From Concept to Reality: the Website for FTI Hasselt in Collaboration with Hybrid

Background

G-STIC, the organization behind the FTI Festival in Hasselt, was founded by VITO, an independent Flemish research institute specializing in cleantech and sustainable development. Through the Global Sustainable Technology and Innovation Community (G-STIC), they bring together over 30,000 stakeholders worldwide to accelerate the implementation of integrated technological solutions that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

At VITO, technological and innovative solutions that promote the transition to a sustainable society are developed daily.

FTI’s ambition to position Flanders as a leading region in sustainability, innovation, and technology aligns perfectly with VITO’s mission. The FTI Festival is a major initiative of G-STIC, bringing together professionals, academics, policymakers, and the general public to discuss the latest trends in technology and innovation.

The challenge

The development of the FTI Hasselt website involved several challenges:

• Tight deadline: We had to deliver a first version of the website in only 3 months, requiring efficient planning and project execution.
• Complex information architecture: The website needed to structure and present a large amount of information about various themes, activities, and speakers in a user-friendly and intuitive way.
• Responsive design: The website had to work flawlessly on all devices, from desktops to smartphones, requiring a well-considered design and development approach.
• Content management: The large amount of textual and visual content for the activities needed regular updates, and new activities had to be added, requiring close collaboration with the client.
• Continuity: After launch, the website had to be continuously updated with new information and content.
• Coordination: The project required efficient coordination between various stakeholders, including G-STIC, the development team, and external partners.

Why Hybrid Agency?

Developing a website that would become the beating heart of the FTI Festival in Hasselt, from March 16 to 21, 2024. More than a static source of information, the website needed to be a dynamic platform with various functionalities:

• Festival promotion: The website had to attract potential visitors and excite them about the festival. The goal was 15,000 participants.
• Registration: Participants, sponsors, and press needed to be able to register easily online.
• Information provision: Clear and detailed information about activities, speakers, themes, and practical festival details was crucial.
• Content creation: The website had to be a source of valuable content, including news articles and information about technological advancements and innovation.
• Visitor engagement: Interaction was key: the website had to engage visitors with the FTI initiative and encourage participation in activities.

The collaboration

We started by creating a teaser campaign focused on Hasselt, consisting of a landing page that gave a preview of the festival with unique branding that perfectly reflected FTI Hasselt’s identity. At the same time, we took the time to understand the various customer journeys and mapped the desired pages and functionalities, including integration with the existing CRM and ticketing system.

Based on our analysis, we created a project plan with clear priorities. Delivering a complete website in three months was impossible, so we chose the Growth Driven Design method, focused on continuous optimization. Instead of launching the full website at once, we focused on a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) with the crucial features and functionalities.

For the user experience, we designed 25 unique templates for different pages, ensuring optimal usability on both desktop and mobile devices. This was done in close collaboration with the FTI Hasselt team to create a consistent and visually appealing result. The visual language was carefully chosen to match the website’s look and feel and FTI Hasselt’s identity. The team was constantly consulted to make the right decisions.

The website was built in WordPress using the powerful page builder Elementor. This gave us flexibility to add new pages and manage content, while FTI Hasselt could easily update content themselves. Additionally, we provided extra support for uploading content and images, allowing the team to focus on collecting information and writing texts. This ensured smooth delivery and timely launch of the website.

Throughout the project, we maintained clear and transparent communication with all stakeholders and worked with a flexible schedule that made all deadlines achievable.

Results and impact

After an intensive collaboration with the G-STIC team, we are proud to have delivered a website that exceeded all expectations. The site functions not only as an information source but also as a powerful online identity for FTI Hasselt, reflecting the organization’s vision and values. Visitors experience a user-friendly and visually appealing environment, where the well-thought-out user experience guides them seamlessly through the content. Moreover, the website serves as a dynamic platform that not only informs visitors but also engages and inspires them.

The website achieved measurable results:

• Increased visibility: The website moved from an unfindable position to a respectable third place in search results.
• Rising visitor numbers: A significant increase in website visitors was observed, peaking at 1,200 visitors per day in March.
• Growth in organic traffic: The number of pages found organically increased.
• Greater engagement: Between November and March, the website achieved a total of 77,000 pageviews, with an average engagement time of 2 minutes per visit.
• Improved keyword positions: There was an increase in rankings for relevant keywords, further strengthening visibility.

These results show that the website made a strong start and performs well on key metrics.

The future

With the success of the FTI Hasselt website as a solid foundation, G-STIC now looks to the future. Thanks to the Growth Driven Design principle, the site is flexible and scalable, allowing new functionalities, content, and interactive elements to be added easily. The next phases focus on further optimizing the user experience, expanding integration with CRM and ticketing systems, and strengthening online visibility. This ensures the website continues to grow alongside the festival and FTI Hasselt’s ambitions while providing visitors with a continuously inspiring and accessible digital experience.

Conclusion

Thanks to a well-thought-out approach, close collaboration, and continuous alignment with all involved parties, a strong, user-friendly, and visually appealing website was created in a short time that perfectly matches FTI Hasselt’s ambitions. The results prove that a flexible, phased approach pays off and provide a solid foundation for further digital growth and impact in the future.