Some of you have noticed that the website looks different. Some of you are terribly disturbed by this. Also some of you pointed out that the website looks different on mobile devices
This is the current breakdown of the visitors to the website. As you can see, more than 50% of you access it on your phone. Of the remaining, 21% used tablets and only 29% still stuck with a desktop.
We access the site on the desktop for obvious reasons of having to edit images and write the posts. When we read other people’s blogs, we typically use a tablet as well.
The previous site did okay on some mobile devices and not quite as well on others, so in the interests of making everyone’s experience the best it can be, we opted for a cleaner theme.
You will also notice changes to the blog page. A lot of people end up looking for a particular post and since we literally have thousands of posts now, it’s easier to find a specific one if you can look at them at a glance.
You will see tweaks in upcoming weeks, like changing font sizes in some places, new layout on the book pages, etc. They will be minor, and the look of the website won’t change that much. Because we are still on a deadline, we will be updating piece by piece when an opportunity presents itself.
I’m on the site both on mobile, laptop, and desktop. 🙂 So I have a range of experiences.
@Ilona & @Gordon – I have one minor suggestion, I love the randomized art cover banners at the top of site, some I instantly recognize, some I don’t. Is there a way that’s consistent across the various platforms that identifies the art source? Or is that there and I’m just not seeing it on my platform?
P.S. Anyone in Austin/Round Rock in Texas going to Ushicon to neet the creator, director, music director/selection from Japan plus the English voice actor. for Myyhos, from the anime Princess Tutu? Drop me a line (click my name) if you’d like to try to meet up and say hi if it works with our schedules. It’s always fun to meet fellow fans.
Thank you for the incredible generosity you show your readers – blogs, free reads of awesome stories in nail-biting inducing chapter/serial form and the wonderful full books and series.
Now you’ve done lots of homework – when you have so much on your plate – and created a website that is more mobile friendly – and looks great.
You both rock!!!
+1
Thank you both for arranging things to make us happy. Also thank you for the laughs!! I’m still giggling over the brushed curly girl hair. Being able to find it quickly on your blog helped cheer a friend out of a funk yesterday.
I like the new site.?
Since I mostly use desktop and sometimes mobile, works for me XD
I don’t own a mobile device. I don’t own a laptop. I do own a computer, and that’s what I use to access the site. Yes, it looks different. Nothing wrong with different…shakes things up, gets us out of our ruts.
The new page setup look good to me. It was great of you to go through the effort to make sure everyone had a friendly viewing page.
All I see is a blank white page with some writing. Pretty boring for those of us that use a computer.
You mean just like a book page?
Hahahahah! Good one!
hee hee!
I like the changes you made. They look really good on my tablet and phone. Thank you.
I’m on all 3 platforms and mobile was the one that didn’t read as well so I appreciate the new setup. I find it extraordinary that you guys are so busy and prolific, and yet, you stay so very engaged with your fans. Thanks for all the hard (and I’m sure, sometimes terribly, tedious) work that you put into all the different facets. Thanks to Brandi too!
I use my mobile 90% of the time, and I really like the new layout. It is a lot cleaner and more streamlined.
Very nice
I’m not sure what to make of the fact that I didn’t notice a change. I usually click in from the Facebook posts, read whatever offering the Authorlords have given us, and go along my merry way. I don’t care what’s surrounding the words.
I am one of those who access using every medium available: laptop, desktop, tablet, and phone. I love the content and the people. It’s nice to see the changes. The two of you are incredibly reader-oriented! I appreciate all you do. I’ve cheated on you a time or two with other authors’ sites, but none of those other folks hold a candle to y’all!
What I appreciate the most about the redesign is that my first generation iPad (2010) can still load the blog!
The number of sites I can see with this tablet continually decreases.
Waaay of topic but I just saw this on my Facebook page and thought of you ?
https://www.facebook.com/491452930867938/posts/2537834599563084/
I don’t feel “stuck” on a desktop – it’s simply a far superior medium. No squishd up text, or endlessly having to expand bits to read… Just got my notice from Apple on my weekly phone usage and my screentime last week was an average 5 minutes a day! I have to say I hadn’t really noticed any great changes in the site – I know you tweak it now and then, your site, your work, not my place to moan.
Thanks for the usage breakdown. Believe that the video gaming industry is looking at the same information. Your site looks great on my computer.
Let me just put this here please: in case you ever find yourselves bored and wanting something different to do, I would love an Arland POV. Pretty pretty please. ? But only when you can spare the time. ? Maybe the adventures of Arland and Helen? ?❤ Thank you!
I’m just today seeing the changes from my desktop and really like it. I mainly view from iPad, though more and more from my phone. Though that’s starting to kill my eyes. LOL.
Anyway, I think it makes a really cool visual impact on the blog… and I also like how you guys do change things up from time to time. Best author site out there…in my opinion 🙂
IF YOU REFRESH IT THE PIC AT THE TOP CHANGES! how am i just realizing this ?!? So cool! *mobile.
Love the new site design. I use all known media types to access and the new formatting looks great. It is a clean, organized layout.