Open forum …. any suggestions for tweaking the site?

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It is exactly two years since I last ran an ‘open forum’ where I opened up the comments to ideas on tweaking the site. It worked well so I thought I would try it again.

Without a huge team behind me, any changes to Head for Points will always be ‘evolution not revolution’. That said, because there are now two of us there is more flexibility. Some of the benefits of that in recent months have been:

the Christmas party, which could never have been done without a second pair of hands (the fact that I’d never done it before is proof of that)

the introduction of video to our reviews and the launch of a YouTube channel

increased review coverage, both of hotels and via press events such as the recent Cathay lounge launch

letting Anika write 95% of Shopper Points, freeing up more of my time for HfP

On the short list for improvements is:

an improved mobile site

the introduction of a Q&A page where readers can post questions which other readers can answer (this will NOT be a forum, it will be a specific Q&A page)

the reintroduction of a luxury hotel booking service (coming in January)

However, I am fully aware that there is an element of ‘snow blindness’ in what we do. After all, we look at the site every day for a considerable period of time, and we can only second-guess how you, the readers, respond to the different elements.

As we start a new year, I’d like to open up the floor to any suggestions you have about the site. Remember that I need to cater for two audiences at the same time – the regular readers and the thousands of people who come here via Google each day and who I want to convert into regular readers.

Is it clear to a newcomer what the site is about and why they should keep on reading it?

Are there too many menus at the top of the page? Too few?

Are there too many ads? (Probably not, most sites would run ads inside posts as well, which I don’t)

Are the sidebars too confusing? Should I push the social media links more?

Should there be more ‘sticky’ information for newcomers?

Does the mix of content – which veers from Tesco deals to airline deals to credit card sign-up offers – work for you?

Is the mix of news versus ‘reference / background’ articles (eg ‘How to use Combine My Avios with Iberia’) right?

Does the current format of running a fixed number of stories at fixed times every day – with a ‘lead’ story and two less important ones below – work for you? (Most sites just post at random times throughout the day, but I am middle-aged and grew up with the newspaper tradition!)

If there is anything about the way the site currently looks that annoys or confuses you, or if you have any ideas for improvements, please post below. You can also email me at rob [at] headforpoints.com if you’d prefer.

Anything from your dislike of how I punctuate the headlines through to ideas for new ‘sticky’ pages are welcome – no idea is too small. And, to be honest, small changes are easier to implement than large changes ….

Thank you, and a Happy New Year for 2017.

Category

General

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

Graham Walsh says:

1 Jan1 January 22:27

Love the site and gained a lot from it. The 3 articles a day are great and I read them on my mobile with no issues. However if you wanted to optimise for mobile there are so many simple Wordpress options available. Maybe just update the theme? I use a free theme called Sparkling on my blog for example.

What annoys me is that I’ll read some comments and then want to come back to find them in a few days time but can’t as comments are not searchable.

How about staring a Facebook group for all OT comments? Easily controlled and at least it is searchable and threaded conversations.
- Fenny says:
  
  2 Jan2 January 11:52
  
  Please don’t go away from the blog structure to social media. There are reasons why some of us don’t use social media and moving comments there just means that there’s no chance of seeing them.
  - Rob says:
    
    2 Jan2 January 12:17
    
    Don’t worry, I’m far too old to do that. The fact that this is the only frequent flyer site with a major LinkedIn following makes it clear where the readers are!
    - Fenny says:
      
      2 Jan2 January 12:40
      
      Huzzah! 🙂
Jeremy I says:

1 Jan1 January 23:52

Thanks for the opportunity to comment Rob and HNY to you and all HFP readers! I love HFP as it currently is (and agree with the consensus in the comments that 3 per day is the right number). I don’t really care about the OT comments or Q& A debate being had above.

To attract convert some of the google-visitors to more long-time readers I wonder about a single mega article on Executive club basics which has a bit more of an editorial slant in the style of Martin Lewis (e.g. your view on best use of Avios is short haul RFS or l/h in business or first with a 241 but flagging what a rip off some other uses are). I also wonder about a bit more info of the surcharges associated with some of the redemptions you cover.

As always, love the articles which showcase your industry knowledge to explain the context (sometimes these are just throwaway comments in your articles).
SydneySwan says:

2 Jan2 January 01:16

Hi Rob

New Year Greetings from sunny Sydney.

I am wondering how much of your audience is non-UK based. With the exception of UK credit card reviews and some of the Avios articles, I always find something of interest in the daily emails. I enjoy the more consistent approach of HFP compared to that of LL. You also have a much more friendly and helpful readership contributing to the comments.

