When I first plug- in to the internet in the morning, there are five sites that I visit before my own. One of those sites has been TheRoot.com, which has become the definitive place on the web for African American news and culture. I enjoy reading The Root because it gets back to the basics of what black newspapers used to cover back in the day, something that is refreshing in a world of diluted news sites on the web. The Root has served its audience well and is one of the most visited Black sites.
I was honored to have been asked to preview The Root’s new site, which boasts cleaner lines, brighter colors, and an overall pleasing aesthetic. During a conference call with The Root, Managing Editor Joel Dreyfuss broke down the new changes of the site. The article slide at the top of the page has been expanded and easier to see the story you want, new Trending Topic bar to show who or what is buzzing on the site, an updated Roots section that discusses genealogy, a Jobs and Business page to help Black businesses, and a Most Popular/Most Shared section. The site is cleaner, easier to navigate, and will help us get to the stories we want to read.
In a press release, Dreyfuss said the following:
“Over time we’ve also seen our curated and multimedia content grow in popularity, so we’re redesigning the homepage to make it easier to access the full breath of what we offer. In addition, we are pleased Toyota RAV4 partnered with The Root for being the advertising partner in launching the new homepage redesign. ”
The new site will launch on the early morning hours of July 21st, but everyone can get a sneak peak of the new Beta version now by going to TheRoot.com and clicking on the preview Beta page option at the top of the site.
I am looking forward to seeing how the changes implemented grow the site and change my overall reader experience.
Do you visit The Root?
Leave a Reply