The new BBC Homepage launched on 30th November 2011

It's now over three months since we re-launched the BBC Homepage in the UK and I'd like to share with you how the page has been performing and what the team have been working on during this time.

Since the launch last year we have made six releases of new code to the page, the latest being on last Monday.

• Local radio and regional/national television programmes now appear in the drop-down menus of the What's On module.
• Accessibility improvements have been made, in particular making it easier to read if you are accessing via a screenreader.
• A number of bug fixes and performance enhancements to ensure all of the modules on the page load correctly each time the page is accessed.
• Visual design and styling changes to improve the overall appearance of the page.

However, the majority of our work has been laying the foundations for a number of significant improvements that are not yet visible.

These include the availability of more local and national content for users who have set their location preference and the addition of multi-variant testing to allow us to trial different feature changes with small groups of users at a time.

We have also been working on a new UK mobile edition of the homepage for users accessing bbc.co.uk on a mobile device and my colleague Eleni Sharp blogged yesterday about the launch of the beta version.

Lots of you have posted comments on the old blog post asking for some data.

Keith asked:

Are there any statistics available comparing the number of visitors and referred traffic to other parts of the site from the old & new version of the home page?

Others have predicted the outcome, including Josh who wrote:

I think the visitor stats are sure to plummet even further after this goes live. What a shame...

With three months of data now available on how people are accessing the new page I have been able to look at the impact of the re-launch.

Around nine million users accessed the old UK homepage every week. Three months on and we have seen no significant change to this number, around nine million users are still accessing the homepage each week.

One of our main objectives with the new homepage was to change the balance of user referrals to the rest of BBC Online - the old homepage sent around 70% of click-throughs to our news, sport and weather sites.

The figures show that referrals to our news site have decreased but referrals to sport have significantly increased - maybe because sport is now significantly higher on the default page - and therefore our overall referrals to news/sport/weather have remained static at 70% (70.3% to be precise!).

We've also had some interesting feedback from user research that we conducted in February.

Testing revealed that users do not always readily recognise or thus appreciate what's available on the new page but that activity and interest increases once researchers show how much exploring you can do.

Looking at the data available from user clicks on the homepage we can see that a relatively small number of clicks are taking place on the lower half of the page, and particularly on the genre filters underneath the carousel.

This is important information that helps us to identify ways in which we can better enable people to find content that appeals to them.

The team are now looking at how we can improve the visibility and usefulness of these content filters and, as I have promised in earlier blog posts, we will be looking to reintroduce customisation options to the page this year which will allow users to have more control over the content they access on the page.

Plenty of people have blogged about the homepage and commented on the change in style; this recent example from Design Week is a good example of the interesting analysis on our use of different forms of navigation.

I am also very pleased that the page has been nominated by the Design Museum for their Design of the Year Awards in the digital category. The Design Museum are currently hosting their Design of the Year exhibition which includes this short video on the new BBC Homepage.

My team is now based at the new MediaCityUK site in Salford - we moved in December shortly after the launch of the new homepage - and we have some new faces on board who are looking forward to delivering many more improvements to the homepage during the course of the year - keep an eye on this blog for further announcements.

James Thornett is Head of Product: Homepage, Search and Navigation, BBC Online.

You might have noticed that regional television and local radio stations are now available from the drop down menus in the What's On area of the page. To ensure you received the relevant TV and Radio stations for your area, click on the location name at the top of the page, next to the clock, select your postcode or town name, and then click 'Confirm'.

I'm pleased to tell you that my team have also fixed a number of bugs and made further improvements to the accessibility of the page which will make it easier to read if you are accessing via a screenreader.

We still have plenty of new features to add and improvements to make and we hope to continue releasing new updates every few weeks.

Work is also underway on a new mobile site so there will be more information on that soon.

James Thornett is the Head of Homepage Product, BBC Future Media

Most of the comments on the Internet Blog have been critical of the new design, with many requests to bring the old homepage back, so I wanted to explain again why we have made these changes.

Moving back to the old design is not something we are considering but we do want your feedback to help us continue to develop and improve the new homepage.

