Websites are an interesting and incredibly useful tool in the world of technology. They can be utilized for a large number of things, pertaining to almost any topic imaginable. They can be created to feature news about a local band, to teach people how to cook or repair their car, to follow the life and works of a celebrity, to keep people up to date with the world around them, or even to warn the world of the ever-so-dangerous dihydrogen monoxide. Websites use various types of media to express news, opinions, and facts in a creative and interesting way. Not only do websites present useful (or sometimes pointless) information to the people visiting them, but they often do this in a way that encourages audience interaction and participation. Many websites feature links which visitors can click to view more or different information, videos and images for visitors to view, a place for feedback and comments, and a place for visitors to submit their own content. Some websites even allow for users to edit the content and adjust the look of the website for their own viewing pleasure.
Websites have become increasingly easy to access, and even own, as technology races forward. It is safe to say, in today's world, that we all use and/or view websites on a daily basis. In fact, it is hard not to. From the Saint Rose website and Blackboard to online banking and shopping, much of our daily routine is ingrained into the world wide web, which results in a inevitable connection to the internet. A good portion of our leisure time is often spent on websites as well. Many people spend their free time reading the updates on news websites, listening to music on a band fan page, or checking the scores of the most recent game on the ESPN website. Because of this connection to websites and the internet, most of us probably have a favorite site that we visit on a fairly regular basis. No matter what the topic might be, our favorite websites all have one thing in common: something that keeps us coming back for more.
If possible, please come up with a specific example of a "website that works" and share the link below. What exactly is it about this website that holds your interest and keeps you coming back for more? Is it the content? Are their any key elements, such as pictures, music, links, etc., that make it interesting? Or does the overall success of a website depend on something else entirely? What do you feel are the essential elements that a successful website must have, if any?
By Jenna Herbert and Erin Walsh
I think a good example of a website that works is stumbleupon.com.
ReplyDeleteOne of my friends started using this and I looked at it and it's really interesting because you can type in your interests, click on that interest and it will send you to a website that may be a video, article, etc about that interest. Every time you click on that interest it sends you to a different website so the content is always different, thus making you want to keep coming back for more.
http://espn.go.com/
ReplyDeleteThe thing that holds my interest in this website is because I love sports plus it’s one of the easiest websites to navigate. The content is sports and more sports. The key elements are the pictures & videos, also the headlines and score board going across the page. The overall success of this website is dependent on ESPN. A successful website is one that can grab your attention and keep you coming back for more, it is also one that’s entertaining, and one that has a lot available.
http://www.forever21.com
ReplyDeleteA website that I love is Forevr 21. I love shopping and I do the bulk of my shopping at this store because they have so many different styles. The website is pretty simple to use. At the top of the website there are drop down menus to chose what your looking for. They list all the types of clothing imaginable and their easy to get to. The website also has great images so you can see what type of clothing is available and if its what your looking for. I think this webstie is successful because of its easy access and the colorful images they have. They also have the option to but things online which is also very simple. Because of the easy access and simplicity I think its what keeps people coming back for more. I know I can spend a good amount of time on there!
The only website that i visit on an everyday basis, other than facebook, is Pandora.com
ReplyDeleteThis website is beyond amazing, because as it says in its description, it's an online radio. You search for an artist of your interest, and it automatically creates a radio station with your artist' songs as well as other songs similar to that of your fav artist. I just find it to be amazing how it never seems to match you up with random nonsense you're not into; but rather your favorite music and songs that will now become your favorite thanx to pandora.
Every time I turn on my computer I check my facebook and email first. I have recently been reading a lot of blogs for fun. I like to check out 11points.com, fml, and damn you auto correct. When I go on the internet and I am bored I look for things that are going to make me laugh. Typically it results in the types of blogs I just mentioned. I like to do online shopping and check out menus of places I want to eat. I think a successful website has to be inviting. The color scheme and images are important. It must be easy to navigate, otherwise I find I just get frustrated and leave the site. I believe the most important part of the website is the content.
ReplyDeleteOne website that I find myself frequently viewing is http://www.huffingtonpost.com/, which is a news website that categorizes its articles. The information from Huffington comes from various news sources around the country and the world. The main or home page shows images and articles pertaining to breaking news world-wide. Within that, you are able to easily navigate to other news categories. Since I will be teaching soon, I frequently like to check out the "Education" tab, where I can see popular news about the education within our country. Like any other news site, it is not always positive, but it does keep you up-to-date with anything that is happening within New York, the country or the world. Other categories this website features are political, business, entertainment, media, technology, comedy, sports, style, world, food, living, impact, and local news. This website keeps me coming back for more because it offers a wealth of knowledge and pictures that easily catch your eye. It becomes more specific by the categories that they make readily available for you to click on. A successful website is one that can appeal to a large group of people. Since people are mostly visual creatures, it becomes important to include something that is eye-catching. These are all elements that the Huffington Post have, which makes its very appealing to a large amount of people.
