I am wanting to develop a bid request for the further development of a website. The website is www.RPwSJ.com. It is a website for my Internet radio talk show (podcast). What I would appreciate is assistance in developing a good bid request for me to put up on guru.com, GetAFreelancer.com, and web design forums that allow projects to be posted. The following is what I am currently thinking of posting. As I refine it, I will post the revisions in replies to this thread. Thanks in advance! --- I am seeking bids from website developers for the further development of http://www.RPwSJ.com. That is a website for “Recreational Poker with Scott Jensenâ€, an Internet talk show (podcast). The following improvements and features are what I seek for the website. However, I am open to suggestions. 1) Auto-harvest of episode titles, episode descriptions, episode lengths, and download links from http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=7552 whenever I press a button on a behind-the-scene webpage. A) Arranging the episodes on www.RPwSJ.com so that the Introduction episode is always at the top and the rest of the episodes are arranged from shortest to longest. Exception being special landing pages for search engine ads, see #2. B) The episode descriptions are in smaller font than their title and their paragraph indented to more set off the title. 2) Make separate landing pages optimized for “online pokerâ€, “poker siteâ€, “poker roomâ€, “casinoâ€, “cruiseâ€, “cruise shipâ€, “cruise ship reviewâ€, “cruise vacationâ€, “luxury cruiseâ€, “cruise travelâ€, “cruise criticâ€, and “cruise reviewâ€. A) Arranging the episodes so the Introduction episode is at the top and then enabling me to move certain episodes to be right underneath it, and then auto arranging the rest underneath them from shortest to longest. 3) Copy and paste the code segment from Google into the bottom of content, immediately before the </body> tag of each landing page. If you use a common include or template, you can enter it there. <script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> _uacct = "UA-1390269-1"; urchinTracker(); </script> 4) Between the paragraph below the page's title and subtitle but above the listing of the episodes, a thin wide box needs to be added. It is an opt-in mailing list. The opt-in mailing list having the title "Opt-In Mailing List" in bold on the left side and double height font. Next to it being on two lines: "To be notified of new episodes, enter your email address to the right." Then a fill-in box and a "Submit" button under it. To the right of these boxes on two lines: "A verification email with activation link will be sent to email address submitted. Activation is required to be put on the list." Then some verification email sent. A) Each time a new episode is added, an email is automatically sent out to those on the above list. In the email, there is a link to that episode’s download link and a link to the homepage. 5) The episodes need to be downloaded sequentially pre-cached. Not done with a flash player as downloads need to be tracked by Talkshoe. Look at the current homepage. Episodes need to be downloaded one after another. Currently, the downloads are timed so a new one is started every ten seconds. Unfortunately, they bottleneck for some visitors as their computer tries to download all at once. Some method (other than flash) needs to be used so when one download is complete, the next one starts and all this done while the visitor is listening to the Introduction and other episodes. 6) Correct the following problem: When someone clicks on the download button for an episode, it opens up another window and does the QuickTime download/play. Unfortunately, when the person returns to the homepage, all mp3 files are lost and the downloads start all over again. Desired outcome: What is needed is for the requested download not take the visitor to another page but starts up the download of that episode while keeping the visitor on the homepage and then once it is downloaded, whatever other episode is currently play stops and then the requested one plays as the rest of the downloads continue. 7) Enlarge the arrow of "Click > To Play" so it is more equal with the capitalized letters and thus more visible. 8) An rss feed so iPod and other mp3 player owners can subscribe to the show. What I seek is bid to do the above and possibly a nicer background picture. Include in your bid how long the work will take you and when you can begin as well as a penalty for not getting it done in time. I have been burned by website developers in the past that took way too long to get their work done and one that never made a requested and agreed-upon HTML version of a website.
Hi Scott, A man with many words Generally the content of what you require outlines what you expect and how you want it done. I would recommend that you put a bulleted summary at the top and bullet points under each section where appropriate, (i.e. #2). I would also put short to the point outlines of each point, adding an fuller explaination of the requirements afterwards to outline exactly as required. Hope this helps, as a bidder, seller and web-designer it helps to skim over the requirements and read fully if it appeals to my tallents - Regards Roger
Helps as a podcaster. Not quite sure what you mean by this. I am a bit tired so maybe my mind just isn't shifting into the proper gear for I'm not getting this point either. Sorry. That's good to hear. But I want to improve it first so people like you view it as a good bid request.