Comments on this blog are just one of the ways in which we are gathering feedback and we will be assessing over time the response of the millions of users that come to the Homepage each day by monitoring how the page is being used and which items are proving more, or less, popular.

A number of themes have emerged from the blog comments received so far and although I have provided feedback within the comments section I would like to explain again how we are tackling these points.

Messy design: There is too much white space and not enough colour.

There is criticism of the amount of white space being used and the large number of images which make the page appear messy and un-organised.

The previous design of the homepage was often criticised for being too boring and containing too much text so for this version we have deliberately introduced more images and increased the amount of white space on the page to allow these images to really stand out.

We want the content to promote itself with good images, strong headlines and clear labelling that helps our audience know which BBC service that content is from.

There is not enough news and sport on the homepage

We saw this feedback during the beta phase and increased the amount of headlines available in the news and sport module. We have also raised the position of news and sport higher up the page compared to the previous homepage so there is now more news and sport content available at a glance.

However, many users have told us they want more than just the top headlines and that is where the News & Sport filter underneath the carousel can be used to select only news and sport content within this area of the page.

As I have said above, the previous homepage was very good at providing news and sport content but it was less good at showcasing the best content from the rest of the BBC and so this new homepage will inevitably not contain the same level of detailed news and sport coverage as the previous version.

For users that want even more news or sport content then there are links at the very top of the page to our dedicated homepages for BBC News and for BBC Sport.

Customisation: I want the content that only I am interested in.

This seems to be the feature most requested by people commenting on the blog.

However, it was a feature of the old homepage that was not used by the majority of our audience and during research for the new homepage we were told by users that they preferred simple filtering of content.

We are already working on improvements to the location based content on the page so that the page is even more relevant to your chosen location and we have plans to introduce more detailed customisation features in the new year.

We have some ideas for this already - one of those being the opportunity to create your own carousel of content that you prefer - but I would welcome further suggestions on how we can make the page more customisable to your interests.

It doesn't swipe on a tablet/iPad or work on a mobile phone

This homepage is the 'desktop' version which is designed for use on a standard laptop or desktop computer.

There are optimised versions in development for a mobile edition and a tablet edition which will make use of touchscreen interactions, where the device allows, and displays the content appropriately for the screen size being used.

In the meantime, accessing www.bbc.co.uk on your mobile phone will default you to our current mobile optimised homepage, although there is a link to the desktop version if you wish to view this new homepage on a mobile device.

Thank you again for your comments on this blog and all of your feedback by other means. I do try to read every post, tweet and comment and we will be using all of this feedback to continue developing and improving the new BBC Homepage.

James Thornett is Head of Product, BBC Homepage

Two months ago the beta version of a new UK homepage for BBC Online was launched, for public use and feedback. My colleague Phil Fearnley published a post at the time to explain the strategic importance of the new homepage and I wrote about the key features in more detail.

Today the homepage that's been running in beta launches in full, and will be the homepage of BBC Online in the UK from now on. For those of you who haven't yet seen it, you can take a look now.

Since the beta launch ten weeks ago we've had three hundred comments on the blogs, over twenty thousand responses to our online survey, and over two and a half thousand direct emails. We have reviewed all your comments, and I'd like to thank those of you who took the time to test the beta and provide feedback. On my previous blog post you can read my responses to some of your comments.

Audience research told us that users wanted to see the home page do a better job of promoting a greater variety of BBC Online content, to serve a wider range of audience interests.

This isn't easy due to the range of content across BBC Online, but with this redesign we have tried to create a more representative page for the whole service.

But it's important that the homepage continues to meet the needs of the nine million or so users who already visit the page every week, while also extending the page's appeal to the many other licence fee payers who come to BBC Online every month.

Your chosen location has been positioned at the top of the page, alongside the date and time, as a way of indicating the importance of relevant local content. And the weather forecast, always a popular feature, is more prominent as well. Alongside this key information the page also offers a much wider range of the best and most popular content from BBC Online.

Audience research also indicated that the old BBC homepage could be more distinctive: many people who responded confused it with the front page of the BBC News site (bbc.co.uk/news). Many people who only want News or Sport already go straight to the BBC News and BBC Sport homepages, bypassing the BBC Homepage. However, some users get their News and Sport via the BBC homepage.

