Analyzing websites

In looking at the different way websites are designed I realized how important the factor purpose is. A purpose is the whole reason why a website exists in the first place and also influences the site's content, and the design of the website. Three different websites that I took a good look at were Facebook.com, Sidereel.com, and Riseagainst.com

1.) Facebook.com is a site that many people of all age groups are familiar with. It is a social networking site and therefore the purpose is to interact with other people all over the world. It is a site where individuals can reconnect with old friends, and communicate with friends and families living both near and far. One can share videos, pictures, articles, music, links-the list goes on and on. With the purpose on interacting, sharing, and communicating clear the website is designed to have updates from the people you are "friends" with and pages the you have "liked" centered in the middle of page so that you can immediately see what everyone has been up to as soon as you log in. On the top left is where you can see notifications and new massages and friend requests. The top left has buttons to log out, privacy settings, and you can also view your profile. More importantly, that is where the home button is found. Each post is separated and the fonts and headings are consistent throughout the website. Also, everything is aligned the same way. It is an overall neat and organized website that is easy on the eyes.

2.) Sidereel.com is also a sharing site where you can read about and watch TV shows, movies, and web shows online. There is a search bar that helps you find what you are looking for and the bar at the top has different categories such as cartoon, action, drama, comedy and more. When you pick a show you would like to watch the page provides information about the show and the status (cancelled, hiatus, completed, current). It shows the most recent episode and a video at the top of the page with current news about the show or about the actors/actresses. As you scroll down there is list of the episode names divided into seasons. Sidereel also provides links to other sites where you can watch some of the episodes. If you watch the video directly on their site it does not take long to load, and you do not have to create an account to watch it. It is free and easy to use. The alignment and format is consistent, It is kept up to date, when you click on a show or movie there are links and suggestions for others that are relevant. It also allows users to connect with other sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

3.) Riseagainst.com is the official site of my favorite band Rise Against. Their main purpose is to promote their music. However they also share news about their tours, current projects, and issues that they think are important with fans. The website is designed in a way that gives visitors an idea of what kind of music they play and has some of their songs that they can listen to. Besides the tabs that lead to their music, tour, and photos they also have pages with contact information and band merchandise. Again, this site is organized with relevant information together making it easy for fans to locate and the format and layout is consistent. The songs and videos do not take long to load and the site is kept updated and clearly shows their recent work. The site also makes it easy for fans to buy tickets to their concerts and join the mailing list. Their purpose is clearly stated and the color scheme does not burden readers' eyes.