat and a laugh with a friend. This has been carefully reinforced with the use of a .me.uk domain name, the very personal email address, and curation of high–quality, great imagery that reflects Jules’s personality.

Providing a press kit page for Jules’s professional persona enables the media to download a kit providing basic background (biographical) information, high–quality curated high resolution images, promoter reviews, details of awards, and contact information.

With Jules’s ongoing commitment to provide high–quality, professional content to the site, and to promote her performances through it, we are able to support Jules in growing and developing her successful comedy career (and we get to watch her go from strength to strength!)

Challenges

One of the biggest challenges was finding time to discuss the project and obtain content from Jules in her busy schedule. We were flexible and managed to create time to talk to Jules at convenient moments.

With ongoing website maintenance and content management, we have developed a routine whereby Jules provides us with new content on a weekly basis, and we regularly ask her for new photographs or other content.

Impacts of the project

The project gave Jules the following benefits:

Professional website: Jules now has a polished and professional online presence that effectively showcases her talent and her work, allowing audiences and promoters to see her style of comedy, gig dates, and achievements;
Increased visibility: Now Jules has an online presence, with optimised SEO, she ranks in search engine results, making it easier for fans and promoters to discover her online and to get in touch with her;
Bookings access: The clear contact information, professional presentation, and simplified methods of getting in touch, have enabled promoters easier access to Jules for bookings inquiries from comedy clubs, corporate events, and festivals;
Stronger fan engagement: The integration of social media has facilitated greater fan engagement and helped Jules build a loyal following on her social media profiles and through her podcasts, which are available from her website; and,
Centralised hub: The website serves as a central hub for all of Jules’s online activities, providing a single destination for fans, industry professionals, promoters, and media contacts to find information about her work.

The website can be seen at https://julesobrian.me.uk/

“Professional, friendly and so incredibly helpful, Redcentaur has gone above and beyond to ensure my website (and its content) is high quality. Cannot recommend highly enough.”

—Jules O’Brian, Comedian