TORONTO, Feb. 4, 2021 /CNW/ – For over a decade, View the VIBE has had a clear pulse on new trends and an ability to project the latest innovations in the digital and media landscape. Now a decade later, View the VIBE is ready to take its presence to new virtual and innovative levels through the official launch of their refreshed site, ViewtheVIBE.com.
In 2018, Steven Branco was brought on as the now Partner, Editorial and Creative Director, which helped breathe new life into the platform and re-established its place in Toronto’s affluent community. View the VIBE once again became the source to determine the bests of the bests on where you need to be, visit, dine, party and shop. This content, which gave View the VIBE it’s differentiating edge, was put to a near halt in March 2020 due to the pandemic.
Despite the trying ongoing times, View the VIBE has taken the opportunity to cultivate their influence further. Not only has View the VIBE had the ability to pivot and share the latest trends, but also is moving conversations to shine light on overdue and potentially controversial subjects. From being the first to roundup Toronto’s Black-owned Restaurants, to sharing the amazing stories of many Black-owned Businesses and even providing Torontonians who felt like they didn’t have a voice, a platform to share their COVID related stories on the weekly Quarantine Chronicles column. This was all done in a genuine effort to lend a hand.
“In 2021 businesses are still suffering because of COVID. The digital media industry was no exemption…it also needed to pivot and find new ways to make revenue,” said Nicki Laborie, Founder/Partner and Editor-at-Large. “For View the VIBE, this included launching promotional initiatives outside of what we were used to. From influencer/media (virtual) events and integrations, to branded/sponsored content and moving our focus to branded videos too, we have been adapting by the day.”
“With all of these new offerings, we also began noticing the shift to mobile traffic was climbing faster than ever before. Our traffic literally flipped overnight,” said Steven Branco, Partner, Editorial and Creative Director. “We went from a 60/40 split in the favour of desktop, to quite the opposite. In turn, a not so great metric showed us that time on our site was dropping and bounce rates from the homepage were on the rise. This was obviously incredibly concerning. With website traffic up more than ever before (over a 33% increase) we couldn’t just sit back and see our traffic go off the rails. As soon as I started to dig, it became clear that we had a mobile experience issue and we needed to fix it…and fast.”
Through these findings and months of hard work, View the VIBE is now proud to share the official launch of the revitalized, mobile-first, and video centric, ViewtheVIBE.com. The revitalized site, now has a mobile-first user friendly experience and is poised to drive more video content than ever before. With a targeted video strategy, set to conquer TikTok, Instagram Reels and a number of planned cross-platform Video Series involving partner brands, local hotspots and things to-do (whether virtual or in-person, once that becomes reality again).
“Additionally, the new web site design was created to include more topics outside of hospitality,” said Laborie. “While we originally used to focus on hospitality, as also being the owner of the Reyna restaurants, I understand how difficult the times have been for all small businesses from gyms to fashion designers to photographers. Whatever View the VIBE can do to help support various industries, we will do it.”
Alongside the new web updates, the team also officially announced their newest addition to the editorial team, Phillis Scully, being appointed as Acting Associate Editor.
View the VIBE’s Commitment to Toronto: Take on 2021, with STAMINA, one post, clip, tweet and video at a time. With a flow of daily articles, a constantly refreshed homepage, and bringing back our Weekly VIBE newsletter we will keep Torontonians together.
Editor’s Note: Please see supporting images, logos and visuals here.
About View the VIBE:
View the VIBE, partially owned and operated by STAMINA Group Inc., launched in 2010 by Nicki Laborie as Toronto’s first video restaurant and spa guide, later evolving into a recognized digital Toronto-lifestyle authority, producing fun, edgy and informational editorial content. Establishing itself as a voice for restaurant reviews, trending stories, and excellent VIBE videos.
For more, visit ViewtheVIBE.com or @ViewtheVIBE on Instagram–masthead also available at ViewtheVIBE.com/masthead.
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