Brooklyn's Progress
April/May 2005

If you’ve visited ibrooklyn.com lately, you would have noticed some changes that, at first glance, may have been imperceptible.  In fact, while the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce’s award-winning Web site design has remained essentially unchanged, dramatic changes to the site’s content structure were completed back in February.  As reported in the November 2004 issue of Brooklyn’s Progress, these content changes are intended to bring the site in line with the organization’s new marketing message:  “Get connected to promotion, support and advocacy services through the Brooklyn Chamber.”  Additionally, the new content structure should make navigating the site and finding information much more simple and intuitive.

“This content restructuring brings consistency to the Chamber’s offline and online messaging.  Working within the site’s current design, visually the new navigation also provides a clear, at-a-glance understanding of what the Chamber does as an organization and what it offers to business owners and professionals,” explained Khadija Batuta, Communications Specialist.

One very subtle but important addition to the site’s design is a new navigational feature that is part of the site header.  This blue “menu bar” provides flexibility in programming promotional links directly to the Chamber’s affiliate sites like brooklynease.com, as well as to tools and resources on the ibrooklyn.com site such as the online Member directory.  Visitors will also find many more images of Members and Chamber activities in addition to scenes of Brooklyn featured on pages across the site.

“Through interaction with the Web site, the goal is to help visitors feel some of the excitement and positive changes occurring across the borough, as well as introduce them to our Member businesses in as many places as possible across the site,” added Ms. Batuta. 

The new content areas that affect the site’s navigation include:

“Member Promotion” – Outlines membership information plus details on promotional services and other benefits available exclusively to Members.  Formerly presented as the “Membership” link on the site header’s top navigation, this revamped area includes two new sections “Advertising and Promotion” and “Events and Networking” that summarizes the Chamber’s major events throughout the year in a slideshow format.

“Business Support” – Contains links to the business development services available to entrepreneurs and small businesses in the borough from the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and its partners.  “Industry Shows and Events” is a new section that details the sectorial events the Chamber produces available to qualified Brooklyn-based businesses.  “Neighborhood Retail” and “Procurement” are two other new sections describing the Chamber’s Brooklyn Shops and Brooklyn Connects services, respectively, that are managed by its Business Services department under the direction of Vice President Rick Russo.

“Chamber Advocacy” – This completely new area includes information about the Brooklyn Chamber’s advocacy agenda, public testimony, research and Member surveys, plus links to information about elected officials and voter registration.  The Chamber will now be able to communicate its legislative agenda and developments more quickly and effectively, as well as provide Chamber Members with information on how they can become involved in its advocacy activities.

“About Brooklyn,” which the new “Chamber Advocacy” area replaces, is now linked from the top navigation of the site’s header.

The “Members Only” area of the site includes a new slideshow introducing new Members – and reminding veteran ones – of the many benefits available to them as part of their Brooklyn Chamber membership.

Look out for more new content and other features planned for ibrooklyn.com in 2005. 

Please feel free to share comments and to contact Khadija Batuta with questions at kbatuta@brooklynchamber.com, or at 718 875-1000 ext. 123.