Welcome to the 8th Reader Blog Critique. Last weeks critique of People You’ll See In Hell disappointedly only had a few replies although every one was really good (congrats to Rarst for once again winning best comment).
This weeks review is on The World Wide Web Blog, a technology blog which looks at many aspects of the internet and electronics.
Here are the questions the owner Chetan Bhawani would like to ask you all about the blog :
- Is the content easy to read and blog easy to navigate?
- The present design has been good but i also bought a developer pack of Arthemia theme which can be seen here - http://colorlabsproject.com/arthemia/ Do you suggest me to redesign to this premium one or stick to the present one on my blog?
- Some suggestions on the ad placement in the single post pages would be great
- What do you suggest about the categories? Are they good enough to call it a tech blog?
- Any more suggestions on the design would be good.
In addition I welcome commenters to talk about the blogs content and design and any suggestions you have for promoting the blog.
The most helpful and constructive commenter will get $10. Alternatively, if you prefer, I can register a domain for you at eNom and push it to your account 
Chetan will decide who the best commenter was.
As usual, I remind everyone that positive or negative, all feedback should be constructive.
If you have any questions about any of this please let me know in this thread
Blog to be Reviewed : The World Wide Web Blog
Alex Cristache | October 15th, 2008 at 6:55 am #
Hi Kevin and Chetan!
Never took part in this Blog Review Project that you’ve started (it’s definitely a good idea!), but all things should start somewhere.
I’ll point out everything that comes to mind, no matter how small or big it is.
The most obvious thing about the blog is the logo. It’s pretty poor quality and reminds me of those logos you could get for $5 on forums these days. It’s too bad because the general layout is pretty clean and well structured.
The next thing I noticed are all the “blog stats” icons and counters. What’s the actual point of having them all over the sidebar? Those stats are not that impressive for readers, but rather for advertisers. If you’re truly proud with them, stick to your RSS counter (maybe a custom design for it) and use the rest to build an “Advertising” page where you could talk more about your stats.
Another thing is that I really like blog to point out different sections of interest. When it comes to feeds, this blog is not helping me. Sure, there’s a box with a lot of white space on top of the sidebar, but it’s not that encouraging. Would love a special graphic incorporating the RSS symbol, and also an alternative feed link. The only link I see is on the Feedburn counter. Again, not very helpful.
From experience, the more you guide your visitors to action, the more willing they’ll be to take them. As long as you don’t sound like “begging”.
Post excerpts are a good ideea, for SEO purposes, but, all latest posts on homepage miss images, formatting and so on. Instead of the_excerpt, I’d rather use the_content() WP function, with the “more” tag for the rest of the content. It encourages users to read more. Also, it would be good if all experts would end with a “add comment link” and “read more link”.
Perhaps a better styling of the advertising area would be OK. It look like ads were thrown there.
And last, the FAVIcon. What does the “a” have to do with “The WWW Blog”? Or it stands for Apple, which is only one of the categories?
Good luck with the rest of the reviews! I hope you’ll get valuable feedback to improve this blog, which seems to be a good resource.
Phiu… I wrote a bit, didn’t I!?
Hussein | October 15th, 2008 at 7:47 am #
This is a nice blog actually. This blog floods my reader because of very often update. I hope my blog could be also like that.
1. The blog is actually easy to navigate. The browse category in the header is helpful. Good that the blog has more space for the content instead for other stuffs.
2. I have seen many blogs using that theme but they was able to tweak it like changing colors and images. I believe you can do that.
3. You might want to blend the color of your Google ads to the color theme of your design. Place the large rectangle ad inline of your post (right or left side).
4. Tech blog is a good category for your blog as majority of your post are about mac, mobile phones, laptops, etc etc.
5. Try to improve your email subscription box in your sidebar and in below of your post. No need to put alexa and yahoo widget in your sidebar. Place the square ads in more superior position to make it more visible. Improve also your digg and stumbleupon buttons like having a custom button and center aligning it. Make your comment box smaller.
That’s all what I can say ^_^
HairySwede | October 15th, 2008 at 8:49 am #
The content is very easy to read. I quite like the large Browse Categories bar at the top. However, when I click into one of the articles, that easy browse categories bar is no longer with us. I also struggled to find the rest of the categories. You obviously have a category for plug-ins (your first post is about that topic) but it is not listed in the large category bar.
