Tell Me What You Think About My Home Page

BLK306 · #1 12-19-2006, 02:12 PM

I only had enough time to publish my home page this morning before leaving for work, so tell me what you think about it. Let me know if there are any side scrolls or anything like that. So far I have checked it on two computers and do not see any side scrolls.

More to follow as I get the time.

www.steadyracing.net

Bethers · #2 12-19-2006, 06:48 PM

Anyone with a computer resolution of 800 width will have a side scroll, since you made the pages total width of 1001.

The page looks nice so far. Right away, though, I suggest you rethink your first headline on the page - they see your name in the header - you do not need a welcome line. What you need there is the top keyword phrase for your page. Also, your name isn't runtogetherwords (like I just did) - Just because the url cannot have spaces - doesn't mean your name can't.

I'd also rather see the tagline you have "home of big dreams and little budgets" be in the header - as again, these aren't words that will help you - they might as well be part of the header - and get words for the se's and people to see right away on the page that are telling them they found what they searched for.

I do like the look at feel you've created.

BLK306 · #3 12-19-2006, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bethers

Anyone with a computer resolution of 800 width will have a side scroll, since you made the pages total width of 1001.

The page looks nice so far. Right away, though, I suggest you rethink your first headline on the page - they see your name in the header - you do not need a welcome line. What you need there is the top keyword phrase for your page. Also, your name isn't runtogetherwords (like I just did) - Just because the url cannot have spaces - doesn't mean your name can't.

I'd also rather see the tagline you have "home of big dreams and little budgets" be in the header - as again, these aren't words that will help you - they might as well be part of the header - and get words for the se's and people to see right away on the page that are telling them they found what they searched for.

I do like the look at feel you've created.

So is it more common for people to have a resolution of 800?

Could you give me an example of what you mean by top keyword phrase?

Do you think that the picture would look kind of "naked" if I do not have the tagline in it? Oh, and what do you mean by they (tagline) will not help me?

Bethers · #4 12-19-2006, 07:53 PM

Okies, let me suggest you read a bit about SEO (search engine optimization) before I go into details - here's a free ebook - SEO - The Basics - I suggest you read it.

Then - looking at your site so far - I'm not sure exactly what you are focusing on - but I know it'll have to do with racing and that people looking for it won't be inputting the phrase dreams or budgets into se's to find you. So, that's a good phrase to have up in the header.

I hoped you were going to be adding text to the page - if not, you're in big trouble with the se's - as there is nothing there for them now. I thought the picture was the background and you just hadn't added any text yet. And, I do expect you to have a headline - but I want it to be with the right words.

An 800 width resolution is the lowest resolution being used now. I'd say 20-35% of users still have it. Personally, I make my pages at about the width you have - but very carefully, because people don't like to scroll left to right. If you don't want anyone to have to do that scrolling, you'll need to make the width no wider than 800.

That said, I keep close watch on my statistics and am seeing only about 10% of my users are at that width - and I have done the stores with a column outside the 800 - so they get the basic store and text without scrolling.

The decision is yours whether you want to chance that. As time passes, less and less will have that resolution - but will be several years before it totally becomes passe.

BLK306 · #5 12-19-2006, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bethers

Okies, let me suggest you read a bit about SEO (search engine optimization) before I go into details - here's a free ebook - SEO - The Basics - I suggest you read it.

Then - looking at your site so far - I'm not sure exactly what you are focusing on - but I know it'll have to do with racing and that people looking for it won't be inputting the phrase dreams or budgets into se's to find you. So, that's a good phrase to have up in the header.

I hoped you were going to be adding text to the page - if not, you're in big trouble with the se's - as there is nothing there for them now. I thought the picture was the background and you just hadn't added any text yet. And, I do expect you to have a headline - but I want it to be with the right words.

An 800 width resolution is the lowest resolution being used now. I'd say 20-35% of users still have it. Personally, I make my pages at about the width you have - but very carefully, because people don't like to scroll left to right. If you don't want anyone to have to do that scrolling, you'll need to make the width no wider than 800.

That said, I keep close watch on my statistics and am seeing only about 10% of my users are at that width - and I have done the stores with a column outside the 800 - so they get the basic store and text without scrolling.

The decision is yours whether you want to chance that. As time passes, less and less will have that resolution - but will be several years before it totally becomes passe.

Ok I see what you are getting at. Well I'm not making this site to sell anything but I would like to get as much traffic as possible. I'm figuring on the Forum being the main focus of the site. The other stuff will be there as kind of a "bonus" if you will.

