Hi, I opened up my forums 2 days ago. I have not yet asked for a review so I don't know what others think of it. Could you please take a look at what you think as this is a forums that will grow and get alot of members in the future so I want it to look right and be structured right before it gets to big. The url: http://www.affiliateseeking.com/forums
It is rather dark, but I did have quite a problem with making the colors of the forum blend in with the rest of the site. On the homepage of the site I think the header looks much better. What do you think about the header on the homepage http://www.affiliateseeking.com Is it still to dark there?
Agree that the top color is too dark, if you want to keep it that way, maybe change the forum colours to the darker blue as well which would give it consistency. Otherwise, not bad for a forum page.
Hi John, The layout of everything looks fine right down to all the right ctaegories or forums. I like that part of it and think it will do well once you get that traffic to it you were talking about. The main problem however, is that it is way too blue and looks a little cluttered. Here are a couple of suggestions you can do to clear that problem up. If it was my forum, I would use that blue you have where it says, "Welcome to the AffiliateSeeking Forums". See where I am talking about? Well take that same color and go perhaps 2 steps darker and use the color you come up with at the top, where it is really very dark. Then I would take that blue out of your adsense blocks and make them white with blue print. The same color blue I just told you to darken up 2 steps? Leave the border off and the background white. I would take out that very pale blue green completely and make it white too. If you used it, I would only use it as the BG color in the navbar for the categories. This will help clean up all the blues where you are basically only using 3. It will also take care of that cluttered look making it more appealing to your subscribers. Hope this helps....and much success with it! Mary
I didn't quite get what you mean in places mmurtha. Is this what you mean. Make the 728x90 adsense ad background color white without a border and the same color text as the 2 steps darker as used in the "Welcome to the affiliateseeking forms" part. Make the top header the same color as 2 steps darker as used for the adsense links color Change the home, affiliate software links that are currently white with a green background near the top of the site. Make the links blue and the green part white The left navigation menu with affiliate networks, 2-tiered programs, etc. Do I leave that the same color as it is plus the adsense ads below the nav menu on the left side of the site? Also, don't forget that this site is not just a forums. It also has articles and is really an affiliate programs directory originally. I am just expanding into other fields, which is the reason for the forums. I don't want to change it and then the other sections of the site do not look right afterwards. I will definately play around with what you have said though if I can understand it right.
Hey John, You got this part right: I meant shades where I put in steps. Sorry about that one. No wonder it got confusing for you lol. Now for this part: See that blue green or light blue you have on there for like the recent posts and the background for your adsense up across the top? That's the color I would use to do you entire left Navbar in. Google ads and all. Use the same color text as you have now. As far as that tab that says "Affiliate Categories" goes, you can keep the text white but change that dark blue to tha same blue I mentioned to use in the header part. Just the tab itself. And yes, I recognize the forum is just something attached later. I think it will not interfier with the rest of your site. All you would have to do is change the header color thruoghout the domain and it will work out fine. Does this help to clear things up? Mary
Think I now understand what you mean. It will cut the 5 blues down to 3. I will try adjusting a few bits here and there to see how it looks. I never was cut out to be a web designer, lol. I have been doing it for around 6 years now. I must admit that it has improved alot though compared to what my sites use to look like. I'm learning all the time. Thanks!
Ive been using your forums because youre paying me to but I have to admit I plan on staying even after I stop posting for money. I especially like the lists of ad networks you have. That said even though you have extremely useful information on your site its hard to read because of the color scheme and design. I dont know how to explain what you should change other than saying at first glance if I had to say if your site was mfa or full of usefull information Id choose mfa, just because the design looks like its from the 90's.
