Please review my website

**new webmaster** · Jul 24, 2007, 06:34

Im 14 and i created this website as a fansite for an online game i play called runescape.

my website is called www.runescape-media.net

any constructive criticism is appreciated.

**new webmaster** · Jul 25, 2007, 05:55

anybody? :$

**si@ld** · Jul 25, 2007, 06:52

There is very little in the way of *actual* content, it just seams like a page full of ad’s. This is not appealing and puts me off trying to browse the website!

I would also say that the design is really quite basic and not engaging.

Sorry,
Si

**Rebirth Studios** · Jul 25, 2007, 09:16

Reminds me of my first homepage...

Before doing anything, I recommend that you read some articles and educate yourself on web design. Sitepoint Articles is an excellent place to start. After reading how it should be done, you should search for examples of how other people are doing this by going to similar sites within your category of interest. Look for ones that execute the articles you have read and look for ones that have good visual quality.

A common mistake by novice and experienced web designers alike is to pack too much information on a page. In this case, you have too many animated images competing for attention. Animation is ok when applied correctly. To remedy this, you need to come up with a basic grid for your website which provides a central area for your header graphic, your navigation, and your animation (if any).

Hope this helps!

**new webmaster** · Jul 25, 2007, 09:40

Originally Posted by Rebirth Studios

Reminds me of my first homepage...

Before doing anything, I recommend that you read some articles and educate yourself on web design. Sitepoint Articles is an excellent place to start. After reading how it should be done, you should search for examples of how other people are doing this by going to similar sites within your category of interest. Look for ones that execute the articles you have read and look for ones that have good visual quality.

A common mistake by novice and experienced web designers alike is to pack too much information on a page. In this case, you have too many animated images competing for attention. Animation is ok when applied correctly. To remedy this, you need to come up with a basic grid for your website which provides a central area for your header graphic, your navigation, and your animation (if any).

Hope this helps!

Thanks, that helps loads! thats the best reply i've had since ages! thankyou very very much i've learnt loads just from your reply. they dont teach us anything related to web design in school. this is the only place i've learn so far.
ill get to work now.

**bennettjw3** · Jul 25, 2007, 09:52

I would definitely look a little more into websites that offer free design tips. I have a 19 inch screen and you website goes off the page to where I have to scroll to the right to see it. I think people with even smaller screens might be turned off by that.

I would also suggest adjust your layout a little bit to make the categories you have more easily found. At first glance it looks like a bunch of ads all over the place when in actuality you only have two ad sets and the top and bottom.

I think it's a good idea for a site. My advice would be to read more into design and layout ideas around the web or in books.

John

**new webmaster** · Jul 25, 2007, 09:58

Originally Posted by bennettjw3

I would definitely look a little more into websites that offer free design tips. I have a 19 inch screen and you website goes off the page to where I have to scroll to the right to see it. I think people with even smaller screens might be turned off by that.

I would also suggest adjust your layout a little bit to make the categories you have more easily found. At first glance it looks like a bunch of ads all over the place when in actuality you only have two ad sets and the top and bottom.

I think it's a good idea for a site. My advice would be to read more into design and layout ideas around the web or in books.

John

thanks john. i didnt know it was too large so ill fix that. I'm gonna read some articles here on sitepoint about design and layout now. you've been very helpful, thanks again.

**bigmike7801** · Jul 25, 2007, 09:59

Well for 14 I guess it's ok. I don't know how to review for such a young age. Should I be criticizing everything or go in a different direction?

I thin kI'm gonna go in a different direction. My advice is to find some really nice looking sites that are similar to yours and try to copy them. Not for the purpose of copying them but to learn from it. You can pick up a lot of ideas along the way for your own site.

**new webmaster** · Jul 25, 2007, 10:03

if you criticize my website 'nicely' ill appreciate it and hopefully ill learn from it.

thanks very much for your post im am looking at other peoples sites and taking in everyones advice and criticism and hopefully in the near future i you will all approve of my improved website.

keep the criticizm coming please.
thankyou.

