Those websites have four key critical tasks. One, the content obviously. Two, the design and functionality of said sites. Three, just copy what Dave Meltzer said. And four, just make sh*t up.
Creating a site is a different beast. Some use Blogger like this site while others use square-space, Wix, or even code a site from the ground up.
The problem with developing a web page from scratch is that it's time-consuming and you have to learn some mark-up languages like HTML and CSS.
It's essentially a great skill that isn't worth it if you want a site in minutes. Now, the main question is, why am I writing this article in the first place?
When you learn a skill, you tend to have a different view on a product that is connected with the skill you're somewhat experienced in.
That skill is, of course, cooking after seeing Twitch streamers react to Masterchef (it's web development if you hate my banter which I don't blame you).
And in this month's editorial, I am going to highlight some good and bad examples of wrestling publications' use of web design.
PWInsider.
PWInsider hates 3 things. Lowercase letters, @cherdelaware and smartphone users which according to valid and reliable statistics, pretty much everyone has one.
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| (except Brock Lesnar apparently). |
Suffice to say, the site looks straight out of the time Charmbracelet came out. To go more “technical”, there are several main design principles that I learned as a web designer turned graphic designer turned failed wrestling pundit.
Those principles include hierarchy, emphasis, balance, simplicity, white space and alignment.
While the site does a pretty solid job of putting the emphasis on the colour red that makes the user connect in their heads between the PWinsider name as well as the colour itself, making those two things synonymous, PWinsider has unnecessary too much white spacing especially since those spaces aren’t utilized (you know which entity also has a lot of white spaces? AEW).
It does display the information needed for the copy/paste sites to write about but the datedness of the entity as a whole, makes the site frustrating for people to navigate and look at.
WrestlingInc.
Wrestling Inc is kinda like this site. It isn't operated by a white person, loves quoting the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and the website is actually functional.
If it sounds like I'm complimenting their web design, that's simply because I am. What are the positives?
Unlike PWInsider, the site utilizes space better while also maintaining a good sense of hierarchical design with the main news and the rest of the news section below.
However, like PWInsider, the unofficial sister site of F4Wonline does display the information needed to get the news.
The only thing I'll nitpick WrestlingInc for is the quality of the PNG/images used (at least in different sections and not in the articles itself) are Goddard Bolt from Life Stinks level poor.
NoDQ.
No DQ is a site owned by a guy that followed and unfollowed me on the tweets more times than John Cena with world titles.
Now, here's the thing, NoDQ isn't just a step site. It's the site that stepped up (at least in terms of web design and overall functionality).
Like Wrestling Inc, they actually love mobile users so it has great responsive web design.
I do wish the different headings section had an emphasis on the news they're covering whether it's increasing the boldness or adding a different colour due to the fact that it feels like the content is blended in together which makes it a bit complicated to navigate in the homepage.
Having a dedicated space for placing ads is a net positive and I appreciate that due to the fact that ain't nobody trying to look at ads for Bethesda because their games don't work (at least the Bethesda game studios' projects).
Fightful.
Fightful may be to quote that song from 2011, young, wild and free but they've pumped up more content than ever across all mediums since the site's launch 5 years ago.
Hell, they even have the wrestling media's equivalent of a premium live event which among other things, include exclusive news and a white dude with a beard that rants about WWE (shout out to the Grapsody podcast aka the GOAT podcast right now).
I'm not here to tell you guys whether a redneck muting a Hispanic woman is funny or not.
I'm here to note on the site's web design and I have nothing negative to say about the site's responsive web design.
The first of which is that every domain name leads to their section like how Fightfulgaming.com directs to their gaming section which is a nice touch.
The thing Fightful has in common with most of the sites mentioned is that it does a great job on filling out the space needed to maintain its design hierarchy.
Oh, and their wrestling mask logo for the pro wrestling section is kinda cute for me for some reason? Don't know why I feel this way but that's just me THOOOOOOUGH!
What’s my conclusion? Well, just don’t be like PWInsider. That’s all.