What does your website say about you?
Your website opens you to a world of contacts you’d never have imagined you’d meet.
Now more than ever, millions of people have access to your online presence, who, whether you like it or not, will immediately judge you upon your website design.
What does your website design say about the person or business you are?
All too often the impression you think you’re giving is very different to the one you actually are. This is where it’s important to ask the opinions of others.
This is a good exercise and one I’d like you to join in with. Take a moment and think of just three words / traits you want to exude when people see your website design (words such as ‘organised’, ‘friendly’, ‘accomplished’ etc.). With those three traits in mind, now take a good look at your website homepage. Is it an adequate reflection of your personality, your skills, your business acumen?
With honesty and constructive criticism we can help eachother here. Enter your URL in the website field below, and by visiting eachother’s websites we can say what impressions we get when viewing the various designs / layouts. It’d be great if you did likewise with my own online presence.
In an ideal world
I’ve listed three traits that I’d love you to think when you see my online presence. Hopefully you’ll have thought of one or two things before reading them.
It’s something I’m always working at and aspiring towards, but I hope people view the person behind this website as…
- Professional
- Trustworthy
- Friendly
There are other aspects I think are essential to my business practice, but these three are certainly important.
What do you want your website design to say about you?
Related posts on this site
81 spot-on reader comments to “What does your website say about you?”
What are your thoughts?
Simply fill in the form below. All comments are moderated so you may experience a short delay before your comment appears. Comments should be respectful of other voices in the discussion. I reserve the right to edit or delete comments at my discretion.
You should start an adapted link train for this. I would be happy to participate. I don’t want to steal your show, so I’m suggesting it to you.
If the person starting the chain put a link to their post about it and the three qualities they want to represent next to it and then names one blog at the bottom to pass the chain to (this way there is only one chain not duplicates) and then this person can add their blog to the list and suggest another person and so on. Then every blog this ends up on will have a link back to each persons post so they can comment below.
Just an idea lol
I won’t even bother submitting my own site right now. I have a bad case of the “shoemaker’s children not having shoes”, which I hope to rectify before too long.
As far as your site and it’s speaking professional, trustworthy and friendly… let’s see.
You have done a beautiful job with your site header. I think this fine example of design goes a long way in establishing your credentials as “professional”.
I would say the calm, relaxing cloud graphics and your playful Mao “quote” adds to the overall friendliness of the site. Since the brand is you, perhaps a portrait could be worked into the design to increase the friendly, personal feel.
As far as “trustworthy”, if a user takes the time to read your content that should help to establish your authority an trustworthiness.
The only thing that I would critique (and my blog has the same problem) is that your far right hand column has lots of link widgets. They are kind of necessary - but at the same time give a bit of a cluttered feel with advertising overtones.
Also the flag next to your “Hire me” link doesn’t seem to fit in with your overall site style.
2 little details. Perhaps nothing more than taste. But in my opinion those 2 details do detract slightly from your overall goals.
This is another great idea David. People make almost instant judgments about others based on their site design, but when you’re so close to it, it’s difficult to be objective about what kind of impression you’re leaving with your visitors. So, it would be really nice to have input from others who could help us refine the look of our sites to accurately reflect our “image”.
My first thought about your site, before I read the impressions you wanted to leave was the word “friendly”. Your other words fit as well- your site does a great job of representing who you are and gives a great first impression!
Oh, very intriguing topic. I’m next: I want my site to say “Clean, Organized (User Friendly), and Competent.” I would love to hear comments.
David, I think your website does say “professional, trustworthy and friendly.” I agree with what Justin said in terms of how the site is friendly. Blue is also a calm color, especially in the shade you’ve chosen, and that makes visitors feel at home. The subjects you write about and the way you express your opinions and ideas also contribute greatly to your trustworthy credibility and professionalism.
As for the flag, I think it would be ok if it were a higher resolution! It’s kind of grainy (probably the gif colors were set too low). I would like to add one more to that as well: the image on your Hire Me page. I know you have better pictures of yourself! We saw them a few weeks ago in your Behind the Blog post. You could put the wild boar rodeo on there, just to show a little more friendliness. It might damage the profession aspect, though ;)
May we also see a portfolio? I think it would be helpful to actually have some screen shots of the websites with links to the real working ones (as you have it already), along with any print work you’ve done. Also one little note, I’ve seen it happen too often that clients will suddenly change the design of a website without contacting you to let you know. I would have the link go to a sub-folder on your site, just to make sure that you’re sending the viewer to the sites you’ve designed!
Tom,
I’m glad you like the idea behind the article. What is it that you want people to think when they see your own site?
Justin,
Do let me know when you’re happier with your design. I say ‘happier’ rather than ‘happy’ because I for one am never truly happy with my own design (the bane of designing for yourself!).
I know exactly what you mean about the third column and I’ll clean it up, possibly by adding the social buttons onto my contact page.
Like LaurenMarie says, the flag isn’t great and I’m going to change it.
Randa,
I’m very glad you thought ‘friendly’. Thanks for the kind words and leaving your thoughts.
LaurenMarie (do you prefer Lauren?),
Great tips in there! I keep meaning to add my portfolio here having removed it from my old portfolio site. Sometimes I just need a kick in the right direction. ;)
As for my personal photos, you’re right. The ones I show are a bit on the poncy side. I’m not great at choosing ones of myself so when they’re different you’re very welcome to let me know if it’s an improvement.
Maybe it’s a cultural barrier (and words meaning different things to different people) but I didn’t mean to be rude or mean about the photo! I like the one you use for your avatar. Do you have a larger version of it that you could display on your Hire Me page?
And Lauren is fine. I use LaurenMarie in my comments because I think it’s more memorable that just Lauren (see Dawud’s article on branding in comments, although I hadn’t read this before starting to comment on blogs), and it’s also my website URL. Marie is my middle name, I don’t have a two name first name, and people do not call me Lauren Marie in person (and it reminds me too much of getting in trouble when I was little!)
Haha, on my site? Probably “amiable”, “genuine” and “unique”. Yep I think those are qualities I want my blog/blogging/me to have.
In regards to your site, i think it portrays all the qualities to an extent, but could be improved:
professional
Yes. And no. The clouds look very stock image/free template like. Logo is nice but could be used better. Below this, your template has a “professional feel” and the prominence of the “hire me” could be exaggerated to further emphasise that you are a professional. The main issue here is that potential clients might start reading the blog, not understand it and leave without seeing the “hire me” link. Details about your services are not prominent. I guess it depends what you see as the purpose of your homepage.
trustworthy
This links to professional. I trust a professional to an extent. The high feed burner count gives a feeling of trust, but it isn’t very visible with being white. I suppose the trust is more in the content, which reads well.
friendly
You seem like a very nice chap :) Balancing friendly and professional can be very hard, but you seem to do well. For example having “recent readers” and “personal photography” balances the professionalism. Other then this see what I said under “professionalism” i guess.
Wow that’s long. Let me know what you think of my site :P
[...] pages, but have never revisited the topic and really meant to. Thankfully David Airey has made a post very relevant to every website in this respect. I recommend you read his post, because I’m [...]
I think that the fact I immediately felt at home on my first visit to the site says a lot. It’s a warm and welcoming site. It also establishes a brand which, judging by previous comments made by yourself, is an important factor in what you’re doing. I love the way you’ve taken the Vertigo theme and made it your own and I think that the site works really well on the friendly and trustworthy aspects.
However I have got a pet peeve about sidebar widgets and the recent readers pics don’t add a professionalism, in my opinion. The fact that you’ve got two of them takes it down another notch. I understand the reasons behind wanting to promote blog communities but I think I would be turned off if I were a non-blogger looking for a graphic designer and I saw them.
I’d be tempted to run with your footer options in the sidebar rather than the widgets. Maybe keep the widgets but relegate them to the footer.
Anyway, that’s my tuppence for what it’s worth. Please feel free to rip Twenty Steps apart ;)
[...] to Zep, Aaron, Charity, David Airey and Tara for their valued comments on my previous [...]
David I think your site definitely says professional and friendly, I also think it says knowledgeable - i.e. makes me think you know about graphic design! A certain amount of this could also come under professional I suppose, but I think knowledgeable covers more.
My own site is still in need of quite a bit of work, as it’s relatively new, but eventually I’d like it to say professional, friendly and reliable.
Good thought provoking article, thanks!
From the first time I visited your site David, I thought it was fresh, clean and inviting. I am not a professional blogger. I just know what I like to read, and it definitely isn’t a site with black. Maybe I just see things that other people don’t, but the cloud theme made me smile because it looks “airy”. :) Blue is a color of trust, and I have used it on my two blogs.
On my new blog, I chose not to show my recent readers in a widget, only because I wanted the new one to look a little more professional. I doubt anyone would find my blog all that exciting, but I have done my best considering I have no formal training in design and coding, so if anyone does visit my blog, please be kind. ;)
Having done a major site overhaul earlier this year, I’m hopeful that 2Dolphins looks organized and that some of my obsessive attention to detail comes through. I’ve tried to fashion a less Blogger-like look by making the dynamic blog post content mesh fairly seamlessly with the static pages.
I hope that my sense of humor and joy of discovery is at least a little bit apparent.
You didn’t seem rude or mean, not at all. Notice how I’ve stopped telling you off?
Tom,
I’ll stop by your blog and leave my thoughts on the post you created. I’m curious to know how you think I can use my logo better here.
You make some good points, and I’ve already changed the FeedBurner count from white to orange. As for the ‘hire me’ link, I’ll come up with something more emphasised when I have a chance. For the meantime I’ve removed the flag because it’s not representative of the look I’m going for.
Mike,
Thanks for the kind words, and the pointers on the social widgets. They’ve seemed out of place for a while now and your idea to switch them to the footer is something I’ll experiment with.
With your own site, Twenty Steps, what impression do you want people to get when they visit?
The first thing that stands out is your logo. To me it seems quite dated and the mark doesn’t fit with the name (there are only four steps in the mark). What’s your idea behind the logo? The top navigation could do with a little breathing space so it’s not as close to your logo. Either that or emphasis the pages somehow.
Melanie,
I’m very glad this is the impression you get here. Is Dietriffic your site? I remember Armen asking for feedback on his site about the design so perhaps you read his post already? I left my thoughts there but am not sure of the URL.
Carol,
Likewise, I’ve always preferred lighter designs to those on black or dark colours. I think they’re much easier to read (if the text is the same size on both backgrounds). There aren’t a lot of reversed text sites I read. Paul at Reflections is one of the few exceptions.
Thanks for your thoughts, especially those on the recent readers widget which was previously mentioned. Having the clouds relate to my second name is a thought that has cropped up a fair few times in the past. For having no formal training I think you’re doing a sterling job at iPentimento.
One very quick tip is to move your recent posts section directly below your pages section. You could remove your archives entirely, and perhaps the calendar?
Rob,
I think your sense of humour comes through nicely on your site. It’s one of the very few blogs I’ve seen that are single columned. Do you ever think of adding a sidebar for the info you have in your footer? To have your previous posts listed at the top would reduce the scrolling your readers need to do.
I’m trying to go for a fresh, quasi-web 2.0 look. I’d prefer to absorb current styling trends, but still think outside the box. Hopefully showing creativity. Could be important for a Web Design company. :) Keeping a site “clean” helps show organization…I’d hope.
LaurenMarie:
Great link to Dawud’s post. Thank you.
