Ernest Maier

Ernest Maier has spent decades building trust within the construction industry and growing its product line. However, the company’s old website did not reflect the established company, was not user-friendly and did not have enough value to keep visitors on the website for a significant amount of time. The website redesign goal was to use UI/UX design and offer more value to prospective customers. That would include educational information about product lines, calculators to help with accurate orders, and inspiration.

Ernest Maier’s former homepage had four gray blocks in the center representing its family of construction products and not a lot of anything else.

However, as we’ve learned through their tagline, they are “more than just blocks.”

The Brandtenders at Lounge Lizard did the building this time, as Ernest Maier was ready for a mobile-friendly website to help them grow as a brand and a company.

The first building block of website design is the 7-Second Rule.

The rule is a guideline that our Brandtenders use for a successful website. Within 7 seconds, website visitors should know who you are, what you do, want to explore more, and learn how to contact you.

Through a branding meeting, our Brandtenders learned more about what separates Ernest Maier from their competition and what is essential to their potential customers. That was conveyed in the new design and used for keywords in the content.

In the construction industry, it’s widespread to use a standard website template and similar colors and icons.

For Ernest Maier, our Brandtenders used yellows and blues in a smart, modern, and unexpected way. We gave the design a modular look, with specific CTAs and structural items put together like building blocks.

The custom design is a way to showcase everything that the company needs without being overwhelming. 

Ernest Maier manufactures and distributes aggregates, bricks, stone, sand, and a whole lot more, so it has a responsibility to educate consumers on their website. What are the benefits of their products, the correct usage, and how much is needed?

Our Brandtenders built multiple material calculators to help shoppers understand what they need. These tools also help streamline Ernest Maier’s customer’s purchase journey, which means fewer calls to customer service and a more satisfying experience.

A construction product website would not be complete without an inspiration section. Seeing complete projects that use products from Ernest Maier is powerful. Builders and consumers alike are drawn to designs and ideas that spark inspiration.

On the new website, visitors can filter gallery photos by product and project type (or search all). Photos are tagged with specific product information and similar projects, so there’s no guessing.

Once visitors find what they like or want to learn more, finding a location is easy. The site pulls in visitors’ IP addresses and the closest location.

Ernest Maier’s website showcases not only products, careers, and history but also the sales team and their core values. The company believes in building in a sustainable way that doesn’t burden future generations. From reducing carbon dioxide emissions and crushing concrete to solar energy and buying local, an entire section highlights all of the company’s initiatives.

The news section is a place for Ernest Maier to share expertise, blogs, and press releases. After all, sometimes the President of the United States will speak at your facility, which should be shared. 

“This is a family business that’s been here over 80 years,” said President Barack Obama during his visit to Ernest Meier. “ They believe in investing in their workers. They care about the environment, so they collect and process using cooking oil from local restaurants to power some of their equipment. Their community cares about them, so business is growing.”

With this new website to showcase the company, products, team, and values, the sky’s the limit for Ernest Meier.

Ernest Meier now has a website that captures visitors’ attention in 7 seconds or less and keeps them there to learn more and explore. The company is already seeing an increase in average site duration and overall traffic. A lower bounce rate will help with the company’s sales and branding.