Website Analysis: Kyle and Brendan

This is the second in a series of three posts analyzing campaign websites. 

Address:  www.kyle-brendan.com

Kyle and Brendan have a very neat, yet fun layout for their campaign website. They are using Google Blogger as a host, which gives them a lot of freedom when it comes to layout. Blogger also makes it incredibly easy to update posts. They tie their brand into their website by displaying one of their posters as the first thing visitors see when they come to the site. While I would like to see the same typeface used in the header across the website, it is possible that Blogger doesn't allow for images or typeface embedding within the header.

With only five straightforward tabs in the left sidebar, Kyle and Brendan's site is easy to navigate. What confuses me, however, are the links across the top in the gold bar that allow visitors to change the layout. It may come with the pre-made Blogger layout they chose. Unfortunately, I find it distracting.

Because the website is hosted on Blogger, I am curious to see if the team decides to use their site as a platform to blog. As I mentioned in my last post, blog posts are a great way to keep students up-to-date and informed about a campaign.

Another advantage of using Blogger is the built-in mobile site. This website displays wonderfully on my Android device, as well as the iPhone. Because of the dynamic content, however, the site is unable to load on the iPad. The mobile site is viewable on the iPad, but it is rather clunky and unattractive.

Much like the other campaign teams, Kyle and Brendan have been quick and eager to make changes to their website. When it went live it had the Media page as its homepage. Having Contact Us being the first thing visitors see is a vast improvement. By having the contact page as the home page, visitors are immediately encouraged to connect with them on Facebook and Twitter, or possibly even send the candidates an email.

What They're Doing Well

• Simplicity - Kyle and Brendan are doing a great job of saying a lot by having a minimalistic construction for their website. The white and gray backgrounds are crisp and professional, and the purple and gold header adds a touch of panther pride without being overbearing. The navigation sidebar is attractive and easy to use. I would, however, prefer to see the Platform link higher than the Media link. The platform is more important, so treat it as such.
• Engagement Functions - By using Blogger there are a lot of beneficial buttons on Kyle and Brendan's site. With a simple click a viewer can share a page on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook. There is also a button in the upper right for viewers to subscribe to the site's RSS feed, in addition to a search box. These two functions will be particularly helpful if this team decides to use their website as a blog. If the site stays static for the rest of the campaign, it is kind of pointless to have them as features at all. As I mentioned in my previous review, commenting is also enabled on Kyle and Brendan's site. Site comments are a quick and easy way for site viewers to be engaged with the content.

What They Could Do Better

• Posters - Much like Jordan and KaLeigh, Kyle and Brendan have availability issues with their posters. The duo has three posters available on their Facebook page, but they're not available as full resolution downloads. It would be great to see these posters available on their website for supporters to download and print. I wouldn't suggest adding them to the Media page because they have so many photos (almost too many). The way their site stands right now, they only have five tabs in their sidebar.  Adding a sixth one for Downloadables or Support our Team wouldn't create any extra clutter. In addition, it would also be great to have Facebook profile pictures and cover photos. (Kyle and Brendan both have their campaign cover photo on their personal Facebooks, but it isn't available to download anywhere else. They should spread it; the cover photo is great campaign space.)
• Platform - Having a downloadable PDF as an option on the Platform page is suggested so visitors can simply download the platform, read it as it was intentionally formatted, and possibly print it. Adding a download link at the top of the Platform page would be a small but helpful improvement

Overall Thoughts
Kyle and Brendan present their campaign in a neatly and to-the-point way with their website. They have been making layout and platform updates whenever they deem necessary, which is great. By adding some more media like posters and blog posts, they could make their site even better.