A significant proportion of traffic is referred to BBC News and BBC Sport from the main BBC homepage - 44% and 35% to each respectively during July of 2011.

So News, Local news and Sport remain clearly signposted and are positioned higher up on the new homepage - getting more headlines 'above the fold'.

The approach we have taken in developing the new homepage is to make it easy to find the content you need every day and, we hope, discover something new from the BBC at the same time.

BBC Director of Future Media Ralph Rivera has talked about his vision of connected storytelling, a sort of 'serendipitous discovery' across the portfolio of BBC Online family of websites.

Results from the beta test site indicate that the majority of BBC websites have received a greater proportion of traffic from the new homepage. The page is performing as intended following the redesign which is the reason we're now launching it for all users.

Some regular users of the BBC Homepage, especially those interested in News and Sport information, were less keen on the Beta Homepage and provided some really useful feedback which we have acted on. We hope that the new Homepage balances their needs with those who want to see the full breadth of BBC content

As well as high- quality news and sport there's award-winning children's content in the recently refreshed CBeebies and CBBC sites, 'Knowledge & Learning' sites such as Your Paintings, Wildlife Finder or Bitesize, and two entertainment services in the shape of BBC iPlayer and an evolving BBC Radio online presence.

Development of the new BBC Homepage doesn't stop here. It introduces a new smart filtering tool (the bar that is labelled BBC online today/entertainment etc) that allows you to see more of the type of content you most want.

In the beta testing some of you told us that you didn't like losing the more detailed customisation that was available in the previous version. My team is working on ways to introduce customisation back into the product for those who want it.

We promised major improvements in our access to content from the nations (based on a user's choice of location) and this will be introduced shortly. In the new year a traffic and travel news module will be launching, again with information based on a user's location preference.

In the meantime, the existing feedback options are still available. You can leave a comment underneath this blog - I read them all - complete the survey, or feedback via email to HomepageBetaFeedback@bbc.co.uk.

Thanks to all of you who engaged with the beta and told us your thoughts - they've been valuable in shaping the launch product.

James Thornett is Head of Homepage product, BBC Future Media

Many of you have expressed opinions on whether the clock - shown here on a monitor near James' desk - belongs on the homepage.

Last week we launched a BBC Online homepage for the first time since 2009 for over a year in beta mode for public use and feedback. I published a post on the day of launch to explain the rationale behind the changes. My colleague Phil Fearnley blogged on our About the BBC blog to explain the broader BBC strategic context.

Showcasing the breadth of BBC Online on one webpage is a huge challenge. The ambition with this redesign was to create a time- and location-aware experience which allows users to quickly find what they're looking for, whilst discovering something new. It's a big change but the response has been pleasing and we're delighted with the level of engagement we're getting.

Initial response

We've opened up various routes for audiences to tell us what they think. We created a simple 'how to' guide which provided an opportunity for feedback via an online survey, and my original blog post invited feedback via comments. Alongside this, beta users have commented on Twitter via the #bbchomepage hashtag. On Twitter we were able to track real-time responses on the day of launch: following the first tweet of the day from The Guardian's @joshhalliday, 'new BBC' trended third in the UK at 11:30AM and mentions were generally positive - unprecedented for a new product launch, especially given the scale of change.

Early press coverage helped spread word also - from the Financial Times' summary of the challenges facing homepages across industry and our response to PaidContent's prediction that 'swipability' would characterise many sites' development in the future. Econsultancy acknowledged that though change of this scale often unsettles, response seemed more positive than negative in general.

As users become more familiar with change initial responses give way to more detailed and specific feedback. We've received some really constructive comments via our survey option though commenting on the BBC Internet Blog has questioned some principles of the page. There are some common themes emerging which I summarise below.

Emerging themes

Location settings

The beta represents work in progress and location setting isn't yet enabled (the page currently defaults to London). Location functionality will be introduced soon. Once enabled, a user's location will determine the nation edition that they see, and the preference will be stored via cookies. If no location preference is expressed the page will resolve via geo-IP to the relevant nation edition, with the largest city set as default location.

