A new and improved version of JCKonline.com debuts later this week (maybe even as early as tomorrow!). We’re proud of the redesign and hope you like it, too. In the (inevitable) event that you encounter some kinks this week as you peruse our news and features, please bear with us! We’re doing our best to get it right. Let me explain our rationale for the change (and, in doing so, suggest a few ways in which you can beef up your own digital operation).
1. The new site will be mobile-enhanced, aka “responsive.”
We’ve preached the gospel of mobile-enhanced websites for years so it’s high time we took our own advice. There’s no excuse for not having a site that looks equally good on a smartphone and tablet as it does on a computer screen. The term for that is “responsive” because the site is programmed to recognize the type of device on which it’s being viewed and responds accordingly by offering a neat menu of options and easy access to the things readers want most.
2. In keeping with current design practices, we’re adding white space and images.
Since our last redesign five years ago, the prevailing online aesthetic has changed, and the current site is starting to look a little, well, crammed. We’re redoing it with an eye to adding more white space, larger format images, and more contemporary-looking fonts. For tips on how to streamline your own online presence, heed the advice in this blog and this feature article from retail editor Emili Vesilind.
The top half of our redesigned homepage now features three large “hero” images.
3. The goal is to make the reading experience easier and more engaging.
We’ve simplified the content into three main buckets—Industry, Retail, and Fashion—all accessed through the News & Trends navigation tab on the home page. We’ve placed our editors’ blogs—accessed through the Opinions tab on our home page—in an equally prominent spot on the main navigation panel. All of our fresh content will fill a central column on the site, making it easy to scroll down to catch our most recent posts.
4. Stay tuned for a much more robust selection of content online.
From how-to articles designed with retailers in mind to a slew of native advertising campaigns—identified by the “JCK Content Studio” banner—we’re ramping up our online offerings. We’ll never relinquish our ties to print, but we know that an impressive digital presence is key to growing JCK’s reputation among a new generation of jewelers.
5. We’re eager to hear your feedback.
When you’ve had a chance to get comfortable with the new site, please let us know what you think. Feel free to add your comments to this blog, or email me directly: vgomelsky at jckonline.com!
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