Led by Chief Product Officer Lewis D’Vorkin, Forbes has implemented an “Inside-Out” strategy for the ongoing Forbes.com redesign and re-architecture, which started with a new digital platform for editors, staff reporters, and contributors pages in August 2010, and continued with the Forbes 400 Wealth profile pages in September 2010 and the introduction of AdVoice in November 2010. Those highly scalable pages of the 400 issue are at the centre of the new Forbes content model, which includes an expanding database of People, Companies and Places that will populate pages.
“In building these pages, we had various constituencies in mind — consumers, marketers and, of course, our editors, staff writers and contributors. We wanted the pages to be authoritative, dynamic and transparent — and to embody the elements and functionality of social media,” said Mr. D’Vorkin. “This next phase in the redesign will further continue Forbes’ mission to foster participation and interactivity in order to meet the demands of a new and evolving media world.”
For more details and a clear navigation of what is happening at the web site, along with the strategy and plans for the continued iterations throughout 2011 visit Mr. D’Vorkin’s posting.
Mike Perlis, President and CEO of Forbes Media, commented, “This is one of the most exciting days in the storied editorial history of Forbes. Lewis and his team have launched a site that is amazing in its vision and execution. Visually it is fresh, clear, precise, easy to navigate and extraordinarily engaging. The content – with tiers of editorial expertise, links, video, call-outs, social media streams and so much more, is compelling to every kind of user—the reader, contributor and marketer.”
Following are some of the key updates to the channel pages, broken out by the different constituencies these changes will benefit:
Consumers:
• Updated look and feel with a clean, easy-to-use presentation
• Easier Channel navigation through a new Global header
• Ability to “Follow” a channel, section or writer to receive a new customized and consolidated daily or weekly email digest
• Identification of writers as Forbes Staff or Contributors
• Real-time story and content streams with six filters to view Forbes content: All real-time content, Posts, Photos and Video, Magazine stories, Headline Grabs and Social (which includes active conversations, called-out comments, trending stories, Twitter posts from Forbes staffers)
• New Global footer featuring Forbes Lists and programmed content
• Persistent sharing module visible in left rail moves as page is scrolled
• Contextually relevant video
• Modules for featured content and partner headlines
Forbes Editors, Reporters and Contributors:
• Individual branding on every story
• Clear identification of Forbes staffers and contributors
• Ability to publish Twitter posts to relevant Forbes channel or section
• Top promotion block with six highly visual, editable and programmable template
• Content flows into multiple channels and sections
Marketers:
• AdVoice posts (clearly identified and labeled) automatically feed into the relevant channel or sections pages
• AdVoice contributors (also identified and labeled) can appear anywhere a staff writer or contributor can appear
• New in-stream ad unit features the marketer’s logo and text
• Increased promotional space for advertiser-supported special reports
• Flexible leaderboard for rich media ads
• A new ad unit for the video module that runs in sync with pre-roll
Mr. D’Vorkin’s post of January 10, 2011, provides an even more in-depth look at the strategy and planned products for Forbes.com.
