Homepage Layout Terminology

Tiers

We refer to each homepage content level as a 'tier' - AKA section or layer. These may contain any type of content, as described below under 'Widgets'. The tiers can include a single widget or multiple widgets in various combinations.

Header

The top tier of your site. The header contains the main logo, navigation and search tool, at the very least. It often includes a 'Buy Tickets' button and a user-manageable countdown widget. Note: the tiers below the header are referred to as Tier 1, Tier 2, and so on.

of

Transcript

Widgets

The following examples spotlight modules which can display content on the homepage of your website.

of

Transcript

---

of

Transcript

Slideshow - A rotating selection of promotional images, commonly displayed as the introductory widget on a homepage. Often referred to as the 'hero image' or 'hero position'.

The rotation is itypically limited to 5 or 6 images - very few people will stay on your homepage long enough to see more. They change every 3 to 4 seconds. These can be linked to inside pages, and can include 'Buy Now' buttons when associated with events or pages which include products for sale.

You'll see two types of slideshows in use (highlighted below): a floating image which maintains a strict width & height, and an edge-to-edge photo which fills the browser in all screen sizes. Your Client Experience Manager can share the pros & cons of each option.

of

Transcript

---

of

Transcript

Event Feed - This widget can be presented in a variety of styles and placed in many different page positions (as you'll see on the homepage layout options)

There are two types to choose from: an automated feed which pulls in the next 5 or 6 events from your event calendar, or a user-managed feed which allows you to pick & choose the events which appear on your homepage.

The big plus for the automated feed is that you don't have to maintain it... the events change day-by-day. The downside is that it might be promoting things from the calendar which don't really need homepage visibility.

The big plus for the managed feed is that you get to highlight specific events for as long as you wish. The downside is that you continually have to keep it up-to-date - but there is scheduling functionality for the widget.

of

Transcript

---

of

Transcript

SEO (search engine optimizaton) Widget - A text-only block of basic information which helps Google (and other search engines) identify your website. It doesn't have to appear as a full-width text block (as shown), but it should include your event/venue/organization name, location and a quick overview of your purpose. Who you are - where you are - and what you do. We strongly recommend that you include this widget in your homepage layout.

of

Transcript

---

of

Transcript

Card Widgets - AKA Hot Buttons or Feature Buttons or Quick Nav. These can be almost any shape and size, and there could be almost any number of them. They could show icons & titles, or full-color images with descriptions which appear on mouseover.

The purpose is to give the user quick access to selected internal content, or to jump to another site. They could focus on facility rentals, catering, parking, accessibility, jobs - even advertising. You name it!

These are user-manageable, allowing you to control the image, title, descripton, and link.

of

Transcript

---

of

Transcript

Email Signup - A simple way to encourage users to get on your mailing list. It can be configured in numerous ways: as 1, 2, or 3 column blocks - with or without images - linking to another page, or with an embeddded email form.

of

Transcript

---

of

Transcript

Social Feed - this would include your latest post from Facebook and/or Instagram. X (Twitter) no longer offers a feed at a reasonable price. The widget can display up to half the width of a single tier, always within a square or rectangle. Alternatively, we could embed a gallery of images from Instagram.

of

Transcript

---

of

Transcript

Video Player - this can pull in video IDs from YouTube, or it can be set to accept Vimeo embed codes. We don't host video directly on the Saffire platform.

of

Transcript

---

of

Transcript

Sponsor Ticker - a user-managed horizontal scroller. Logos are typically displayed on a white background. Each logo links to a unique URL.

of

Transcript

---

of

Transcript

Footer

The bottom tier of your site. At the very least, this contains the copyright information, site map and privacy links. It often includes branding, contact information and affiliate logos/links. It may also incorporate sponsor logos, social icons, an email signup, and a repeat of the navigation headings. You can choose any combination of those items.

of

Transcript