Need a review of my layout please!

conceptskateboarding · #1 (**permalink**) 10-14-2008, 03:39 PM

Hello,

I am confused about my layout and would like some feedback, should my page be wider? bere in mind that most of my website will be video's and not so much text.

Also if you have any suggestions i will be very greatful. Only the homepage is my completeted layout.

Thanks allot.

alpha7 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-14-2008, 04:01 PM

Hi

Over all, the look is good and easy to follow. Do you have the width of your page set on a percentage or a fixed width? From looking at your code, it looks like you have it set at 801 px. If so, that is what most viewers are going to view it at. The standard is still 800 x 600 resolution. (Right Now) So I think the width is fine.

Now for the bad news.

Because you have limited text, you have the word "skateboard" too many times in the body of your page. If you are looking to get more traffic through search engines, you might want to scale it back some. They look at that as spam in most cases. I also noticed that your description and keyword meta tags are backwards. You put your keywords where your description should be.

One more thing: Did you mean to make Conceptskateboarding one word throughout the site?

Hope this helps.

Lellieis1 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-14-2008, 04:19 PM

Although I am not a Skate Boarder. I like your webpage and I am pretty sure Skater's will like it alot, I like your banner logo and the page layout, very nice!

Good luck with the site!

James · #4 (**permalink**) 10-14-2008, 05:52 PM

conceptskateboarding,

I recently posted this on another thread where it did not really belong and you may not have seen it.

Quote:

I really like your site. I've never been a fan of skateboarding (no reason, just no real exposure), but after watching that feature video I may just be hooked. Terrific stuff.

A couple minor things on your page (the basics are excellent so I am making no major suggestions—you've done a great job).

There is a little problem with the right column near the bottom whenever you enlarge the text size a little. Many of us with slightly less than perfect eyesight "control/mouse wheel" a click or two to enlarge the type. When you do this in firefox the right column extends rapidly, more than the others, and extends below the main content area.

This wouldn't be too bad but for some reason there is a block of the right column near the bottom of the center column that is blackened out, covering part of the text in the right column. The block stays put so as the text extends below the center content more and more, different parts of that content get covered. This does not happen in ie where enlarging the text occurs equally in all columns keeping the column height in the right column at the same location.

I hope this is not as confusing to you as it has been to me trying to describe it!

Second, I am a bit puzzled by the black, empty space over the left and right columns. I think I would rethink that, but that is a taste thing and mine is strange enough that I try not to impose too strongly.

I still think these items need attention. On the blank areas at the top on each side, I have been looking at some other pages and note that there you do have the content on the outside columns extending to the top of the page, beside the header, and I think it does look a lot better.

As far as the width is concerned, it seems fine to me.

Wow, I have got to tell you. Your site really can get addictive. I got started watching some of these videos and they are something else!

conceptskateboarding · #5 (**permalink**) 10-15-2008, 06:21 AM

Alpha7,

thanks allot for your reply, yes you did help. Its set to 801 becuase i heard its the most used res at the moment, thats for agreeing with me there. I will try to change up some of the words now so thank you and also yes i did purposly keep it 1 word. You think i should change to concept skateboarding?

Lellieis1,

thanks allot for your kind words, cant complain with that post hehe.

James,

thanks allot for your detailed reply, yeah skateboarding really is underated but its coming allong since it SHOULD be in the 2012 olypics, which is why i decided to start the website now i have also been skateboarding for 5 years.

Yeah i heard that my website has some issues in firefox, i will look in to that today and fix it. Thanks allot for describing the problems i appretiate it allot. Thanks allot! thats what i like to here it sounds mad but even though i made the site i still watch all the videos on it. I was thinking about focusing on articles etc but with video use on the internet growing i have decided to change my business model slightly. I am going to focus allot on the video's now (sort of like a skateboarding youtube) all in all their are about 300 "full length skateboarding video's" in all of skateboarding. I plan to add as many as i can per week to my website along with reviews of the video's and a list of songs used in the video's.

Everyone thanks allot for your help i will get these problems sorted right away.

alpha7 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-15-2008, 07:01 AM

Hi again,

No, I wouldn't change to Concept Skateboarding, because that would add even more of that keyword to your body. I would add the .com to it and use it as a link. However, if you use it a lot, I would have each link point to a different page in your site that you want people to also see, but keep the visible text as ConceptSkateBoarding.com

Hope this helps. Oh, and don't forget to switch you meta tag content.

Alan · #7 (**permalink**) 10-15-2008, 07:52 AM

The only things that jumped out at me are:

1) I only see ads for stuff in dollars (maybe I didn't look around enough), but knowing what UK customs can slap on to the cost of buying something from the US, a lot of people in the UK probably won't even click them. I know you'll get US visitors, but I'd probably try to add more stuff with prices in pounds as well.

Ignore that if you have and I just didn't see them.

2) I see you ask people to join you at various places such as FaceBook & Bebo, etc., and given the theme of your site, you will no doubt attract a lot of youngsters.

It's your choice, obviously, but if the site were mine, I'd probably add something to that box, such as:

If you are under 16, please speak to a parent or guardian and read all guidelines with that parent or guardian before registering at any of these websites.

Or something like that.

The reason I say that is because my daughter is only allowed networking sites which can use a webcam, and if there isn't a webcam, she doesn't speak to them. So while I would be more than happy for her to bookmark your website, I wouldn't want her to have FaceBook. And I know quite a few parents who adopt that same rule, who would thank you for asking their child to speak to them.

I know some would register anyway if they have full internet access, and it's not your responsibility if they do, but if they love your site and respect you, they may take that request onboard.

Just a suggestion, though.

Other than that, it looks like a very useful site for people who like breaking their ankles and rupturing themselves on railings!

jazzguy · #8 (**permalink**) 10-15-2008, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by conceptskateboarding

Thanks allot! thats what i like to here it sounds mad but even though i made the site i still watch all the videos on it.

That to me is the perfect site then...if YOU use it like a visitor and enjoy watching the vids and stuff then you can be sure there will be others who feel the same way...

I feel the same way about my Jazz Guitar site. I still read it and check it out even though I work on it most days and know all the content intimately...Good job...

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