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I'm not a big digg follower, so I've got no attachment to the way things used to be. I was fully prepared to find the new version an upgrade and an improvement.
In the old version, a new visitor was greeted with a headline that read "News, Images, Videos....most recent, top in 24 hours, etc." Below that was a call-out bar that said "discover the best of the web," and which had a "learn more" link inside. So, if part of the goal is to attract new users, it's better in the old version.
That said, the new version has a link to "My News" which takes me to my customized and selected feeds faster than in the older version, so if part of the goal is user retention, the new site works better. It's also easier to find sub-categories of topics in the new site.
But design-wise, isn't it all a bit boring? It looks like Craigslist on color-steroids (a vanilla classified site with some added color) rather than something that was lovingly crafted by graphic artists. It's all rather glued together, and not really organized visually.
So, helpful suggestions:
- Less is more. Show the Top 5, not the Top 10. Box it.
- Underneath you could put a box about Join Digg, why join, take a tour, and follow by profile information. That would be a nice place to find it, especially for a new user.
- I'm not sure I need "Top news" over in the right sidebar. And if I do, the Top 5 is enough, and don't need 10 items. Assuming I do want more "top" news items, use the right sidebar better. List Top 5 (in all topics) this week, Top 5 this month; Top 5 this year, etc. instead of a repeat of the top news in the selected topic.
- Get some graphic artists to revamp the buttons. "Join Digg!" button is just blah.
- Be careful about over-advertising. I really don't like the fake digg links embedded in the listings from sponsored ads. Keep your editorial and your advertising separate. You may generate some more money with an embedded ad, but you lose your followers. It feels like spam.
Digg Homepage (V4)
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it's their identity
first thing this need to be changed, then give it some respect! a bit of breathing room...
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2
why all the rounded boxes
I know that this is more about usability, but these rounded boxes and highlights are just plain... bleugh!
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3
what's this?
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4
Nav rollover
This is fairly dated and looks IMHO ugly
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5
do they really need the underline
You can tell it's a heading, it's a different color, I think the underline is ugly and makes the text too squashed up
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6
I know that DIGG is blue
but there seems too much of it, I think they really need to look at a better color sheme
Step 1 - Follow
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incosistent styles
main page or homepage if you like, has a different style, the buttons should stay the same, I like this style alot better, but I have incosistencies...
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2
logo
still ugly
Step 2 - Find Friends
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these are the only options??
wow, ok so there's more than just these 3 in all the social media sites, that people follow... I would of thought, to increase the traffic that they would at least add more options in here