While I like the present design, I think I prefer Arthemia. A little bit more color, just a little bit more happening. While I believe white space is incredibly important, your current design almost has too much.
On the single post pages I don’t like how the ads are the first thing I see and that I have to scroll down to be able to read the article. Obviously it is a good idea to have ads where people can see them and while I understand the desire to monetize, I was put off by the placement of those ads. If you are intent on keeping them in that place, I would suggest a smaller format.
In terms of your categories and calling it a tech blog. Yes. I would definitely describe this as a tech blog. It seems you focus a bit more on Apple and Google, but those are two big players in the tech world. So I wouldn’t worry about that at all.
The first comment mentioned all of your stats. And I have to agree. There’s just too many of them. I like how you have them in your “advertising” section, but believe that is really where they should be concentrated. Like the above says, if there are one or two stats you really are proud of display them, otherwise keep that to the advertising section. Also, as the other comments have mentioned, the email subscription box needs to be more obvious. Some sort of RSS logo needs to be incorporated.
Overall I think it’s a pretty solid blog that with a few tweaks could become even better.
Hope that helps a bit. Good luck!
banji | October 15th, 2008 at 9:49 am #
Let me first answer your concern
1) Is the content easy to read and blog easy to navigate?
- If your targetted audience are readers who are tech savvy, the presentation is actually pretty good. The categories highlight is very cool.
- However, for an average person who’s not that savvy, he might be confused with the two categories apple and apple macbook applications. I recommend you make them a subcategories under “Apple”
- Plugin is another category but it is not highlighted in the 5. This further confuses readers since they will wonder what else is there hidden
- There is a column at your footer highlighting Broadband reviews. For a first time reader like me, I will have no idea what is this for. Maybe you can put a description what all the links are immediately under the “broadband reviews”
- You might want to consider putting the “Read More” to your excerpts. Again this is for the newbie reading.
- On your single page, I would advise you to make the title of the post a link to the post. I usually use this whenever I want to share an entry with others. Also make “Reply to this comment” (the whole word a link). It will be more tempting to click instead of that image.
- The number of comments can also be made a link to immediately scroll down to the comment section.
- You need to find a way to show image on your excerpt at the main page. All text without any image will make your best work go unnoticed.
- Your about page is mainly about you. I don’t have any problem with that, but I like to read a few paragraph about the blog. What it’s about, Why I need to spend more time there. People who click on about page want to know more about the page or you. Try to have both of these covered.
- Overall, I find your blog very easy to navigate. I like how you make every post an excerpt. This way I can browse through your articles to find what I like to read.
2) Do you suggest me to redesign to this premium one or stick to the present one on my blog?
- Personally, I find the current theme you are using so much easier to navigate. You just need more colors and images. By “more colors”, I mean two colors or three. Do not splash your page with the entire rainbow
3) Some suggestions on the ad placement in the single post pages
- I’m getting a steady clicks on my ad after I put it up under my post. I guess, search engine traffic are more likely to notice it there.
- your 125X125 ads should be placed slightly higher than its current location. If it were up to me, I’ll put it just under the “www Updates”. All those “blog stats” and “My Friends” are just for you right? That can be placed slightly lower
4) What do you suggest about the categories? Are they good enough to call it a tech blog?
- Apart from the hidden categories, I think your categories are just nice.
- I have a suggestion though. From the name itself - The World Wide Web Blog, my first impression is that this blog is about the internet in general. You could start a new category that publish exactly this, such as history of the net, maybe feature the big name that change the internet etc.
5) Suggestion on the design
- Try to change your url to http://thewwwblog.com. one wwww instead of two is catchier
- Free subscription via email need an overhaul. It is obviously an important thing for you since you put it up there. Some image or background colors will do just fine
- If you have to show your stats, consider putting it in one row. However, I recommend taking the comments and twitter followers off. RSS readers figure is more than enough.
Do ask if there are any of my points that I need to further clarify. Or just contact me directly at my blog.
Hope I can be of help
MLDina | October 15th, 2008 at 12:24 pm #
I love the idea of bloggers helping bloggers. Tips and tricks are great, but to actually analyze each blog and provide feedback is even better. The categories section of Chetan’s blog is great, too.
Chetan | October 15th, 2008 at 1:14 pm #
Wow, the overwhelming responses here are pretty well explaining things that i was pretty confused and unsure about.