**bigmike7801** · Jul 25, 2007, 10:15

I would also suggest doing a mock layout in photoshop or a similar program before you actually code it.

**new webmaster** · Jul 25, 2007, 12:25

ok ill try to do that with picaso2 since i dont have photoshop.

**country-writer** · Jul 25, 2007, 12:46

I like your animated smilies. For fourteen years old, you did the best you could. Learn from those here that are critiquing your website and go from there. But it is a good start.

**new webmaster** · Jul 25, 2007, 13:04

thanks, i keep trying. everything i learn so far is off the net, they dont teach this at school.
so i probably missed out important bits but im reading an article on sitepoint about it atm.

**markbrown4** · Jul 25, 2007, 20:17

Hello,

It's a decent start you've made but there's a few things that you could do to improve it.

Easy to see/use navigation is one of the most important things about a site, and your navigation bar is far too discreet.
Make this larger and make it stand out by framing it in some way and give it a background color.

You header image is far too large and dominates the page, Once people are at your site they don't need the heading 'shouted' at them on every page. I'd think of reducing this in size.

If you want to learn web design professionally then you'll need to learn the new way of making pages with clean (X)HTML / CSS. Learn to code to a strict doctype, I recommend XHTML as it enforces good coding rules and you'll learn more about semantic markup.

Also, for page layout I would recommend one of the tried and tested ones that have been proven to work.
Banner / 1,2,3 column / footer

5 columns is far too many

Keep your content lining up to invisble lines.

Good luck,

**new webmaster** · Jul 26, 2007, 04:58

thankyou thankyou thankyou.
ill start making some changes asap and im trying to get my head round css.
now that we've got summer holidays ill be able to devote more time to learning css.

thanks again.

**pointlocal** · Jul 26, 2007, 06:09

We have a site that we designed approx 1 year ago. Have not yet done any agressive marketing, but we are building a few links, launched a Press Release with PRWEB and it receives small amount of organic traffic from google, yahoo and msn.

What can we do to get more people posting classified ads on the site? We offer FREE classified ads to Event Planners and also people across the U.S. seeking to hire or use wedding planning, or event planning services.

It is sort of like craigslist, but for event planning classified ads only.

The site is: events by occasion dot com

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Elaine.

**new webmaster** · Jul 26, 2007, 10:11

Pointlocal, you are breaking the rules of this forum. Please read the guidelines.

**pointlocal** · Jul 26, 2007, 10:25

Sorry. I have removed the hyperlink or URL address and replaced it with the name instead.

**ramnathhero** · Jul 26, 2007, 10:52

nice try but personally i will say the site is no looking good. the site look very chilish so try to modify the template and make it look nice.

finally dont keep the site with blck back ground cz profisonal site wont have the black background because is damange the eye for some people. there for is not your site is not friendly envirment.

best wishes.

**new webmaster** · Jul 26, 2007, 14:13

thankyou very much, i never knew the background color was that bad. Im already modifying the template to make it look better. thanks again.

**kgbrooklyn** · Jul 26, 2007, 18:54

careful with google ads. they add lots of clutter when used in the wrong place

**kimberlybarryd** · Jul 26, 2007, 20:16

Wow. your 14 . I'm impressed. The only thing is page width. I bet in the future it will be fine but for now its a little wide. Good Job

**projectsinfo** · Jul 26, 2007, 20:25

Good Effort. I advise you to browse different kind of websites on same genre and you will get more idea on how to improve it further. Keep a eye on horizontal scrolling. Check your website in multiple resolutions.

You will rock.

**new webmaster** · Jul 27, 2007, 01:50

Thankyou EVERYONE!

Yes i am going to do all you said now. Its a simple job of changing the first table 's width to 100% and thats one problem solved. Thanks for the idea of checking my website in multiple resolutions.

More criticism PLEASE