I could still put a little description of some sort on the page but I guess the idea I had in mind was something like this website has www.turbomustangs.com where you pull up the home page which is nothing more than a logo and select your destination from there.

BTW your link did not work for me.

warwickplates · #6 12-19-2006, 08:24 PM

I like the background colours, gives the site an exciting feel to it. The main picture was sort of grey, not sure if that was some kind of special effect, but I think a normal photo would look better, but it was difficult to see if it was some kind of a theme running through the site.

BLK306 · #7 12-19-2006, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warwickplates

I like the background colours, gives the site an exciting feel to it. The main picture was sort of grey, not sure if that was some kind of special effect, but I think a normal photo would look better, but it was difficult to see if it was some kind of a theme running through the site.

I did the effect on purpose. I originally had a different idea but my wife said that it did not look as good so I went with this one for now.

I might try a color picture but I'm afraid it will take away from the site as a whole because it is such a big picture. I just kind of wanted anyone that visited to be able to know right away what kind of site it was without being to over bearing.

Bethers · #8 12-19-2006, 10:28 PM

The one you gave has an entry page - all the links, etc are on the page after that. Personally, I avoid those - because it simply gives people one more click - unless that page is really something special that makes me REALLY, REALLY want to enter - I don't know if it's what I wanted to land on. And the se's won't send traffic to that page very often, as it has nothing on it - so most people won't find it unless you give out the url.

Sorry about the other link, it's fixed now. I have no clue how the voda host part got in there. And getting traffic from the se's requires the same SEO whether you are a store or not - just some different focus.

BLK306 · #9 12-20-2006, 02:27 AM

Well Bethers I made some changes. Tell me what you think now!

www.steadyracing.net

LadyEye · #10 12-20-2006, 02:38 AM

I am viewing in 1024 resolution so I do not have a sideways scroll, however, I don't know if it is just me or what, but with your image the way it is placed on the page, I want to scroll over to the right to see the rest of the image ... is it not in the picture itself? So for me, the image seems incomplete. I am not saying anything about your page width, just the image seems to be missing a part.

Do you have a double colour on your font or is it just in bold. Makes it a little fuzzy for my reading .... and your font on the nav bar is not sharp and clear ...

BLK306 · #11 12-20-2006, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadyEye

I am viewing in 1024 resolution so I do not have a sideways scroll, however, I don't know if it is just me or what, but with your image the way it is placed on the page, I want to scroll over to the right to see the rest of the image ... is it not in the picture itself? So for me, the image seems incomplete. I am not saying anything about your page width, just the image seems to be missing a part.

Do you have a double colour on your font or is it just in bold. Makes it a little fuzzy for my reading .... and your font on the nav bar is not sharp and clear ...

That is just how the picture is. I wanted to get more of the track in the picture so the trade off was less car.

I do have a double color on my font. Does it alls seem fuzzy or just the Welcome statement>

I don't know how to keep the nav bar from being fuzzy. I just typed the text and it put it in there for me.

LadyEye · #12 12-20-2006, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLK306

That is just how the picture is. I wanted to get more of the track in the picture so the trade off was less car.

I do have a double color on my font. Does it alls seem fuzzy or just the Welcome statement>

I don't know how to keep the nav bar from being fuzzy. I just typed the text and it put it in there for me.

Oh, okay, that's cool, its a great photo .... (was just looking for a dent, someone hit my car and thought it may have been you, lol)

It does all seem fuzzy to me ... sorry :( I know its pretty but try just increasing the font a couple sizes, maybe that would work ...

What type font is on the nav bar .... arial works well usually ...

BLK306 · #13 12-20-2006, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadyEye

Oh, okay, that's cool, its a great photo .... (was just looking for a dent, someone hit my car and thought it may have been you, lol)

It does all seem fuzzy to me ... sorry :( I know its pretty but try just increasing the font a couple sizes, maybe that would work ...

What type font is on the nav bar .... arial works well usually ...

OK I made some font changes and got rid of the double color in the welcome statement. Tell me what you think now?

LadyEye · #14 12-20-2006, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLK306

OK I made some font changes and got rid of the double color in the welcome statement. Tell me what you think now?

Oh wow, an incredible change ... an awesome job, that is just perfect ....

much much better .... Bravo to you!!

LadyEye · #15 12-20-2006, 03:15 AM

Just a few suggestions for the text on your page ... if you like ...

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