heavy.com
The internet is filled with news sources that offer their readers different perspectives on current events. However, with the increasing number of parody and fake news sites, it's easy for the audience to be dissuaded from trusting any news source. The trust in mainstream media is eroding, and then comes Heavy.com, which has received a mixed reaction from reviewers for its unbiased reporting. While they have had lapses in the past, they continue to improve with every passing year.
What is Heavy.com?
Heavy.com is a real-time information and news outlet that is managed by Aaron Nobel, Editor-in-Chief. He has been instrumental in setting a trustworthy image of the brand and has contributed to the network's popularity with their rapid reporting and in-depth reporting of hard news as well as sports, features news, consumer trends and entertainment scoops.
Numbers speak volumes
Heavy's news platform attracts 25 million unique visitors a month. Heavy's known for its softer consumer-oriented content as well. Their Gift and Shopping Guides alone helps 16 million shoppers a year with information that can help them make the right decision while purchasing a product. Apart from that, their entertainment guides attract over 2 million readers per year.
History
Heavy was founded in 1998 by Simon Assaad and David Carson. It became well-known in the late 2000s for its critically acclaimed Kung Faux series. In 2012, Heavy reinvented itself and today it attracts millions of readers a month. Simon Assaad continues to be the CEO of the company.
Why should you stream on Heavy.com?
Heavy's liberal views don't get in the way of covering events and delivering news in a timely manner. They present news in an easy-to-digest format that draws in every user so they can all understand. They cite their sources and present credible information. There have been a few instances where they've been on the wrong end of a few reports, but we can't take away two decades of hard work based on a few lapses which are quite common in today's media.
I've shared my initial views on Heavy.com, so let's check out some of the reasons why you might stream on Heavy.com.
High Verification Standards
Heavy.com is known for publishing accurate information, even if recently some of their reports have been inaccurate. Despite this, the news site has always taken responsibility for its reporting and strives to publish accurate information. Critics are challenged and evidence is presented so that viewers can have accurate information.
Hard News and Soft News
Heavy.com is not purely focused on providing breaking news. They also generate a majority of their traffic through consumer-oriented feature stories. While breaking news might be their main attraction, their lifestyle guides, entertainment scoops, and sports content generate considerable traction too.
Impressive Sports Coverage
I enjoy reading Heavy's take on sports events. Recently, I read the featured story on the controversial Jon Jones vs Dominic Reyes fight at UFC 247. Apart from UFC, it covers a wide range of sports such as Basketball, Baseball, American Football, Golf, Tennis, Ice Hockey to name a few. Thus, if you want to stay up-to-date with what's happening in the world of sports, you can totally rely on Heavy.com.
Live Streaming Guides
People are increasingly looking for ways to cut the cord, and Heavy.com is dedicated to helping them with that. We provide in-depth coverage on switching to streaming services, not just the streaming platform but all the important events as well. We also share information on how to stream these programs.
Shopping & Gifts Section
So whether you need a present for a friend, family member or yourself, Heavy.com has something for everyone.
What separates Heavy.com from other major media outlets is that it offers an extensive variety of content, including shopping and gift sections with information on deals and offers, as well as coverage of different topics such as toys, beauty products, pets, gardening, jewelry, travel, cameras and weddings. With so many options available to the readership, there is bound to be something for everyone on Heavy.com.
Design
Heavy's website is pretty bland because there isn't much going on on the homepage. I like the black and white color combination, but the homepage doesn't give you that "oomph" when you land on it. It's pretty basic and the absence of banners and subsections just makes it come off as boring.
Header
Their header section features a category drop-down menu on the left, logo at the center and a search bar on the right. If you click on the drop-down menu, you'll get categories such as News, Sports, Entertainment, Tech, Gaming, Streaming, Shopping, and Gifts. Within each of these categories there are subcategories which you can explore.
Hero Section
The Hero Section of Heavy.com doesn't have any banners. It begins with a news section right away. There's a trending headline under Top Story along with the timeline of when the story was published. Since there are more than dozens of stories published each day, there's quite a competition for the banner story. The only thing I'm not sure is whether the editor places the story based on the number of views it generates or just by his own preference.
Body
I found the body section to be very boring. It basically follows the same content as you see at the end of the hero section. There are black story titles followed by grey category and publishing time information. However, there are no graphics to support the text, which makes it pretty dull. However, as you scroll further down, you get a section called "More from Heavy?" which thankfully has some variations in content placement.
Footer
I liked the footer on the website. It's black on a white background and it stands out. There are options like About, Contact Us, Editorial Guidelines, Privacy Policy, Privacy Rights, Terms of Service and Sitemap in this section. Additionally, you even have social media icons right under those options.
Inner Pages
On the inner pages, there is a layout that is similar to what you saw on the homepage ? by clicking on any of the titles, you?ll be directed to a dedicated page that has complete information about the subject. The headline density has been used creatively, and so it doesn?t feel monotonous.
Content
There are dozens of stories posted every day on the website, regardless of the time you visit. They always have up-to-date content. Heavy provides comprehensive reporting on a variety of subjects, such as News, Sports, Entertainment, Tech, Gaming, Streaming, Shopping, and Gifts.
Under each category, you'll find subcategories. For example, if you click on the sports section, you'll find subcategories such as NFL, Basketball, UFC, Odds, Betting, College Football, Soccer, Golf, WAGs*, and Baseball.
Similarly, if you click on the main menu, you'll find Breaking News, Fast 5 Facts, Crime, Celebrities, Politics, and Money. Under Entertainment, you have Television, Celebs, Music, and Movies. Under Tech, you have Google, Apple, Android OSes (operating systems), Microsoft Windows Phones and apps.
Desktop/Mobile experience
I browsed Heavy.com on my desktop and iPhone XR and didn't face any problems. Since there is little video on the platform, the website loads extremely fast. I like their subtle affiliate links in the streaming section. Overall, I had a decent experience browsing the website on iPhone XR. Navigation was seamless and the website was optimized for mobile usage. So, that was a positive experience with just the layout and dull visual as the negatives.
Plans & Pricing
You can browse Heavy.com for free, right? There's no subscription or paid plans required.
Suggestions I have for Heavy.com
Although we can't always control the news reporting sites, there are things we can do to improve their accuracy, appearance, usability, and reach. These include improving the site's design, making the platform more accessible, and increasing user interaction.
Conclusion
Heavy.com is a great website if you want to kill time reading news and other soft stories. Their featured stories are commendable and I really like their shopping and gifts section. I would urge you to visit the website for that section along with the sports coverage.