As a hard news girl, I don't endorse getting my news from Buzzfeed. Fun lists like "16 Things Katy Perry looked like during her half time performance," I would totally share on my private social media outlets, but I would not trust the site as my go-to for credible and accurate news. For design ideas, though, I was forced to take note.
For my first project for Writing and Rhetoric in the Digital Age, I decided to analyze the user experience Buzzfeed offers. Much of it is dictated in the site's design.
For my first project for Writing and Rhetoric in the Digital Age, I decided to analyze the user experience Buzzfeed offers. Much of it is dictated in the site's design.
Above, you can see today's Buzzfeed homepage. Just "above the fold" alone, there are 16 visual elements. This does not include the "lol," "win" and "omg" tags used to rate stories at the top of the page. There is a solid hierarchy established which sets apart the stories in importance. All of the images serve as great links to story pages. The homepage is not overwhelming, but it still gives the reader multiple points to access different content from all parts of the site.
I think all of Buzzfeed's important aspects to the site are above the fold, making it convenient for the user. First, its logo is at the top clearly identifying the site but not taking away from its content. Its slogan, "News, Buzz, Life," accurately sums up what viewers will find on the site. The content bar has clearly identified links to pathway pages, which lead to stories. A Facebook icon is also located in the content bar as well as the search bar and a link to get Buzzfeed's app, although I think that link could be more prevalent on the page.
One aspect of Buzzfeed's homepage design I love is the scroll bar of thumbnail images. Its easy to navigate and tell what stories are about. I can see the image, most of the headline and know if this is something I would like to click on. The scroll bar gets more content in front of people so they are not bored with the front page of the site. Like the scroll bar of stories at the top, the trending bar offers the same peek into stories.
Overall, I like the layout of Buzzfeed's site. The design makes the information digestible. The site exemplifies the design phrase " form follows function." Its consistent layout allows for users to see instead of links. I think more sites should do this as it will help attract visitors who will not be overwhelmed by the amount of information a homepage has.
I think all of Buzzfeed's important aspects to the site are above the fold, making it convenient for the user. First, its logo is at the top clearly identifying the site but not taking away from its content. Its slogan, "News, Buzz, Life," accurately sums up what viewers will find on the site. The content bar has clearly identified links to pathway pages, which lead to stories. A Facebook icon is also located in the content bar as well as the search bar and a link to get Buzzfeed's app, although I think that link could be more prevalent on the page.
One aspect of Buzzfeed's homepage design I love is the scroll bar of thumbnail images. Its easy to navigate and tell what stories are about. I can see the image, most of the headline and know if this is something I would like to click on. The scroll bar gets more content in front of people so they are not bored with the front page of the site. Like the scroll bar of stories at the top, the trending bar offers the same peek into stories.
Overall, I like the layout of Buzzfeed's site. The design makes the information digestible. The site exemplifies the design phrase " form follows function." Its consistent layout allows for users to see instead of links. I think more sites should do this as it will help attract visitors who will not be overwhelmed by the amount of information a homepage has.