How do you make sure your website makes the best impact possible on your viewers? Why does your site layout matter? Online media relies heavily on the views and shares created by news consumers. A huge aspect to this is aesthetics. Although this may seem like an insignificant aspect of successful journalism, it's important to look at the whole picture. Think about it this way: if there are two news sites, each with the same content, but one is clean, concise, and easy to navigate, I'm going to choose to spend more time on that site. This post will consider two versions of the same site, The Guardian, and consider which is more visually appealing, and why that matters.
The original Guardian site worked for them. The site has millions of viewers, strong traffic, and a confident online presence. But the site's visuals were basic- there was nothing that stood out as particularly memorable or noteworthy.
The old Guardian site
Recently, The Guardian sent out an email regarding the changes to its loyal followers. The email contained the following description of the shift:
New Guardian logo - a confident representation of its reputation for serious, trusted journalism as a quality global news brand
An updated colour palette using bold, striking colours around the core sections of Guardian journalism: news, opinion, sport, arts and lifestyle.
A new font, called 'Guardian Headline', that is simple, confident and impactful.
The main text font remains the same — with marginal positive changes to size, line spacing and overall typesetting to improve readability
Now check out The Guardian's new home page. The change, although on the surface minimal, smoothly shifts your eyes around the page, the colors are visually pleasing, and the site is easier to navigate.
So why does this matter? Although The Guardian hasn't released any information about a change in online traffic due to the changes, I wouldn't be surprised if people were visiting more frequently. Viewers may not consciously decide to visit more frequently based on visuals, but their subconscious will naturally draw them to something that is easier to navigate and cleanly laid out.
Aesthetics matter. In the age of Instagram, it's important to competitively navigate the online media field by looking through every possible lens, it could make the difference between a successful site and a failed site.
There is no question of the abundance of coffee shops in Seattle. Famous for their cappuccinos and nonfat extra foam lattes, coffee shops in Seattle take great pride in the art of espresso. Hidden somewhere between the light rail station and the local homes on Beacon Hill, The Station is a truly delightful little coffee house that offers a unique and cozy experience.
The little coffee shop is located just across the street from the Beacon Hill Light Rail Station, so the sound of coffee bean grinders and chatter attract travelers and locals alike. The Station has two main characteristics that locals love: the homey atmosphere and the delicious coffee.
A block away from the shop there is a sign pointing to The Station to remind passerby's to grab their daily dose of caffeine. Approaching the cafe, the outside looks almost shabby, with plastic chairs stacked against the wall and the storefront painted a plain brown. But the inside could not be more different.
The inside of The Station, taken from opening day, photo from Flickr
The Station is very small, with only a few tables lining the wall and a bar with stools lining the window. Above the tables are dozens of small photographs depicting the events of the Baltimore riots by a local photographer. The shop is almost completely full, with only one small and wobbly table unoccupied. Strong neighborhood roots are apparent in the shop, a few campaign signs for past local county council candidates are lining the window. Bold stickers are plastered on the counters and coffee makers, the personality of the shop glowing through each cleverly worded label. Although the shop is a bit noisy because of the small space, it actually seemed to add to the quirky character of the place. They also have pastries in case you need a snack before hopping on the light rail.
A surprising aspect of the coffee shop are the latin undertones, including the shop's claim to fame: the mocha Mexicano. Another surprise? The coffee shop also serves wine and beer. Yet another aspect to the unique shop that makes it so cool and a great place to stop if you're on the hill.
The final selling point? The coffee is delicious. I ordered a chai, and it is one of the best I've ever had. Other reviews claim the espresso is worth at least 4 stars.
All in all, the service is wonderful, the atmosphere is perfect, and the coffee is delicious. I would highly recommend this unique Seattle coffee shop.
Seattle is widely known as a city of art. The grunge atmosphere, the downtown music scene, and the numerous outstanding art museums strewn throughout the city are all evidence of this. Another aspect to art in Seattle is often overlooked- murals painted on brick walls in alleyways and restaurant fronts overlooking the bustling city streets.
