Thread: Help with listing mp3 downloads on page

We provide free mp3 downloads of audio sermons, updated weekly. Currently they are all listed in text boxes, which means that every time I add one, I have to manually move all the text boxes so that the latest on is always at the top. See: http://www.lightthefireministries.or...ns_single.html
Is there a way to list this, so that I can add the new message at the top, with the rest moving down automatically in list fashion, while retaining search functionality as I have a Google search function to search titles on the site.

Is there an automatic way to move everything? Yes, but that would include moving everything on the page at the same time: CTRL+A highlights all on your page, and then you can use the arrows to move everything any direction you wish. But that IS moving everything.

I would have simply created everything in a singe textbox (actually one on either side of center, so I could rotate adding between them), that way I could start at the top and like a typewriter, simply used ENTER to create a new line at top to compose the newer listing. You can also 'size' the lines inbetween listings a bit smaller to conserve on room, or to add a more polished look overall.
You can still do that, if you COPY+PASTE everything in a single textbox .... you can MOVE TO FRONT all the buttons so they remain on top of the textbox and thus able to be engaged by visitors.

Additionally, since I know the Search engines actually favor text links over other types, and using an icon link for each download is unecessary (if the Visitor cannot read the listing, why use a visual aid?), I would opt instead to use a text link of a sort, using smaller font and a simple arrow symbol to indicate where to click complete with a change of color upon rollover, an added visual clue, like this: » DOWNLOAD SERMON JAN. 1, 2011

Not only is it a cleaner look and simplifies all the manual input and formatting, it actually adds to a more properly SE-friendly site! Having all the titles in a single textbox does not interfere with site search (which reads all textual Content evenly), but if you had all your titles as h2 tags, well, honestly that is overkill and really not necessary: the SE will pick up all organic text evenly, and using the text links only adds to the page relevancy metrics that they notice and favor.

You might be better creating your sermon list on one single page & placing it in an iframe on your page with a pop up for each service. Bit like this link. This way you wont have to disturb your page & then just simply add a new link to the list in the iframe each week.

Originally Posted by Collectors-info

You might be better creating your sermon list on one single page & placing it in an iframe on your page with a pop up for each service. Bit like this link. This way you wont have to disturb your page & then just simply add a new link to the list in the iframe each week.

Does not matter one bit if it is done on the page directly or by another page presented via an iFrame: the issue is having the list updated with the latest (newest) always on the top of the list .... whether he does it on the single page or on another page displaying via iFrame, the process of updating and formatting is the same.

The fact using an iFrame removes all the optimization effort from the page and renders Site Search dysfunctional (since the values would be on the "second" page and not on the page they are framed on) is another very valid reason to not use an iFrame - especially since it was specifically mentioned as being important. It might have seemed more convenient, but not when all the aspects are considered.

Manually updating in a single textbox once a week is not too much of an effort, but there is no "automatic" way to do it. You need to do it manually.

My sincere apologies Vasili for making a suggestion. For one moment i thought i was on a forum that allowed the use of alternative suggestions to guide someone in a different direction if they so wished. Glad to see you have pointed out the error of my ways with the Google side of things on a point that was clearly stated as a requirement on the 1st post by Stephanus.

Thank you Vasili.

This is is such a simple solution and provides exactly what I need. I don't mind manually updating every week.

I'm a big fan of simplicity. Glad to have been of some help! Anytime.

Originally Posted by Collectors-info

You might be better creating your sermon list on one single page & placing it in an iframe on your page with a pop up for each service. Bit like this link. This way you wont have to disturb your page & then just simply add a new link to the list in the iframe each week.

I'm inclined to go with this method, simply because I build sites for user experience first and then pander to the search engines secondly. If the sermon list grows to a mile long, as a visitor I would probably get turned off. An Iframe is a nice tidy way to present a long list. I am pretty sure Vasili has documented time and time again here that anything below the 600 fold has less relevance to the SE's anyway...hmmm!! So on the grand scale of things, there is no right or wrong way of doing things. Just put your visitor at the forefront of your design decisions.

Hi Vasili.

I like your suggestion about the text link, but how do I this?

"I would opt instead to use a text link of a sort, using smaller font and a simple arrow symbol to indicate where to click complete with a change of color upon rollover, an added visual clue, like this: » DOWNLOAD SERMON JAN. 1, 2011"

Hi Darren,

I do agree that the i-frame method proposed by Chris looks better and is definitely more functional, but it eliminates the site search option.