Scooby, After a good night's sleep and a busy day, do you mean something like this: --- Bid request for further development of www.RPwSJ.com - Import data from external website on demand - Create separate landing pages optimized for various search terms - Introduction episode first, then episodes selected for that term, then by ascending episode length - Add opt in mailing list with auto-notification of new episodes - Sequentially download episodes on each page (not via Flash) - Have download buttons open on same pages, not in new window - Create rss feed I am seeking bids from website developers for the further development of http://www.RPwSJ.com. That is a website for “Recreational Poker with Scott Jensenâ€, an Internet talk show (podcast). The following improvements and features are what I seek for the website. However, I am open to suggestions. 1) Auto-harvest of episode titles, episode descriptions, episode lengths, and download links from http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=7552 whenever I press a button on a behind-the-scene webpage. A) Arranging the episodes on www.RPwSJ.com so that the Introduction episode is always at the top and the rest of the episodes are arranged from shortest to longest. Exception being special landing pages for search engine ads, see #2. B) The episode descriptions are in smaller font than their title and their paragraph indented to more set off the title. 2) Make separate landing pages optimized for “online pokerâ€, “poker siteâ€, “poker roomâ€, “casinoâ€, “cruiseâ€, “cruise shipâ€, “cruise ship reviewâ€, “cruise vacationâ€, “luxury cruiseâ€, “cruise travelâ€, “cruise criticâ€, and “cruise reviewâ€. A) Arranging the episodes so the Introduction episode is at the top and then enabling me to move certain episodes to be right underneath it, and then auto arranging the rest underneath them from shortest to longest. 3) Copy and paste the code segment from Google into the bottom of content, immediately before the </body> tag of each landing page. If you use a common include or template, you can enter it there. <script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> _uacct = "UA-[# removed]"; urchinTracker(); </script> 4) Between the paragraph below the page's title and subtitle but above the listing of the episodes, a thin wide box needs to be added. It is an opt-in mailing list. The opt-in mailing list having the title "Opt-In Mailing List" in bold on the left side and double height font. Next to it being on two lines: "To be notified of new episodes, enter your email address to the right." Then a fill-in box and a "Submit" button under it. To the right of these boxes on two lines: "A verification email with activation link will be sent to email address submitted. Activation is required to be put on the list." Then some verification email sent. A) Each time a new episode is added, an email is automatically sent out to those on the above list. In the email, there is a link to that episode’s download link and a link to the homepage. 5) The episodes need to be downloaded sequentially pre-cached. Not done with a flash player as downloads need to be tracked by Talkshoe. Look at the current homepage. Episodes need to be downloaded one after another. Currently, the downloads are timed so a new one is started every ten seconds. Unfortunately, they bottleneck for some visitors as their computer tries to download all at once. Some method (other than flash) needs to be used so when one download is complete, the next one starts and all this done while the visitor is listening to the Introduction and other episodes. 6) Correct the following problem: When someone clicks on the download button for an episode, it opens up another window and does the QuickTime download/play. Unfortunately, when the person returns to the homepage, all mp3 files are lost and the downloads start all over again. Desired outcome: What is needed is for the requested download not take the visitor to another page but starts up the download of that episode while keeping the visitor on the homepage and then once it is downloaded, whatever other episode is currently play stops and then the requested one plays as the rest of the downloads continue. 7) Enlarge the arrow of "Click > To Play" so it is more equal with the capitalized letters and thus more visible. 8) An rss feed so iPod and other mp3 player owners can subscribe to the show. What I seek is bid to do the above and possibly a nicer background picture. Include in your bid how long the work will take you and when you can begin as well as a penalty for not getting it done in time. I have been burned by website developers in the past that took way too long to get their work done and one that never made a requested and agreed-upon HTML version of a website.
I read an ebook about how to create your own software (and then outsource it to coding sites like rentacoder) the key is to make a 'blueprint'. you can use a series of 'user stories' that say something like: user clicks dropdown menu and has option to search by video topic etc... anyways the ebook was called 'Software Secrets Exposed' and I use it almost everytime I outsource something. it may also help to do mockups with Dreamweaver: you can use the forms tool to make fake user interfaces that don't actually function, but give an idea of what you want the layout to be like and what features you want the site to have. for this, form tools are awesome.