Now opening up things from my side,
I am very bad at design and coding things, so have not worked on everything very well. And if i directly touch the things and move them up, down or sidewards, i would just make the blog uglier. So needed this critique! And Kevin is a great person, helping this happen.
I have always mostly tried to concentrate mostly on the content area, and not the design. And now its time to do something about it.
Suggestions from all the above are pretty good and well explaining, and am going to spend my whole next week reading and implementing each idea and change that you guys have suggested.
There is a whole week left, so am open to still many suggestions from others too.
Thanks again to the Bloggingtips.com visitors and commentators, and to Kevin.
Chetan | October 15th, 2008 at 1:24 pm #
Some things that i would be changing firstly as suggested by everyone -
- RSS subscription box, to be made more attractive and live.
- The homepage having some categories highlighted and not hidden.
- The stats buttons to be removed from the sidebar, and rather be included in the advertise page.
- Would place the 125 x 125 banner ads above the current position to make them more visible.
- Working on the about page, and dividing it into 2 - About the Blog, About the Author!
These 5 were the best things i found to work on first.
Keep suggesting guys, just keep in mind that am no good at design things so stress more on the design thing etc. what looks good/bad and what all you can suggest.
Thanks
Chetan
Rarst | October 17th, 2008 at 4:54 pm #
Heh, should I start drawing stars on my gravatar or something?
Entries are extremely solid this week, I wonder if I can pull it again…
Ok, new blog for me so impressions of first time visitor.
First impression - very clean looks but header is totally disconnected from rest of page. Colorless to the max, page seems lifeless until you scroll lower.
Answering questions.
1. Navigation is pretty easy. Still there are some usual things missing like “more” links and archive page. No xml sitemap either.
2. Arthemia is similar in layout and definitely looks better. Smart splashes of color is exactly what your current design is lacking.
3. Current big ad block in post page is ugly and totally disconnects title from content. Make it blend, make it float to the side, experiment with different block size… No proven recipes here - you have to find out what works for you.
4. Personally I don’t find choice of categories interesting. Apple is plain boring, blogging is kinda huge topic to cover even for dedicated blogs, gadgets is boring again and I think Chrome hardly has enough steam to be a topic. Still it’s strictly my personal opinion. It’s certainly counts as tech but choice of topics seems inconsistent.
General stuff.
5. Doesn’t validate. http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http://www.thewwwblog.com/
6. Kinda boring 404 page. I know it’s usual for it but it helps to have cool one.
Moving from top to bottom.
7. Favicon doesn’t match (as noted above).
8. Header and logo totally suck. I completely agree with above that logo looks bad but additionally it is hardly related to blog at all. Title says “web” but there is not even category that deals with web exactly.
Static pages.
9. Home page has bit more text that I am willing to read. Structure it better (some headings) or highlight core parts. There is also not much sense in separate contact page when most contact means are listed on about one.
10. Advertise page links to pretty ancient March post and list some numbers for July. Update it more often or don’t refer to specific months. Technorati link is broken.
11. Breadcrumb on static pages is implemented badly and messes layout. There is also duplicate empty blog stat block there.
Categories.
12. Awesome implementation. Very visible, very easy to use. No sense to hide it on single post pages as noted above.
Single post page
13. SU and digg links are ugly. Subscription block could use some improvement and integrate them as well.
14. No sense to show author info if there is only single author in blog.
Sidebar
15. Subscription block in sidebar is mess (even after update). Just browse around an look how bloggers implement it (don’t look at mine, it’s too minimalistic and work in progress
).
16. Blog stats are a mess. Customize them to fit theme or lose most of them. They are ugly and they are not providing value for readers.
17. 125×125 ads could use better block formatting, it lacks top padding and looks kinda boring.
Footer
18. Page block is well implemented. But it says 76 pages while all pages after 46 actually give 404 error. Fix it.
19. You seem to heavily promote and show comments. It could provide comments RSS feed here.
20. As noted above broadband review block could use some explanations.
21. Visitor counter below is ugly and clutter, lose it.
Overall you seem to have pretty nice traffic level. Sort out design issues and it will totally take your blog to next level.
I suck at design myself so I can totally relate to you. I think there is one thing you are doing wrong. When you are bad to design you should NOT ADD to improve. You should actually CUT to improve. The less is going on on page the easier it is to manage it, draw attention to needed parts and test tweaks.
And if you are willing to spend (judging by purchasing that theme question) and invest then simply hiring someone to do the job is always an option.