There are basic assumptions about our readers we make here at Professional Builder.
- You're busy and don't have time to wade through a lot of crap.
- You want information that has been tested in the real world of home building and isn't just theory.
- When something does grab your interest, you want to get more information about it quickly.
Delivering that kind of information in print and online can be a challenge, but we have recently made changes to our Web site that make it easier for you to hit all three of those goals. You may already have become familiar with HousingZone.com; it still exists as an umbrella site. But now each of our magazines has its own Web site. When you're looking for marketing ideas, you don't necessarily want to see what remodelers are doing and they don't necessarily care what you're doing.
Professional Builder's web address is www.probuilder.com. ProBuilder.com is now easier to navigate; offers more and better information; and ties in more closely with our print efforts. We call it our channel strategy and it works like this.
When we run a story in an issue, it falls within one of four departments: Best Practices; Plans and Projects, Emerging Issues; or Innovations. That same story will appear online under the same department name but will include information we didn't have room to print.
In addition, we have online content we will package around those stories, making it easier for you to learn more. So, when you read a story on land acquisition methods in our best practices department in the magazine, you can go online to find more new material and other content we've created over the years.
Of course, that's not all we've done with the Web site.
- The design is easier and cleaner to navigate, making it simpler to find the information you need.
- Each channel has specialized sub-sections to find information on specific topics.
- Content is updated daily.
- We'll offer quick online polls to gauge the industry temperature.
- Forums will focus on topics that are important to the industry today.
Most important to this are the resources we're devoting to the Web sites. Our entire editorial staff is responsible for both print and electronic media, and leading that effort is Senior Editor Mark Jarasek. What is different from most magazines about this approach is that we have completely intertwined our print and electronic editorial staffs. This gives us greater flexibility, better coverage and more depth. We think you'll notice the difference in the new ProBuilder.com Web site.
