Recently, Flagpole Magazine unveiled a new design for their website. Some aspects of the new site are successful, but some elements aren’t quite working. In general, the site is easy to navigate through. The calendar is prominent, which makes sense to me because Flagpole is a go-to for looking up events in Athens. The other features of the site are right at the top, which makes it easy to find what you are looking for. I like the new music directory, which is well-organized and thorough.
One problem I do have with the site is that the homepage is really cluttered. The composition is confusing, and you don’t quite know what to look at. The pictures are next to these loud, colorful ads running down the side. Right at the top there are these distracting, random “recent comments.” Honestly, I hardly ever read other people’s comments unless the story is fairly controversial, so to have them just plopped right at the top of the website with no real correlation between them doesn’t make a lot of sense. I’m guessing the goal of that feature was more interactivity, but I think simply having the comments at the end of stories is enough. Article-wise, there’s a lot going on. It’s a bit overwhelming with all of the text. Then, when you find a story you want to read, such as a certain album review, it’s lumped in with all of the other stories in that section. Also, some articles are listed twice, which is confusing. Actually, I would get rid of the entire right section of the homepage. I think that would improve the clutter factor.
Though it’s not entirely fair to compare Flagpole’s site to those of organizations that only print online, I think that they could take some direction from how sites like The Daily Beast organize their content. The layout guides the reader around the page well. As far as content goes, Flagpole has a lot to offer, much more than similar weeklies such as Jacksonville’s Folio Weekly. I think that once they find a way to present it in a way that is smooth and organized that the site will be a great complement to the publication.
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Julie,
ReplyDeleteGood observations about this site. I think you're right about the "recent comments" box, both the intentions and the actual effect. I don't have a big problem with the ad rail on the left; seems to me they do a pretty good job separating the ads from the editorial content. I also think having the calendar highlights at the top is a good idea, but I think that each listing ought to link to more details about the specific event, rather than requiring you to go to the full calendar.
Still, after comparing the Flagpole site to the Folio Weekly page you link to, Flagpole is much clearer and easier to navigate.
I have to say, I've been waiting for a Flagpole Web site revamp for quite some time. I'm a fan of the Flagpole, mostly for the fact that it's a go-to for events in Athens, as you mentioned. It never fails.
ReplyDeleteI think you've brought up some valid points. One thing I hate when visiting a site is clutter. Perhaps it's just me, but I like it more streamlined and visually appealing. Function is important, but so are aesthetics.
I do think this new site is much improved from the original. I had an opportunity to interview Pete McCommons, the Flagpole's editor and publisher, last year about this site and I know he was thinking about integrating ads. So I hope it's opened up a new revenue stream for the Flagpole.
I hope to see more advancement in the near future in updating the Flagpole's Web site.