A few weeks since the launch of DGB Consumer, the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) has in the past few days launched their own consumer facing website called myglazing.com. These are my thoughts on this new venture to the general public and if will be effective in it’s aims.

Well designed

Lets get my nerd cravings out of the way first. This is a well designed website. It was created by the guys at Motionlab so you know the end product is going to be high quality.

The colour scheme matches both the existing GGF colours as well as being colours associated with glass and glazing. The content on pages are well displayed, and of course, the website is responsive. Something important in this very mobile age.

So, top marks on the design and creativity behind the site.

Content

It’s all well and good having a website that looks good, but it needs to have the right type of content for it to be of some actual use to home owners. I’ve had a quick wander round the site and I think it’s fair to say that it’s good.

It has articles like “Top Ten Tips Before You Buy” and “Homeowners Guides” to aid the public around the not-so-scary world of double glazing. But lets be frank and honest, it is very heavily biased towards GGF based information and services. Then again, the site isn’t meant to be a neutral one.

I think over time the content will grow. It has only just been launched, and very much like DGB Consumer which launched at the start of August, it will grow naturally as the weeks and months progress.

Dual aims

This site for me has two main aims. The first, as the GGF I’m sure will tell all, is to help guide and educate the general public when it comes to replacement glazing products. There is a lot of information about our industry online, and finding the right place to research is key. The GGF will be hoping that this becomes a resource people will go to. Naturally, I hope they will go to DGB Consumer first ;-)

This site’s second aim is in reality to generate leads for GGF members. As I mentioned above, the content all over this site is totally GGF leaning. It’s there to promote it’s members. It’s there to tell people that if they’re going to buy windows and doors, they should only buy them from GGF members. Perhaps this might be a source of friction for other membership groups?

I think there is also a quieter third aim. I think this site is also here to gently sway non-GGF members over to their side of the fence. They advertise on this new site that they have 1200 retails locations across the UK. I am sure that they would like to increase that membership as much as they can.

Well built, but not unbiased

Overall I like the site. It’s designed well, it’s layout and journey through the pages has been planned well. Anyone who lands on the site should find it very easy to navigate their way round and find the information they are looking for.

But if they are looking for unbiased information, it won’t be for them. It’s created to funnel home owners down the GGF path. It’s there for the promotion of GGF members and to create leads for those members. If you want part of that pie, you’ll need to pay to be part of it.

Lets not take offence to this though. It might sound like I’m going a bit soft, but lets look at the reality. The GGF is a fee-paying group with connections to Government. In return for that fee, the GGF gives it’s members what they say are benefits exclusive only to their members. It’s how it works. Does it benefit the industry as a whole? If you ask them, they will say yes. If you ask a non-member they will say no. Depends on your perspective.

Regardless, I wish them all the best with this new website. Now, before you leave, just give that second tab down on the left hand menu a click ;-)

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