Top Web Services
- E-commerce Integration
- Content Management System
- Analytics Integration
- Mobile-Friendly and Responsive
- Social Media Integration
Platform
- Google Analytics
- SquareSpace
Project Overview
Vibrant, high-energy tourism website showcasing Tiki cruises and island adventures in Montego Bay, Jamaica, designed to drive bookings through immersive visual storytelling and clear calls to action. Built with Squarespace.
Key features include:
- Professional, responsive, mobile-first design tailored to high-conversion tourism sales
- Configured Squarespace CMS allowing for seamless, client-managed updates to tour details and schedules
- Expertly configured native commerce engine to simplify the customer booking journey
- Aggressive performance optimizations while working within the constraints of Squarespace
Dynamic tourism platform powered by Squarespace
Chiki Tiki Tours is a high-energy digital gateway to the ultimate island escape in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The site captures the vibrant spirit of Tiki culture, blending immersive tropical visuals with a clear, conversion-focused layout to showcase cruises, snorkeling, and sun-soaked adventures. It is designed to bridge the gap between Caribbean wanderlust and a seamless booking experience, making the beauty of the Montego Bay tides accessible to every traveler.
Developing this project was an exercise in balancing rich, media-heavy content with high-performance design principles. By leveraging the flexibility of Squarespace's Fluid Engine, I was able to create a custom, magazine-style aesthetic that remains fully responsive across all devices. Every detail was crafted to ensure that the user’s journey is as effortless and enjoyable as the tour itself.
Web Services
E-commerce Integration: I configured a secure, end-to-end commerce solution using Squarespace’s native engine to streamline the customer journey. I focused on optimizing the product catalog structure and checkout flow to minimize friction, ensuring a reliable and professional shopping experience.
Content Management System: I set up and customized the Squarespace CMS to allow for easy, intuitive content updates. I structured the backend so the client can manage their own blog posts, galleries, and pages without needing technical support, ensuring the site remains easy to maintain long-term.
Analytics Integration: I integrated Squarespace’s native analytics tools with Google Search Console to monitor traffic and user behavior. I focused on setting up conversion tracking and search keyword monitoring to provide the client with clear insights into their site's performance and audience growth.
Mobile-Friendly and Responsive: I utilized Squarespace’s Fluid Engine to design a fully responsive layout that maintains visual integrity across all devices. I manually adjusted mobile breakpoints and element scaling to ensure that the site remains accessible and easy to navigate on smartphones and tablets.
Social Media Integration: I connected the site’s social accounts and configured Open Graph metadata for consistent brand representation when links are shared. I also implemented automated social feed syncing and optimized "Share" buttons to encourage cross-platform engagement without cluttering the UI.
Design Process
I started by analyzing the user journey for tropical tourism and excursion sites. Recognizing that most travelers research and book activities while on the go, I prioritized a mobile-first design strategy to ensure the interface was intuitive and fast for users accessing the site from their phones. Throughout the build, I acted as a strategic partner, providing recommendations on layout and information architecture to ensure the most critical tour details were always front and center.
The visual identity focuses on high-energy tropical vibes and clarity, using bold imagery and strategic spacing to highlight the excitement of the Montego Bay coast. Leveraging Squarespace’s Fluid Engine, I implemented best practices for responsive design, manually tuning breakpoints so the "magazine-style" aesthetic remained consistent across all screen sizes. I specifically focused on color contrast and clear call-to-action buttons, ensuring the site is accessible and easy to navigate for every potential guest.
On the technical side, I optimized the built-in Squarespace features to ensure the media-heavy content didn't compromise the user experience. I configured the backend CMS to be exceptionally user-friendly, allowing for effortless updates to tour times and availability.
Technical Challenges
While Mesmer Design primarily focuses on building high-performance static sites using modern frameworks, this project required a different approach as the client’s existing site was already established on Squarespace. My challenge was to perform a comprehensive revamp within the constraints of a hosted platform while maintaining the "performance-first" philosophy of my usual static builds.
I focused on aggressive image optimization and manual breakpoint refinement to overcome the platform's natural bloat. I ensured the redesigned experience felt as fast and responsive as a custom-coded site, providing a modern aesthetic without the typical performance trade-offs of a drag-and-drop builder.
Project Success
Transforming ideas into real results with custom web development
The Launch
Taking the site live was a strategic process focused on reliability and ease of use for the client. Every high-resolution tropical image and video was optimized for the platform to ensure a smooth, high-energy visual experience that loads efficiently on any connection.
For ongoing management, I customized the built-in CMS to make updating tour availability and adventure highlights as simple as possible. The interface was structured so that the team can swap out content or adjust pricing in minutes - no technical expertise required.
While Squarespace and (virtually) all drag-and-drop builders lack robust tools to optimize performance, the client chose the platform due to the simple booking integration. Long-term costs of these platforms are higher than custom-coded websites, but it’s a tradeoff: integrating booking forms and e-commerce is incredibly easy. While custom static hosting on platforms like Cloudflare or Vercel offers superior speed, Squarespace’s integrated ecosystem is more ideal for owners who need a consolidated platform for commerce, email marketing, and analytics in one place. This way, the business can focus on hospitality rather than managing multiple subscriptions.
Building Better Websites
Every website we build starts with a deep understanding of your business goals. We don't just create designs - we develop strategic solutions that drive real results. From careful performance optimization to thoughtful user experience decisions, every detail is crafted to help your business succeed online.
We believe in complete transparency throughout the development process. You'll never encounter hidden fees or unexpected maintenance costs. Our static site approach means your website remains fast, secure, and reliable without requiring constant updates or expensive hosting. Once your site is live, you maintain full control without ongoing dependencies.
Our commitment to quality means we don't consider a project complete until every performance metric exceeds industry standards. Each site undergoes rigorous testing for speed, security, and search engine optimization. We track Core Web Vitals, ensure mobile responsiveness, and optimize every image, script, and style - because we know these technical details directly impact your business success.
It looks amazing Chris!! I love it, and love how much attention to detail you are putting in. I think the rework to the design and booking is perfect!
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