Setting a New Digital Experience Standard in the Rail Industry
Norfolk Southern, a provider of rail transport services, wanted to reaffirm its dedication to safety, productivity and sustainability — demanding a renewed commitment from their brand. They needed an all-new website that was not just easier to use, but also infused with the grit, heart and pride required to move the weight of the world.
Over the past 10 years, Norfolk Southern’s website had ballooned to over 2,800 pages, leading to many challenges. Visitors were uncertain which pages were necessary to view and what information was accurate when navigating the site, content was often duplicated which affected organic search results, and internal teams were unsure how to prioritize and maintain content on the site.
The brand required a customer-first digital experience that showcased the full scope of Norfolk Southern offerings — in a modern, engaging way. So, in September 2023, we launched a new, user-friendly website.
Rail is complex, and most organizations across the industry tend to have extremely complex menus and verbiage. Norfolk Southern’s new website diverges from this trend — with straightforward menus, clear calls-to-action to resources for customers and the public, and concise language that communicates the brand’s capabilities.
Post-launch, the new site has led to doubled engagement rates and time-per-session. New users, PDF downloads and action completions have increased exponentially. As both a 2024 Hermes Creative Award winner x2, and a 2024 Transportation Marketing & Sales Association (TMSA) Trailblazer recipient, the brand’s once-complex website is now a standout digital experience for customers, employees, and other visitors.