Metro.co.uk has been redesigned to reflect a mobile-first experience following months of consultation with its audience and in-depth feedback from readers.
Metro says the new-look site boasts an updated layout making it easier to navigate digital and video content, alongside enhanced opportunities for commercial partners.
It also includes a revamp of Metro’s masthead and launch of a new strapline, 'Free to read. Free to think', to reflect changes to the website’s brand since its launch in 2001, added the publisher.
The site has an improved user-friendly mobile performance and has been further optimised for search traffic, the publisher continued.
Metro says users can expect continuous upgrades over the coming months with improvements to newsletters, puzzles and video to give readers even more reasons to keep coming back.
Metro editor-in-chief, Deborah Arthurs, said: “The contemporary new design represents our commitment to putting our readers at the heart of what we do.
“In listening to reader feedback, we have delivered an engaging website that better showcases our journalism.
“Over 90% of our audience now comes to us via mobile, so it was important to focus on that environment, to give our readers the best possible experience where they are most likely to be.”
Metro product lead, Emily Shackleton, said: “Our readers wanted a cleaner, less cluttered, easier to read website, and that’s what we have created.”
“Metro.co.uk and its social media channels have seen tremendous growth over the last year. The new design will also shine a light on video, ensuring it’s a clearer part of our storytelling so users can watch the best of our short form content published on TikTok and YouTube on our site.”
Metro says with advertising a key aspect of keeping its journalism freely available, the relaunch will introduce new ad formats. These include a brand-new Edge to Edge offering and a logo mobile morph to better guarantee performance and cut through for their clients.
“The Metro website we feel will become a more attractive proposition to advertisers with these new formats alongside our other optimisations, putting brands closer than ever to our millions of readers. And excitingly, it’s only the beginning of our journey to marry up commercial and user value – watch this space!” Shackleton added.
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