Change isn’t always comfortable here in the Land of Steady Habits but when it comes, the results can be striking.
Such, we hope, will be the effect of our new website which is scheduled to debut early in June.
When the Hartford Business Journal first set out on the then uncharted waters of the Internet, we teamed with the smart tech guys at ForeSite Technologies in East Hartford. Together, we built a website from scratch. It proved reliable and functional but over the years it became clear a proprietary solution wasn’t sustainable. The wisdom of the crowd had developed both core capabilities and bells and whistles that were beyond our reach. So last year, we embarked on a venture with Saxotech, a company that has developed publishing systems for hundreds of news operations, large and small, around the world.
The results are right around the corner.
When the new site debuts, readers will be treated to a redesigned site that stresses the user experience. The home page will offer a striking design that features a rotating carousel approach to presenting the biggest stories of the day. Navigation will be improved, making it easier to find just the page you want. There will be new ways to connect and engage at HartfordBusiness.com. It will be easier to send us news and get involved with our events. It will be easier to find market information, advertising contacts and lists from our ever-popular Book of Lists. There will be new and better RSS feeds plus access to a host of social media options.
And, of course, there will be a few new features.
One is the ‘Beyond CT’ section powered by the award-winning news team at CNN. We recognize that more than ever Connecticut business is part of the global economy. That’s why we’re adding coverage from ‘Beyond CT’ that affects lives here in the Nutmeg State. In this area, readers will find a digest of the top economic and financial news from around the globe plus stock market reports.
We also will be migrating our Movers & Shakers section from print to the online world. The accelerating pace of business makes it imperative for us to bring these personnel changes to you in real time. And that’s just what we’ll do.
Amid all the changes, we’ve been mindful that more than 15,000 subscribers count on their mid-day HBJ Today news report. We’ve made some cosmetic adjustments, but readers should feel right at home with the new HBJ Today.
Of course, as with any technology, there are some bugs to work out before we can ‘go live.’ At this writing, all signs point to a launch ahead of the June 7 CT Business Expo. Watch your email for updates as we get closer to launch.
This is an exciting time for Connecticut business and we won’t miss a beat in our news coverage as we make this important technological transition. Thanks for sharing the journey with us. Your comments, thoughts and suggestions are always welcome.
Let’s make news together.
Norman Bell is editor of the Hartford Business Journal. Reach him at nbell@HartfordBusiness.com
