Hulu just launched a new design for its site, incorporating much larger cover art and more personalized content for its users. The new site will roll out to all visitors over the next several days, Hulu says.
The company's vice president of product, Rob Wong, wrote in a blog post that the thrust of new Hulu is to make it easier for users to find the "best TV moments" available while unearthing "hidden gems" such as classic sketches from Saturday Night Live. Hulu Plus appears to be unaffected.
"We’ve always wanted to do a better job of highlighting these moments, whether it’s a funny bit from last night’s Jimmy Fallon, the week’s best TV episodes, a fresh import from the U.K., or even a vintage SNL sketch because, hey, it’s an election year," Wong wrote.
The first thing users will notice is the larger cover photos for shows. Art in the top "carousel," which rotates through recent popular shows, now spans the width of your browser window, and cover photos in the "trays" below are bigger as well.
The homepage also now puts Shows You Watch front and center, letting users quickly reach their favorites. Below that are a whole bunch of new categories such as Going Viral, Armchair Adventures, SNL for President, Top 100 clips and many others. There's also a Recommended for You section that aims to bring you shows you might be interested in, based on your viewing history.
Hulu's user interface has always been top-notch, but it was starting to feel a little old in the age of Pinterest. This update is a welcome change and makes the experience even more immersive than before. Whatever happens to the company and its CEO (rumors of regime change or a sale have circulated for a while), Hulu is still one of the cleanest and most reliable video sites on the web.