popsugar.com
The mission of POPSUGAR is to provide entertainment and information to readers in an entertaining and empowering way. The website reaches millions of people worldwide and uses data, technology, and storytelling to engage readers.
There are many POPSUGAR labels across the board and three specific brands - POPSUGAR, Beauty by POPSUGAR, and PS Must Have. POPSUGAR is a multi-media platform while Beauty by POPSUGAR is a makeup company that sources cruelty-free ingredients that boast unique modern packaging. PS Must Have is a curated subscription box that includes items pertaining to fashion, the home, and beauty, and more.
POPSUGAR was created in 2005, when the creators endeavored to bring readers hot celebrity news online, rather than in traditional newspapers or magazines. The website made celebrity and entertainment news more accessible to the general public in real-time.
Website Design
The website design for POPSUGAR is good. However, the advertisements at the very top of the page are distracting. The clothing store and other featured ads take attention away from the exciting news the website offers. However, it is understandable that the ad placements are visible as this is one of the ways the website generates income.
The website template reminds me of a WordPress theme. POPSUGAR does a great job of utilizing the strengths of a well-organized webpage. All of the new headers and featured images are laid out in a pattern that is easy for readers to view.
The POPSUGAR header is visually appealing. The stylized text draws users' attention in a positive manner. The bold typography of the website name is a good choice. The bold font fills blank space and sets the tone for the rest of the website's fonts and menus.
The menus on this website are clean and simple. The font is considerably smaller than the header text but impactful, all the same. The primary menu offers tabs on the most popular sections of the site followed by a search bar and favorites tab. Apart from the primary menu, there is a collapsible menu on the left side. I am not personally a fan of it, but it contains some useful information like About, FAQ, Settings, and Advertising.
The website maintains an impressive flow with its footer menus, which include useful information like hiring information and other POPSUGAR brands and websites. The categories are organized nicely.
Content
A search bar is located on the top right hand corner of each page.
POPSUGAR website contains a variety of news categories, including Celebrity, Fashion, Fitness, Beauty, Family, Living, Culture, Latina and Video. Categories are organized with a drop-down menu and a search bar located on the top right corner of each page.
The celebrity tabloid newspaper writes stories about popular actors, actresses, musicians, and media figures. In this category, there are stories about how certain celebrities have had a successful decade or are expecting babies.
Those who sign up for a profile will have access to the favorites tab. It will allow them to save favorite articles and other media, as well as keep track of their favorite products.
The video section of the website is another part that covers a variety of topics. Titles in this section include "Our Three Ingredient Homemade Tak on Wendy's Frosty" and "Amazon Holiday Finds For Your Family."
POPSUGAR's Shop tab is very helpful. It features gift guides, must-haves, and product reviews. The gift guides are especially valuable around the holidays. There are multiple articles like "30 Hottest Bags Our Editors Love For Fall, From Topshop to Prada." It is easy to fall down the rabbit hole reading these titles.
Desktop & Mobile Accessibility
The desktop version of POPSUGAR is acceptable. The website design is solid and navigation is relatively simple. There are a few glitches here and there, but most are forgivable since the content is so plentiful.
The application offers an individualized feed and allows you to customize settings more than the desktop browser mode does. The app's menu functions are much better. The primary menu consists of home, explore, favorites, alerts, and profile. The alerts feature tracks breaking news as it is reported. The search functions more smoothly on the app, as well.
Positives
PopSugar is a great source for entertainment because of its varied content. There are so many different articles that appeal to a diverse audience. The website does a good job of creating content that appeals to multiple readers.
Another good quality of POPSUGAR website design is that there are a few minor inconveniences, but the website overall functions well. A very important part of news websites is the ability to easily navigate and look good. POPSUGAR definitely delivers in this respect.
I find it neat that POPSUGAR website has a section to apply as contributors. There is a link at the bottom of the website that allows readers to apply to be writers. The process for applying is fairly simple, and a cool bonus. Gift guides and product reviews are one of my favorite article types, and POPSUGAR has plenty of them. The articles are well-informed and in-depth. Choose from gifts for her, gifts for him, hottest gifts, and editor picks for curated lists.
The app is one of the best things about POPSUGAR. It is by far the best way to interact with the brand. The app is a much more streamlined and enjoyable experience. In comparison with the desktop version, it is the clear-cut winner.
Negatives
Although POPSUGAR is an attractive site, it does have a few issues. Some of the problems are due to its hosting site but I am unsure. The glitches cause problems that discourage readers from using the site in the future.
An annoying feature of the website is that it autoloads posts whenever you are not on a homepage. This is a problem for readers who want to view the bottom footer with the rest of the links. The extra menu I briefly mentioned earlier solves this problem, but it is not an obvious one. This menu contains a redundant amount of information, like the main menu tabs, then includes the same links as the bottom of the website. The design choice is confusing.
The biggest issue with the search bar function on the website is that it is pretty terrible. I'm not sure if there is a glitch in the system, but instead of searching through the website archives, it kicks you off of the page and pulls up Google. There is no way on the desktop to search through the articles from POPSUGAR other than Google.
Improvements Needed
Popsugar could benefit from making a few changes. The biggest issue is the search bar on the desktop browser. It needs to be fixed as soon as possible before readers begin to get frustrated. Fortunately, the app does not have this problem.
Another improvement that the website could make is the organization of articles. The menu system is well-organized, but clicking on tabs would help readers more easily find the information they are looking for. Depending on which tab is selected, the results might look confusing and unrelated.
Summary
POPSUGAR is a website that provides news, fashion, fitness, beauty, and other content. The website is easy to navigate and has a variety of interesting articles. The desktop browser has some issues, but the mobile application is more user friendly. I recommend readers use the app because it offers more interesting features and organizes the large catalog of content adequately.
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