30% Faster in Weeks: How This Publisher Revamped Their Site Without Starting Over

How the Seattle Medium leveled up performance with help from Digital On-Demand Services

For legacy publishers, upgrading your website can feel like a daunting balancing act: you want modern performance without losing the trusted design your readers rely on. That was the case for the Seattle Medium, a long-standing print and digital news source serving Seattle’s African American community.

They weren’t looking for a total site overhaul — just smarter infrastructure, better speed, stronger security, and less time spent managing technical headaches.

That’s exactly what they got through Digital On-Demand Services (DODS).

The DODS Advantage:

DODS, a partnership between the Local Media Consortium and the Reynolds Journalism Institute, takes the guesswork out of digital projects by matching local publishers with vetted, pre-qualified consultants and developers who specialize in serving news organizations. These fractional services help teams move faster, save money, and get exactly the support they need — no big contracts, no trial-and-error. In addition, publishers can find product information and guidance in RJI’s Learning Center.

The Project:

• Old CMS: WordPress on HostGator, managed in-house

• New CMS: WordPress on WP Engine, managed by MIDTC

• Design Goal: Keep the look and feel — upgrade the tech behind it

  
  

“We didn’t want a full redesign,” said Chris Bennett, publisher of the Seattle Medium. “We just wanted to supercharge our website. DODS made it easy by introducing us to top-tier partners, and MIDTC was the perfect fit.”

What DODS + MIDTC Delivered:

• A seamless migration to enterprise-grade hosting with WP Engine

• A huge 30% improvement in Google PageSpeed

• Zero disruption to the site’s visual design or user experience

• Long-standing backend issues fixed — for good

  
  

“The process has been awesome,” Bennett said. “They solved our biggest issues and set us up for long-term success.”

Digital On-Demand Services has solved technical problems like The Seattle Medium’s with multiple Knight X LMA BloomLab publishers (see the Impact Report where this case study originally appeared here). Before working with Eric Barber, a DODS partner and expert in ad operations, The Washington Informer had a high ad delivery rate error. He was able to lower that rate to less than one percent with his streamlined operations - and keep it that way. Flint Beat, AFRO, The Baltimore Times & The Cincinnati Herald have also completed digital projects through DODS consultants & developers.

“The DODS team is incredibly knowledgeable and responsive, truly on top of their game in facilitating excellent outcomes for publishers,” said Apryl Pilolli, director of technology and innovation at Knight X LMA BloomLab. “We will be utilizing them more in the future,” she said.

DODS has recently facilitated another engagement for BloomLab, with David Arkin Consulting providing SEO best practices and training for publishers.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has provided a $2.5 million investment to extend the reach and impact of DODS’ fractional services and launch of an Online Marketplace featuring a concierge help desk for news organizations and an RJI Learning Center with curated content, including case studies, scorecards and how-to guides.

Ready to modernize your digital operations — without starting from scratch?

Digital On-Demand Services can match you with the right partner for projects like:

• CMS migration and website performance upgrades

• Audience acquisition & engagement

• AI integrations

• SEO & newsletter strategy

• Video monetization

• Ad ops & sales strategy

• A la carte services like HR, policy review, legal support, and more
  

Hear more about how DODS can help local media organizations at the LMC’s Digital Connections conference, where Pilolli, Program Manager Liz Hayes, and RJI Executive Director Randy Picht will be on a panel. 

DODS is currently offering a publisher discount of 33% off (up to $1,500) for local news organizations that use its services (for first engagements only). Whether you need one-time tech help or ongoing back-office support, we’re here to simplify the process. Let’s talk about how we can help your newsroom thrive. Submit your project here! Questions about DODS? Email Program Manager Liz Hayes at liz@digitalondemandservices.com.