The Weather Network and MétéoMédia, divisions of Pelmorex Media Inc., today announced the launch of a fresh new website design, enhancing the company’s ability to offer highly localized and engaging weather-related content to millions of users across the country. Seen as the company’s most drastic online transformation since launching the sites in 1997, the websites feature more weather-related content, improved navigation and even a new “storm watch mode”, all designed to enhance site functionality and user engagement.
As part of its goal to improve user experience, The Weather Network and MétéoMédia has invited its Facebook fans to test drive the Beta version of the new sites for several weeks leading up to the official launch on April 24.
“Our new and modern website puts the user first, creating a more pleasurable site experience that will boost user engagement,” said Carrie Lysenko, Director, Web Services at Pelmorex Media Inc. “By effectively engaging our highly localized and brand-safe audience, the redesign of The Weather Network and MétéoMédia sites will help drive an improved user experience, while providing a variety of new and exciting benefits for advertisers and media buyers.”
Designed to deepen audience engagement and page view traffic, the new websites offer a range of consumer benefits, including:
1. Visually immersive content that showcases the beauty of the local weather for a distinct user experience.
2. Improved navigation lets users find their best loved features, like UV and Air Quality Reports, much easier.
3. Local targeting geo-locates automatically to deliver local maps, targeted news and weather content relevant to a user’s local area. Users can also personalize the site the way they want to see it, saving their preferred settings for future access.
4. Storm watch mode lets users focus on active weather information in their local area like alert details, radar maps to track the storms, live cameras, news and social media.
5. More content offerings, video, trivia, photo galleries, and user-generated content, creates a more engaging user experience.
The new website design will allow advertisers access to exclusive first party demographic data, unique content targeting and active weather triggered campaigns to further drive campaign. Key benefits include:
1. New and uncluttered ad environments that strike a balance between website content and advertising, ensuring a pleasurable and engaging user experience.
2. Storm watch takeover and opportunities to “sponsor the storm”, letting advertisers ‘own’ an active weather scenario (like snow or rain storms) to capture highly engaged audiences with relevant messaging.
3. Enhanced mapping sponsorship and visibility within the forecast pages that helps advertisers tap into audience interests in active weather, travel and local traffic.
4. Site personalization and dynamic page layouts to increase engagement, loyalty and frequency to drive up advertiser value.
5. Immersive video experience to drive consumption and engagement with content and ads.
6. Integrated ad placements within valued content areas to drive visibility and consumption by audience.
7. Unique targeting capabilities with user generated and editorial content.
8. Site layout and design to encourage scrolling and 100% viewable advertising to meet advertiser expectations and corporate responsibility.
The new design for The Weather Network and MétéoMédia will go live Wednesday, April 24 in English and French.