Website Suggestions

Re: Website Suggestions

PM me the link, and I'll see if I can come up with any criticism/suggestions...it's kinda hard to just come up with a generalized view of an ideal website.

Re: Website Suggestions

This is what's important:

• Clean
• Blunt
• Easily navigable
• Offer great online assistance (in-browser Java client that offers chat with employees)
• Look professional


Make it look as sleek as possible, but remember that function is more important than appearance, and communication is the purpose of the internet. So keep that in mind, and be sure to keep a good FAQ.

Re: Website Suggestions

Awesome, great points. Thank you

Re: Website Suggestions

tha Guardians pretty much nailed it on the head.

I'll add:
keep the theme consistent across each page or most
try to keep the load time down
try to make it so you can access the entire website from any given page within 2-3 links.
never use frames
don't have many things that distracts from the purpose of the site
avoid having pages that would cause someone to scroll a long way down

Re: Website Suggestions

Try to use very tidy XHTML, and run the site off XML. This will make it viewable from portable devices as well as making it easier to manage and update. It may take a while to learn how to do this, but if you're operating a website that gets anything over 250 hits a day, it's well worth it.

These links should help you:
Learn XHTML
Learn XML

It's important to have a basic understanding of HTML, but you should be able to pick up with XHTML without much problem. Pay close attention to your coding, and additionally, add a version of your site made specifically for viewing on portable devices (assuming it's worth it). This will allow people to instantly look up vehicle models, prices, etc., before they forget about it, ensuring you more purchases. Plus most of the people that use internet-on-teh-go haz teh muniez.

So, yeah.
XML = win.

Albinoblacksheep is a good example of XML/XHTML. View source on their page and you'll see. XML makes everything a million times easier once you have it setup.

Re: Website Suggestions

Well.. I've taken a few Web Design classes, and the most important thing is to keep fresh content. You need to give your site users a reason to come back, otherwise your site will flounder and die. It also needs to be easy to navigate. Design a single navigation frame and use it everywhere throughout your site so people will remember it.

Building a community will take time, but eventually people will start comming back over and over to check their PM's/threads/posts, etc. Again, keeping fresh content is important. Once things get rolling, (and if you have forums), it will keep itself going as long as people keep comming.

Re: Website Suggestions

Oh yeah.
Forums should be included. They're not that hard to get. You don't even have to make them.

Definitely keep new content and update frequently. Try to keep front page posts and link to an archive of older posts, so you don't stretch the page into eternity. FFR is a good example of this.

Even if you don't have news, make news. Do something new to the website and update the index telling everyone about it. It doesn't even have to be noticeable, it's just important to keep an appearance of being current an up-to-date.

Also, a good website is a consistent one.

Re: Website Suggestions

You're 19 and own a bar? That's unusual. Maybe have some music that plays when you go onto a page?

Re: Website Suggestions

I agree...


What? I hope you mean like frames to display information.

Frames are easily one of the best organizational tools in HTML--you can organize an entire page by using frames to control sizing and spacing.

But everything seems to have been said. Try also not to make it too hard to understand the content without making people search for what they're trying to understand.

Re: Website Suggestions

He lives in Canada

Re: Website Suggestions

Frames are not compatible in every browser, and there are many things that can go wrong with them.

They're not recommended. If you want efficient navigation, XML and style sheets are the way to go.

If it's like 100 or less hits a day though, frames aren't too bad of an idea. Just make sure you know everything there is to know about frames, or you could create a scenario of yourself debugging the site for a week straight.

Nobody wants that.