Thread: Here is my new site, tell me the truth

This is my site so far. please have a look, and tell me what you think. I would like to put a hit counter on it, but I haven't stumbled on to how to do that yet. I also plan on a paypal soon. For now tell me what you guys would tweek. Thanks
www.odinpowersailors.com

Great images. A little bit wide for my computer. There is some over lapping text on your home page under sites to visit.

Biggest bummer for me would be that each link opens a new window. I ended up with several windows that I needed to close when I was done surfing.

Originally Posted by CaptRon

This is my site so far. please have a look, and tell me what you think. I would like to put a hit counter on it, but I haven't stumbled on to how to do that yet. I also plan on a paypal soon. For now tell me what you guys would tweek. Thanks
www.odinpowersailors.com

I think you've done grand. A couple of things I noted: Your home page has been left untitled.

Also you have made your page very wide. The majority of people do not like scrolling sideways so consider altering that. (I will give you a link at the bottom of my answer which will show how it looks on my screen)

The other thing was the red text on the home page overlays the oink text.

Here is a link to my help page where I have put a couple of screenshots of your page to show you what I mean.

http://www.girlonthehill.co.uk/VT_help_page.html

Wow, That red text being off doesn't show up on my screen, even with a smaller window. Thanks for pointing that out.
I guess I need to make the page smaller as well.
I noted the multiple pages thing also, how do you think I could stop that?

Originally Posted by CaptRon

Wow, That red text being off doesn't show up on my screen, even with a smaller window. Thanks for pointing that out.
I guess I need to make the page smaller as well.
I noted the multiple pages thing also, how do you think I could stop that?

On the bit where you set up the links, lower down is an area called target. That's where you change it. BUT be warned that if you do you will be upsetting, probably more than you will the way it is. It's a personal thing - but the people that know usually say that it's better to open in a new window than get rid of your main page. If you set external links to open on same page you are directing visitors away from your site, maybe for good which isn't a good thing. Experiment - make your own mind up. :o)

It is almost never better to have your own site open new pages in a new window. You want external links to open in a new window.

I think this is what you meant, Amanda, but I'm not sure I read it this way!

As soon as I click on a link on a site's own navigation and it opens in a new window, I close both and leave the site. No reason to do that - as I'm still ON your site.

Originally Posted by Bethers

It is almost never better to have your own site open new pages in a new window. You want external links to open in a new window.

I think this is what you meant, Amanda, but I'm not sure I read it this way!

As soon as I click on a link on a site's own navigation and it opens in a new window, I close both and leave the site. No reason to do that - as I'm still ON your site.

Thanks Bethers. (I don't know what I meant now, lol.!!) It's 0417 hrs here. I've been at this way too long!! Lol.

LOLOL - you get to bed - and I'll probably be heading to bed about that time in my part of the world -

Originally Posted by Girlonthehill

On the bit where you set up the links, lower down is an area called target. That's where you change it. BUT be warned that if you do you will be upsetting, probably more than you will the way it is. It's a personal thing - but the people that know usually say that it's better to open in a new window than get rid of your main page. If you set external links to open on same page you are directing visitors away from your site, maybe for good which isn't a good thing. Experiment - make your own mind up. :o)

Point well taken on, I think I will maybe try it on one of the lesser pages first.
I changed the red text and moved it, I hope that helps.
As far as the page being to wide.
I turned on the grid, and can see that it goes beyond my page elements by 5 rows. I changed it from 1170 wide to 900, but it didn't help. There is nothing all the way over to the right to hold the default so wide. I guess I need to dig a little deeper.

Originally Posted by CaptRon

Point well taken on, I think I will maybe try it on one of the lesser pages first.
I changed the red text and moved it, I hope that helps.
As far as the page being to wide.
I turned on the grid, and can see that it goes beyond my page elements by 5 rows. I changed it from 1170 wide to 900, but it didn't help. There is nothing all the way over to the right to hold the default so wide. I guess I need to dig a little deeper.

Insofar as the links/pages go listen to Bethers advice, not mine! I've been at this for nearly twenty hours! Lol.

The size of page is altered by amending it in the page properties section, but this setting will be overridden if you use items that are bigger. You need to bring everything in a bit. 1000px is the widest that I would recommend. Even better would be 800px, centred in browser (again, done in page properties). Page properties is reached by right clicking the page background.

Captain-

Very nice. Agree with Amanda and Bethers comments. Also- you would like to see an e-mail link to get a hold of you -not just a phone number. You can have one (actually many) e-mails connected to your BV account.

Cheers and enjoy

Andy

You all have been very helpful. Lets see, so far I have:

Changed the red text around and move it up a bit.
Narrowed the elements up a bit.
I found a line I had put at the bottom of the page, and it extended over to far to the right, so I removed it altogether.
I set the page width to 1000.
Titled the page.
Amanda, that screen shot help me a lot, thank you and Bethers for your input.
Andy, My photo album is inspired by you, I got much needed help from your site. I will tackle the E-mail link soon, got the Grandkids for the weekend.

I still get over laps in the left column of text and the wide page requires sliding right but doesn't seem necessary based of the content.
I always get over laps and hate sliding so check out everyone else before making any moves on my say so.

DDS

CaptRon-

And might I say that you take great photos and you picked a very nice
"skin/template" to display them. Bueno!

Keep up the great work Ron and enjoy the grandkids!

Andy

Looking Good, Cap!

The way you're moving, it looks like smooth waters here on out!