Please Review Site Again?

bigtunafan · #1 (**permalink**) 05-12-2008, 12:03 PM

Hello To All!

For the past several weeks I have greatly modified http://www.learntowinholdem.com . I have done several things:
1. Went from nested tables to tableless design. This within itself was time consuming and well worth the effort.
2. Site design is controlled by CSS. Again totally time consuming and well worth the effort and time put in.
3. Modified a few articles and removed unnecessary images.
4. Removed all the errors and warnings so that each page is validated by W3C as well as my css is validated.
5. Have written an article and submitted it to about 100 article directories. I'm the process of writing another article to be submitted.
6. I have added a couple new pages to the site.

Here is what I need from those willing to help. Please take a look at the site and please let me know what I am missing. What I mean by missing is:
1. From a content point of view. I know I have good content, but from your perspective does it compel you to want to visit again. Does the existing content make sense.
2. From a marketing point of view (which is my weakness). I have some tremendous products but am I marketing them the right way. I am open to suggestions in this area, so please help if you will.

If there are some other suggestions you will make please do so. Thanks so much for your help in advance.

The site is less than a year old and I really want it to succeed. I am committed to it's success. Much of what I am doing I have learned on my own and I am still learning. So whatever you will add will help me in the long run. Thank you.

James Rice

TechieGuy · #2 (**permalink**) 05-12-2008, 12:56 PM

I visited your site and have a few quick comments:

1. I'm not a fan of pop-up windows. You may want to somehow incorporate that information in your site.

2. There is a lot of navigation links in your sidebar. I suggest to either remove a few, or organize them into specific topics.

3. I would increase the size of your font in the content section - maybe make it at least the same size as your links on the left.

lisa · #3 (**permalink**) 05-12-2008, 01:55 PM

Overall the site is good. I agree with TechieGuy on the left nav and font size. And if you can combine your navigation, it may ensure more of your site is read. For example your page on "Chips" is really good info and I didn't know a lot about that. I bet a lot of people would be interested in that info but it's hard to find since it's waaaay down on your navigation.

Also, I would put your "How to Play" link first in your navigation. That's the primary goal of the site right yet it's the 6th link down.

You may also want to think about creating a top navigation with 4 or 5 of your most important links. "How to Play" , "Newsletter", "Contact Us", etc.

bigtunafan · #4 (**permalink**) 05-12-2008, 01:58 PM

Thank you for your valuable input.

Will definitely make the font same size as the links
Will probably do both on the links: remove a few of them and place them under categories
As for the pop up I'm not usually a fan of them either. However I've gotten more opt-ins in the last month than the previous 10 months combined. If anyone as better way of getting subscribers to opt in I'm all ears.

bigtunafan · #5 (**permalink**) 05-12-2008, 02:49 PM

Lisa,

Apparently we both posted at the same time. I read your review and truly appreciate your input. I will do both tonight after the children go to bed!

By the way, what suburb of Dallas do you live? I think I mentioned we lived in Lewisville (great place to live!).

lisa · #6 (**permalink**) 05-12-2008, 05:25 PM

You're kidding. I'm down the street from you in Coppell.

bigtunafan · #7 (**permalink**) 05-12-2008, 05:44 PM

Wow what a small world. I use to work for the local cable company in that area, Paragon Cable, then it went to At&t and then Comcast. Moved from Lewisville to Cleveland, Ohio four years ago. I sure miss living there.

Coppell! Nice little town. Did alot of work there. Real nice people there too.

Anyway, I'm making the changes to the site tonight and I appreciate the input everyone has given. Thank alot.

James

James · #8 (**permalink**) 05-12-2008, 06:51 PM

You've got some good input already, I think. Along the same line, I would increase the line spacing a little on the left navigation. That would help readability. Also, the course content list seems to be spaced a little too much for the same reason.

Sounds like you are thinking in the right directions. One reason I like to listen to Lisa is her focus on good writing and attention to marketing. If there is any clue to success in the business side of this web stuff, that is it. You seem to be thinking along the same line and that is a good sign for your success.

Lajocar · #9 (**permalink**) 05-12-2008, 11:17 PM

site design looks clean and I like the overall color scheme.

The green goes with green table cloths in casinos.

bigtunafan · #10 (**permalink**) 05-13-2008, 07:19 AM

Thank you all for the kind comments and the terrific suggestions which I have taken and modified. Still not done with the navigation links. I believe I have too much green now.

I do have a problem Texas Hold em Starting Hands is totally skewed in IE6 (I hate Internet Explorer). It looks good in Firefox and Opera but not in IE. I don't know how to fix it.

I might also add concerning the layout in IE6 that I have noticed that my content doesn't go all the way to the right. In Firefox and Opera the layout is just the way I want it to look. Any help you might give would be appreciated.

James

Update: I corrected the skewed page in IE6. Had to lower the font-size located in the tables. Still Internet Explorer sucks!!!!!

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