Cairn Research
A digital upgrade for a scientific leader
Introduction
Cairn Research is a leading UK-based manufacturer of advanced optical and electrophysiological equipment for life science research. Known for their deep-rooted expertise and commitment to innovation, they partnered with Ellie May Digital to enhance their online presence and better serve their global customer base. With a strong foundation in scientific excellence, Cairn wanted a website that matched their technical capabilities and supported future growth, both in performance and in user experience.
Client
Industry
Cairn Research
Scientific Manufacturer
Their Challenge
Cairn Research had built a strong reputation in the scientific community, but their website hadn’t kept pace with the company’s growth or evolving customer expectations. After years without a major update, the site had become slow, difficult to navigate, and no longer reflected the quality or complexity of their product offering. They needed a complete digital overhaul, one that improved speed, structure, and usability while maintaining the detail required by their technical audience.
- Digital Marketing Consultancy
- Rebranding
- Web Design & Development
- UX & UI
- Graphic Design
- Website Analysis
- Social Media Management
Our Process
1.
Strategic Planning
We began by auditing the existing site and mapping out a full content and structure plan to improve performance, usability, and SEO, while preserving vital product and technical information.
2.
Design Refresh
A complete visual redesign gave the site a clean, modern look, optimised for both desktop and mobile, with clearer navigation and improved readability for technical users.
3.
Seamless Migration
We migrated the site to a faster, cloud-based hosting environment and implemented 301 redirects to protect existing SEO value and search rankings.
4.
UX and Performance Optimisation
Navigation, content layout, and internal linking were restructured to enhance the user journey. We also addressed Core Web Vitals to improve speed, interactivity, and overall usability.
5.
Quoting System Integration
We developed a custom quoting system tailored to Cairn’s extensive product catalogue, making it easier for users to submit specific product enquiries.
6.
Google Tools Recovery
We reconnected and properly configured essential tools including Google Analytics, Search Console, and Tag Manager to enable accurate tracking and reporting.
Results
Ellie May Digital worked closely with the Cairn team to deliver a full digital refresh, migrating their website to a faster, more scalable platform and introducing a sleek, user-friendly design that simplifies navigation without compromising on scientific detail.
Key improvements included a full cloud-based database migration, protection of SEO performance through 301 redirects, and the recovery of essential Google products like Search Console and Analytics. A new quoting system was also developed to streamline product enquiries, while UX enhancements improved the overall customer journey and visual clarity.
The result is a site that feels modern, performs faster, and aligns with Cairn Research’s position as a leader in scientific equipment, built not just for today’s users, but with the future in mind.
This has been a truly collaborative project, spanning much more than just the website. Alongside the digital overhaul, we supported Cairn’s social media growth, increasing their LinkedIn audience by over 38% through consistent campaign support, refreshed banner design, and ongoing engagement around key events and partnerships.
We’re continuing to work with Cairn on exciting developments. A new distributor portal is currently in progress, designed to streamline partner access to technical documentation and resources. We’re also developing new assets for their email marketing strategy, alongside refreshed banner designs and ongoing design support.
Later this year, we’ll be visiting Cairn HQ to produce a company video, capturing aerial footage via drone and conducting staff interviews to showcase their people, process, and innovation in action. It’s been a pleasure helping evolve their digital presence, and we’re excited to keep building on that momentum.
Let me help you!
If you need any help, please feel free to contact me.
I will get back to you as soon as I can.
ejames@elliemaydigital.co.uk
Mon – Fri 09:00-17:00
