New Web Design for Jena: What Businesses Can Learn from the City Website Relaunch

Jena. First impressions count – this applies to a local craft business just as much as to the digital presence of a municipality. The Jena city administration presented a fundamentally redesigned homepage of its official portal jena.de on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. With the new design, the city is responding to the citizens’ need for faster information and more intuitive operation. A step that stands as a prime example of modern web design in the region.

Clearer Structure and Focus on User-Friendliness (UX)

Anyone who has used online services in recent years knows: nothing is more frustrating than confusing navigation when you just want to quickly book an appointment or retrieve information. This is exactly where the redesign comes in. The declared goal of the city administration is to make entry into the portal clearer. The days when users had to search for relevant menu items for a long time should be a thing of the past.

The new structure is characterized by a clear division into different areas. A central element is the so-called “Schnellzugriffe” (Quick Access). Here, users find topics that are statistically searched for most frequently – a pragmatic approach derived from conversion optimization that should make everyday life easier for many residents. Whether it is the waste calendar, booking appointments, or traffic reports: the path to the goal has been shortened.

Why Online Findability is Vital

The city of Jena demonstrates here what also applies to local companies: The most beautiful website is useless if the content is not found immediately. This is also the core approach pursued at Web-Roeder – Online Marketing for clients. In technical jargon, we speak of Information Architecture and SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

Users today have no patience. If they do not find what they are looking for within a few seconds – be it the opening hours of an authority or the phone number of a service provider – they leave the site. For Google, this “bounce rate” is an important signal: sites where users find what they are looking for quickly are rewarded in the ranking.

Citizen Services and Current Priorities

A core element of the modernization is the bundling of citizen services. In an era where visits to offices are increasingly replaced or at least prepared by digital applications, a prominent placement of these services is essential. The new homepage takes this change into account by treating administrative services not as hidden submenus, but as a central service offering.

Furthermore, the site now offers more room for dynamics. In addition to classic news and event notices, there are areas for changing priorities. This allows the city administration to react flexibly to current situations or to focus on strategic projects.

A Glimpse into the Future: AEO and AI Search

With the clear structuring of data, Jena is – knowingly or unknowingly – preparing for the next evolution of the internet: Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). We are moving away from classic search towards AI-supported answers through systems like ChatGPT or Google Gemini.

These AIs “read” websites differently than humans. They require clearly structured data, logical headings, and unambiguous contexts. Anyone wishing to position their company website and other channels securely for the future will find the right partner for online reach at Web-Roeder.

Websites that – like the new jena.de – rely on clear hierarchies have a massive competitive advantage in this AI-driven future, as they are recognized by algorithms as a trustworthy source.

Conclusion: A Step Towards a Digital Smart City

With the relaunch of the homepage, Jena is taking a further step towards a modern, citizen-oriented administration. A city’s website today is far more than a digital business card; it is a tool for daily life. Through improved orientation and technical flexibility, the city administration is positioning itself for the future. It remains to be seen how user feedback will turn out in the coming weeks, but the focus on clarity is undoubtedly the right path.

Sources:
Original Report
Editor’s Note: This article is based on official reports and was supplemented with expert analysis by Web-Roeder.

Read original article in German