After months of hard work by our team, the new foodservicedirector.com was launched today. This is a site that is very much in tune with the needs of our readers: plenty of valuable content in an easy-to-navigate format that also engages visitors and invites them to interact more with FoodService Director in all its platforms, including the magazine, Facebook and Twitter.
You no doubt also will notice that FSD Update has a different look and feel to it. In conjunction with the relaunch of the website we have rolled out a refreshed “FSD Update.” The e-newsletter has several things going for it, such as more segments than before and a brighter, airier feel to it. This new look is easy on the eyes and yet packs in the content.
The overall design effort was led by Lindsey Ramsey, managing editor, online, and Peter Romeo, vice president in charge of content. Their goal was to design a site and newsletters that would complement the efforts of our magazine in a way that surpasses anything available to our readers. I believe they have hit a home run.
The site offers a mix of new and existing online-only content, along with a compilation of articles and research from Foodservice Director. Some new features of the site include Recipe Revamp, where we talk to chefs about how they make popular recipes healthier, and Snapshots, where operators can steal ideas through photos. Returning online-only features include the Editors’ Blog, where readers can read commentary from FSD's editors on trends, challenges facing operators and, occasionally, the quirkier side of the industry. Although the blog has been around since we last designed foodservicedirector.com, the new blog will feature commentary from all of our editors. We’ve also brought back Five Questions, where we gather quick takes from industry leaders on hot topics.
The home page features an articles carousel, Editors’ Picks, Most Viewed, Research and Featured Content, along with an expanded news widget and our popular video player.
The new foodservicedirector.com now also gives visitors the ability to browse content by market segment and magazine issue. In addition, they have at their disposal a new search engine, which gives them the ability to sort results by date, segment, content type or subject.
All in all, I think we’ve built a pretty neat site. If you haven’t already visited, I invite you to take foodservicedirector.com for a test drive. You’re going to enjoy the ride.