We collected 2 awards at the annual Digital Business Ireland (DBI) Awards.

With over 550 entries across 21 categories, the finalist list was packed full of renowned brands, as well as a whole host of ambitious, dynamic digital leaders.

The judging panel consisted of representatives from leading Irish and global companies such as Microsoft, Trustpilot, DHL, and Byrne Wallace.

The jury awarded two of our projects in the ‘New Website of the Year’ & ‘Electrical and Technology Website of the Year’ categories.

WP Engine has released a global case study benchmarking the new website for The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCI).

DCCI commissioned WONDR to consolidate its wide variety of  separate websites into a unified content hub.

Powered by WP Engine, the project went beyond a digital facelift and ultimately resulted in a strategic overhaul of DCCI’s site, which enhanced user engagement, strengthened DCCI’s brand reputation, and positioned the Council as a champion of Irish design and craft on a global stage.

The new site for DCCI features ‘campaign mode‘,  a unique feature that enables the team to have more bespoke campaign sites within their main site for key programmes like Design Week & Future Makers.

DCCI’s digital transformation, led by WONDR in partnership with WP Engine, marked a significant milestone for the organization.

The project wasn’t only about creating a new website, but crafting a digital experience that mirrored the depth and richness of Irish design and crafts.

WONDR were a sponsor at DE{CODE}, WP Engine’s Virtual Developer Conference, which took place on 23/24 March 2023.

Over 4,000 attendees from across the globe comprised of developers, designers, marketers, and other tech enthusiasts attended the event to learn about the latest trends and technologies in the WordPress ecosystem.

Here’s our takeouts from the event:

Technology is shaping the power dynamics

One of the most discussed topics at the conference was ‘how technology has shaped the power dynamics between designers, developers, and marketers’. Speakers shared insights into how these roles have evolved over time, and how they are now collaborating more closely than ever before to create successful websites and digital experiences.

WordPress’s latest advancements in low-code/no-code solutions through the WordPress Block Editor and Full Site Editing provide endless possibilities for our clients. We use this for many of our client deliveries as it allows for a faster development cycle and enables many different resources to contribute to the project at the same time, especially as you move into content editorialisation & UAT.

We have built up a vast library of re-usable, open-source components that significantly speed up development and allow our team and clients to have greater insight into rapid branding and content editorialisation. We’re thrilled to leverage these capabilities to deliver even more innovative and effective digital products for our clients.

Maximizing Conversions to drive revenue

A key topic we passionately agree with it is how to increase revenue by simplifying payment processes, using smart reporting, and optimising websites for better performance.

• On average, a consumer makes 19 online transactions per year.
• Although standard credit cards may be the most user-friendly way to shop online, it could be beneficial to offer multiple payment methods in order to address the high percentage (70%) of online cart abandonment and to simplify the overall checkout process.
• Offering multiple payment methods can address high cart abandonment rates and make the checkout process easier.

Simplifying the cart system and minimising distractions can also help increase conversions by minimising distractions. Streamlining the checkout process, including payment options, can lead to a better user experience and reduce cart abandonment.

Going Headless

We were particularly interested in the headless WordPress discussions at the conference. Separating the back-end and front-end of a website with this approach offers numerous benefits, including superior flexibility, scalability, and performance. 

For developers focused on headless builds, an Atlas Sandbox account, Atlas Blueprints, and Faust.js all provide excellent opportunities for exploring the possibilities of headless WordPress. Using Frost and Genesis, builders that encapsulate Block Editor or Full Site Editing tools to support any project workflow, including patterns, themes, and custom blocks is small all the way up to enterprise solutions

We’re always looking for new ways to improve our workflows, and headless WordPress offers us a wealth of opportunities. We’ve delivered headless WordPress experience with tools like Atlas Sandbox account, Atlas Blueprints, and Faust.js, which provide an excellent starting point for developers focused on headless builds.

We discussed this topic in more detail as part of an expert panel at WP Engine’s Ignite event.

Robust Privacy & Security

The changing privacy landscape and its impact on websites was also a key topic at DE{CODE}. With updated regulations and user expectations, it is more important than ever for websites to prioritise privacy and security. 

Speakers discussed best practices for protecting user data and shared insights on how to comply with privacy regulations.

We find WP Engine to be a very robust and secure platform that we’ve successfully used for large fintech & insurance clients where security is paramount. Coupled with partners like Cloudflare we find WP Engine to provide excellent support and reassurance to any clients looking at it as alternative to other providers.

For more on the latest trends and technologies discussed at DE{CODE}, view here.

WONDR were guest speakers on the latest video series by Velocitize Magazine.

In the latest episode of Velocitize Talks, our very own Peter Delaney (Director of Product & Technology – WONDR) shares his thoughts on emerging trends in fintech, blockchain and e-commerce.

Velocitize Talks is an award-winning video series featuring agency innovators, digital disruptors and marketing leaders from around the world. The publication is delivered by WP Engine to provide insights into the shifting trends and innovative technologies defining digital marketing today.

Peter also joined an expert industry panel at WP Engine’s Ignite event in London to share his experience building cutting edge digital products on the world’s most trusted enterprise WordPress platform.

WP Engine have released a global case study benchmarking our work with 11ONZE to build and launch “La Plaça”, the first private social network designed to serve a community’s financial needs.

11Onze.cat, powered on WP Engine, exceeds performance and compliance benchmarks and provides users with personalised, interactive, and educational content that’s blockchain-connected for future growth.

Where traditional financial institutions create websites to sell products, 11Onze has innovated to create a social network that actively serves the Catalan people and their needs. This ethos of “adding a human touch to digital banking” is what sets 11Onze apart in the crowded fintech space.

Delivered within a four-month timeframe, 11Onze’s Facebook-like PSN, La Plaça, has attracted more than 10,000 members in less than six months, doubling the original target.

WP Engine have released a global case study benchmarking our work with the Irish heart Foundation on their website.

The charity plays a leading role in improving the cardiovascular health of people living in Ireland so they do not experience disability or die prematurely from heart disease, stroke and other blood vessel diseases. They do this through health promotion, advocacy, research and pre-hospital coronary care.

They needed a website that would have a bigger impact and encourage donations. Working closely with ourselves, we defined their digital strategy resulting in a new revamped website experience that was built using WordPress & powered by WP Engine.

The site was designed with an editorial system using components, allowing the team to customise and create bespoke user journeys to meet all the demands of the public and their own stakeholders. Previously the charity commissioned bespoke micro-sites for each campaign, so the new site was built with campaign tools enabling them to publish their campaigns quickly on the main site and without the need to spend on additional development costs.

The site also included a learning management system to enable the charity to publish courses which teachers and students could access to register for courses, track their progress and collect their certificates. WONDR also built a custom API for ThankQ, which is a global charity CRM that gathers all information about donors.