Welcome to the new 2theadvocate.com design

Nov. 5, 2006 8:45 p.m.

Posted by Freda Yarbrough, New Media Director

2theadvocate.com is getting a new look on Monday, Nov. 6 — a larger size, a new color palette and larger photographs in stories are some of the changes users will notice, plus the ability to increase the type size of stories for easier reading.

If you have bookmarked pages, don't worry, those links should stay the same.  Plus, 2theadvocate.com automatically refreshes every five minutes, which should clear any problems you have in seeing the new version of the site.

This redesign is the culmination of months of study and development of the interests, needs and desires of WBRZ Channel 2 viewers, Advocate readers and those who rely on 2theadvocate.com as their information source.

The Look

One of the first changes viewers will notice is the size of the Web site pages themselves. They will be wider — 960 pixels as opposed to the current 744 pixels (that’s about an increase of 3 inches from 10 to 13 inches wide).

This new wider format will allow 2theadvocate.com to increase its homepage content, allowing more stories and headlines to be displayed and more news sections than currently appear on the homepage.

The Web site will feature an orderly design created not only to facilitate navigation of the site, but to also be easier to read and to put less strain on the eyes. Plus, the new site is easier to open on mobile devices such as PDAs, BlackBerrys and some cell phones.

This is accomplished through the use of a white background and softer colors, a text format ideal for easy readability and larger photographs. Readers will also have the option of adjusting the text size to their preference.

The Content
Longer stories and better photographs are but two of the many benefits 2theadvocate.com will provide to its readers.

Information on stocks and money markets will be expanded and updated throughout the day by the Associated Press in a new online section called Money and Markets at Money and Markets

Breaking news stories, emergency information, weather alerts and sports updates will be featured more prominently than with the present layout, occupying a highly visible spot on the homepage.

Perhaps one of the most notable technological upgrades is the addition of RSS feeds for all sections on the site. RSS (for Rich Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary) feeds will allow users with RSS readers to receive notification when new content is posted to the site. Some users refer to this as Really Simple Syndication because it allows the user to set up feeds of favorite sections and writers.  

To find out more about RSS, go to  http://www.2theadvocate.com/help/3412486.html

In the world of the Internet, change is the only constant, so continue to watch for new features in 2007.

For comments or questions, email comments@theadvocate.com