Feedback on my Site?

[alice]

I have used Chris’s tutorials to learn some CSS and jquery (from complete beginner). I am hoping I might get some feedback from ya’ll experts on what mistakes I’m still making re: usability and design.

I’m a DIYer so I’d like to learn myself rather than get a designer. Visual taste isn’t a strong suit but I am enjoying the sense of ownership over my site.

Link is here http://bit.ly/Sjhdv

[Mottie]

Hello Alice!

I am not a professional web designer, so I may be totally off on the following observations:

I like the welcome bar that drops down on page load, but when it disappears it leaves the page header a bit too plain. Maybe add some color up there and make the sidebar background a tiny bit darker might add some contrast.

The social icons across the top (facebook, google+ and twitter) don’t line up.

When visiting other blog posts, I see the same social icons show up under the “Read Another Blog Post” header. Once is enough, unless you are targeting a specific post.

The blog menu has links that are spaced too far apart and need to be either all underlined or not underlined at all, the last one doesn’t have an underline. The topics tab could also have the number of topics on the same line with less spacing so as not to push the side bar content down so far. Maybe try putting that content into a floating menu could present that information a cleaner fashion.

Since that is your home page, I would only put essential information on it. The FAQ would be better served on another page.

The sign up button (blue gradient) and other interactivity buttons (text, email and options) would look better if they matched. Maybe isolate the sign up form and use icons plus text for the other buttons.

Under the “Read Another Blog Post” header there is a huge list of links. I would break them up into columns to condense the information.

And lastly, the footer could use some contrast as well!

[alice]

Thanks Mottie! I will digest all that over the weekend. Some of it I don’t know how to do, so I’ll need to figure out. Big thanks for the time and effort :)

[snapsize]

Alice,

Looks like you’ve got the code pretty much figured out. I suggest indenting and line spacing your code so that it’s a little more legible for yourself or anybody else that might work on your site in the future.

Design is a pretty important part of the web so I’d brush up your design skills a little. If your site is not visually pleasing and easy to navigate then people will just leave. Try visiting sites like cssmania.com and see what some of the top designers are doing.

Other then that I think you’ve done a decent job and congradulations on your first site.

[alice]

Thanks! This is much appreciated. Those little tips like about the contrast are so helpful.

What would you guys suggest in terms of font size and line height? Also stick with the Arial or change the font?

[alice]

I have implemented most of the suggested changes. Anyone have anything further to add? http://bit.ly/Sjhdv

[Miko001]

I am not sure…but color is missing, maybe header with an image?

[Author]

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