May 22
Seeing how i’ve managed to keep this blog posting up and after this post by Chris Garret, i’ve decided to get proper design for this blog. Anyone who knows me what a nightmare i am when it comes to getting down to the details, so getting a web design i will be happy with is no easy task.
But here’s the first draft from the guys from xyz company, I’m supposed to study it and make suggestions, but thought i would see what other people thought first.
Thoughts please???
Doug
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May 22nd, 2008 at 9:10 am
Do you think Big Mouth Media will sue you for the use of their logo?
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:10 am
The look is ok in terms of layout, colour etc… but lose the chattering teeth - they don’t exactly represent the “bite” your blog postings have - and well, they look kinda crap - you need something more “bitey” ;)
Jason
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:27 am
one thing to say
http://www.bigmouthmedia.com/
May 22nd, 2008 at 11:31 am
Can’t fault the current design. The new one looks like a backwards step though.
Your current design stands out from the rest (I like the smilies) whereas the new one looks more like a typical Wordpress type site.
My 2p.
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Doug.. you have attitude and cheek (as well as charm, of course).
If you can get the deign to reflect that…
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:59 pm
You don’t want to be associated with BMM, I’d recommend removing the teeth. Maybe replace it with a megaphone or something.
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:03 pm
I think the design looks great - nice and clean but also professional too.
I don’t think it looks anything like the Big Mouth Media site and I’m sure they don’t have a monopoly on the use of funny teeth in web design…
Looking forward to seeing the new design.
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:03 pm
I like the current design, clean & simple. The heads are better than the teeth.
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:03 pm
The header is too big IMO and as someone said earlier, lose the teeth. Recent comments and blog polls appear to take a little too much space.
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Hi Doug,
First thing is to define your goals for the site (new rss subscribers, time on site, social bookmarks, number of comments, something else?). Then create a list of ideas that you think will significantly improve the number of visitors that take your desired action, and split test them.
You’ll get good ideas by asking your visitors (which your doing with this thread) and also using tools like 4q, Analytics, ClickTale etc…
In the meantime, a bit of usability testing will go a long way! Have you got ‘Don’t make me think’ by Steve Krug? - if not… get it!
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:07 pm
The big thing that’s missing from this site (and the new design) is…
“Who the heck is Doug… and why should I care what he has to say?”
;)
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I agree with David Fiske, the smiley faces in the banner look good and the whole page in general looks clean and fresh. if your thinking of changing anything perhaps just tidy up the layout a little
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Doug,
Like the idea of some of the sections you have in new layout but agree with other comments the overall “look” of the site does not reflect the Doug we all “know and love” - think the smilies you currently have do that better!
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Bit too ‘generic’ looking for you methinks…..
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:13 pm
In my opinion, this layout was a very nicely put together. I really
like the mouth logo and hope http://www.bigmouthmedia.com/ won’t sue you for the logo.
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I’m with the current site crowd, new one looks too “off the shelf”
What about a redesign of the heads. Maybe even different faces for different moods changing on how your feeling, frequent visitors could gauge the ‘rant-factor’ of new posts by how grumpy the wee dudes at the top are looking!
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Personally i prefer the smilies over the teeth, i think the teeth have less impact. I do like the layout and the colour scheme is good! Using smilies but not the original ones is a good idea. Also not too sure on the blog poll, would this be necessary for your blog!?
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Everything seems to be clear, in the right place an obvious. That makes it plain and boring; just like every other blog out there.
Plain and boring doesn’t do your unique writing style any justice.
Would you go to a conference wearing a sleek suit, posh silk tie spending the previous night polishing your shoes; or would you go in blue jeans and a bright yellow teeshirt.
I also think you should find a concept like some type of rating scheme. E.g. you give each post your controversy rating and then allow users to anomalously agree or disagree.
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Polls allow people who want to contribute but are too lazy to read to have a place here.
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:57 pm
The new layout looks at bit formal & very much like other blogs, you need something that will make you stand out in reader’s minds.
Like others I actually quite like the faces in current design although i’ve just noticed that the links and categories menu on the rhs is below this box on my screen!
I like the background colour scheme in the new design, which makes the actual blog stand out.
May 22nd, 2008 at 3:31 pm
I tend to read everything through RSS these days mate, so just don’t cutting the posts in half as that drives me mental (suppose I’ve just guaranteed that’s exactly what you’ll do! :))
May 22nd, 2008 at 3:31 pm
I suggest you take the grey ball with the funky sunglasses.. and give him a megaphone three, four, five, maybe 10 times his size… this would keep some of your history in tact and yet adding new life to the blog in the sense of some change. This would give the reader the impression your blog is three, four, 10 times louder then the other blogs out there.
Just an idea ;)
May 22nd, 2008 at 7:04 pm
the current design looks better in my opinion
May 22nd, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Can’t believe the people who like the current smilies design - it’s awful!! The new design is about a million times better. Just ask Nate at UBD to spruce it up with something that stands out in the header, I like the idea of a megaphone.
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Anything is better than a free template from http://www.blogstheme.com/theme/smilies-army-10.html. If you put effort into something more bespoke, you’ll get more out of it.
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I think the thing with Unique Blog Designs is that their designs are no longer unique. You can generally tell just by looking when a blog has been designed by them.
May 22nd, 2008 at 11:02 pm
SO WHAT ELSE SHOULD I DO WITH THIS???
May 23rd, 2008 at 3:06 am
“SO WHAT ELSE SHOULD I DO WITH THIS???”
Sell it, Doug.
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:44 am
Personally I think the white looks cleaner and better, but the teeth are an interesting new approach. The new layout looks just a little more expensive, I think it might give you more options in the future..
I think BMM would have a hard time suing you when clearly they did not invent the clacking teeth. I would not worry too much about that.
I also like the heads better.
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:38 am
Looks like every other blog design. I like this one.
May 23rd, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I think the new design is better from an structural point of view. However, it kind of wraps you up into this WEB2 follow the crowd design.
I think you need to think about what you stand for and try to communicate this in the design.
There is a guy here down in Brighton who did just that:
http://www.nigelsecostore.com/acatalog/Nigel_Gallery.html
He started selling ECO stuff online and created his own character that annaunces to users what’s going on in the site, etc
Perhaps you could try and come up with your Alter Ego. Some ideas:
- Doug lifting a webpage and seeing what’s underneath (like seeing the reallity of the internet)
- Doug looking through a Keyhole and seeing Internet related stuff behind it
You frequently come up with wierd and wonderful insights, so find a way to reflect this in a design kind of way.
I would not take yourself too seriously though, so no superheros characters ! ;-)
Hope this helps
Jose
May 23rd, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Not too keen on the colour scheme to be honest.
The blue hurts my eyes!
The RSS button might be better off in traditional orange for usability.
The teeth… as almost everyone says… borrows too much from that search agency.
Nice layout though.