Beyond the web and touch screen functionality

The new homepage beta is designed for the web so isn't optimised for touch interaction; anyone viewing the product on a tablet isn't yet seeing a version created for that screen. We know from user testing that users found the carousel format "intuitive", "just like flicking through a magazine". In time, we'll be optimising the product for mobile and tablet; the interaction model will obviously lend itself very well to touchscreen 'swiping' expected on these handheld devices.

In showing less of more we run the risk of crowding out some things. For instance, some users commented that technology-related content wasn't accessible from the new homepage anymore. This is because there is no 'top-level directory' (TLD) for technology content, as distinct from the Technology section of our BBC News site (bbc.co.uk/news/technology). The 'Explore' panel aims to provide a quick look-up for selected TLDs. We'll be reviewing what's pulled in here to ensure it provides an anchor to the right sections of BBC Online for a majority of the audience.

Rebalancing the page

There have been some comments around the de-prioritisation of BBC News and BBC Sport content, suggestive of 'dumbing down'. This doesn't reflect any shift in the BBC's editorial priorities. Audience research reflected that the homepage wasn't considered distinctive, with some users thinking that the BBC News homepage was our front page. Top news and sports stories remain, but we've aimed to increase the page's coverage to appeal to a broader audience. Over 70% of users entering BBC Online at the BBC News front page come direct, so the homepage needn't serve as a conduit for current affairs content exclusively. In fact, the homepages for BBC News and BBC Sport respectively are only one click away and remain the best place to get a comprehensive view of the latest news and sport from the BBC on the web.

Simple filtering versus customisation

A key point of complaint on the blogs especially is the reduced scope for customisation. This direction of travel - like all decisions behind the page - is based on audience research results. Less than a third of users used customization features, and two thirds of this engagement comprised a simple change to location. When we highlighted customization features to audiences the perceived value was mixed. The way people interact with the internet is changing; we've innovated to keep pace with user demand for simple filtering, rather than wholesale customization. This doesn't mean that we've given up on customisation completely. As we develop the new homepage we will be investigating more ways to easily filter out content that is of less interest, making the BBC homepage become increasingly relevant to every user's interests and needs.

Accessibility considerations

The new BBC Homepage has been built with accessibility in mind - we've adopted best practice from first steps and intend to carry out a full accessibility review of the product as we work through beta feedback. We hope to make the finished product as accessible as we can for users with impairments.

International availability

To confirm, the new homepage will be made available in the UK only, and won't impact the existing international edition. We'll work with partners in BBC Worldwide to ensure we're delivering the best experience for international markets.

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The new homepage is the result of ongoing collaboration between audience research, editorial, tech, user-experience and design teams and you can expect further updates from these disciplines throughout the beta period. And of course, we welcome your continued feedback and will use this to shape the launch product.

Thanks to all those who have shared their thoughts so far: we'll continue to review all comments around this work-in-progress version and address key themes in round ups to follow.

James Thornett is Head of the BBC Homepage Product, BBC Future Media

Last three BBC homepage designs, with the new beta

Come for the things you need, come back for things you discover

I’m James Thornett, Head of the BBC Homepage product, and I want to tell you a bit about the new homepage we’ve launched in beta mode for public use and feedback today. The beta is accessible from a promo at the top of the current homepage (or directly at beta.bbc.co.uk), and demonstrates a new ‘visual-first’ approach to showcasing the breadth of our content on the web.

The opportunity

My colleague Phil Fearnley has written about the re-launch from a strategy perspective over on the About the BBC blog, situating the BBC Homepage product within the context of a reshaped BBC Online.

As Phil suggests, a homepage by definition should bind all of the other products together and has an important editorial role to play.

But showcasing the breadth of BBC Online content within a single page has been our constant challenge. To date we’ve made tweaks to a relatively static page to better fulfil this purpose; with the move to a new technical platform, we’ve the opportunity to rebuild the page from the first principles to provide a more effective solution.

The BBC Homepage today

To the left of the picture you can see the evolution of the page over recent years, from 2005 to 2010. The first thing you’ll notice is that the page hasn’t changed very much in this time – column-based, modular, with an evident hierarchy of information reflecting the primacy of news and sport.

