Local news has never looked this good online!

Noticed something different? We've had a facelift!

March 10, 2015

2 minutes read

Love catching local breaking news online first? Now it’s even easier with our websites’ new look! Lowveld Media’s regular online readers will have noticed a brand-spanking new design on it’s eight news-focussed websites which are now even more user-friendly and easy to navigate.

Get local news first
• lowvelder.co.za
• mpumalanganews.co.za
• steelburgernews.co.za
• nelspruitpost.co.za
• whiteriverpost.co.za
• hazyviewherald.co.za
• corridorgazette.co.za
• barbertontimes.co.za

The Caxton CTP group of which Lowveld Media forms part, continues to revamp its digital platforms continuously. Readers in the Lowveld might still remember Looklocal Lowveld, one of about 40 regional websites and lowvelder.co.za’s predecessor.

But since lowvelder.co.za and its seven local sister websites were launched towards the end of 2013, there’s been a tremendous growth in the local online community. From about 50 000 page views in their first month, Lowveld Media’s news sites now boasts over 300 000 monthly page views on average by an average of 100 000 unique visitors.

Also see: Lowvelder.co.za turns one

You, the reader, are becoming more tech savvy and digitally inclined, hence the need for constant improvement on our platforms.

Last year we introduced our national and international news sections, making it a one-stop shop for the reader interested in global and local affairs.

In March this year we launched our new sleek design. With 70% of our audience accessing our sites through phones or tablets and only 30% on desktop computers or laptops, we’ve designed one version of the site fully optomised for mobile devices, and the other version completely responsive to which ever device is being used, ultimately offering a much better user experience.

Our home pages have been redesigned in such a way that you can easily scroll through various subsections without even leaving the home page or having to load another page, saving you time and giving you an overview of what’s been happening in your area recently. Alternatively just click on “15 latest articles” in the top left-hand corner.

Because we all love saying our say, it’s now even easier to comment and share our articles on social media. Our comment functionality now allows you to sign in with your Facebook account – with the option of sharing your comment and/or the story on your personal Facebook page or not.

And of course, what would the news be without your local weather forecast? Simply click on the new improved week-long weather widget at the top right-hand corner!