Feedback Needed

MiaWa · #1 03-24-2009, 10:23 PM

Hi,

Critique, critique, critique... is welcome. Your honesty is appreciated!
www.busyparentscorner.com

Mia

flyer13 · #2 03-24-2009, 11:08 PM

Nice, great, one-of-a- kind site. Dont know that busy parents could be computer literate too. I suppose there's so much in cyberspace indeed and that to include busy parents.

flyer13 · #3 03-24-2009, 11:28 PM

Sorry, the 2nd sentence may offend(previous post). am just kind of kidding. I was mainly touched by the story about how you came out with the theme of your site. That's something. The graphics and silhouette of a busy mom with the baby is cool. Great job!

sandysewin · #4 03-25-2009, 03:59 AM

Wow, your site is loaded with great information, good job!

The only things I'd change would be to define your columns a little more clearly. Perhaps a light background rectangle behind one or both of them would do it.

Also, I like sites that are centered in the browser. You can do that by right-clicking on an empty area of the page and selecting page properties. But that may just be personal preference.

I'm sure your site is going to be a great resource for many! Nice work.

whiteshepherd · #5 03-25-2009, 08:18 AM

Hi ... you are off to a great start .... and I agree with the centring on the page ... and everything looks like it is floating on the page so sandysewins suggestion was good but something else to consider is using the shape but leave it white and have a blue border, for example, send the shape behind the text and it will define your page space nicely and give the page a polished look ...

You are doing great ...

scdsuccess · #6 03-25-2009, 08:37 AM

Your site looks great. Simple and easy to navigate. Shouldn't the pages be centred. It looks great like it is, but play around and see how it will look if you center your pages.

Great job....congrats

Regards

Collectors-info · #7 03-25-2009, 08:43 AM

Ditto with page centering This might help. Would possibly look into a back to top of page book mark link next to each paragraphs title in a (size 8 text). When you hit a link at the top of the page you don't actually realize your on the same page. The pages also feel like they could do with a frame as the top is sometimes wider than other areas of the page. If you do think of this? use 2 single tables on top of each other with one being 2-4px smaller than the other and a different colour to create the boarder. The page will load a lot faster using this method.

Good luck.

Vasili · #8 03-25-2009, 08:45 AM

VERY ambitious site ...

... I might suggest that instead of focusing on "Local Listing" development (even if it is your potential source of revenue -- ads), try to add rich and meaningful Content as a real resource to parents (one of your core promises).

Not only will this add to your overall credibility (people will come back if there is something to come back for but won't if there simply is nothing more than superficial fluff), but will greatly impact your optimization goals with supportive results as you strive to get the attention you deserve (Content, especially deep, unique, and relevant Content has more SE Value with regard to positioning and being presented to search clients than it ever has, now that Google reverted it's algorithyms last October).

Think of your web's Index page as being just that: like every book has ... a "map" of the contents within. You have to show your stuff up-front cleverly and cleanly. And with such a broad niche as you have chosen, you must fill all those empty bookshelves of your 'library' if you will emerge as a ready-resource to parents searching for answers ...... THEN you can think about establishing "Local Resources" for revenue potential for yourself and as a 'convenience' for visitors .... by adding Content (guides, tips, book reviews, telephone numbers, first aid, etc.), you are proving to be more than simply an online phonebook or a selective advertising medium.

Once you flesh out the web plan a bit more, I am sure the layout will emerge with a different format as well --- including the basics of "centering," balance, visuals, colors, etc. Take your time, keep it simple and clean, and don't be afraid to provide more than the next guy.

IMO

MiaWa · #9 03-25-2009, 10:13 PM

Thank you for your feedback. I'm not offended! I'm gearing towards "busy parents" group by keeping my content simple and to the point. There is so much info out there, but being a busy Mom myself, I could never spend just 15 minutes finding what I was looking for. I'm hoping that my website can be a starting ground for those who don't have much time on their hands browsing dozens, when they can find just a handful in the same location.

Thank you again for finding the time to visit my website and post your comment.

Mia

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyer13

Sorry, the 2nd sentence may offend(previous post). am just kind of kidding. I was mainly touched by the story about how you came out with the theme of your site. That's something. The graphics and silhouette of a busy mom with the baby is cool. Great job!

MiaWa · #10 03-25-2009, 10:30 PM

To All,

Thank you, guys, for all your helpful feedback. I'll incorporate all your suggestions (might take some time though ;) -- all great tips! Didn't think of centering my webpages (yes, they look centered on my computer :). I thought of putting the bookmark with going back to the top of the page, but couldn't find the tutorials. I'll go back and re-read the bookmark materials. Also, I want to post the Search button for searching general content within my website, but not sure if it's possible to do. I'll probably have to open a thread on a different subgroup (unless someone can direct me.)

Vasilii -- I have a question for you. Yes, I intend to include more content, but I also want to stay away from having too much info that people would get lost. That's the problem I had by visiting other websites like babycenter.com and parents.com or parenting.com. Even when I run search and find specific info, I'd still have pages to review -- I simply didn't have that much time. I want to attract visitors by updating my website weekly if not daily in the News and Useful Tips section and adding more websites into the Resources. You said I need to have more content. Can you be more specific? Resource section? More news? Your comment about the Index page... Do you think it would be more helpful to create some sort of "Site Map"? Should I re-write the Index Page?