There have been few new features since January 2008 when we introduced customizable and movable widgets to enable users to determine page layout, and the ability to listen live to BBC radio directly from the homepage and to browse BBC TV schedules.

But:- the trend since 2008 has been one of gradual decline, and more recently a plateau in visits.  There could be various reasons for this – we’ve learned:

• The homepage is too narrow in focus. It refers a significant proportion of traffic to the BBC News and BBC Sport products – 44% and 35% to each respectively during July this year.  The primacy of links to these products has attracted an audience skewed more towards ‘male’ and ‘ABC1’ demographics than BBC Online as a whole.
• The page lacks distinctiveness. Research groups show that the homepage is often confused with the BBC News front page.  This could be a testimony to the profile of other BBC Online products – for instance, we know thatover 70% of users arriving at the BBC News front page come direct rather than via the homepage (another reason why the homepage needn’t serve as a conduit for BBC News stories exclusively).

Clearly, there’s scope to make the page a better referrer to the other products of BBC Online.  Further:

• Users want to be able to filter content, not customize. The homepage has historically enabled a measure of customization but the majority of users haven’t taken advantage of this.  When customization features are highlighted, the perceived value is mixed; instead users tell us they place a higher value on being able to easily filter content, than re-order what’s already there.

The new BBC Homepage – a ‘beta’ version

And so we arrived at a vision for the new BBC Homepage.  By showing less of more, we’ve the opportunity to make the page more relevant for a broader audience.

In doing this we enable the sort of ‘serendipitous’ discovery that Director of Future Media Ralph Rivera has talked about – if someone comes to the BBC to be informed, why shouldn’t they encounter content that will educate and entertain them also?  Enabling these connections will become an increasingly important part of our public-service mission in a digital age and the new BBC Homepage is proof of our commitment in this respect.

We think the idea of audiences coming to the page for the things they need, and coming back for the things they discover is very compelling, and we’ve kept this front of mind during the redesign.

Key features

We’ve created an interactive guide to the new BBC Homepage, accessible from a link at the top of the beta page, or directly here. The BBC Homepage beta will be released in stages, and includes a raft of functional improvements for audiences:

• Visual-first design with carousel featuring colour coding to denote categories and icons to depict content type.
• Simple filters enabling users to simply tailor the page based on interests.
• Sliding ‘drawers’ to reveal more or less detail across showcases of most popular content across BBC Online at any time and real-time listings for BBC TV and Radio.
• At-a-glance aspects – news and sport headlines, weather forecasts with lottery and travel news updates to follow, plus traditional index-based navigation for quick look-up. 
• In time, separate nations’ homepages united into a single product to provide relevant local and national information based on a user’s choice of location. 

We’re particularly pleased with the carousel – it feels like an intuitive way to navigate content which test groups have said feels “just like flicking through a magazine”.  There’s a general sense too that the dynamic page does a better job of showing the breadth BBC web content than a static page could. 

We think the carousel could find feet in the other products of BBC Online, and lend itself to screens beyond the web: in time we’ll look to optimise the homepage across mobile (the page receives 15-25% of traffic from handsets), tablet, and connected TV devices.

Tell us what you think

As with any beta, this release is very much work in progress and will run alongside the current homepage for the time being.  We’ve built the foundations and are now keen to start to get feedback from users in order to refine the page further before replacing the existing page with this version.

We’d like to know your thoughts so post a comment under this blog, tell us what you think on Twitter using the #bbchomepage hashtag, or privately via this survey.

In the coming weeks we’ll be rounding up key themes and addressing these on this blog so watch this space.  You’ll also hear from others who worked on the project – from a detailed ‘under the bonnet’ tech view to the user experience and design story. 

In summary, we’ve been making improvements progressively to the BBC Homepage since BBC Online launched in 1997.  The beta version launched today represents a real step change – we’ve rebuilt to deliver an intuitive, location- and time-aware experience which makes it easier for users to explore the wealth of BBC content on the web than ever before.

James Thornett is Head of the BBC Homepage Product, BBC Future Media