YMCA Southcoast Website Design
YMCA Southcoast, with 6 locations across southeastern Massachusetts, is a staple in our area. When they reached out for help with their website, we were ready to assist! Learn how we helped to update and maintain their old website and ultimately transitioned to a completely redesigned website in 2026!
+47%
increase in membership sign up page form submissions (ROI)
+240%
increase in page views on Programs page
+9%
average engagement time per active user
Data comparison: Analytics data from 1st half of 2026 vs. same period 1 year prior
Our Approach for YMCA Southcoast
Starting with The Results
Slocum Studio launched the new YMCA Southcoast website in early 2026 and the results are impressive. There has been a 47% increase in membership sign up form submissions which directly benefits YMCA Southcoast with recurring revenue, a great ROI! Page views on the Programs pillar page have increased over 240%, meaning visitors are learning more about the programs offered at YMCA Southcoast. There has also been a 9% increase in average engagement time per active user. Visitors are engaging with the website more frequently than before.
We compared visitor analytics data from the first half of 2026 vs. the same period 1 year prior.
The Challenge: Rebuild or Maintain?
When YMCA Southcoast first approached us in 2023 with their newly refreshed website, we had to make a decision. After evaluating the website, we determined that many of the components were severely broken in the back-end, limiting the ability to update vital information. We could either require that we work in a completely new WordPress install or assist with maintaining their platform as-is. We ultimately decided that we could help maintain their existing site and would plan for a complete redesign in the future.
Earning a Long-Term Partnership
By offering exceptional customer service and timely response times, YMCA Southcoast realized the value of our partnership. Slocum Studio always delivers top-notch service to our clients. As our partnership grew, we also realized the value that YMCA Southcoast offers to our community. YMCA Southcoast caters to all walks of life and provides an enormous number of services to community members. We knew that the existing website was a providing disservice to the organization or members, so we recommended a complete rebuild in 2025.
Why We Chose a Program-Focused Structure
Our design philosophy was simple: put together a brand new website experience, from the ground up, using a modern page builder and deep research on the philosophy of the YMCA organization. We started with content organization, the core foundation of the website structure. Organizing the vast amount of content that the YMCA Southcoast organization produces is no small feat. We researched other YMCAs across the country and learned that program focused websites performed better than location focused sites.
A Grayscale Palette with Purposeful Color
For the design aspect, YMCA Southcoast wanted to be different. They liked the idea of a grayscale color scheme, while still using the other brand colors throughout the website. We found a nice balance between the two color groups. Branding colors are used in various sections throughout the website. Events are green, programs are blue, and give/donate is pink.
Let's take a deeper dive into the specific components across the new website.
Sitemap Creation
YMCA Southcoast had hundreds of pages on their old website. Our goal with the new website was to organize content into relevant buckets, and provide a better overall user experience. We worked side-by-side with the YMCA Southcoast Marketing Department to draft a new, highly optimized sitemap.
Design Philosophy
The YMCA Southcoast website incorporates many features, such as the hero rotator (now functional on mobile devices), an events calendar, robust program pages, membership registration, a section for giving/donations. After talking with the marketing department, they wanted the website to feel like a Y but also be unique. The grayscale logo (brand guidelines) was chosen to stand out. We utilized branding colors throughout the website, events are green, programs are blue, give/donate is pink
Program Pages
The new YMCA Southcoast website is organized around programs. Our research proved that visitors are looking for program offerings over locations where those programs are offered.
A Mega Menu
We utilized a mega menu to improve the user experience while they were navigating the website. The menu features collapsible sections which, when expanded, provide links to all of the relevant content within that section of the website. Icons help identify main pages within the sections. On mobile devices, the menu stacks and shrinks to 2 columns.
Robust Location Pages
Slocum Studio built robust location pages with much more detail than the previous website. Including dynamic hours (changes daily), this unique feature shows the current hours to the visitor. We also included a call to action for donations with community partners, testimonials, and camp information.
The Results
Feedback from YMCA Southcoast staff and visitors has been overwhelmingly positive! We continue to maintain the website, providing content updates when needed. Everyone is incredibly happy with the new website. The website receives ten's of thousands of visits each month. Slocum Studio builds websites that work for our clients. This is part of our core philosophy. Playing an active role after a website has launched is one of the most important factors for a successful website
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