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networkmom -> critique please (8/3/2006 9:20:57)

I would like to advice for my site at www.fitnessandkids.com
I am looking to change navigation, the way products are displayed or anything else that might need done. Any advice?

Thanks
Denise



anderskorte -> RE: critique please (8/6/2006 8:09:51)

I'd count on clear and solid colors more. Right now the website looks a little unclean. The top left corner image clashes with the harsh blue text on it. The half-saturated colors don't look good either.

The overall appearance of the website is a plain black-on-white page with a few uneven color fragments here and there.

The alignment of the elements on the homepage could be better. Right now it looks more like randomly scattered, and creates an uneasy feel. Alignment combined with solid regions of more positive colors would help.

The images look pixelated, and the header text isn't looking too professional.

The look of the site isn't appealing, exciting as it maybe ought to...

The products display: I think you should look at other websites that sell/promote similar products and learn from them. Any e-commerce site can be a good example. I can't really comment any better, because you're a professional of your own field and know how you want your products sold, so you should be able to judge it for yourself. Look at other websites and see what you like and what you don't.

Look at sites like Ebay and think what kind of display makes a product interesting. Should you provide brief descriptions on the product listings, highlight certain product offers and so forth.

But make the product displays consistent. Each of your product pages is very different, I don't think it's necessary.

Also lose the flashing “New!” animations on some pages, they're totally unnecessary. The same unanimated is better.



networkmom -> RE: critique please (8/6/2006 22:16:26)

Hello, I am not real sure what you are saying about the
corner image and the half saturate colors uneven fragments ect... what do you mean?
I wonder if I have a new header and left navigation made would this effect any of my search engine rankings? I am afraid to make to many changes or not sure what I can or can't change, without affecting my search engine rankings.

Thank you
Denise



jaybee -> RE: critique please (8/7/2006 6:37:48)

You need to look at it in browsers other than Internet Explorer. This is what it looks like in Firefox. As you can see, top left image in FF doesn't join up with your left graphic so looks pretty odd.

[image]local://upfiles/9075/8BEF65FD8FEF4A6A90B7CC32C540BBE7.jpg[/image]



anderskorte -> RE: critique please (8/7/2006 7:39:47)

quote:

ORIGINAL: networkmom

I am not real sure what you are saying about the
corner image and the half saturate colors uneven fragments ect...

Half saturated = half grey. The corner image has been greyed out so that the blue text on top of it would be visible. It looks cold and bland.

Color fragments = There are bright bits of color all around the page, but they're just thrown here and there and lack alignment. But the page in overall is very grey.

I think the problem is the overall grey appearance. The website looks uneven in color and is lacking interest. The grey background could be replaced with a nice vibrant color, or even saturating the top left corner image would give it more character.

When I said clear and solid color regions, I was thinking something this:

[image]local://upfiles/14789/5777151FED044D47B645B2B6A2C42671.jpg[/image]

(I also changed the header font to more professional.)



jaybee -> RE: critique please (8/7/2006 7:56:47)

Wow! That makes a huge difference.

Just changing your background colours won't have any effect whatsoever on your rankings either. Guaranteed.



anderskorte -> RE: critique please (8/7/2006 9:50:50)

quote:

ORIGINAL: jaybee

Wow! That makes a huge difference.

It does, doesn't it? Some graphic design guru elaborated this to me a few years ago. I call it “contrast regions”, and it's also a part of that C.R.A.P link you posted some time ago (although the “C” part only scratched some surface in that article).

Look at the website with your eyes 1/3 closed and you see the “contrast map” of the layout. What you see is like the visual metadata of the design. This way you see the overall alignment, visual balance and the impact of the color scheme.

In graphic design, it plays a huge role in first impression of a design.

Sorry, this is a bit off-topic.



networkmom -> RE: critique please (8/7/2006 13:38:05)

Wow that is kind of bright don't you think? Do you think by adding these background colors would make a difference?

