Expansion Records has spent four decades building a reputation as one of Britain's most respected independent soul labels, with a catalogue that includes Jean Carne, Dexter Wansel and Booker Newberry III.

But that legacy was being let down by a fragmented digital presence. The label was operating across two separate websites, creating a split identity, unnecessary running costs and a confusing experience for fans, collectors and industry contacts.

Expansion needed a partner who understood both the commercial demands of modern e-commerce and the cultural weight of a label with forty years of history behind it.

Rather than starting from scratch, we focused on consolidation and clarity.

The two existing sites were merged into a single unified platform, bringing the brand story, artist profiles and e-commerce together in one place. Every element of the new site was designed to reflect the label's heritage while giving it the technical foundation to compete in a digital-first market.

Alongside the rebuild, we reviewed the label's underlying infrastructure, streamlining the e-commerce setup and correcting configuration issues that had been quietly undermining trust and visibility. Small, invisible problems that were costing real money.

We also built in the facility for Expansion to deliver digital music, video downloads and souvenir brochures directly from its own site, without relying on third-party platforms. For a label selling to collectors, that matters commercially as well as practically: the full margin, customer relationship and control over how the catalogue is presented all stay with Expansion.

The result was a platform that looked as credible as the music it represented.

The impact was immediate and significant.

Sales rose by more than 1,700% within weeks of the new site going live, and growth continued beyond the initial launch period. This was not a short-term spike, but a meaningful step change.

Search visibility improved markedly, helping new listeners and collectors discover the label through organic search rather than relying solely on existing fans. For a catalogue with this much depth, being findable is not a technical detail. It is the difference between a back catalogue and a living one.

Running costs also came down. Expansion now operates from a single, cost-efficient platform with room to grow, without the overhead of maintaining two separate systems.

The success of the project came down to treating Expansion's history as an asset rather than something to design around.

A label built on authenticity cannot afford a website that feels borrowed from somewhere else. Our understanding of the entertainment and music sectors meant the label's voice was preserved throughout, while a data-informed approach to design and technical strategy ensured the new platform actively converted interest into sales.

For a label built on four decades of authentic sound, the digital platform now matches the substance behind it.