If you're researching packaging machinery, materials and suppliers, make sure you bookmark the newly re-launched Packworld.com.
Whether you're a long-time user or if you've never visited the site before, take a quick moment to visit Packworld.com now, because it has become more useful than ever, while becoming easier to use.
A quick run-down on the new features:
1. One-click access to the topics you need most. This is due to the persistent left-hand navigation on every machinery and materials category, as well as industry-specific navigation (dairy, snacks, etc.) and topic-specific navigation (anti-counterfeiting, club stores, etc.). So no matter where you are on the site, you are one click a way from getting everything you need to know about a the topic you want.
2. Easy-to-understand landing page layouts. Once you click on any topic on the left-hand navigation, instead of merely seeing a jumble of articles, we divide the content into three broad buckets: articles, products and multimedia such as videos, podcasts and webcasts. That makes it much quicker to find the kind of content you're looking for. Go to the site now and find your industry or click on a machine or material for a project you're working on. You'll see it for yourself.
3. Differentiated content types. When you're browsing a topic or search results page with multiple articles listed, we now attach a small label next to each item that tells you the kind of content it is without requiring you to click on it to find out. So at a single glance you will now be able to tell whether a given story is about a new package, a success story of a packaging machine or line, supplier news, video, podcast, white paper, column, and so forth. Further, you can quickly drill down to see more articles of a certain type (say, success stories) for the topic you're researching. This small but crucial attention to detail significantly speeds up navigation, and is one of the latest Web usability developments. Try it!
4. Easier to research suppliers. Our supplier directory has been directly integrated into our content. That means suppliers are now on the same page as articles, products, multimedia, etc. You no longer have to visit a separate part of the site for supplier information. Furthermore, when you click on a company anywhere in the site, you will now see one of our topic pages just on that company. It's a great way to get a quick recap of success stories, new products, videos, or even Webcasts associated with that company. This is a big breakthrough in allowing you to research packaging suppliers. Visit the site and click on a supplier company name on a topic or article page and you'll see for yourself.
5. Videos, videos, videos! Our site is more than just articles that ran in print. The site is teeming with multimedia content such as packaging machine videos (www.packworld.com/videos). Recognizing that video is one of the most in-demand types of content, we've made a number of strides to make it easier for you to locate and access this kind of content. Videos are incorporated into topic pages (where relevant!), search results, and articles. They are now easier to play, and don't require you to make choices about what plug-in you may or may not have. You can even watch a featured video clip right on the home page. Try it: www.packworld.com. In the coming months, we're going to be building out the video library with even more content.
6. Audio podcasts. Podcasts are a wonderful way to make use of otherwise unproductive downtime, such as commuting, traveling or working out. The concept is simple. Download audio recordings into your digital music player (doesn't have to be an iPod!) and listen at a time that's convenient for you, whenever and wherever you want. Packaging World podcasts are typically excerpts from our sold-out conferences such as the Packaging Automation Forum, or can consist of featured interviews with noted experts in the field. These are a neat way to grow your packaging knowledge without needing to be near a computer. Try it now at www.packworld.com/podcasts.
7. White papers. High quality vendor white papers now are woven directly into the Web site. No matter what topic you've clicked on or searched, we now display any relevant white papers right at the top of the page. We've worked hard with many of the suppliers to make sure they're developing papers that are of good quality and relevant to the packaging community. Browse our entire library of white papers directly at www.packworld.com/whitepapers.
Those are the major points, though dozens of other small, subtle improvements have been made to streamline the experience and make researching any packaging project faster and easier. Take a few minutes now and visit www.packworld.com and experience many of these improvements first-hand.
Whether you're a long-time user or if you've never visited the site before, take a quick moment to visit Packworld.com now, because it has become more useful than ever, while becoming easier to use.
A quick run-down on the new features:
1. One-click access to the topics you need most. This is due to the persistent left-hand navigation on every machinery and materials category, as well as industry-specific navigation (dairy, snacks, etc.) and topic-specific navigation (anti-counterfeiting, club stores, etc.). So no matter where you are on the site, you are one click a way from getting everything you need to know about a the topic you want.
2. Easy-to-understand landing page layouts. Once you click on any topic on the left-hand navigation, instead of merely seeing a jumble of articles, we divide the content into three broad buckets: articles, products and multimedia such as videos, podcasts and webcasts. That makes it much quicker to find the kind of content you're looking for. Go to the site now and find your industry or click on a machine or material for a project you're working on. You'll see it for yourself.
3. Differentiated content types. When you're browsing a topic or search results page with multiple articles listed, we now attach a small label next to each item that tells you the kind of content it is without requiring you to click on it to find out. So at a single glance you will now be able to tell whether a given story is about a new package, a success story of a packaging machine or line, supplier news, video, podcast, white paper, column, and so forth. Further, you can quickly drill down to see more articles of a certain type (say, success stories) for the topic you're researching. This small but crucial attention to detail significantly speeds up navigation, and is one of the latest Web usability developments. Try it!
4. Easier to research suppliers. Our supplier directory has been directly integrated into our content. That means suppliers are now on the same page as articles, products, multimedia, etc. You no longer have to visit a separate part of the site for supplier information. Furthermore, when you click on a company anywhere in the site, you will now see one of our topic pages just on that company. It's a great way to get a quick recap of success stories, new products, videos, or even Webcasts associated with that company. This is a big breakthrough in allowing you to research packaging suppliers. Visit the site and click on a supplier company name on a topic or article page and you'll see for yourself.
5. Videos, videos, videos! Our site is more than just articles that ran in print. The site is teeming with multimedia content such as packaging machine videos (www.packworld.com/videos). Recognizing that video is one of the most in-demand types of content, we've made a number of strides to make it easier for you to locate and access this kind of content. Videos are incorporated into topic pages (where relevant!), search results, and articles. They are now easier to play, and don't require you to make choices about what plug-in you may or may not have. You can even watch a featured video clip right on the home page. Try it: www.packworld.com. In the coming months, we're going to be building out the video library with even more content.
6. Audio podcasts. Podcasts are a wonderful way to make use of otherwise unproductive downtime, such as commuting, traveling or working out. The concept is simple. Download audio recordings into your digital music player (doesn't have to be an iPod!) and listen at a time that's convenient for you, whenever and wherever you want. Packaging World podcasts are typically excerpts from our sold-out conferences such as the Packaging Automation Forum, or can consist of featured interviews with noted experts in the field. These are a neat way to grow your packaging knowledge without needing to be near a computer. Try it now at www.packworld.com/podcasts.
7. White papers. High quality vendor white papers now are woven directly into the Web site. No matter what topic you've clicked on or searched, we now display any relevant white papers right at the top of the page. We've worked hard with many of the suppliers to make sure they're developing papers that are of good quality and relevant to the packaging community. Browse our entire library of white papers directly at www.packworld.com/whitepapers.
Those are the major points, though dozens of other small, subtle improvements have been made to streamline the experience and make researching any packaging project faster and easier. Take a few minutes now and visit www.packworld.com and experience many of these improvements first-hand.
