pipes|drums unveils new look, features, functionality
pipes|drums, the world’s most-read publication for Highland pipers and pipe band drummers, has unveiled a new look, with new features and improved functionality designed to yet again raise its own standard for professional quality journalism for art.
The sixth major redesign since the publication became the first significant online piping and drumming publication in 1996, the new-look pipes drums brings the magazine’s more than 4,000 daily visitors many exceptional new features and improvements:
A dynamic featured stories slider – readers will see the latest top-stories via a graphical slider, allowing direct access to the latest and greatest new pieces.
Facebook comments – now readers will be able to comment directly and authentically using their Facebook account, with comments appearing on their Facebook page if they so choose. Readers continue to have the ability to comment via the magazine’s own registration system.
Improved subscription system – more intuitive, easier to navigate, with better alerts for subscribers in advance of them needing to re-up. Subscribers also now have the ability to select an automatic renewal.
Gift Subscriptions! – we’ve been asked many times to develop a way for readers to be able to purchase and send a gift subscription to a lucky recipient. We’ve added that ability in a simple and easy mechanism, that generates an email with text written by the giver that will automatically go the receiver on the special day.
Classifieds improvements – the popular Classifieds feature has an improved interface, and now those posting ads will have the ability to edit them via their Profile.
Events improvements – similar to Classified, the Events feature has been made better, and those submitting events can now edit them in their Profile.
The Map Project – we continue with our tracking of where registered readers reside, with an improved approach to our Google Map. Be sure to update your profile!
BigPrizes – better search function, allowing readers to cross-reference categories.
Much, much more – we invite you to investigate, poke around and try out new features!
Over the last year the transfer and recoding of more than 20,000 articles, comments, polls, quizzes, and other items from the massive archive have been migrated to a completely new platform. The exhaustive work has resulted in even more robust and lively presentation and functionality that better integrates into the Internet as a whole.
“pipes|drums is once again investing in today and the future,” said Andrew Berthoff, editor and publisher of the magazine. “While plowing proceeds from subscriptions and advertising back in to the publication, we’re keeping all rates steady – it’s still only $14.99 a year for a subscription. We’ve increased the size of banner ads, but kept prices the same. We’re again striving to provide even more value to readers and advertisers.”
Since humble beginnings in 1996, pipes|drums has reinvigorated its look and features approximately every four years. The only independent and nonprofit publication for pipers and drummers, annual page-views number more than 3-million and yearly unique visitors surpass 300,000.
We hope that you enjoy the new-look pipes|drums, and have fun investigating the myriad new and improved features throughout the magazine.
As always, we thank you for your support!
This project was in the works for a full year. Migrating more than 20,000 articles, comments and bits-and-pieces to a whole new platform was a much bigger task than imagined. The new version of the magazine has taken up the majority of my spare time, and I hope folks enjoy it as much as I enjoy putting it together!
To Andrew and all the team. This is a great new look – bright, attractive and innovative. It will take a little bit of getting used but that’s change for you. Good luck with it all.