YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Santa didn’t wait until Christmas morning to deliver a gift this year – he’s back in downtown Youngstown, a week after the tree lighting, with a shiny new present: The Business Journal’s redesigned website, complete with free access for everyone through the holidays.
The revamped site, still found at BusinessJournalDaily.com, offers an enhanced, user-friendly platform, making it easier than ever for readers to stay informed about the latest news and developments in the Mahoning Valley.
Starting today, readers can enjoy complimentary access to the site through New Year’s Day, a holiday gift for loyal subscribers and a warm invitation for newcomers to discover its features.
This redesign marks a significant milestone in The Business Journal’s digital-first strategy, according to Wiley Runnestrand, partner at Sapientia Ventures, which owns the Youngstown Publishing Co.
“The Business Journal is a cornerstone of the local community, and one thing that we really want to lean into is a digital-first approach to news and the production of news in the Valley,” Runnestrand says. “The website is critical to that.”
A key focus of the redesign was making it easier for users to find and consume news quickly. The homepage now features a higher density of news, enabling readers to locate top stories with minimal effort.
Luke Conaway, a software developer for Sapientia Ventures and a recent graduate of Trumbull Career & Technical Center, played a pivotal role in the site’s development. Conaway emphasizes the streamlined design and improved functionality for both mobile and desktop users.
“We wanted the website to have a more streamlined approach,” Conaway says. “We added a few new sections and made it easier for the content to be on the top of the page. This will allow users to absorb more content easier.”
The new site also includes a redesigned “Trending” section, showcasing stories selected by an algorithm, as well as a category navigation system for more accessible browsing.
Additionally, an “In Case You Missed It” section gives previously published stories a second chance to reach audiences.
Recognizing the growing importance of mobile devices, the redesign leaned heavily into a mobile-first approach. Runnestrand notes that for many users, the website serves as a virtual “homepage of the Valley,” underscoring the importance of creating an intuitive and enjoyable mobile experience. Because the new website is mobile-friendly, The Business Journal will begin phasing out its app in the near future.
“If someone is looking up news stories from this area, this is the first website they get an experience with, and we wanted to make that a good mobile experience that gets them to the good news and the growth that is happening in the Valley,” Runnestrand says.
Advertisers will also benefit from the redesign, which includes more prominent ad placements and scrolling ads designed to maximize visibility without being intrusive. These features were developed to support local businesses and provide them with targeted access to their audiences.
“We’ve done a lot to improve the advertiser experience on the website,” Runnestrand says. “We all want to support Main Street, and we’re one of the few places where you can digitally advertise, as a local advertiser, and know you’re getting to the right people.”
Conaway echoes this sentiment, highlighting the additional ad spots and increased viewership opportunities that come with the new design.
“The advertisers get a lot more ad spots, and the way we designed the site, there will be more viewership for those ads,” he says.
In celebration of the launch, The Business Journal is offering free access to the site until Jan. 1, 2025. The move aims to encourage both longtime and new readers to explore the site’s features and engage with its content.
“We wanted to make it free around the holidays as a gift,” Conaway says. “We’re rolling out a new site, and we wanted to package it all with a bow.”
The launch is part of a broader effort to enhance the visibility and accessibility of The Business Journal’s content.
“We produce thousands of words of content a day, and making it easier for people to find that and consume it was important,” Runnestrand says.
The redesign also lays the groundwork for future initiatives. Runnestrand notes a preliminary partnership with the Mahoning County Career & Technical Center, which will provide students with daily access to the site as part of their curriculum.
The project presented its share of challenges, including the migration of subscribers to the new platform. Conaway, who has been coding since middle school, described the project as the most ambitious of his career.
“There were a lot of development challenges,” he says. “I had to learn a lot of new things to be able to make this a seamless transition to the new site.”
Readers are invited to visit BusinessJournalDaily.com to explore the new features, catch up on the latest news and enjoy complimentary access through the holiday season.
“For us, the homepage of the website is the homepage of the Valley,” Runnestrand says. “We wanted to redesign the site around that concept.”