My first (real) website!

[beemaster]

I started this (http://www.canineyouth.com/) website a little over a month ago. Any suggestions? Suggestions on places to advertise and things like that would be greatly appreciated.

It's still getting started as you can see. But feedback would be great...

CanineYouth.com (http://www.canineyouth.com/)

Thanks!

[conflictuniverse]

looks good

[rowen77]

my opinion, you have good content, but make it easier on the eye. make the font larger, and add more pics for the breed list.

can I ask how long did it took you to develope the skill to make the site? (as Im learning html at the moment)

[beemaster]

my opinion, you have good content, but make it easier on the eye. make the font larger, and add more pics for the breed list.

Okay. I didn't really notice that the font was so small but now that you mention it, it is really small! I've been thinking about the pictures for the breeds also. I'm glad to hear that is something that would make it better.

can I ask how long did it took you to develope the skill to make the site? (as Im learning html at the moment)

Well, I actually cheat! :) I only know enough HTML/CSS to modify things. So I found this (basic) template and modified it a little. I learned how to use HTML many years ago but I only started using it about 4 months ago.

[dancindaz]

you want help to promote your site? Well first you need to address the accessabilty first... not too bad with only22 errors and none would help people find you!

http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.canineyouth.com%2F&charset=%28detect+automatically%29&doctype=Inline&group=0
that is the list of erros. A must have tool for any webmaster.

on your contact us page your input text box overlays your google ads?
I personally would not have a form that can be fillled in by spam bots?

The forum should really talke the theme of the site ot give people a sense of professionalism.

These are just thoughts if you want some more help I am more than willing ... visit my site and contact me through pm.

www.loudaz.co.uk

[beemaster]

you want help to promote your site? Well first you need to address the accessabilty first... not too bad with only22 errors and none would help people find you!

http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.canineyouth.com%2F&charset=%28detect+automatically%29&doctype=Inline&group=0
that is the list of erros. A must have tool for any webmaster.

Yikes! I forgot about this validator. I will need to keep this in mind for all future sites.

on your contact us page your input text box overlays your google ads?
I personally would not have a form that can be fillled in by spam bots?

Yeah, I just noticed that earlier.

The forum should really talke the theme of the site ot give people a sense of professionalism.

How could I do that? I have often seen forums that are fitted almost exactly to the website overall design and have wondered how I would do that.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

[DavidJames]

Looks very good and very informative too...

[Lhlalyam]

Hello BeeMaster.

I had a chance to review your website. First of all, congratulations on the work you have done. I realize how much work it takes to make ideas into reality from sites I have done.

My Review

Header
The height of the header is quite large. It is taking up precious content area that you could use.

It would also be good to get a quality designer to assist the header. I love to recommend Spirit of 1970 who is a member of DP. You can find his DP link here (http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=475194). You'll find his pricing reasonable and his work amazing!

He did a beautiful template for me... and I haven't seen such work in awhile.

Template
I realize that your site is based on a Joomla template... but the colors seem geared toward Google ad clicks rather than readership.

Breeders List
I think that it would be good to make a separate page for breeders list. After that is done, then create a new link in the main menu for this page.

I am only thinking this so that your Breeders List wouldn't get lost and you can also add a good description for this.

Blog
With Joomla, it is possible your blog look as you wish but I think it is important to keep the theme consistent so as to not confuse and lose your readers. I would also think that it would be important to keep the blog on the front page.

Forum
Same with the forum. You can make your forum sit within your Joomla template. I have done this with a site that I have worked on. Further to this, Joomla also has a third party extension called FireBoard that integrates better than SMF. If it is kept within the template... it keeps the site continuous and easy for readers to navigate.

You can also make it so that users can log-in with joomla and work with SMF at the same time. So... only one log-in... and one log-out... less confusing!

Contact Form
I'd suggest removing the google ads from the contact page. This will resolve this problem shown below:

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/7544/dogzr7.png

This are just some of my suggestions. I do hope they help you.

