Snowmass Sun website has a new look

Beginning May 1, you’ll see a new website design at http://www.snowmasssun.com.

Snowmass Sun content will now be available on the same site as that of The Aspen Times and Aspen Times Weekly.

Why the change?

It’s part of a completely new computer-software system that not only is used to create the content on our website but also supports all the stories, photos, headlines and pages that we produce for the Sun and Times.

In the business, it’s called a content-management system, and the Snowmass Sun is getting a new one. It represents a major investment in how we put together the print newspaper as well as move stories, photos and other items to our website. And as part of the change, our website will look entirely different. The website is being redesigned to be easier to read no matter what platform readers use — computer, tablet or mobile.

Online readers can go directly to the Snowmass page on the new website by going to http://www.snowmasssun.com. The e-edition of the Sun will be available on that page. Snowmass Sun readers can still submit calendar events and letters to the editor there, too. There will be no Snowmass Sun online poll.

In response to the Snowmass Sun readership survey that wrapped up April 14, nine out of every 10 respondents asked for more daily news about Snowmass. Incorporating with the Aspen Times website will help accomplish that.

The design of the new website is based on reader feedback and research on how people use news-oriented websites. The home-page design is simplified and cleaner than what you experience on most newspaper websites, including our current site. Photo display will be better, and related article links will be much improved. Overall, it will be a more efficient, simpler and more enjoyable reading experience.

As with any change, the new website will take some getting used to simply because it is different from what online readers have become accustomed to the past four years.

And as with anything new, we know it won’t be perfect on day one. If you are a longtime reader and user of our websites, you recognize this is nothing new. Our website has undergone several different looks, and with each change, we have encountered bugs and unexpected blips.

So, in advance, we ask that you please bear with us.

“Readers and advertisers will notice a big improvement with our new website, and we appreciate all feedback,” said Gunilla Asher, general manager of The Aspen Times.

We will have an extended team of both news and technical folks in our newsroom for the next two weeks to help us work through problems, and we expect the fixes to be quick.