In Beacon Hill, a new outlook is being applied to mural painting. The organization called "We Are More Than a Zip Code" is aiming to tackle the issue of gentrification through what they call 'Artivism', and they're starting with Beacon Hill.
Picture Credit: www.beacon-arts.org
What?
The mural will be painted to show stories and images that are important to the Beacon Hill community. It will be painted on the east end of Dragon Auto Repair and face Stephen's Place Triangle Park, across from the Beacon Hill Library, a public and largely visible area. In addition to the mural, a documentary will be filmed following the process and the voices of the project.
A mural on Beacon Hill
Why?
The project aims to highlight the struggles found in minority groups in Seattle and King County. Included in these struggles is the rising issue of gentrification,which the project also hopes to shine light on. Specifically, the goal of the project is to uplift the Beacon Hill community as it is historically known as a focal point of these issues. The voices of the project wants to provide a tribute to Seattle and the diverse people that reside there.
A current mural on Beacon Hill
Who?
The Beacon Mural Project began with two young women. UW student and community organizer Monica Mendoza-Castrejon and organizer Tanesha Tekola came together to discuss how to solve the growing issue of gentrification in Seattle through 'Artivism' (activism through art). Both these women have grown up in the King County area and have had personal experiences with gentrification. They are teaming up with Beacon Arts to make this mural happen.
A mural on Beacon Hill
How?
Seattle Department of Neighborhoods has awarded Beacon Arts $20,200 in a Small and Simple matching fund grant to create the mural for Beacon Hill. Some of this money will be put toward outreach to the community to learn what images and stories the community feels are important to include in this piece of art.
A mural on Beacon Hill
When?
May 16th: At noon, join the project at Jefferson Community Center to learn more about the plans and to share ideas.
August 15th: A gathering at the Garden House designed to share designs for the mural and for final public comment.
September 12th: When Beacon Arts hopes to unveil the mural at the Beacon Art Walkabout.
For more information on the project visit: Beacon Arts
The Beacon Food Forest is hard to
miss. Cars rush by on busy 15th Avenue S, whipping past the 7-acre
plot of land on their way downtown. The garden is huge, and covered with a wide
variety of trees and plants that border stone paths leading to a wood hut. The
only way to discern one budding tree from another is the marker that reads
“apple”, and under it, “manzana”. The food forest caters to an immensely
diverse community, with every sign written in at least four different
languages. But this is one of the goals of the Beacon Food Forest, to bring the
diverse Beacon Hill community together.
An early map of the garden
In 2009, four students created a
plan for a 7-acre garden on Beacon Hill. Today, the project has grown
immensely, and now the Beacon Food Forest provides fresh food for the
neighborhood and ties the community together.
The Beacon
Food Forest (BFF) was started as a final project for a permaculture design
course. The project then evolved from a theoretical dream design into reality.
Volunteers have been working together for the past six years to create a large
and successful garden that provides fresh food to families in the Beacon Hill
neighborhood. The goal of the food forest is to plant and grow an edible urban
forest garden that inspires the community to come together, and learn how to
rehabilitate the local ecosystem with hands-on experiences.
A panorama of the lower garden
So what is
a food forest? A food forest is a garden that combines aspects of native
habitat rehabilitation with edible forest gardening. Food forests (also called
P-Patches throughout Seattle) are becoming more common as communities realize
how important growing local food in an urban setting is and how teaching the
children in their community hands-on sustainability will create a future of
local urban farming.
A painted rock found in the garden
Foods that are grown in the BFF are
reflective of the community that it resides in: diverse. Foods grown in the
garden come from all regions of the world, just like the diverse community of
Beacon Hill.
Volunteers
keep the BFF running smoothly and consistently successful. The BFF is funded
purely by grants and donation all organized by volunteers. A person gets a
P-Patch plot by accruing hours. Individuals who donate time and help develop
the garden accrue hours, which is the main way P-Patch plots are assigned. Only
one patch can be given to each household, and hours are accrued by physical
labor, organizing, and fundraising.
The Beacon Food Forest is located on 15th Ave. S and South Dakota St.
To learn more about the Beacon Food Forest, visit:
