Discussions
Proposed changes to my website
Posted by pointlessbanter • 5/08/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: pointlessbanter rocks your snot box
So I kind of farmed things out to another company to redo pointlessbanter.net because I am slammed with other things. I figured it was good to get another view on it.
Here was their first crack at it.
The image is crazy big so here is a link to the image of it.
pointlessbanter.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/pointlessbanter-comp.png
Here were some of the notes I sent back about it.
As far as the header goes I like the font, kind of throwback. I don't like the exclamation point, I would rather have it just say PointlessBanter.net. Also I don't want my name on the header as the author. You have to do a lot of digging to associate my name with the blog (the easiest way is to find my book or an interview I did with Aaron Brazell)... Otherwise nothing really links to my content by name for professional reasons I like to keep it that way.
One idea that I really like for the header is what problogger.net has. With the name of the blog shifted to the left and then a little box that has changing content depending on the page you are on. I am going to shift my pages to not go to external pages right away for my book and anything else that links outward. I think it would be fun to have that area to the right to have a quote or call to action. (It doesn't have to be boxed in like pro blogger though)
I could change the quotes on the main page weekly and then have other witty things on the other pages that I don't change as often. I think it would be a fun thing to do and bring out some personality.
Just wanted to see what you guys thought.
User Comments
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Doesnt look to bad but with knowing you and your blog it doesnt seem to fit in some how. It doesnt say humor...-
I know... that is what I am torn about. I like the fact that it has a clean look.
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I think they should have looked at the blog, seen what its about and what style it is then go from there
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I think they felt reigned in because I told them the colors I wanted and some of the things I wanted to accomplish with it.
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I like the simplicity but some of the emings are too much.-
emings?
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Italicized words.
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ah ok
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I'm not too sure about the font of the header I don't think it really goes with your style of humour.-
it is too clownish?
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I just think your stuff is more urban and pop culture that font says to me witty anecdotes round the fire of a country house.
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fair point
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It's tidy, but it's not exactly fun. It's very newspaper-columny and not wacky or inappropriate at all. Y'know, like the PointlessBanter we know and expect.-
isn't the content what makes it fun?
What suggestions do you have? -
I would make the color scheme less... gray.
It just looks to me like they had the template lying around that they'd pitched to some newspaper columnist first, and that person had gone with something else-- so they're determined to use it.
Ann Landers could use it really nicely.
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To be honest at first glance it looks like sheet music in the background
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THAT's the thing that bugs me about it, I think. I don't like the weird white part with random grey writing on it. -
yeah that did bug me a bit
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Also, the italic font for the headers... it looks sorta funny, too. I would definitely change the Pointless Banter! to PointlessBanter.net
Oh, and did they come up with the "It's all about Kevin" slogan, or did you? If you did, its funny, if they did, its strange. -
yeah I hate the exclamation point
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I know this isn't really helpful at all, but I agree that it doesn't really go with your site. It just looks funny.
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thanks... no this is all good input
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You may want to get a few different versions. If your goal is for your visitors to have fun, then content is only part of what makes it fun.
Why even redesign if all that matters is the content
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The design sets the mood/tone for the experience. We make quick judgments about sites based on the look and feel. And we tend to stay on a site longer if we get a good vibe from the overall design, layout and feel. It's really visceral, however critical.-
True... So true.
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If I had enough time I would try to come up with something
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Yeah I wasn't going to ask you because I am a prick to work with.
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Would it spoil our love interest
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it very well could
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I will do one anyway, may take a few days but you may has well see a different idea
Just send what you require to me email -
I will send you something in a bit.
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got the email will figure something out
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Heh-- now THAT slogan works perfectly.
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Love the tagline - once you read it, you can't unread it.....hehehehe. -
Yes, that's got much more feel and emotion to it.
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LOL... I don't know if I am cartoonish though... I can't wait and see what you come up with.
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Its a bit boring, it definitely has none of your quirky personality.
A little video corner would be cool and maybe your craiglist hooker of the day -
I am not quirky
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It's really boring. Tell them to start from scratch. I wouldn't try to manipulate this design to make it work. Need a new approach.
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I think quirky is one of your sub personalities
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i dont believe he has time to think about his sub modalities
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It's odd they only gave you one option to choose from. Usually firms present two or three beta shells.
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Part of the challenge for them could be caused by referring them to probloggers site. While it's a great layout the feel is very conservative.
For layout his site is great though I think you need to provide them with different examples for the look and feel.
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I think the design says "girl" and worse yet, a girl from high school! All it's missing is the heart shaped dot over the i.
It's not edgy, like your humor. You need edgy, not girly.
Not that my critique helps in any way - but I would certainly do away with the exclamation point, the centered header (I see you already mentioned that), the font, the messy paper look - nope. I like Tony's idea. Start from scratch!
And beat them while they are designing it. That will help them make it edgy -
^I second that. Make them start over. It does look sort of girly, too. And newspaper-y. I'm guessing you don't want to be thought of as a girly newspaper
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yes...agree with Anok...beat them, beat them bad....and get their best creative juices to flow
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How much trouble do you think we'd get in if we convinced bloggers that blood is really a creative juice, and we have to help them get it flowing?
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scary!
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but true
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you know you want in on that deal, Claire....don't lie!
Think about it, you could help Kevin PB beat the ever living you know what out of blog designers. It's a date made in heaven!
Me? I'm working wit' Tony.... (In my best New York accent ) -
Look at you guys go.
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I'm not a reader of your blog (reading through it now though, it's ace) and I agree with everyone when they say it doesn't fit your style at all - it's too clinically clean and straight out of Web2.0 school.
Something more 'fun' like www.catalyststudios.co.uk/ would be cool.
Just my 2c.-
thanks glad you like it. And thanks for the suggestion.
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If you gave your designer a lot of criteria to meet he/she may be feeling overwhelmed. I suggest letting them create one without any constraints.
Instead, look at as many blogs or websites as possible, and email over a list of sites with a short piece of information for each one, explaining what you like about each of the sites in particular.
The idea is not to use every single design cue you point out but it gives the designer an idea of your style and what you like and don't like.
One of the problems I have as a designer is that the customer gives too many demands without thinking about the product as a whole. I call this the burrito complex.
The Burrito Complex:
You see when I first take someone to a burrito place (like chipotle, or freebirds) and they go down the line with the server they just start piling on all the things that they know they like individually... oh heres some chicken, and theres some refried beans, and rice, and jalapeños, and barbecue sauce, and corn, and lettuce, and cheese, and blah blah blah... next thing you know its either the most disgusting thing they have ever eaten or terribly mediocre.
You see, they spend their time thinking about all the things they like about other foods instead of picking the types of ingredients that actually work together. This compromise will typically yield a much better "tasting" meal and web design.
It also gives your designer the freedom to go a little crazy which sometimes is a good thing.
Thats my 2 cents.-
you and your damn analogies. -
I am not sure what I was supposed to learn from that. I am freaking starving now though...
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You know you like my analogies... they always leave you "hungry" for more...
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Still not as good as the sundae analogy You goto let your designer go crazy. It's the only way you get brilliance.
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you can tell when it's getting towards dinner time when my brother starts relating everything to a meal.
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Oh my gosh just had to private message you what I thought because I didn't want to say it in this public forum. -
I like the layout and design aside from the header, but I really see you as more of a blue kind of guy. I would go with a red white and blue theme (yes! be like blog catalog) because it gives the blog an "All American Boy" homegrown humor kind of feel. Because after reading you for so long, that is what it feels like to me. As you are making fun of American Pop culture and social media...Just my TC
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