SEAL
SEAL.org wanted a website that captured the energy of their programs and made them stand out. They teamed up with Slam to create a site that’s not just functional, but alive—engaging, easy to navigate, and a true reflection of their work. The result? See it for yourself!
The TL;DR
SEAL (Sobrato Early Academic Language) enhances educational outcomes for Multilingual Learners and Dual Language Learners through a research-driven, evidence-based approach. They empower educators with strategies that promote language and literacy development, viewing multilingualism as an asset. However, SEAL.org faced significant challenges with an outdated, bad UX website that no longer showcased their impact since 2019. Clunky navigation and outdated content hindered user experience. We stepped in to revamp the site into an engaging, intuitive platform that effectively highlights SEAL's work, simplifies partner interactions, and clearly communicates their mission from the start.
The Challenge
What happens when a website no longer serves the people who rely on it the most?
The SEAL website had become more of a burden than a tool. Overloaded with WordPress plugins, it was slow and frustrating for both the team and their community. Poor SEO setup—misaligned headers and missing keywords—hurt their search performance. The outdated design made the brand feel stale, and the copy no longer captured SEAL’s energy or mission. SEAL needed a full revamp to improve functionality and better reflect their impact.
The Journey
Defining a strong vision
We began by crafting a new visual identity for SEAL that truly reflected their mission. Using light tones, layers, illustrations, and curves, we drew inspiration from SEAL’s classrooms, where overlaps and underlines create dynamic, engaging spaces for learning. The goal was to create a design that felt inclusive, joyful, and rooted in SEAL’s values—a space where every student, educator, and partner felt welcome and inspired.
Refining SEAL’s voice to inspire action and trust
SEAL’s copy needed to resonate with its core audience—administrators, educators, and policymakers who champion lifelong learning. We began by restructuring the content to be both engaging and evidence-based, aiming to show the impact of SEAL’s programs rather than just tell. The goal was to build trust with those familiar with SEAL’s work while also connecting with new visitors.
Rethinking how users access programs, reports, news, and resources
As SEAL’s community grew, it became clear that educators needed a more streamlined way to access resources. The old system, with its gated resources and cumbersome navigation, created friction. We had to rethink how SEAL’s users could easily find and engage with materials while maintaining necessary permissions for different user groups. Our goal was to make the experience as smooth as possible, ensuring that educators and partners could seamlessly interact with the platform without unnecessary barriers.
The Solution
Migration from WordPress to Webflow
We tackled SEAL’s performance issues by migrating the entire site from WordPress to Webflow, dramatically increasing site speed and optimizing overall functionality. Over 50 pieces of content were carefully migrated, ensuring everything was well-organized and easy to access. By implementing proper tracking and analytics, including integration with Salesforce for downloads and lead tracking, SEAL now has full visibility into user interactions, allowing for better data insights. This migration also provided the scalability SEAL needed to grow and manage their expanding community with ease.
Crafting clear, mission-driven messaging
To align SEAL’s copy with their audiences—we went through an extensive brand copy discovery exercise. We rewrote the content using language that emphasized inclusivity, integrity, and joy in learning. We prioritized showing the impact of SEAL’s programs, using data-driven copy that resonated with their audience. We optimized the site for SEO, incorporating key terms like multilingual learners and bilingual education to enhance search visibility. The result was messaging that not only clarified SEAL’s mission but also inspired trust and action.
Designing a joyful user experience through custom illustrations
To bring SEAL’s brand to life, we created custom illustrations that reflected the joy and energy at the heart of their programs and work. These visuals were thoughtfully integrated throughout the site to enhance the user experience, making it not only engaging but also inviting. The new design, paired with a more intuitive UX, allowed users to navigate the site smoothly while enjoying a fresh, vibrant representation of SEAL’s mission.
Hear What Our Client Has To Say
Slam really helped us optimize the site for UX, SEO, and speed. They worked on optimizing the website's performance and speed by removing unused plugins and unnecessary code. They also conducted a comprehensive technical SEO site audit and resolving issues such as padding and spacing, linking issues, and navigation problems would contribute to improved user experience and website functionality.
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