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Company: Lost My Dog Records
Project: Lost My Dog Online
Dates: Apr 2007 to Jun 2007
How did the project start?
Lost My Dog is a house music record label which was formed in early 2005. The lostmydog.net website was developed to provide fans of the label with news, information on artists, releases and events, as well as provide links to where they can buy the music and merchandise. The site also serves as a press resource, allowing journalists to download images and biographies.
What options did you consider?
There were several options to consider when designing the website: whether to have it purely as an information resource; whether to allow for direct interaction with website users, and; whether to set up on online store. We opted for a balance between all of these factors.
Lots of relevant information, news and sound clips are provided for users simply wanting to find out more about the label and there is a certain level of interaction in that we included a comments box and upload mixes from our artists which site users can stream. We decided to wait until there was a greater number of visitors before increasing opportunities for user interaction, for example through the use of a messageboard (we perceived that a quiet messageboard could have more of a negative impact). We also decided not to develop our own online store at the outset, but instead foster links with specialist stores where customers could pick up our products with others they were buying. Such options still have potential for future development.
What help and expertise did you receive?
The graphics and development of the site have been undertaken by Double D Creative. They have provided much support in these areas as well as offering suggestions for how best to organise logical navigation around the site. Other than that little outside help has been required; all copy and updates are provided directly by Lost My Dog.
Did you face any challenges or learn any lessons?
Initially we were unsure whether a website of this type would actually have any real benefit, and if the information we were providing would be available from other sources. However, the number of hits and emails we receive, as well as feedback from record shops in terms of it driving sales to their sites, demonstrates that there is a real benefit in it. Key lessons we've learnt are to provide as much relevant information as possible and to regularly update the site.
What are the outcomes and how has it improved your business?
The website has been an invaluable source of promotion for the record label. It has enabled us to reach a far wider audience with news about our label and makes us look more professional. This in turn has enabled us to work with a wider variety of artists as we are able to quickly show them what we are about. It has also helped generate some income, through partners who advertise on our site (and buy more of our records as a result), and it gives the record buying public direct links to shops selling our music.
What are your plans for the future?
In future we are aiming to develop an on-site shop with the revenue coming directly to the label. It is anticipated this will be done with both physical and digital download products. We would also like to encourage more interaction on the website, most likely through the addition of a messageboard.
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