The Guardian has revamped its website, as the newspaper looks to reflect how readers consume news rather than how journalists categorise it.
The relaunch is part of a broader digital-first strategy, which has already seen the introduction of a redesigned app and mobile site that have in turn influenced the design of the Guardian newspaper and its supplements.
The new site has been tested for a year leading pp to the global launch with the Guardian’s US and Australian audiences being the first to trial the new versions. The first iteration of the new website was unveiled at the start of last year.
The design has been led by the Guardian’s director of digital strategy Wolfgang Blau and creative director Alex Breuer.
New ad formats include a responsive full-width banner and an expandable responsive banner in the middle of the homepage and each landing page, as well as parallax MPUs (Mid Page Units).
The new formats will help advertisers to reach and engage with the Guardian’s audience on whichever device they are using, whilst retaining the design of the site.
David Pemsel, Deputy Chief Executive, Guardian News & Media, said: “The completion of the global launch of the new site is an historic moment for the Guardian and everyone that has been involved with its creation and development. I am extremely proud of what has been achieved, and am excited about the opportunities it presents for our readers and staff. In particular, the new ad formats will revolutionise the way we work with existing and new brands to help maximise their impact with our audience, regardless of which device they access us on.”
The new theguardian.com uses a flexible ‘container’ format, which reflects the way people consume news and features, rather than how they are produced.
Containers can be customised in a variety of different ways to highlight stories, allowing editors to think beyond simply building a page, to creating a collection of stories that bring each day’s news to life for readers. It also allows for a clearer emphasis on live and up-to-the-minute news, while bringing audiences closer to the Guardian’s journalism by offering more ways to share stories and participate in the conversation.
Wolfgang Blau, director of digital strategy, Guardian News & Media, said: ”The Guardian has an almost 200-year long history in creating world-class journalism. In more recent years, the Guardian has also become one of the world’s most influential breaking news organisations across all devices and the main social media platforms. With our new site and editorial tools, we are now in an even better position to provide our community of readers and viewers with both our in-depth journalism in text and visuals, and our fast breaking news coverage from our three newsrooms in London, Sydney and New York.”