Case Study
The Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas (CMS-A) represents the pinnacle of wine and beverage expertise, certifying professionals who demonstrate mastery of their craft. When this prestigious organization sought to expand its reach and appeal to a more diverse audience of aspiring sommeliers, our team was engaged to lead a comprehensive digital transformation.
We engineered a technical ecosystem that integrates multiple specialized platforms. The new system combines Arlo for course management, BuddyBoss for a members-only community, and the LearnDash LMS for on-demand training, all unified through secure SAML authentication. A custom-engineered database sync ensures data consistency across these platforms, while streamlining course registration and e-commerce functions for membership dues and purchases.
The visual redesign dramatically modernized CMS-A's online presence, replacing an outdated website with an intuitive, accessible platform that reflects CMS-A's high standards and commitment to excellence. The new website has also yielded remarkable results in search visibility, with CMS-A now dominating search rankings for key industry terms such as "Master Sommelier" and "Sommelier training," opening doors for the next generation of beverage professionals.
See for yourself at mastersommerliers.org
- 50% increase in organic ranking keywords after only 6 months.
- Greater than 400% increase in SERP features in Google results.
- A single, unified platform for course management, online community, and on-demand training.
The new website includes a Learning Management System that powers on-demand video training and courses for CMS-A members and prospects.
An integrated event management system allows the CMS-A team to easily publish upcoming trainings and sommelier exams, for session that are both in-person or online.
I really enjoyed the process - from the initial goal setting and personas, to the design work, site navigation, website build and content creation. I felt like I was being led by experts who knew what they were doing and guided us at every step. They balanced getting the work done with teaching us how to own this for ourselves!
Julie Theobald
Executive Director
CMS-A