It is not the search engines that I am concerned about. I have added a Google site search toolbar to my website on both the landing page and the sermon page. The idea is that a visitor can search the site for any title or subject of his/her choice.

See: http://www.lightthefireministries.or...ns_single.html

This was to simplify searching through a long list of sermons. Is it possible to retain this function while still implementing the i-frame method as suggested by Chris?

Originally Posted by DarrenC

I'm inclined to go with this method, simply because I build sites for user experience first and then pander to the search engines secondly. If the sermon list grows to a mile long, as a visitor I would probably get turned off. An Iframe is a nice tidy way to present a long list. I am pretty sure Vasili has documented time and time again here that anything below the 600 fold has less relevance to the SE's anyway...hmmm!! So on the grand scale of things, there is no right or wrong way of doing things. Just put your visitor at the forefront of your design decisions.

Hi Darren,

I do agree that the i-frame method proposed by Chris looks better and is definitely more functional, but it eliminates the site search option.

It is not the search engines that I am concerned about. I have added a Google site search toolbar to my website on both the landing page and the sermon page. The idea is that a visitor can search the site for any title or subject of his/her choice.

This was to simplify searching through a long list of sermons. Is it possible to retain this function while still implementing the i-frame method as suggested by Chris?

Originally Posted by StephanusvS

Hi Darren,

I do agree that the i-frame method proposed by Chris looks better and is definitely more functional, but it eliminates the site search option.

It is not the search engines that I am concerned about. I have added a Google site search toolbar to my website on both the landing page and the sermon page. The idea is that a visitor can search the site for any title or subject of his/her choice.

This was to simplify searching through a long list of sermons. Is it possible to retain this function while still implementing the i-frame method as suggested by Chris?

I don't see why not. I have added a google search box to this site. Have a look at see how it behaves. I've got a sneaky feeling that the pages within your site need to be indexed with Google (which can take time) before they appear in the search results anyway. Unlike some of my peers I'm a bit green when it comes to Google, perhaps someone else here will offer you some more advice.

I would run a few tests. using the Iframe approach and try to overcome any obstacles as they occur.

Just as a side note, I just used the google search on your page. As you will see on my example, you can have the results display within your site. Go to Google and get the necessary code Create a page in BV, call it site_search (if you like). Insert an html box, paste in the code from Google and publish the page. I think you'll also need new code for the search box to nominate the page you want your results displayed. Check with Google, instructions are there.

...something else I found. Should someone randomly find the page is being used in your I-Frame, then they won't see your site template wrapped around it as you intended, if you know what I mean. There is a workaround for this eventuality http://www.iframehtml.com/iframe-scripts.html I haven't tested it but I will later and repost.

Originally Posted by DarrenC

...something else I found. Should someone randomly find the page is being used in your I-Frame, then they won't see your site template wrapped around it as you intended, if you know what I mean. There is a workaround for this eventuality http://www.iframehtml.com/iframe-scripts.html I haven't tested it but I will later and repost.

Here is a little test I've done with some instructions. Click here >>

The above method is simply a way to place a hyperlink in a scrolling textbox (either using an iFrame or not) to direct to the top of a Parent page .... it does nothing to "place" Content within the scope of how a Search Engine attributes Content to the Parent Page at all, either as a scroller or a true iFrame.
This "Navigational compensation" is not a solution to how it affects Site Search or Page Content vales/attributes that the Search Engines register.

Hyperlinks or page navigation have never been an issue: the links needed on the page are simple download links to an audio or video file (which has been uploaded to the server), which, when clicked will open a player on the User side, not on another page.
In the case of a PDF or document 'download' the link will open a new browser Tab. Or, to "workaround" any other type of "display" the link could be Styled using TARGET="_blank" or an onclick/pop-up window.
If a Visitor truly wishes to "download" the file, the manner remains the same: RIGHT-CLICK > SAVE TARGET AS

These 'download' links also need to remain associated with the page's Content, all of which needs to remain "Searchable" and attributable to the page values, and using an iFrame of any sort will defeat this purpose!

Digging deeper into this, it may be possible to use Naval's "BV + PHP" method as an "include" although there is no clear (documented) understanding on how using a scrolling textbox will affect the "searchability" of the text within the scroller itself for Site Search. I tend to think it may indeed attribute the values to the page (being an 'include' that is code included to the page), but how it "places it" on the page within a scroller is still undefined.

In the least, this method (the PHP method) is far more favorable than using an iFrame for so many reasons, even if it is not proven to be 'Site-Search Safe'!