biopharma cro website design on mobile phone

Biopharma CRO Website Design for Avastus PS

Contract Research Organization in Cambridge, MA gets bespoke website, photos and video.

Website project overview

Industry
Biotechnology, Biopharma

Client
Avastus Preclinical Services

Solution
Website Design, Illustrations + Icons

When it comes to biopharma CRO website design and marketing, contract research organizations (CROs) are unique birds.

Especially the smaller ones.

In a lot of ways, they’re like every other biotech in that they really benefit from niche-specific (biotech) agencies. On the other hand, they often need a full compliment of services beyond just a website makeover. That requires a larger agency to provide things like:

  • organic SEO or paid search to help them show up in local Google searches
  • custom photos or videos to make their facilities/people look squeaky clean and inviting
  • integrated collateral projects like email blasts or custom directions/maps to get people to swing by and check out their facilities

And the most important thing a smaller CRO needs is an experienced creative director – someone who’s successfully managed complex integrated digital marketing campaigns. 

Biopharma CRO
Website Redesign
Challenges

Avastus PS is located just outside of the Cambridge, MA biotech/biopharma hub. Being Cambridge-adjacent gives them a tremendous advantage over many other CROs: they aren’t saddled with the exorbitant rent of one of the most expensive zip codes in the U.S.! On the flip side, they compete with overseas CROs. Many of the local pharmas ship their testing to China. As for the biopharma CRO website design itself, there were two challenges. Their biggest challenge was awareness. Nobody knew they existed. For Cambridge-based biotechs and biopharmas that wanted to babysit their testing, Avastus needed to show up in local searches. Second, they needed an instantly attractive site. The ultimate objective was to encourage site visitors to request a personal tour, but their current site was neither attractive nor did it have a clear call-to-action
The primary goal was to be at the top of Google for Cambridge-based biotechs and biopharmas searching for CRO and vivarium services.

Biopharma CRO
Website Redesign
Solution

As with all biopharma website redesign projects, everything start with the kickoff call. 

The kickoff is when we do a deep dive into the client’s problem. In this case, realized very early on that we were going to require a bigger team. In addition to the core team of project manager, designer and developer, we needed:

  • a local SEO expert to make sure the pages were optimized for local searches
  • a video/photo team to shoot ‘day in the life’ shots of the CRO
  • integrated collateral projects like email blasts or custom directions/maps to get people to swing by and check out their facilities
  • a designer to make logo modifications

It’s common on a project with a big team, the client can lose their “voice.” But the client was involved throughout the entire process, from selecting the design from the three initial mockups, to overseeing the on-site video shoot to being trained on how to make updates to the site once it was launched.

pharmaceutical award icon
biomedical beaker icon
biopharma light bulb icon
cro bus icon
contract research organization directions icon
biotechnology map icon
biopharma cro website design icon
biopharma cro marker icon
biopharma pricing icon
contract research organization route icon
cro snacks icon
preclinical services wifi icon

Fortunately, since the different team members had worked on projects before, we were able to synchronize our activities so that all the parts came together on schedule. Photos were started early in the process so that then the developer was done with the custom website, he could just drop in the pictures. Likewise with the video – a placeholder was kept on the Home page hero so that the video could be dropped in at the last minute.

Interestingly, the site was launched six months prior to the COVID outbreak. By investing in the new site, they were in the ideal position to when many of the big pharmas started to question shipping their tests to China.

Stellar has the ability to handle complex projects with an on-demand creative team. Learn more if you need integrated biopharma CRO website design services.

statistics to indicate preclinical research space
preclinical vivarium mouse stretching on back legs
hand holding pink ribbon to signify biotech oncology research
scientist by hood doing biochemical assay development
close up of map for CRO short term suites
close up of list of biotech rare genetic disease research
CRO procedure rooms
contact form for pharmaceutical regulatory navigation
person with purple gloves holding two mice for biotechnology startup

Need help with your biopharma web design project?

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part of website page for preclinical research facility
Big Numbers

Scientists are all about the numbers. 

One simple trick to get attention is to take a few of your most important numbers and make them larger than the surrounding text. This makes your strongest benefits leap off the screen.

Make it easy for site visitors to quickly see what makes you better, cheaper or faster.

website layout for preclinical vivarium services
Super Mouse

If you’re a CRO with a vivarium, bring that feature to the front. 

And while you’re at it, have a little fun. Reinforce your uniqueness by doing something a bit unusual. Like in this case, a curious mouse stretches to read your value proposition. 

Think of clever ways to stand out, but be specific about what makes you distinct.

Zig When The Whole World Zags
hand holding pink ribbon to signify biotech oncology research
Stock Relevance

Every biotech needs some stock images to fill the gaps. The trick is to pick stock images with maximum impact. In this case, the pop of pink and a close up of a hand holding a ribbon immediately signals breast cancer.

Use a variety of stock images to interrupt site visitors and instantly signal context.

scientist by hood doing biochemical assay development
Video Tour

If you’re a CRO or manufacturer, offer a tour. And if you need to reach beyond your city or region, you need a video. A video tour of your facilities immediately reassures prospective clients. In their eyes they see you as clean, tidy and can be trusted with their precious experiments.

Use the power of video to shrink the trust gap with prospective clients.

blue map of directions to CRO long term suites
Slow Your Roll

If you’re a CRO, people want to know how if you’re in the neighborhood. Let your prospective customers know how accessible they are. Create a custom map showing bus stops, parking and directions.

Sure, Google has maps, but a custom map is your change to roll out the red carpet for new customers to come check you out.

list of services for biotech pathology histology
Branded Bullets

One way to set your biotech apart is to pay attention to the little details of your visual brand. One clever trick is to take a shape from your logo and convert it into a bullet. In this case, a diamond from the logo is used instead of a standard, black, round bullet. 

Look for subtle ways to reinforce your brand in your design.

CRO procedure rooms
Tell Your Story

Most CROs don’t consider a blog, but they’re the secret to growing traffic to your site. By publishing content on a regular basis to your blog, you make Google happy. This increases clicks to your site and strengthens your online marketing power.

Biotech blogs help you gain visibility online and increase your “online footprint.”

contact form for pharmaceutical regulatory navigation
Popup on Purpose

Depending on your perspective, popups can be annoying or helpful. Generally speaking, popups are great for teasing site visitors to engage with your CRO. They are often the first step in a new customer journey.

Popups don’t get no respect. Show ’em some love on your biotech or biopharma website.

This message brought to you by the International Popup Defense League. ;P

person with purple gloves holding two mice for biotechnology startup
Day-in-the-Life

Nothing provides a better value for a CRO than professional photos of their actual lab. It gives prospects a great sense of place, but also makes a website instantly feel more like “you.”

Avoid stock photos whenever possible. Instead show who you really are.

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Legacy project

Full transparency: some projects were completed for different agencies prior to Stellar’s launch. For more details, see our pipeline.

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