JGJG, Thanks for replying. I have added "The Experience" to the bid request. See below. As for showing them examples, as the website currently exists and I just want it further developed, that would be just them visiting it. --- Bid request for further development of www.RPwSJ.com. Changes sought: - Import data from external website on demand - Create separate landing pages optimized for various search terms - Introduction episode first, then episodes selected for that term, then by ascending episode length - Add opt-in mailing list with auto-notification of new episodes - Sequentially download episodes on each page (not via Flash) - Have download buttons open on same pages, not in new window - Create rss feed The Experience: A visitor comes to the website and listens to the Introduction episode as all the other episodes pre-load. The visitor then selects and plays now-already-downloaded episodes without waiting for them to download or experience halt-lurch streaming. To elaborate on the bullets above, I am seeking bids from website developers for the further development of http://www.RPwSJ.com. That is a website for “Recreational Poker with Scott Jensenâ€, an Internet talk show (podcast). The following improvements and features are what I seek for the website. However, I am open to suggestions. 1) Auto-harvest of episode titles, episode descriptions, episode lengths, and download links from http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=7552 whenever I press a button on a behind-the-scene webpage. A) Arranging the episodes on www.RPwSJ.com so that the Introduction episode is always at the top and the rest of the episodes are arranged from shortest to longest. Exception being special landing pages for search engine ads, see #2. B) The episode descriptions are in smaller font than their title and their paragraph indented to more set off the title. 2) Make separate landing pages optimized for “online pokerâ€, “poker siteâ€, “poker roomâ€, “casinoâ€, “cruiseâ€, “cruise shipâ€, “cruise ship reviewâ€, “cruise vacationâ€, “luxury cruiseâ€, “cruise travelâ€, “cruise criticâ€, and “cruise reviewâ€. For example: http://www.RPwSJ.com/cruise - Arranging the episodes so the Introduction episode is at the top and then enabling me to move certain episodes to be right underneath it, and then auto arranging the rest underneath them from shortest to longest. 3) Copy and paste the code segment from Google into the bottom of content, immediately before the </body> tag of each landing page. If there is a common include or template, you can enter it there. <script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> _uacct = "UA-[# withheld]"; urchinTracker(); </script> 4) Between the paragraph below the page's title and subtitle but above the listing of the episodes, a thin wide box needs to be added. It is an opt-in mailing list. The opt-in mailing list having the title "Opt-In Mailing List" in bold on the left side and double height font. Next to it being on two lines: "To be notified of new episodes, enter your email address to the right." Then a fill-in box and a "Submit" button under it. To the right of these boxes on two lines: "A verification email with activation link will be sent to email address submitted. Activation is required to be put on the list." Then some verification email sent. - Each time a new episode is added, an email is automatically sent out to those on the above list. In the email, there is a link to that episode’s download link and a link to the homepage. 5) The episodes need to be downloaded sequentially pre-cached. Not done with a Flash player as downloads need to be tracked by Talkshoe. Look at the current homepage. Episodes need to be downloaded one after another. Currently, the downloads are timed so a new one is started every ten seconds. Unfortunately, they bottleneck for some visitors as their computer tries to download all at once. Some method (other than Flash) needs to be used so when one download is complete, the next one starts and all this done while the visitor is listening to the Introduction and other episodes. From my side, bandwidth usage is not a problem. 6) Correct the following problem: When someone clicks on the download button for an episode, it opens up another window and does the QuickTime download/play. Unfortunately, when the person returns to the homepage, all mp3 files are lost and the downloads start all over again. Desired outcome: What is needed is for the requested download not take the visitor to another page but starts up the download of that episode while keeping the visitor on the homepage and then once it is downloaded, whatever other episode is currently playing stops and then the requested one plays as the rest of the downloads continue. 7) Enlarge the arrow of "Click > To Play" so it is more equal with the capitalized letters and thus more visible. 8) An rss feed so iPod and other mp3 player owners can subscribe to the show. What I seek is bids to do the above and possibly a nicer background picture. Include in your bid how long the work will take you and when you can begin as well as a penalty for not getting it done in time. I have been burned by website developers in the past that took way too long to get their work done and one that never made a requested and agreed-upon HTML version of a website.