St. Joseph Media has revamped its Toronto blog Torontoist to offer easier navigation, improved readability and new advertising units.
Created in-house, the revamp also includes up-to-the-minute TTC service alerts, an “Editor’s Picks” section highlighting must-read stories, and a series of quick links to crucial information and breaking stories. A mobile-optimized version of the site is set to launch sometime this week, said publisher Ken Hunt.
According to Hunt, it has been about four years since the Torontoist blog was last refreshed. “The site was looking a bit shaggy and definitely needed a haircut and a makeover,” he said.
Launched in 2004 by Gothamist – a U.S.-based web publisher that produces sites for 10 prominent cities including New York, Boston, London and Shanghai – Torontoist was slated for closure in 2009 before being acquired by Ink Truck Media, a Toronto company founded by Hunt and two other partners.
Ink Truck sold the site to St. Joseph Media– which operates publications including Toronto Life, Canadian Family and Fashion as well as associated web properties – earlier this year for an undisclosed amount.
Benefiting from St. Joseph Media’s full-time sales staff, Hunt said that year-to-date advertising revenues for Torontoist are up about 100% over last year. The site has also harmonized its advertising units with other St. Joseph Media properties including TorontoLife.com, introducing new units that include a double-size big box.
Torontoist currently attracts between 200,000 and 250,000 unique visitors and 1 million page views each month, with the majority of its readers under the age of 35 and roughly half of its audience in their 20s.
The blog’s new logo also incorporates uniquely Toronto images such as the city’s iconic post and ring bicycle stands, the Royal Ontario Museum and its streetcars. The logo will also be customized during special events such as the Pride Week, “Woofstock” and Toronto Beer Week.
The re-launch is being promoted through run of network ads.
