Victorian Cancer Biobank
Victorian Cancer Biobank: Enhancing Research Access with a Streamlined Website
The Victorian Cancer Biobank (VCB), one of the largest tissue and blood collection facilities globally, partnered with Ex Animo to develop a user-friendly website that would meet the needs of researchers and medical professionals. Faced with limited time and resources, Ex Animo delivered a modern, SEO-optimised WordPress site that consolidated content from multiple platforms, streamlined access to research databases, and improved overall user experience. The new website has been met with enthusiastic feedback, successfully positioning VCB as a leading and independent resource in the research community.
The Victorian Cancer Biobank (VCB) is one of the largest multi-centre tissue and blood collection facilities in the world, serving 27 public and private hospitals across metropolitan Melbourne. As an open-access, not-for-profit resource established by the Victorian Government, VCB sought to enhance its online presence with a new, user-friendly website that would streamline access for researchers and medical professionals.
Victorian Cancer Biobank
The Brief
VCB required a website that was easy to manage and navigate and tailored specifically to the needs of researchers. The new site needed to consolidate content from multiple older websites, links to research portals and be SEO-optimised. Additionally, it was essential to differentiate VCB as an independent entity, distinct from the Cancer Council, and to overcome previous challenges with website developers. The project was under a tight timeline, requiring quick and efficient completion.
Key Challenges
- Limited time and resources
- Misconceptions about VCB’s independence from the Cancer Council
- Previous negative experiences with website development
Objectives
- Position VCB as a reliable and professional resource for the research community
- Develop a website with easy navigation for universities, researchers, and the medical community.
- Design a fresh, modern, and visually engaging online presence.
Approach
Ex Animo focused on creating a website that would meet the specific needs of VCB’s target audience. The goal was to develop an easy-to-navigate, easy-to-manage website that would clearly convey VCB’s value proposition to researchers and medical professionals.
Solution
- Developed a fit-for-purpose, SEO-friendly WordPress website, complete with a news blog to repurpose existing content.
- Conducted user testing on the new content structure and researched key areas to ensure optimal usability.
- Streamlined content to allow researchers to access tissue sample databases within two clicks.
- Integrated intuitive social media and contact areas for easy user interaction.
- Implemented Google Analytics and heat mapping tools to monitor user behaviour and optimise top-performing pages.
- Enhanced the website’s visual appeal with vibrant images, creative backgrounds, and relevant hero slider content.
- Transformed instructional text into graphics and utilised collapsible menus to highlight important content on the homepage.
- Supported recruitment efforts with a dedicated careers page featuring key organisational opportunities.
- Ensured the website was easy to update, with smart image grids maintaining a consistent visual aesthetic throughout.
Results
The new website received overwhelmingly positive user feedback, effectively positioning the Victorian Cancer Biobank as a leading resource in the research community. The revamped online presence improved usability and engagement and solidified VCB’s brand as a modern, independent, and trusted organisation.
