IMDB through the years
Betsy Melin
Like most websites that have been online for twenty plus years IMDB, or the Internet Movie Data Base has gone through many changes in design and function to become the website it is today.
The oldest record of IMDB on the “Wayback Machine,” an online history of the web, is from 1996. At this point it is a single white page with hyperlinks to different parts of the site, such as the “site index” and a survey. Their purpose from the beginning is clear, to be an Internet database for all things film. The original website features a link at the very top for the user to visit the pages of the sponsors, in order to support IMDB.
By 2002 the site has already had a huge makeover. The new site is more similar to what the webpage looks like today. The distinct yellow motif is now the background, and the famous movie ticket logo is visible in the top left of the screen. The site now allows the user to click around more and offers more options, there are tabs at the top including “fun and games” and message boards. There seems to be a large emphasis on using IMDB to look up movie times nearest to you, as those are the main links visible on the page. One interesting development is that the website now boasts its user base, proudly displaying at the top “Visited by 12 million movie lovers each month.” This is a feature that is continued for many years on the site and is an easy way to track growth. Perhaps the most interesting part of the 2002 website is the introduction of “IMDbpro” which is a subscription to the website that you can pay for to have superior access. The advertisement of the “pro” version of the site looks like it has similar features to the current website. Basically the things that you had to pay for 14 years ago are now free.
In 2007 the website is able to boast about having “over 42 million movie lovers each month” this is huge growth for just five years. The site is much cleaner now, with things in general appearing much more sleek. Besides cosmetic changes much of the features remain similar. There is still emphasis on trivia and games the user can play and the advertisement of their “pro” features.
IMDb now is much more clean and sleek. The emphasis is on movie trailers and watching content with the search bar becoming even more visible. All of the main features from the beginning of the site are still there, even IMDbpro, which since has become more a feature of industry insiders or those who hope to become one. The site no longer displays the amount of traffic it gets, in order to get rid of excess clutter or wordy-ness on the front page of the site. I think over the years IMDb has done an incredible job updating and maintaining while still staying true to its original features and ideals.
