Welcome to the new MLSsoccer.com! Our team here at MLS Digital has been working non-stop since the beginning of the year to re-imagine, redesign, and relaunch the site. While we did a lot to make the homepage look and feel great, the design focuses on improving our site in five primary ways.
Content first
We wanted to remove all the visual clutter and let the articles speak for themselves. We simplified the categories displayed on the front page to Latest, Popular, Featured Content, and Contributors, removing sections that garnered less interest (these are still available in the menu). We also decreased the size of article icons which let us put more stories in the same space.
Clean, contemporary design
The homepage now sports several new layouts. The big imagery allows us to be bold and striking when the news of the day warrants it, or to dial it back a bit when there are several top stories (you'll see the various layouts over time). We are also big fans of recent trends in design to use typography, whitespace, and edges to create simple, yet beautiful pages.
You loved Latest News: Here it is
If clicks are votes, then you voted loudly and clearly for Latest News as your go-to section on the homepage. We moved Latest News from a sidebar afterthought to a primary location (now "Latest") on our page. We also added videos and blog posts to the feed, so you can get all of the latest content.
Embrace the conversation
Our social login and commenting service has really stimulated conversation between our fans and contributors. Our analytics have shown that the conversations tend to peter out once an article moves off the front page. That didn't seem right to us. After all, the editors were still debating certain topics in the office; most likely fans and users wanted to continue the conversation, too. So now, the site will keep the most engaging content on the front page as long as everyone is interested in discussing them.
Highlight our contributors and personalities
Over the three years since MLSsoccer.com launched, many fans have developed a special affinity for our contributors. We wanted to call out our fantastic writers and give them a place to easily connect with their supporters and develop relationships with newer visitors.
This is just the beginning. We are going to be rolling out a slew of new products, services, and content this year. Let us know what you think about the new design in the comments below, and, if you are a web developer who may be interested in working at MLS Digital, we're hiring!
