Freed-up time that otherwise would go for commuting, shopping, etc., before the pandemic, can prove a powerful resource. I, for one, have finally addressed some unglamorous but much-needed chores such as purging junk drawers. I’ve also devoted time to looking for ways to make your visit to ChemicalProcessing.com more efficient.
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Over the last few months you’ve probably noticed some changes. Cosmetically, we’ve updated our font as well as the spacing of our copy. One reader took notice and sent me an email to thank us for making it easier on the eyes. She even said the new font feels more welcoming. I agree.
You’ll also notice larger images throughout the site. This was made possible by making our site wider. How? Well, our programming team centered our site and removed the edges — the result is a roomier feel. We’ve also added large feature images at the top of article pages. This change helps us marry our print issue to the web version. Part of the wonderful experience of reading a magazine article usually is having an image visually set the stage for the text. The enlarged images help us make our online presence as pleasant as thumbing through the hard copy. We’ve also removed the cumbersome “next page” button. Now, you simply just keep scrolling. And once you’ve finished the piece, you’ll find a listing of related content — hand selected by our editors — right at the bottom should you wish to delve further.
We’ve also updated the homepage. Industry News is now located at the top of the page so you can get an immediate glimpse into what’s happening in the chemical industry. Right underneath is our Online Exclusives section that covers content such as our webinars, the Comical Processing Cartoon and our Ask the Experts forum. If you scroll down, you’ll notice we’ve added an area to highlight our Twitter feed. Keep scrolling and you’ll reach our Be Sure To Read section. Currently, we’ve added a COVID-19 Coverage area. This page features everything related to the coronavirus, including how the chemical industry has rallied to help people stay safe.
The bottom of the homepage has a section that features the Chemical Reaction blogs as well as multimedia, news, products and white papers. The footer — that area in our signature cranberry color — gives you access to everything that lives on the site. It essentially provides a site tree of our entire online presence: contact information, editorial calendars, Comical Processing cartoon gallery, polls, eHandbooks, etc. Don’t worry, we still have the hamburger menu at the top of the page. To refresh your skills with our menu bar, you can read “Check Out Site Upgrades, Top Content On Chemical Processing.”
Something that I’ve been meaning to do but never had the extra time for was adding transcripts to our Process Safety With Trish & Traci podcast series. Now, you can read the full transcript of each podcast. Moreover, it includes links to several things Trish and I talk about — thus giving you a more-robust safety resource. You can read the transcripts here.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed nearly everything we do. Turning challenge into opportunity is what our industry does best. If you see an opportunity for us to make the site even more useful, please let me know.
Traci Purdum is Chemical Processing's senior digital editor. You can email her at [email protected]t.