The problem with designing a site and then asking for a review, I find that with some forums I get good responses and with others I get bad responses. Once I then change stuff and ask again, I will still get paid flaming it for something or another. The thing with a website is that some people will like it and some will not like it. That's the way it seems to go as people have different tastes. The main thing that I and other designers have to focus on is trying to make the larger majority of the world like the design rather than not like it. There's always going to be people that will not like a sites design. I have redesigned this site about 3 - 4 times now and will look into mmurtha comments to see how the site looks and will then post both of the urls to the new and old design up here and have a poll or something. mmurtha, what about the sites logo. Shall I still leave that white? Also, the way that I normally work out if the design is good other than have a few others tell me, I normally use Alexa to see how many pageviews my site gets on average compared to the likes of my competitors. My site is doing rather well with pageviews per visitor on average. I know alexa is not accurate, but it does help a little.
I was going to suggest changing the forum_new.gifs to something custom but I decided the default works for your site, I meant to delete that.
John, Glad to hear you understand now. Seriously, you will find that the majority of visitors will be pleased too because the site will be more pleasing to the eyes lol. I thought we all still learn buddy. I've been doing it off and on since about 1998-99 and still have tons to learn. That's because the net changes so dramatically and at a fast pace. What style is good for one year may be considered old the next lol. You wrote: I would keep the text white or even a step better, go get a real logo for it. Either way is fine and will work. Btw, you are right to say everyone reviews in a different manner. They do because they see things differently. But at least you can make the site pleasing for the majority lol. All you can do is give my suggestions a whirl right? If you are not pleased, you can always do something else to it lol. Mary Umm it would make me feel good if you started calling me Mary lol.
mmurtha can you please take a look and others at the new design: http://www.affiliateseeking.com/forums/testing/test.html Old design: http://www.affiliateseeking.com/forums Now which do you think is better so far. I need to improve the new design further, but don't know how. I think I need the header darker again as the site is starting to look more like a girls type site rather than a website / affiliate programs site. Please give advice on the header color and what color you think would be the best for it. Thanks!
hi John, Umm you can take the header and go a little darker perhaps. You can also make your main bars like the ones below the same color as the header: Register FAQ Members List Forum last posts threads Marketing Business etc... If it were me, I'd also do away with that very pale blue that you are using as a background color. I'd keep that part white in the navebar and the rest of the site. That light blue/green or whatever it is, is sort of making the site a little dull looking on my end. You don't want visitirs falling asleep lol. Btw, why don't you put your adsense back up? Just use the dark blue text with white background,no border. The reason I say use a white background is because it makes the site look very clean looking. This might also take away that girlish look you are seeing. Other than that, I think it looks tons better....but that is just me. Hope this helps... Mary
Hi mmurtha, Don't worry about ads as they will be placed back once I have made the design completely how I want it to be. This is just a test page. Anyway, I am not quite sure what you mean by the blue/green color. There is no green on the site now. Also, when you say a white background, do you mean I should also make the "General Marketing, Earning from your site" sections have a white background color also?
Hey John, Yes, that is what I meant. You also might change that top rectangle tha says, " AffiliateSeeking Forum" and the thread count sections to white too. Btw, that light shade is called a blue-green lol. At least in my browser, but call it what you want.
What do you think of it now. I still think the head and logo could do with some work, and the dark purple on the header sort of ruins it a little. Not quite sure where to go from here with the header. Any advice. Also do you think the rest has improved? Thanks!
John, Umm I would make the font a little smaller in tha header. Have you ever looked into getting a logo done for you? I saw some posts in the trading section if you are interested. This can do the trick. As far as the appearence goes, I like it better this way. There aren't so many different blues. It looks crisper too. Btw, I don't see ay purple. The header is dark blueon my end and looks okay color wise. Mary
There was purple-gray up the top of the header, but I have now change it by turning it into white with a blue thin line going all the way accrossed the top so that it matches the depth of the line below the header. I had someone work on a header for me for before. I asked and before I knew it he had done it about 30 minutes after. I didn't want it as it was really plain and nothing to it and it didn't match none of the site at all. Do you think white for the logo is fine or shall I use another color to brighten it up a little.