Denise



jaybee -> RE: critique please (8/7/2006 13:43:58)

No, it's not at all bright. It really livens it up. You're dealing with kids stuff, it needs to be cheerful. I think it really works.



networkmom -> RE: critique please (8/7/2006 18:43:47)

How would I make my site look like this? I tried to add color in the same places as the sample provided but it did not work.

Denise



anderskorte -> RE: critique please (8/8/2006 3:54:07)

There are many ways to do it. Talking about the colored regions like the navigations, most problems probably involve the margins and paddings of those elements. You may have to change the HTML code of your site to make it appear as intended.

The more important part is now the background color, and saturating the top left corner image. Anything else isn't necessary at this point, unless you really need all those colored boxes.

I'd consider thinking the title font again, too. It's one of the most important elements on your site and it doesn't look very good.



networkmom -> RE: critique please (8/8/2006 12:37:11)

Does this background make it look any better?
http://www.fitnessandkids.com/ I am actually having a new header made so hopefully it looks good.

Denise



jaybee -> RE: critique please (8/8/2006 12:52:47)

That is a little bright. The colour Anders used was #c5396a

Format>Background
Select the dropdown next to background and then click More colors

In the value box type

Hex={C5,39,6A}



networkmom -> RE: critique please (8/8/2006 12:56:34)

ok, I did not know what color it was. Should I change all my pages to this?

Denise



jaybee -> RE: critique please (8/8/2006 12:59:46)

Sorry, something's running slow here and I either get 2 identical posts or it hangs.

Yes, ideally. If the other pages are all the same format as the front one. The whole site should match. Less confusing for visitors.



networkmom -> RE: critique please (8/10/2006 9:58:16)

I have had a header made for me and wonder if I should replace the one on my site with this one?
I am not sure how to get rid of the image on the side navigation. If I go into celll properties there is an check mark by use image background which is the image down the left navigation but if I uncheck it and hit apply it is still there, how do I get rid of it? Also I would like to show my new header.gif but do not know how to have you view it.

Denise



networkmom -> RE: critique please (8/10/2006 10:24:06)

Ok I just created another page here at http://www.fitnessandkids.com/index2.html
Can I have some feedback please? One thing I do not know why its happening is the bottom text on the navigation why it has all that white in there. I have no idea how to get rid of this. I appreciate any comments or advice for this.
I got rid of the white it was in my nav.htm file. Anyhow how is the overall look of this page?

Thanks
Denise



anderskorte -> RE: critique please (8/10/2006 13:36:25)

Despite the lively header image in index2, the first version was more interesting and therefore better. The header image doesn't suit the rest of the design.

There's something about index2 that just doesn't work — I can't precisely say what it is, and it's killing me. [:)]

Maybe it's the balance, the header image is too much for the overall composition to handle.



networkmom -> RE: critique please (8/10/2006 13:47:03)

What would you suggest I do to make the header work? I personally like it better than the first one.

Denise



anderskorte -> RE: critique please (8/10/2006 14:38:33)

I'd simply make the rest of the design to be as “excited” as the header image.

See Eat.com.

Dynamic shapes, lively colors, high contrast and balanced look all aroung the page.

Right now you have a living header image, but the rest of the site is blocky and plain-colored. Even the header is trapped inside a strict rectangle. The shades of blue also clash.

Also the header alone has some inconsistensies. There are 3 different fonts, a drawing of an ant, a girl with a basketball (full-color) and the monotonous blue background — each has a very different style and mood. It's not an effective composition.



anderskorte -> RE: critique please (8/10/2006 14:43:09)

By the way I didn't notice you have a wonderful search engine ranking. Rank #1 in Google with the query “kids fitness”. Impressed.



networkmom -> RE: critique please (8/10/2006 14:50:20)

Yes, I have good rankings with many of my keywords I focused on so I want to be careful on the changes I make to my site so I do not affect this.

Denise



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