Welcome to the new Flowerona!

Over the last few weeks, I’ve hinted now and again that behind the scenes I’ve been working on something very special. I’ve been bursting to tell you, but I really wanted to wait until everything was ready. And today is the big day, which is also my blog’s 4^th birthday! What better way to celebrate than with a brand new, improved Flowerona?

I’m so thrilled to welcome you to my new floral space on the internet. It’s not just a blog, but a website. And as well as having lots of special new features, I now have a new logo and branding. Here’s a run-through of the layout of the new site:

Home Page

The home page gives you a visual snapshot of what you can find on the website. In particular, it includes up-to-date links to the latest blog post, workshop and video.

Blog

There are lots of enhancements on the blog:

Larger images
Beautiful photos have always been very important to me and now, they’re bigger.

Pin It functionality
You can pin images direct to Pinterest. Simply hover your mouse cursor over an image and a ‘PIN IT’ button will appear.

Read full article buttons
To make it easier and quicker for you to scan through blog posts, from tomorrow you’ll see the start of a post and then a ‘read full article’ button.

Share functionality
At the end of each blog post, you’ll see ‘pin this’, ‘share this’, ‘tweet this’, ‘email this’ links, which you can use to share Flowerona posts.

New banner advert formats
There are now more options for advertisers with Gold, Silver and Bronze categories of banners.

New Flowerona for Florists section

Workshops
Find out about the latest Flowerona workshops for florists in this new area.

Facebook Group
I set up the Flowerona for Florists Facebook Group back in April and I’m thrilled that there are now over 1,000 members from all over the world. If you’re not already a member and would like to join this very friendly and supportive community of florists, then please visit this page.

Job Vacancies
I’m frequently contacted by florists who are looking for staff as well as florists who are looking for a new position. So, I’ve set up a Job Vacancies board as a place to advertise vacancies and your services.

New Work with Rona section

In addition to writing the Flowerona blog, I also have some other ‘hats’. They include Writing, Training, Consulting, Speaking and Presenting. And in this section, you can find more details about these others areas.

Other Enhancements

FAQs
I’ve written a new FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page, covering everything from advice on floristry courses to recommended florist shops to visit in London.

New Social Media Links
You’ll now find links to my Flowerona accounts on Instagram, Pinterest, Google+ and YouTube. Shortly, I’ll be updating all my social media accounts with the new logo and branding.

Featured On Badges
Lots of people who I’ve featured on Flowerona have asked me for a ‘Featured On’ badge to put on their website or blog. I’m thrilled that I now have a range of badges in different colours and styles available. Simply send me an email and I’ll send you a link to this page, where you can choose a badge.

New Photos
Earlier in the year, I had a new set of profile photos and general shots taken by the very talented photographer Vicki Knights, which I’ve integrated into the new website.

Cookies
When you first visit the site, you may notice a message about cookies which I’ve added to comply with the EU Cookie Law. Simply click No problem and/or More info.

Responsive Website
Nearly 40% of Flowerona readers access the site using a phone or tablet. So, this new website is responsive. When you look at Flowerona on your computer, you’ll see the full view of the site. And when you visit it on your phone or tablet, Flowerona will retract to fit on the smaller screen.

I think that just about covers all the changes and enhancements! I hope you enjoy taking a look around the new Flowerona and like the makeover. I’d love to know what you think. So please do tweet, Facebook or Instagram me, send me an email or leave a comment below. I’m very, very excited about Flowerona’s future and I hope you like my new site.

P.S. Look out for my next blog post today, where I’ll share the story behind the Flowerona Rebrand.