SBI! 3 column templates will be available soon

West · #1 (**permalink**) 08-21-2009, 06:31 AM

A lot of SBIers probably already know, but just in case you don't, and for those of you thinking about buying SBI!, they are working on starting a 3 column design contest, which should start any day now. They have already produced ten 3-column templates for contestants to test out and play around with. Once the contest is live, it will be announces in the SBI! forums and in the newsletter.

lisa · #2 (**permalink**) 08-21-2009, 08:23 AM

Thanks for the update, West. Yes, I took a peek in the forums a few days ago and saw the PRE contest thread. WOW!! Those templates look REALLY good and I think it will help SiteSell's revenue overall because those basic templates are a HUGE turnoff to many people. I have a few friends that use SBI! and they are so excited about this. They can't wait to get rid of their block by block builder templates.

Mr Potential · #3 (**permalink**) 08-21-2009, 01:14 PM

Thanks for the update West. Considering that I just purchase SBI a couple days ago, make my decision to purchase even more valuable to me.
By the way as a respectful compliment both you West and Lisa look very pretty in your pics.

Mr Potential

ed7up · #4 (**permalink**) 08-21-2009, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisa

I think it will help SiteSell's revenue overall because those basic templates are a HUGE turnoff to many people. I have a few friends that use SBI! and they are so excited about this. They can't wait to get rid of their block by block builder templates.

THANK YOU!!!

I agree the templates are a *BIG* turnoff and also a potential revenue-leaker - that space on the right could be used for promotion

I can't wait till I can have:

1) Cleaner nav bar divided into subtopics (humans statistically cannot 'take-in' lists of more than 7 (200x300 pixels?)
2) Moving my Ezine sign-up and having my ezine promotion on every page on the right - as well as my product promotion
3) Having an overall prettier website

4) Cleaner, more customizeable look and feel
5) All the benefits of automation with SBIs content management system - for me that's important.

If you look at my website at the moment, it's hardly going to win prizes for looks. I changed the template from on of the blue 'management' templates to this which I think is under education (!). It gave my site a more welcoming look, but I'm definitely using it as a stop-gap solution!

Star · #5 (**permalink**) 09-09-2009, 02:14 PM

Thanks for the update, I can't wait for a new 3 column design! I think it will also give us SBIers a new incentive to create more content.

yackojo · #6 (**permalink**) 09-09-2009, 04:31 PM

thanks for the update West.
let say i purchase in the coming days will i be able to change things once the 3 columns become available? or should i wait?

West · #7 (**permalink**) 09-10-2009, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yackojo

thanks for the update West.
let say i purchase in the coming days will i be able to change things once the 3 columns become available? or should i wait?

You can change your site design at any time. But, it's best to start out with uploading your own template from the beginning because it requires a little less work. I started out with one of the basic SBI! templates, and started using CSS when I already had about 80 pages built. And I had to switch them each individually. There is no way to automatically change your entire site from one of the basic templates to a CSS template. Each page has to be uploaded one at a time. But, once your page is uploaded, you can use the Quick re-upload it feature to update about 20 pages at one time. Or, you can use include files to change stuff site-wide.

yackojo · #8 (**permalink**) 09-10-2009, 06:33 AM

thanks West.

is it also possible to get templates elsewhere and add it to the sbi site?is it doable?

yackojo · #9 (**permalink**) 09-10-2009, 06:41 AM

West i totally love your site, so fresh and rich in content.
hope i could do something beautiful too.will be starting next week normally.

chrisinbc · #10 (**permalink**) 09-11-2009, 12:42 PM

As a new owner of SBI I am very excited about the 3 columm templates coming soon to SBI. My current non SBI website uses a 3 columm template, and I'm thrilled that I'll be able to build a SBI website with the same. One thing I dont like about the current SBI templates is that they are on the left side of the screen and not centered. I think website templates look so much better when they are centered on the screen. The other thing I don't like about the current SBI templates, is that it makes many of the SBI websites look the same. In fact, often I can tell that a website is SBI as soon as I see it, by the way that it looks. Anyways, just my two cents

Chris H.

West · #11 (**permalink**) 09-11-2009, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisinbc

As a new owner of SBI I am very excited about the 3 columm templates coming soon to SBI. My current non SBI website uses a 3 columm template, and I'm thrilled that I'll be able to build a SBI website with the same. One thing I dont like about the current SBI templates is that they are on the left side of the screen and not centered. I think website templates look so much better when they are centered on the screen. The other thing I don't like about the current SBI templates, is that it makes many of the SBI websites look the same. In fact, often I can tell that a website is SBI as soon as I see it, by the way that it looks. Anyways, just my two cents

Chris H.

If you go into the look and feel selector, there will be a box with a red border towards the top of the page. There, you can choose to either align your entire site to the left or to have it centered. The only issue I had with that is most of the SBI! templates automatically have an image behind your nav bar (even though you can choose not to use it). So if you center your site, you will have a small white space to the left of your nav bar. Some SBI! sites are set up this way, but I don't care for that design.

And I agree with you about a lot of the sites looking the same. Yes, it is very easy to spot an SBI! site based on the way it looks.

chrisinbc · #12 (**permalink**) 09-11-2009, 01:31 PM

Thanks for clearing me that you can in fact center your SBI website template.

Actually, right after I wrote this post I checked out a few SBI websites and discovered that some of them were indeed centered! Have a great day!

Chris H.

ed7up · #13 (**permalink**) 09-14-2009, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by West

Yes, it is very easy to spot an SBI! site based on the way it looks.

Like it's easy to spot an edible berry from an poisonous one? It's not an issue since out of all the users who have access to the internet, and more importantly visit your site - how many of them can distinguish sets of templates?

Templates do effect look and feel, but remember someone has to form an impression of your website before seeing it. Be it at the search results, on an inlinking page or having memorised it from earlier; your content should be presented in as an appealing way as possible.

Templates shouldn't distract, but should merely provide a framework to slot in content and function. That said, a really ugly looking site will kiss goodbye to visitors all the time.

West · #14 (**permalink**) 09-16-2009, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ed7up

Like it's easy to spot an edible berry from an poisonous one? It's not an issue since out of all the users who have access to the internet, and more importantly visit your site - how many of them can distinguish sets of templates?

Actually, this is a bit of an issue for a lot of people. Tons of current SBIers have been begging for a 3 column template for quite some time. I think that's the main reason Ken decided to start the contest. Some of us are okay with the basic design, and do quite well with it. But many of us just prefer the 3 column look because we want our sites to stand out among other SBI! sites.

As for the non SBIers who are thinking about buying, a lot of them do a good deal of research on SBI! before making the purchase, including browsing other SBI! sites. Some of them actually hesitate to buy because of the lack of design options.

Case in point, when Lisa switched her SBI! site to a 3 column template, she ended up selling I believe 10 SBI! subscriptions in one day because of her new design. People were turned on to the fact that you actually do have a wide range of site design possibilities with SBI!, and that you don't have to stick with the basic design.

Yes, the content is king, but design is also an important factor.

Most of our visitors probably cannot distinguish templates. But, I believe that there are a good number of people out there that can, especially if they have been researching SBI!.

ed7up · #15 (**permalink**) 09-16-2009, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by West

Actually, this is a bit of an issue for a lot of people. Tons of current SBIers have been begging for a 3 column template for quite some time. I think that's the main reason Ken decided to start the contest. Some of us are okay with the basic design, and do quite well with it. But many of us just prefer the 3 column look because we want our sites to stand out among other SBI! sites.

And I be one of them

I'm just saying it isn't the be all and end all; can't wait to be able to use the extra column for promos and email sign-up though!

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