A full rebuild of a long-standing client’s site, upgrading to newest versions of GeneratePress and GenerateBlocks. Aside from 100% Accessibility, SEO and ‘Best Practises scores’, we implemented a full custom-built events management system using ACF.
GeneratePress WordPress websites are built to last and are inherently future-proof in that key changes and new features are typically backwards-compatible … there may be new bells ‘n whistles that are being missed out on, but the original site will continue to function perfectly.
And that was the case with Plant Heritage Guernsey. We knew the site worked, but, like a proud parent looking on and wanting the best for their children, we also knew that it could look better, perform better and would benefit from a rethink (and, as it turned out, a rebuild) around a key component – the promotion of events.
(Excuse us some techno-babble) – the site had been using the Eventbrite plugin for a good few years for the presentation of PHG’s events – plant sales, tours, talks and presentations – but it was often overly fiddly, especially when duplicating an existing event. So, step forward WordPress Custom Post Types, implemented within Advanced Custom Fields, custom ACF Field Groups, presented using GeneratePress Elements and making use of ‘dot annotation’ to pull information from the events and display them dynamically using Dynamic Tags.
The TLDR version of all that is the client now has one simple (yet detail-rich) form for creating a new event, all presented on the front end via a standard template that behave impeccably across all devices. It’s all custom made, all built in, and all completely adjustable and transparent.
By way of a Public Service Announcement, if any passing GeneratePress developer sees this, the ACF Image type must be set to ‘Array’ if you’re wanting to use dot annotation in your Dynamic Tag (just use URL for a single image), and you can use either post_meta or loop_item. And for a bonus free gift – you’re a better person than us if you can get the Google Maps field to work – save yourself some hair and just use the iFrame embed code from Google Maps or OpenStreetMap.
Site features
- Designed to be straightforward for client
- A custom system for adding & presenting events
- Dedicated Editor & Admin logins
- On-site embedding of Eventbrite booking buttons
- Redirects from old to new site
- Dashboard how-to videos
- A native ‘mega-menu’ – no more plugins!
- Optimised for mobile and tablet use
- Highest possible scores for accessibility
