The websites needed to reflect these two layers of branding. We also needed to curb the cost of redoing work that could potentially be reused. We decided on creating a singular parent theme, which each website would use, and creating a child theme for each individual website. The child theme would override the parent theme in key areas where the second level of branding needed to come through.
Project Team
Website content included things like local area highlights, special offers, and other properties. As websites were developed unique content was added to each website.
With the initial launch of the project I developed the child themes for Greenwich Inn, Berkeley Rodeway Inn, and Marinwood Inn & Suites. The websites were tied together using a “popover” which displays all available partners. The theme was developed to be optimal for mobile users especially in call-to-actions and website navigational features. As the client continued to add properties to the Stay In the Bay portfolio, the website series expanded—all using the originally developed parent theme.
The execution of the WordPress themes worked perfectly. Using a symbolic link one parent theme would delegate files to each WordPress installation. The child theme implemented colors and variations in each website’s page templates. The project can be expanded indefinitely while allowing for variations to branding elements in each partnered website.
This website was made by OptiRev for their client Stay In The Bay (2016).