Respectfully,
Lhlalyam

[Mass Diggs]

It's nice but the font would be easier to read if it was against a white background.

[Bosque]

I think your site looks good. The only improvements I would suggest is to increase the font size for the site or reconsider the color (orange) of the linked words to “Content Link”. I liked that it was easy to navigate your site.

[beemaster]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys! I will definitely look into changing those things! I'm glad I decided to ask for some suggestions!

[Blogmaster]

add an h1 tag with keywords

[Kostyak]

Your pages from "Message Board" are broken, I got such message: "Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_ENDIF in /home2/canineyout/domains/canineyouth.com/public_html/blog/wordpress/wp-content/themes/redie-30/404.php on line 9"

[beemaster]

Your pages from "Message Board" are broken, I got such message: "Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_ENDIF in /home2/canineyout/domains/canineyouth.com/public_html/blog/wordpress/wp-content/themes/redie-30/404.php on line 9"

Really? Like when you clicked the "Message Board" link from the home page?

[Kostyak]

Exactly, I've clicked on 4 random links and no one opened.

[beemaster]

Okay. I got that fixed now. I messed up there. Sorry about that...

[clinton]

thats really good. I like dogs:)

BTW, I subscribed to your blog!!!:)

[beemaster]

thats really good. I like dogs:)

BTW, I subscribed to your blog!!!:)

Glad you like it! Feel free to join the forum as well... :D

[mdbradle]

A few thoughts from me on the design:

- Font still small
- Header is a bit large and in charge
- I would find some more meaningful front page content to replace the long breed list
- I would find a way to round the content boxes to soften them for the readers eyes

[carloss9400]

you are very professional!

[rambo]

Nice design and i like the simple things and it seems me nice that u too believe in this theory :)
Best of luck

[rambo]

Nice design and i like the simple things and it seems me nice that u too believe in this theory :)
And blending of ads is also excellent.
Best of luck

[LeadsBroker]

Too basic for my liking. Colour is very dull.
Great pictures of dog though.
Like the functionality of website.
Like the content.

[deljean]

It's great looking site, and a good, topic, one I wouldn't have thought of myself, but wish I would have.

I get an error when I try to access your articles page, and I don't like it that the address for your blog is "/blog/wordpress". You should move the blog to just "/blog" that way if you later change your blogging software, you won't be stuck. (Pretty minor, but it's one of my pet peeves.)

[tuanba]

Template
I realize that your site is based on a Joomla template... but the colors seem geared toward Google ad clicks rather than readership.



I have looked at code website so I think it isn't Joomla template and Joomla as a whole. Seems It's wordpress 2.3.

Website looks not bad. I like color pattern. It's similiar to copyblogger.

[NinjaTickets]

Alright site dude, I don't really want to harp on whats right because I'm sure you can feel that. But to me a site like this needs some egg before the chicken if you know what I mean, get some more content, whether you rip that info (such as dog breeders from the yellowbook), and I think that will help drive traffic so people can start submitting their own stuff and have start to become user supported.

[Gordo]

good little niche i reckon buddy
all the best

[beemaster]

Thanks for all the helpful tips everybody! I am trying to take it all in and figure out what's best. I haven't had time to work on the site much because of football but the season just ended so I hope to get cookin' on it now. Again, I really appreciate all the comments. Any more? :)

[oscarbaby]

Hi,

Good effort. I would change the background for a light grey to make the dog "pop" more. Also add a drop shadow behind the dog to make it stand out (cute dog btw). Place your menus and forums lengthtwise across the top and add google ads to the left.

Just my $0.02

Good luck!

[gary zaydman]

Looks good, I would change the colors a little. From an SEO standpoint you might want to consider separating your blog and forum into separate domain names.

Best Regards,
Gary Zaydman

[beemaster]

From an SEO standpoint you might want to consider separating your blog and forum into separate domain names.

Hmm... Interesting thought. Anybody else have any thoughts on this subject? I know next to zero on SEO.

[Dadony]

Looks good!