Blackburn Cathedral
Creating a brand identity and website to resonate with a younger, more contemporary audience.
We invited community participation, inspired exploration, and uncovered the Cathedral’s rich narrative, all while drastically increasing engagement rate and organic search traffic.
Our goal was to bridge generational gaps, creating a brand that is inclusive and welcoming to all. It was also imperative that our design approach emphasised engagement and connection, steering clear of any commercial overtones.
Beginning the project
We began the project with a hands-on workshop that involved the entire team, allowing us to fully understand the project’s sensitive nature. Our challenge was to create a brand that resonated across various age groups while being versatile enough to suit both celebratory and sombre occasions.
A modern yet timeless brand identity
Following close collaboration with the team, we developed a cohesive branding concept that is modern, fresh, and warm, yet flexible enough to encompass the cathedral’s diverse range of activities, from weddings and funerals to community events. The design needed to balance tradition with a contemporary feel, which we achieved through thoughtful use of colour, typography, and imagery.
An intuitive new website
With the brand’s visual elements in place, we then drastically enhanced Blackburn Cathedral’s online presence with a refreshed and easy-to-use website.
This included revamping the navigation, streamlining the site structure, and implementing key SEO strategies to boost organic traffic. We made it easy for visitors to find what they needed, from services and events to visitor information.
The impact of the new website and branding was quickly clear, with significant improvements in key metrics.
Organic clicks rose +160% YoY, reflecting increased interest and engagement. The engagement rate also grew by +32.8% YoY, showing visitors are interacting more with the content.
Active users increased by +58.3% YoY, indicating more return visitors and wider community reach. Most notably, organic impressions surged by +178% YoY, underscoring the success of our SEO strategies and the website’s enhanced visibility.