One of the UK’s most popular blogs has a new look, thanks to redesign work by Hertfordshire web agency Onlineability.

Politicalbetting.com is an influential and lively site where punters and politicians mix to trade tips, quips and friendly insults about political events and the betting markets’ reactions to them.

Founder Mike Smithson appealed to readers to develop a new masthead banner image as a replacement for his own designs – and Onlineability took on the challenge.

Mike said: “In the four and a half years since we were established we’ve stuck with incorporating pictures of politicians in one form or another on the masthead. This was good at first but it required constant updating when new figures came in and old figures went out.”

Instead, he wanted a new design that incorporated the twin themes of the site – politics and gambling.

Onlineability worked with him to develop a banner image that incorporated ideas of money, politics and success alongside such key information as the site name.

The new banner (reduced in size to fit)

Director Andy Darley, a regular reader of the site and a former Parliamentary candidate, said: “Mike’s site has been a runaway success as a venue for political discussion, but that can mean the betting side of it is sometimes overlooked.

“Because of this, we were keen to include images such as the banknote detail to remind visitors this is a site that will help them make a profit.

“The tag ‘winning here’ is a statement of the site’s ambition – but also an in-joke for its politically literate readership, who recognise it as a campaigning slogan often used in elections.”

Once the banner had been approved, Onlineability also suggested some simple changes to the site’s styling to better integrate the new image.

The result is a fresh new look for one the major players in British political blogging – and all implemented without the need to disrupt the operation of the site for its readers.