Main gripe is not being alerted to further comments in stories I have commented on. You have already indicated that is difficult to do, but it would be great if that issue could be overcome.

All the best for 2017.
- Rob says:
  
  2 Jan2 January 11:25
  
  80% UK
- ADS says:
  
  13 Jan13 January 12:54
  
  i definitely agree about the desirability being able to track further comments on an article that you’re interested in / have already commented on.
  
  the sidebar with most recent 5 comments isn’t really much use on a website this active !
Mark Bates says:

2 Jan2 January 02:14

First of all genuine praise for what HFP does for us, I am a late comer to the party (having only embraced with Avios/reward credit card game within the last 18 months) and I’ve learnt alot!
Some enhancement of the forums maybe useful, perhaps an opt-in (or not) to receive new posts via email?
When I have researched different items on the site I feel it may be better to have the different products presented in table format, so for example have each credit card listed in one column with different columns for how many avios and other rewards you can gain from each product etc
Finally noting Graham’s comments I personally would not be for using Facebook for anything from HFP that isn’t on the website. I have managed so far in my live not to have FB take over my life so only use by FB login for my gain (eg Accor places)
- Rob says:
  
  2 Jan2 January 11:24
  
  Tables are tricky because of people reading on different devices.
krys_k says:

2 Jan2 January 04:11

There are three websites that I read first thing in the morning, every morning, to get me going – BBC, Guardian and HFP. So it’s an important part of my daily routine so to speak (I’ve been in Asia for the past 4 weeks, still reading it). I think it much better than any of the similar sites which tend to be too US focused, pushing an agenda, or have a me-me editorial style. So I’m a fan. I don’t get the newsletter, so always access via the site. Improvements – date of article, perhaps publish reviews of lounges and flights that others submit (I know that other’s experiences are often published, particularly if they are quirky, but a focus on reviews, once edited and given rge HFP house style would broaden the picture). I don’t mind OT posts, picked up some interesting things. I like that there isn’t a forum, as reading is simple and focused (with a forum you can get lost in the posts).
- Rob says:
  
  2 Jan2 January 08:01
  
  I agree, most other points sites the articles feel like the author is doing the minimum amount of work until they can next push a credit card (I know that HfP also probably makes a great deal of points from pushing the card but for some reason it feels less intrusive – maybe because of the no adverts mid post.)
  
  I also agree with the forum, Flyertalk is a great site but is so overwhelming that I wait for the blogs to filter it first.
riku says:

2 Jan2 January 06:03

Add voting buttons so that you vote on other people’s comments. The many off topic “OT” posts are especially annoying,more so since many contributors are in the UK and when i’m reading a review about a hotel in Italy i’m not really interesting in the latest use for Tesco vouchers which are not relevant for anyone outside of the UK. For this reason I don’t scroll down to the comments section that often.

stories at fixed times every day – having followed the site for over a year I never even realized this was happening. I don’t really see the point, perhaps for those with a really regular schedule (738 train to work, cup of tea at 930), but isn’t the site aimed a travellers who will not be on such a fixed daily schedule?
- Polly says:
  
  2 Jan2 January 07:14
  
  Riku, it is actually a UK based site.
  Thanks goodness it’s there for us all “who do see the point” !
  Why bother to read it at all, then.
  We are a really nice group of people who help others out, or direct newbies with OT towards a previous article. We all started somewhere. The format is good.
  
  If we could get that specialist travel advice and info option up and running, that would be a bonus. Serviced by us all with our knowledge and experience. Categorised into regions eg Asia, USA, Oz RFS, etc, plus best flight options, connection etc etc. there are enough of us frequent flyers to cover and contribute to those areas. Hopefully Rob it would not be too much of an extra burden on you. Great work, thanks.
  
  Krys agree, first site l open before the paper is HFP. ESP when we are in Asia. Hoping to go to Vietnam on sat, so will be keeping an eye on QR sale options for next Nov/Feb.
the real harry says:

2 Jan2 January 07:07

targeting
focused (easiest way to spot somebody not from a marketing background)
etc
Rob says:

2 Jan2 January 07:57

A place to ask the OT questions would have been my suggestion – had you not already made it. And as mentioned above searchable comments would be great as I often want to come back to look for replies but have to search through many pages first.

Currently I love the format and schedule, HfP is my first port of call every morning and that is because I know there will be new content, if the posting was random I doubt it would ever have become part of my daily routine.

Keep up the good work.