- Case Study

Go Haida Gwaii

LOCATION:

Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada

INDUSTRY:

Tourism & Economic Development

SERVICES:

Website Design
SEO & Online Visibility

TIMELINES:

4 Months | Website Build

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Three fragmented tourism and community websites became one accessible, easy-to-manage destination for visitors exploring Haida Gwaii. Working with MIEDS, we developed a unified website featuring a custom-integrated directory with more than 280 listings, multilingual functionality, and a stronger foundation for showcasing the region's communities, businesses, and tourism experiences.

Misty Isles Economic Development Society (MIEDS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting sustainable tourism and economic development across Haida Gwaii, an archipelago off the northern coast of British Columbia and the territory of the Haida Nation. Through its work, MIEDS supports local businesses, strengthens communities, and helps grow the region's visitor economy.

Three Websites, One Destination: Consolidated fragmented tourism, business, and community information into one platform.

280+ Directory Listings: Custom-integrated business and tourism directory with dedicated listing pages.

4,000–6,000 Monthly Visitors: Approximately double the traffic of the previous primary tourism website.

Built for Independent Management: MIEDS can manage website content and directory listings without relying on developers for routine updates.
MIEDS was managing three disconnected websites, one of which had gone offline while another experienced serious backend issues that prevented updates. Information about accommodations, attractions, local businesses, artists, and community resources was fragmented, making it difficult for visitors to navigate and the organization to maintain.

The challenge was to consolidate everything into one reliable, easy-to-manage platform capable of supporting more than 280 directory listings.

The project also required thoughtful cultural representation, including Haida languages and approved imagery and design. MIEDS preferred Squarespace, which presented an additional technical challenge because it lacked the native directory functionality the project required.
We began by reviewing the existing websites and working with MIEDS to bring tourism, business, and community information together into one accessible destination.

Rather than recommending a different platform, we focused on developing a custom directory solution within MIEDS's preferred Squarespace environment.

Cultural representation was central to our approach. We collaborated closely with MIEDS on Haida language integration, imagery, design, and content approvals, ensuring decisions reflected the organization's guidance and the communities it represents.

We also prioritized long-term independence, structuring the website and directory so the MIEDS team could confidently manage content, listings, and updates after launch.
We developed a new website that brought tourism, business, and community information together in one central destination, with improved navigation and more organized content.

To create a seamless directory experience, we integrated Community Box and developed custom functionality that allowed individual listings to open as dedicated pages within the website. This provided visitors with a more connected experience while giving MIEDS the ability to manage over 280 directory listings.

We also incorporated Haida language functionality alongside English, working closely with MIEDS through the review and approval process for culturally significant content and design elements.

Our work included restructuring website content and implementing SEO improvements to support search visibility across the consolidated platform.

Following launch, we trained the MIEDS team to independently manage website content, directory listings, and routine updates, with our team available for additional support when needed.
Within the first three months of launch, Go Haida Gwaii was attracting approximately 4,000–6,000 monthly visitors, compared with roughly 2,000–3,000 on the previous primary tourism website.

Newsletter sign-ups increased by 10%, while more than 280 businesses, artists, tourism operators, and community organizations gained visibility through a centralized online directory.

Beyond the measurable results, the redevelopment brought previously fragmented tourism and community resources together into one accessible platform.

Most importantly, MIEDS now has a reliable website its team can manage independently, making it easier to maintain accurate information, update directory listings, and support the community without relying on external developers for routine changes.
"We hired eleven65 Digital to recreate the website for the Misty Isles Economic Development Society (MIEDS), and the experience was excellent from start to finish. Their team was professional, responsive, and genuinely invested in understanding our organization, our audience, and what we needed the site to accomplish.

They guided us through the process clearly, brought strong design and technical expertise, and delivered a website that looks modern, is easy to navigate, and better reflects who we are. Communication was consistent, timelines were respected, and any changes or questions were handled quickly and thoughtfully.

If you're looking for a dependable team that produces high-quality work and makes the process smooth, I highly recommend Eleven65 Digital. We're thrilled with the final result and would gladly work with them again."

Desiree,
Executive Director, MIEDS