Newspapers now Competing with Each Other Online

It has been suggested that the website design of the Independent should undergo an overhaul as it moves into new hands, which may require an internet consultancy.

Independent News & Media recently sold the Independent, Independent On Sunday and Independent.co.uk to Alexander Lebedev, owner of the London Evening Standard.

According to paidContent.co.uk, the online version of the newspaper should see some website maintenance if it is to increase the amount of visitors it receives, something fellow website owners should take into account.

"Its January 2008 redesign was a re-skin of the site developed for its Irish parent's stablemate Independent.ie. Now divorcing from The Irish Independent, Independent.co.uk may need to beef up its own know-how," the website said.

The Independent should avoid the mistakes made by the London Evening Standard when it transferred from Associated Papers to Mr Lebedev's hands last year.

User researcher Louise Ferguson recently said that firms need to ensure they invest heavily in website design, as this is one of the main influencing factors on consumers.