When I'm reading the news online, the websites I gravitate toward are the ones that feature engaging visuals, uncluttered page layouts, and simple navigation options that make finding articles I'm interested in all that easier. I also tend to like sites with comprehensive editorial information so I know the articles I'm reading are well-researched and fact-checked.
News websites are virtual newsstands and, as such, they should have both great usability and visual appeal to grab users' attention. I've reviewed five sites that accomplish these essential goals, and if you're looking to create one of your own, try Zarla's AI website builder.
Zarla checks that sites meet basic web standards for mobile and desktop. We also use Google's PageSpeed Insights, and WAVE, a service that evaluates accessibility for individuals with disabilities. PageSpeed scores and accessibility are important factors for search engine rankings. PageSpeed scores may not match user experience and can vary substantially.
New York, New York, U.S.
ELLE is a global fashion magazine and news website covering a wide range of beauty, lifestyle, politics, and culture topics. I like the site's use of dark color accents and elegant typography as it creates a sophisticated appearance that bodes well with the company's audience. The large selection of articles, image galleries, and videos ensures readers have access to diverse content with engaging visuals to match.
A notable feature is that most of the website's content is free to access, encouraging readers to explore the site with no monetary incentive. There is an "All Access" subscription model available for users interested in receiving the print magazine.
The site's clear categorizations ensure that the content remains uncluttered and easily readable. WAVE picked up only a few contrast errors throughout the website, enhancing the overall user experience.
I don't have many complaints about this website, although I think some small tweaks should be made to the footer menu — enlarging the text would ensure easier readability, and highlighting the company's social media links would encourage increased user engagement.
On desktop, I think the website does a great job of showcasing the various articles and videos on well-spaced pages that make navigation all that easier. There's lots of white space to give the content sections ample breathing room, and the high-resolution images look great on a large screen. On Google's PageSpeed Insights test, the website received a good performance score of 76/100.
The mobile version gets rid of some of the horizontal white space to condense the website's content, which does not impact functionality or readability. While I found site navigation relatively straightforward, the top menu bar unsticks as you scroll down, which seems less intuitive than on the desktop. Google's PageSpeed Insights test gave the site a performance score of 58/100.
https://goodness-exchange.com/
St. Albans, Vermont, U.S.
Goodness Exchange is a media outlet that provides users with access to positive news articles from around the world, including content on business, environment, and technology topics. I enjoyed the website's sunny color accents, as well as its earth-inspired imagery, as it created an endearing appeal from the get-go and allowed me to better appreciate the nature of the content.
The website's home page gave me a great overview of the available articles and other content offerings, including free newsletters and podcast episodes. I also liked the "About" page for its in-depth introductory video and information on the company's team members.
The website's refined page layouts allow readers to easily access articles from various categories, enhancing the user experience. The site's pay-what-you-can subscription model is a unique feature that encourages readers to support the company's work in a sustainable manner.
While my critiques of the website are limited, WAVE picked up a large number of contrast errors across the site. I also noticed that the footer menu advertises the company's social media feed, but it is not labeled as such, and a more prominent indication would be helpful.
The desktop version functions well with fast page loading times, as indicated by its performance score of 74/100 on Google's PageSpeed Insights test. For readers wanting to sign up for the website, I found the registration process easy to follow. However, I don't think the site needs a hamburger menu on desktop, as all page links are accessible from the top menu bar.
The mobile website's home page swaps a traditional hero image for a large tagline, which felt less impactful than its desktop counterpart. However, site navigation remained seamless and I liked how the content slims down to fit the smaller screens nicely. Performance-wise, our real-world tests indicated fast page loading times, but the site's PageSpeed Insights score was on the lower end of the spectrum at 32/100.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
The Narwhal is a Canada-based media company specializing in environmental journalism. The website favors minimalistic design elements, including a simple color palette and uncluttered top menu bar, to place the emphasis on functionality rather than over-the-top aesthetics. I liked the website's spacious layouts, which allow each article prominence without cluttering the page.
I also appreciated the company's approach to unbiased reporting with the "Our Ethics" section, which expands on its code of ethics and editorial independence policy.
A notable feature for me was the site's "Trending Topics" section, which gives readers a quick overview of the most popular news topics across the country. WAVE reported no contrast errors on the website, indicating an intuitive reading experience.
I could not find much to dislike on the website, but I'd have enjoyed seeing more visually engaging elements, such as video interviews or interactive content, to gauge my interest. The company logo could also be added to the top menu bar for increased brand recognition.
