The UK’s biggest-selling regional daily has launched a new-look website which aims to provide the “same great content” for readers using PCs, tablets or mobile devices.
The Wolverhampton-based Express and Star has launched the website which has been built to improve the browsing experience for people whichever device they are using.
Technology which reacts to the size of the screen automatically is being used by the website and readers will be able to comment directly on stories from mobiles and tablets.
The new-look site for the Midlands News Association title also features larger images and aims to provide improved navigation.
Managing director Phil Inman said: “We believe we are the first publisher in the UK to launch a website that responds to the way that the user is accessing it, reinforcing our desire to be customer driven.
“The MNA’s audience on mobile devices and tablets is growing so we wanted to ensure that users got the same excellent experience, matching that of desktop visitors.”
The move means that instead of booking individual adverts for each platform, advertisers can take out a single campaign to appear on all devices.
An article about the revamped site said: “The Express & Star is proud to introduce our new look website, built to offer our readers the best browsing experience – whether on mobile, tablet or PC.
“For the first time ever, readers will be able to access the same great content across all devices, using the latest technology to react to the size of your screen.
“In fact if you are looking at the site on a desktop or laptop you can make the browser larger or smaller to see the effect as the site automatically rearranges itself to fit the new window size.
“And with larger, better quality images across the new site – as well as an improved navigation – Express & Star content looks better than ever online.
“On higher resolution screens, such as the iPad, the site will come alive with pixel-perfect images and swipeable galleries that make scrolling through our photographers’ best shots a breeze.
“You can now comment on stories from your mobile or tablet and, whether tied to your desk or out and about, you’ll be able to instantly share stories on Facebook and Twitter.”
A site with the same features was launched for its sister title, the Shropshire Star, last month.
The latest ABCe figures show the Express and Star’s website had 51,147 average daily unique users for the first six months of this year, a growth of 26.2pc year-on-year.
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I think Newsquest have already launched something like this…
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MNA are usually a little behind the other big news groups – watch out for even more cuts to staff, as they make up for lost time!
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I think you are mistaken unionman, my local Newsquest site Hereford Times doesn’t reformat to fit my iPad. It just shrinks. Oxford Mail site is the same. It looks like the MNA have done something new here after all.
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It’s called responsive web design, bound to be the way forward for newspaper websites I would imagine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsive_Web_Design
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What is a i pad ???
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It should be the way all newspaper websites are. Instead of ploughing resources that aren’t there into ipad apps that nobody will buy, design a website that can be accessed by everyone, with the same content for everyone, and maybe spend a bit of money on employing staff to maintain these sites and make them an extension of the newspaper’s printed product at the heart of the community by engaging with the reader.
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lt’s mad … yet another ‘website redesign’ (always with ‘improved navigation – the newspaper equivalent is ‘a clean new look’).
It’s the websites that are destroying the businesses. As I’ve said many times, they both lose money AND contribute to the downfall of the product which actually does make money. When will they ever learn?
It’s like John Lewis setting up another store next door where, instead of paying for it, customers get it all for free. How mad would that be? Yet that’s exactly what newspapers are doing.
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Well done Phil – major changes indeed!!!
One size ad fits all – hmm thats really ground breaking – not. I’ve had my iPad for over a year and many sites have been doing this for at least that lenght of time.
26.2% growth in the web site – with 26% revenue growth – I don’t think so.
These guys are still not able to make the web generate serious revenue they are playing semantics as usual.
Get a grip – look at the core business as well.
I really, really wish that we had people back in the business who could be innovative – because we used to, sadly most left or where made redundant. GET SOME “BLUE SKY” back into the business! .
Steve, that’s utter rubbish. The price most papers barely pays for the cost of print and distribution and certainly doesn’t pay your wages. Advertising does!
Yes, advertising on the web has traditionally been upsold and cheaper, but with GROWING readerships we can begin to challenge this and make it pay.
Then take into account the comparatively smaller cost of maintaining a website, you have a business model to grow upon, not one where you’re desperately trying to save costs and crying for investment to prop it up for a few more years.
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I’m guessing Steve is just here trolling – the ‘papers make money now (although less and less each year through falling circs and other ad options), but what happens when circulations fall further and the titles close?
If you see the newspaper as a father and the new technology as a child, no father in their right mind would dismiss it because it couldn’t look after itself now, but rather nurture it so it becomes stronger. We all know the parent/ child roles reverse when a parent becomes too old and frail, which is exactly what the ‘paper industry will be in 5/10 years, with websites providing a crutch to barmy newspaper men of old with circulations you could count on one hand….
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