ReplyDeleteI think a good website is postsecret.com. I always check this site for new postcards or secrets. This website makes me feel closer to people I don't even know because of a secret I share or can relate to. I feel this website works because of an emotional connection that people have with the content and because they can participate with it as well.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, website essentials include a good visual, a simple and easy to use layout and contains something interesting enough to keep someone on it or to make them keep coming back.
A website I find myself checking constantly is dearblankpleaseblank.com. I return to this site almost daily because it is amusing. What I like about the website, besides its humor, is how it is set up. The site offers funny or awkward black or white pictures, which creates a theme for the site. It is easy to find specific categories of humor, including the following: Hilarious, Random, I like this, How Dare They, and more. One can interact with the site as well. After reading one of the Dearblankpleaseblanks (DBPB), one can click which category they think it falls under and comment on it as well. This lets people post their opinion and see what other viewers think of the site as well. Under the "Moderate" section, one can vote on whether they think a DBPB application is worthy of making it to the homepage of the site. I like the site because it is easy to navigate, I can express my opinion, and can get a few good chuckles in between the stressful hours of my day.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tokiohotelamerica.com/
ReplyDeleteThis website is one that I use very often. Tokio Hotel is a German band that formed in 2005 and they are my favorite band. This website is the official fanclub run by fans. I love this site because it is a way for fans of the band to come together and discuss what they like and don't like about the band. There are sections for news, merchandise, appearances, award shows. They have photos through the years of the individual members and as a band, photos from concerts, videos, interviews, etc. so you get a sense of who they are as a band. Polls are posted asking questions about each member. They have a link to their FaceBook, Twitter, YouTube, and home pages. Also, they have a section for fan creativity where fans post their covers of the songs, or drawings or whatever else fans come up with. I love to see what other fans have to say about the band. There are so many different ideas they come up with and it really is quite impressive. This site is a great place to come to, especially because my friends don't know who Tokio Hotel are because they aren't really that well known in the US, so it's nice to talk to people who do know about them.
http://www.okcupid.com
ReplyDeleteThis online dating site not only boasts user-friendly search engines and a pleasing layout, but it is also VERY, very addicting! The addictive nature of the site lies in the fact that it lets you know whenever someone visits your profile. That way, it is comforting in the sense that you know at least someone might be taking an interest in you (enough to visit your profile that is.)
I don't visit many websites, but the ones that I check regularly are the ones that are the 'stickiest' such as Facebook, DeviantArt, 4chan, and the aforementioned okcupid. I'm not sure whether I visit them frequently because they are necessarily 'good' websites, but they sure as hell 'work' (if work entails sucking you in and latching on to your daily routine like a tapeworm in your lower intestine)
I don’t surf the web too often besides visiting my daily gossip/entertainment sites such as TMZ, or E!, and news sites such as huffingtonpost.com, and CNN. I visit those sites frequently because they both are easily accessible, feature plenty of video’s and links, and also have interactive tools for their visitors. Another website that I visit a lot also, is Zappos.com. I love to shop and zappos.com is like a one stop for all things like clothes, make-up, and housewares. I would say that the zappos website works so well to keep consumers like me coming back and shopping because the layout, and design is simple and easy to navigate through, they have virtual fashion helping tools, and lots of different links. It really is a one stop trip for your whole outfit from the shoes, to your make-up. I think for any website to be successful they need to have a proper balance of visuals, videos, easy access, and current up to date information to keep the visitor coming back. Website design and layout are two of the most important tools in determining the success of a website and how much traffic it gets.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.zappos.com/
http://www.deviantart.com/
ReplyDeleteI love DeviantART, even if I do little more then 'favorite' the artwork I like. I do visit a ton of websites, including Facebook, Twitter, Adam Lambert fansites, and writing sites, but DeviantART is pretty well known and has a sorta simple layout. I love going to DA because I love seeing the skill that a majority of the artists have, and not all of it is photoshop. There's photography, painting, drawing, even writing. So any form of art is welcomed on DA.
DA has a huge following, and my belief is that DA is the largest art-related site out there. People can even make money off of prints and things, or advertise their websites all while gathering a strong fan support for their art. I personally love reading the comics, or the Popular art that shows on the first page.
A website needs to be visually appealing and as simple as possible. If a site is complicated (like Tumblr, but that's just me) that's an instant turn-off. Too many ads is annoying as well, and DA does their best to keep the ads to a minimum. A website also needs an active Administration that can be contacted at any time and doesn't mind interacting with the members. That's important for a site as well.
I usually don’t go on the internet for much other than facebook, shopping, and research for school, but if I had to pick one website that I think “works” I would say www.cnn.com. The website has all of the content it claims to have and should have on political news from around the world. The site is designed well so that one can easily navigate it to find the story they are looking for or browse through all of the top stories that maybe he or she didn’t know about before. There are a lot of pictures and videos that capture audience’s attention and make the site more visually pleasing. I think that this site covers all of the essential elements of a successful website because it is easily navigated, visually appealing, and it has all of the content it should.
ReplyDelete