Complete site redesign - Need Feedback - please

[Mike Werner]

My news site is being redesigned. It was about time. I tried doing it myself some months ago but was shot down in flames. To each their profession.

This time I got a real pro to do the hard work, none other than fellow GSer Pthagonal

Have a look at the test site and let me know what you think. Readability, layout, colours, etc...

If there are any problems, they're are mine. If you like it, it's Pthagonal kudos.

Test Site

Thanks for your help and input. If it works out, and comments are positive, I'll be starting the difficult work of migrating the legacy to the new system. 2,000 articles and 3,500 photos to redo...

 

[MikeP]

It certainly looks more user-friendly Mike.

Much better in my opinion.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Nicely updated, easier to navigate yet retains the familiarality of the current site

Still takes an age to load up though................

Andres

 

[trotsky]

As the man up there says - slow loader.

Two columns of ads on the right are a bit obtrusive, although I can see why you would want to do it. You also lose your own site links and info (oh yeah, and "Categories" is a more common spelling) in the column of ads. Worth a third column in the top banner with links to these? Means losing a bit of whitespace and that's a shame as the site layout uses space really well.

Doesn't resize worth a sh*t of course

 

[Mike Werner]

As the man up there says - slow loader.

Two columns of ads on the right are a bit obtrusive, although I can see why you would want to do it. You also lose your own site links and info (oh yeah, and "Categories" is a more common spelling) in the column of ads. Worth a third column in the top banner with links to these? Means losing a bit of whitespace and that's a shame as the site layout uses space really well.

Doesn't resize worth a sh*t of course

Thanks so far folks

Site is slow because it's a development/test site. Hopefully when it's migrated it'll be faster, but the site is in California....

Guess it's a trade off between white space, info and ads. I do need to make a living.. Advertisers don't pay for their ads all the way below the fold. Might need to think about where things go...

 

[Mike Werner]

Did a few shifts of the blocks in the panels, but I've got a ew contracts with advertisers which I can not move...the fine line between a good site and money...

 

[unhinged]

Two columns of ads on the right are a bit obtrusive

It's things like this that'll have me turning the ad blocker on. If the site's about adverts you're on to a winner. The actual bike column though looks great, much improved.

 

[Mike Werner]

It's things like this that'll have me turning the ad blocker on. If the site's about adverts you're on to a winner. The actual bike column though looks great, much improved.

I know, I know.. would love to get rid of them, but there is less and less money coming in from ads. With bandwidth and hosting costs sky high, I need to put ads to pay for it. I'm looking at other ways of financing the site, at the least have less "visible" ads, but it's not easy. Hopefully one will come through.

 

[trotsky]

Did a few shifts of the blocks in the panels, but I've got a few contracts with advertisers which I can not move...the fine line between a good site and money...

I understand your problem, but then again I get my site ad free and so my developers can get inventive (here ) which has its own problems.

Just a thought - can you make your own blocks the same colours as your day/date banners and make the add blocks contrast more so your own stuff is easier to find? As it is the ads look more like your editorial space and your own blocks look like ads.

Just another thought - have you seen Crazy Egg? Great for finding how people navigate round your site - there's a free tryout monitoring 4 pages per month up to 5000 clicks which can be quite enlightening.

 

[Mike Werner]

I understand your problem, but then again I get my site ad free and so my developers can get inventive (here ) which has its own problems.

Just a thought - can you make your own blocks the same colours as your day/date banners and make the add blocks contrast more so your own stuff is easier to find? As it is the ads look more like your editorial space and your own blocks look like ads.

Just another thought - have you seen Crazy Egg? Great for finding how people navigate round your site - there's a free tryout monitoring 4 pages per month up to 5000 clicks which can be quite enlightening.

Yeah, wish I could be ad free, but the bills keep rolling in...

Yes, I know CrazyEggs, but there Google Analytics which does much the same but for free. I had it running, but took it out in an effort to speed the site up.

Still playing a bit with colours and positions. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Wapping]

Good improvement!

Only comment is the slow loading speed but once that is fixed.............

Richard