Thank you again for taking the time to post all your valuable advice. I can't say enough good things about BlueVoda and people like you. Your work by helping others makes a big difference!

Vasili · #11 03-26-2009, 12:25 AM

Mia -

The problem with some of the bigger, more established sites is that they are somewhat locked into the format they initially put forth and the navigation system they use to get around. They DO owe very much of their traffic results to the fact they have the resources in place to affect cache and searchable values, which proves the axiom I emphasized.

However, there is nothing to preclude you from adding volumes of valued Content (to both SE's and visitors) if you differ from those other sites and 'break up' your content into simply more pages, sections, or even "modules" ... which will make each page shorter and more appealing/useful to those who peruse quickly and will invariably elevate the intrinsic page relevancy (a core SE valuation) by reducing the "scope" or focus of each page's Content, narrowing the emphasis onto fewer Key elements. That is simply a win-win result of the higher organization and pre-thought you apply.

But, with more pages/sections/modules comes the need to specify such within a navigational scheme, and therein lies the rub: which system to use, and how "laborious" it looks when used (a lot of links visible along the left gutter, or long strings of links via drop-down Menu, etc.). This is something you will have to weigh yourself, and find a manner to incorporate the need within your website layout ..... now that you are more 'aware' of the concept and have a better understanding of the often overlooked relationships, it will be difficult to not include something without feeling as if you are unnecessarily compromising your website's potential!

You asked about "re-writing" the index page ...... maybe you can re-think the index page, and project that onto the site organization at the same time. Ever think about having the Index page truly be the intro page to a site that is clearly divided into "sections"?? You index page could present those distinct (fewer in number) sections with clear and stimulating graphics, and visitors would then proceed to an 'Index' page (for lack of a better term) for that section, so to speak, where they will find those longer sets of page links presented specifically organized for their convenience. You do not need to present every page link on your Index page: the SE's find the pages, and if you 'streamline' visitors drill-in experience by presenting sub-sets, you will find a cleaner expereince for all. (Also means that you need re-publish fewer pages when updating your nav, since you would be talking about the sub-set/section pages only, not the entire site). Just a suggestion.

It takes a lot of time developing a real solid Website Plan that will perform from the get-go, but the "beginning" is the best place to start to properly build and prepare for Success.

Collectors-info · #12 03-26-2009, 08:30 AM

Bookmarks

MiaWa · #13 03-31-2009, 09:59 PM

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the Bookmark link -- now I know where all useful tips and shortcuts are. (There is so much useful info on this forum -- problem is where do I get all this time between my part-time job, website, raising an active kiddo and reading the forum? ha-ha!)

I created the Top of the Page link throughout my very long directory pages. Ideally, I'd like to be able to create a floating bookmark, the one that you create once and it floats as you scroll down a page. Is that possible? Don't mean to throw another question your way...

Regards,
Mia

Collectors-info · #14 04-01-2009, 07:09 AM

Cant say i have tried that as i usually leave sites that have this type of menu as its a bit like having a spider on your screen. lol.
But you could try with this link.

MiaWa · #15 04-01-2009, 10:34 PM

Hi Vasili,

Thank you very much for your helpful feedback. And I appreciate your honest opinion (while compliments are nice, I need to focus on things that need improvement too.)

Considering that I have zero web design experience, very limited knowledge with graphic design, not much time on my hands and having spent dozens of hours starring at the website and updating it, I don’t know how I can get from here to there. Stuck – that’s the feeling…

I think I need a little more guidance here -- perhaps some specific steps I need to undertake (unsure if you’ll have time for more questions, but I’ll give it a try.)

-- Index page. If I understand you correctly, I should come up with something attractive that would prompt visitors to explore the site? Or perhaps I should include more enticing content on the Index page?

Website Directories. Better organization needed. Do you have any specific advice as to what throws you off when you visit the directories? Personally, I dislike all these links that bring me from one page to the next ten and then I can’t find my way back even with the Home page tucked in somewhere in the corner. So, I was thinking if someone wants to copy the info and save it in their word document, it would be easier to have everything on one page. But it does make sense what you said about shorter pages and SE’s ability finding my website.

Also, if I were to recreate the directory, say, making separate pages for every letter of the alphabet, would BlueVoda have the capabilities to support a website that has over 100 pages? What system were you referring to?

Are there any website that you’d recommend as an example for navigation, graphics, etc? I’ve read some of the tutorials re: developing a website structure, but was still confused as to how this would all apply to my website.

Thanks.
Mia

courtsantos · #16 04-01-2009, 11:41 PM

good job on the site.

MiaWa · #17 04-02-2009, 09:22 PM

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the link -- lots of helpful codes. I think I was able to set up the floating "Top of the Page" link. (At least it looks fine on my computer.) Would you mind checking the page out to see if it works and whether the spider is bothersome? Thanks a lot!

http://www.busyparentscorner.com/natural_living.html

Mia

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