Lovers of gorgeous glass will appreciate the blown glass skills of the Zimmerman Art Glass artists. As designers, we are partial to arts such as glassblowing, lamping and stained glass art. We decided to take a look at small businesses specializing in blown glass.
While there are many different ones around the globe, Zimmerman’s website stood out for its simple design that showcases the beautiful works of art its glassblowers create. The owners are doing a lot of things right from a UX and design standpoint that drives business growth for the company. We also like that it is a smaller operation, as many of our readers own small and medium sized businesses (SMB).
The U.S. art glass market is worth an estimated $1 trillion in 2024. Experts predict the industry will reach a value of $1.34 trillion by 2030 with its typical 7.1% annual growth rate.
Winner: Zimmerman Art Glass
Zimmerman Art Glass began as a lamp chimney factory making the globes that went around gas street lamps. The factory that Victor Zimmerman worked in making the glass globes was lost to a fire in 1921 and the family moved to Corydon, Indiana.
A group of families from the original lamp factory moved to the city and formed a co-op making lamp chimneys until 1949. As electricity moved through the country, Victor decided to shift his glassblowing skills to something else. He founded Zimmerman Art Glass in 1942. Since then, each generation has joined the family business, shifting from functional glassblowing to a true art form.
Today, Victor’s grandchild, Kerry Zimmerman, keeps the business alive and well for future Zimmerman artists. Two of his sons work in the business with him. The company sells beautiful glass pieces and also offers occasional classes where people can create their own unique piece of glass, such as their Christmas ornament event.
Why We Chose Zimmerman Art Glass as a Winner
If you punch the words “glass art” into Google, you’ll find many options for businesses similar to Zimmerman Art Glass, all around the world. We’ve showcased Italian glass before and have an appreciation for vintage makers such as Fenton. However, when it comes to taking a small business and keeping it thriving through determination and smart marketing as well as a highly functioning website, Zimmerman stands out amongst its competitors.
Since we have looked at many glassblowing business sites over the years, we started with an idea of around five sites we wanted to consider. We knew we wanted to focus on SMBs as our readers would have the most in common. We then looked at the general first impression of the page. Did it showcase the art glass? We threw out anything that was too busy or distracted from viewing the photos of the beautiful designs.
Next, we considered what else the site and business had to offer. Not all host events for people and we wanted to showcase how that can help send more traffic to your site and grow your business. Glassblowing is a trade that takes years to perfect. However, everyone can do something small like give a burst of air to help create something they had a part in. We loved that about Zimmerman as well as their rich family history and their desire to pass the business down to the sixth generation–Kerry’s grandchildren.
Limited Color Palette
Because art glass comes in all the colors of the rainbow, it’s tempting to include way too many colors. One thing we really loved about Zimmerman Art Glass’ website was that they stick to a blue and white color palette that doesn’t distract from the photos. They also use neutral black for the text. The contrast and bright pop of royal blue are aesthetically pleasing.
Relevant Logo
Logos can be quite vague at times. We love this one because it reflects the several generations of artisans honing their craft, has the action of glassblowing and even includes the oven in the background. It’s clear what type of business the logo promotes. You can learn a lot from a company’s logo, making it one of the most important pieces of design.
Simple Navigation
The website’s navigation is straightforward. They’ve limited the options to a handful of categories and placed them across the top of the site, so they are easy to locate. Each name of the category indicates clearly what the user will find in that section, such as the company history, collections they offer and upcoming events.
Trust Factors
Someone may be a glass art enthusiast but still not know about a particular brand. Zimmerman Art Glass adds several things to their site that builds up trust that they know their craft and are reliable as a business. First, they offer their contact information in an easily accessible location at the top of the page. They also share photos and bios of their staff. Finally, they add social media links to the bottom of the page, so you can catch up with them on Facebook and Instagram.
Events Page
Although they share the majority of their events on social media, the company does include two big things they do each year to get the word out about their brand. They participate in what they call Glasstoberfest. They host the event each October, including performances by famous glassblowing artists, food, music, other types of artisan vendors and activities for children.
The company rates five out of five stars on TripAdvisor, with people who attended their pumpkin blowing or Christmas ornament events saying things, such as:
- “Came here to participate in the creation of my own pumpkin and had so much fun! The final product was even better than I expected!”
- “The shop is open for viewing and the craftsmanship is world class.”
People talk about the beautiful craftsmanship and passion for the work they do.
Glass Color Charts
One thing we appreciated about the site is that they include a glass color chart with images, so you can request a custom piece based on your favorite hues. While they also offer ready-made pieces you can choose from, the focus on customization and personalization can make a piece heirloom quality and attract users who otherwise might not buy a piece of glass.
Heartfelt Offerings
You can build a beautiful website, perfect your craft and attract customers, but the mark of a truly amazing company is one that puts thought and care into people’s emotions. By truly understanding the feelings that drive consumers, you can grow your audience and drive traffic to your site.
Zimmerman offers some ideas on their site for memorial ash glass. They will take your loved one’s cremated remains and put them into one of their creations. You can choose the colors and general style, but each piece is as unique as your memories.
Excellent Shopping Cart
They use Shopify for their online shopping cart, which makes it simple to select your item, add it to the cart and pay with just a few clicks. The easier you can make checkout for users, the more likely they are to complete the sale. The product descriptions and ordering process work equally well on a smartphone, making the site mobile friendly.
What We Would Do Different
We would build out the events page a little differently. The company also offers a pumpkin blowing class that isn’t even listed on their events page. They could start by making the info about Glasstoberfest clickable to details about the event. Also, they should offer registration and information about if people can come tour their factory.
Overall, this is an excellent website from a small business. It ticks off most of the needs customers have and has an artistic, minimalistic quality we love. If you are ever in Corydon, Indiana, the original capital city for the state, stop by and check out their beautiful glass and talk to them about what it takes to grow a company through six generations.
