Informative and Hopeful
Needless to say, there are so many different types of websites out there, with so many different purposes. Two of my personal favorites are FreeTheSlaves.com and GivesMeHope.com. Both sites are completely different in design and purpose, but I dedicate quite a range of time to these sites. Free The Slaves is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending slavery. Their website allows internet users to become more familiar with the kind of work that they do, the facts about slavery, and how to get involved. I personally go on this website daily because modern-day slavery is a social justice issue that interests me and I strongly believe that if we all just educated ourselves, it would no longer exist. On the other hand, the website, Gives Me Hope is created like a blog. People post about situations or people who literally speaking, give them hope. I enjoy going on this site because it reminds me that things are never as bad as they seem and that there will always be people out there who have it much worst. But even in the darkest of times, there is always a reason to keep on going – which is what most of the posts that people put up are about. Even though these sites have different purposes and target audiences, they both have credibility and unique web design.
Free the Slaves“Free The Slaves” is an organization that is dedicated to ending modern-day slavery. Through the use of their website this organization is able to accomplish its goals little by little. The purpose of the website is to educate those who may not be familiar with modern day slavery and the fact that it is still going on. The website also explains how people can take action and do their part or get involved with the organization. People can learn about slavery, lean about what the organization does and get involved by simply clicking on a navigation tab.
Moreover, this organization is a non-profit organization but they do encourage those who visit their site to donate to the cause; they do this in a very distinct way. All of the navigation tabs that direct visitors are the same color and design, except for the “Donate” tab; this tab is bright orange, which really appeals to the eye. So, although they are not selling a product or a service, they do try to get people to donate. Additionally, the logo or mission of the organization is, “We liberate slaves around the world & change the systems that allow slavery to exist.” The logo works with the purpose of the site because it gives the site a sense of credibility and it explains to visitors the very point of the site's existence before they even click on anything. I personally chose this site because it is a topic that I have always been and continue to be passionate about. But beyond just the topic that Free The Slaves represents, I strongly believe they do a great job in getting their message across. It takes more than just words to gain credibility among millions of people. It takes facts, a strong web design, and empowering images - which the website all has. |
Gives Me HopeGives Me Hope has one sole purpose – to empower others with hope through personal stories. This site is similar to a blog except it is not just one person posting his/her story, instead people from all over the world share their personal stories of a time where others have given them hope through their words or actions. The website builds a community around the idea that you can find hope and strength in the most unexpected places, in the most unexpected people, and at the most unexpected times. Because this site relies so heavily on the anecdotes shared my readers, it automatically builds a perception of a community.
This site can really pertain to anyone. At one point or another, we have all lost sight of reality or have felt defeated, which is where this site can come into play. It gives visitors to the site an incentive to keep on going and to keep on living because although we may not have it all together in our own lives, we never know who we are impacting. Moreover, focusing on the design aspect of the website, Gives Me Hope has a light blue background with clouds. Their logo is, "Life is Beautiful Today!". Light blue is usually associated with mellow, which adds to the mood of the website. Ultimately, I like this website because of what it stands for and because of how much control visitors to the site have. Some days are better than others for me, as I am sure it is the same for others; when I am having an off day, I often visit the site to gain an incentive of hope or inspiration. |
As previously stated, both sites have completely different reasons for existing. But looking at Free The Slaves and Gives Me Hope, I have learned that it is not always about what is on the site but how it is presented that really captures a visitor to the site. For example, Free The Slave’s is an informative site focusing on a serious justice issue, therefore the website uses contemporary colors and facts to capture their audience and maintain credibility. On the other hand, Gives Me Hope is a social site, so there are a lot more colors but the mood remains mellow because of the light blue background. Reflecting on both of these sites, I have learned that you can go about a website in so many different ways, it just depends on what you want to get across to your viewers.
Stephanie Velasquez