I value the desktop site's ample use of white space as it ensures all content appears organized and concise, contributing to a seamless browsing experience. However, I think the search bar should be added to the top menu bar for more prominence.
I found all pages and images to load quite quickly, which is also indicated by its optimal performance score of 94/100 on Google's PageSpeed Insights test. However, the test also noted that the site's accessibility practices could be improved upon.
The mobile website condenses its content without losing functionality, and its images remain crisp for a good visual appeal. The "Subscribe" option remains sticky on mobile, which may either encourage user engagement or slightly hinder site navigation — for me, it was the latter. Google's PageSpeed Insights test awarded the site a reasonable performance score of 59/100.
Dublin, Ireland
Rugby365 is a news platform aggregating rugby-related news from both local and international teams, offering up-to-date match scores, results, video interviews, and fixtures. The website's bright color palette grabbed my attention and its strategic use across several pages helped me focus in on various CTA buttons.
While I feel like some aesthetic tweaks, such as the inclusion of more high-quality images, could be made to improve the website's overall appeal, I do like the addition of recent match scores at the top of the home page as it's a great drawing card for rugby enthusiasts.
I enjoyed having access to a wide variety of articles covering many rugby topics, such as upcoming tournaments, country-specific team news, and a section on sports rules and regulations. The inclusion of video content adds visual interest to the website.
According to WAVE, the site has a large number of contrast ratios, particularly between the top menu bar's text and its color background. I also think the company logo could be enlarged at the top of the home page to increase brand recognition.
I enjoyed the desktop site's uncluttered design elements, particularly the easy scrolling and navigation it offered. While WAVE noted that the website's contrast ratios could be improved, it did not really affect my browsing experience and I found most content to be both informative and easily readable. Performance-wise, the site's pages load fast in real-time, but its score of 59/100 on Google's PageSpeed Insights test indicates slower loading times.
The mobile website features well-spaced content, although I think the images could be optimized to display more clearly. The use of both a top menu bar and a hamburger menu ensures readers can easily navigate the site's pages, but I would have liked it to be sticky to enhance the user experience. On Google's PageSpeed Insights test, the website scored 35/100 in the performance category.
Australia
TechDay Australia provides local users with up-to-date information on the latest technology trends, gadgets, and software releases. The website lays out all essential information, including the latest news articles, editorial features, and additional regional sites in a modern and easy-to-read format. I enjoyed scrolling through the wide variety of articles, which are tagged and categorized for optimal navigation.
While I think the website has a contemporary and professional appeal, its menu bar is off to the side and toward the bottom of the home page, which creates a clunky visual hierarchy that could be improved with a top menu bar.
The site's "Our Team" page gave me a comprehensive overview of the platform's editorial staff, and I found the FAQs section to be interesting with content on the company's history, work processes, and advertising jargon.
While WAVE noted that most of the website's pages have no contrast errors, the "FAQs" page has many instances of insufficient contrast ratios. I also think that site navigation could be optimized with a more prominent and better-placed menu bar.
I liked the simplicity of the desktop website and how easy it was for me to dive deep into the site's content. However, I think more prominence could be given to the company's social media links so it's easier to explore the company's online presence. The website's performance is optimal with a 99/100 score on Google's PageSpeed Insights test.
Like the desktop version, I found the mobile site's content to be easily digestible with uncluttered page layouts and clear article categorizations. While the menu bar is more noticeable as a footer menu feature, I think it should be sticky to ensure a more user-friendly experience. The website also performed well on Google's PageSpeed Insights test with a score of 99/100.
A good example of a news website is Goodness Exchange — the website features a wide range of news articles displayed in a modern and easy-to-read format across several pages. Its noteworthy features include informative video content, user-friendly page links, and favored navigation options like a back-to-top button.
The best news websites typically include clear categories for readers to easily find specific content, as well as a search bar for easy navigation. The sites also feature comprehensive information on the editorial team to ensure unbiased reporting, along with contact details for writing or advertising opportunities.
Zarla's website builder uses AI to design and create a standout news website design template based on a description of your business. The site will be delivered, complete with content and images, in less than a minute.
A simple news website design, such as The Narwhal, swaps cluttered and visually stimulating elements for a more minimalistic and straightforward page layout that favors usability. Spacious content sections and no-frills design choices, such as a refined color palette and a legible typeface, are also typically indicative of a simple site design.