Your site certainly is clean and competent. It is userfriendly to a certain degree. I’m not sure if the thumbnails to your work should be so small. I’m afraid some people might miss them or see them as a part of the site design. Which would be a real shame since your work is great. I really like the Golden Gate stamps and the Metrology Labs layout! Another thing that would make it user-friendly is to show which page I am on. Maybe high-light the section, ie. Layout, Illustration, About…
David:
You’ve managed to combine professional and friendly. You site looks very professional, yet friendly. I think it’s the little details like the fonts and “X very welcomed comments”. Your fonts, especially the headings have the smooth and round edges, to me it signals friendliness. The images gives the whole site a professional look. The design is simple and very easy on the eyes.
If I should define my site with three words it would be:
Informative, Useful and Clean.
Great idea David!
Another thought-provoking post, David. I’ll think of some apropos synonyms for “thought-provoking”; I fear I’ve overused it.
Main overall impression is one of friendliness, though I’ve been a reader for a while now, so I don’t recall my first impression. I think I most likely returned because of the content.
It’s a little difficult to answer the questions you posed, simply because I’m not sure what your objective for this blog is–it doesn’t appear that you are overly interested in actively promoting your work through this blog. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing; trying to combine a blog with self-promotion and portfolio is a difficult task.
I’m undecided: I think ultimately I will create another site dedicated to my portfolio, thus keeping the blog separate. I’d like to know what everyone thinks about that.
Professional: I haven’t really seen any of your work, but as far as the blog is concerned, yes; and the quality and consistency of your posts nods to that.
Trustworthy: that’s a difficult one. I’ve never done business with you, and I’m pretty cynical, so can’t really answer that one. However, there is more than a hint of trustworthiness that comes through between the lines of your posts and comments. I also like how you reply to every comment. You also appear to be a pretty self-effacing chap–I like that.
Re the design. I’d agree with those comments on the slightly untidy third column. I’m also not a huge fan of the clouds–I just feel that it’s been overused in recent years, and I don’t like the curves on the menu band. However, I like the menu and the humour in the Mao “quotation”. I also like the images you use within posts.
One more thing, when I’m scrolling through your posts on the front page, it’s not so obvious where one post ends and another begins (perhaps I need my eyes testing, or perhaps there needs to be something to define the end of one post and the beginning of another).
In saying all of this, I’m not implying that my own blog has got it right.
For my blog, I’d like the impression to be:
Refined, Professional, Simple (and if you permit a fourth, Clean/Organised).
David, you write a great blog.
ps (thank goodness for these editable comments):
you don’t have any keywords in your meta (intentional?).
[...] What does your website say about you? David explains how quickly people judge your website and how it brands you. [...]
Thanks for the feedback, David! I’m really attached to the single column design simply because it is uncommon and looks very uncluttered.
I’ve wondered about cutting back on the number of posts shown on the main page so there’d be less scrolling… The one element I wish I could incorporate is a “Next Page” link at the bottom but I’ve yet to find anyone who knows how to accomplish this with Classic Blogger template code.
Well David, I’m sure you didn’t plan on this becoming a critique of your site in general, but you’ve gotten some good ideas.
@johno - I personally think having a blog combined with a portfolio is a perfect solution. The more people “know” you (if you’re a friendly, engaging person) the more they will want to work with you. Check out Dawud’s latest discussion on this topic.
Thanks, Randa. I’m off to take a look. I’ll let you know if it converts me.
One quick tip I can give is to lose the reflection on your logo. I think it’d help improve legibility.
Dennis,
Thanks for offering your thoughts. I think you can really push the ‘clean’ aspect of your site by tidying the sidebar icons. There are quite a lot and I’m wondering if you need them all for your goals?
Johno,
That’s given me a great insight into how others are viewing my site. I’m working on my portfolio additions but I thankfully have more than enough work coming in for it not to be an immediate priority.
My meta keywords - great spot! Another post I read today made me realise they were missing. From what I’ve read they’re not so important for Google but Yahoo place more emphasis on them. Is that right?
You make a good point about splitting my front page posts. I’ll have to address that. I’ve paid some attention to the untidy third column and think it’s a little better now.
Rob,
You’re very welcome! I’m not so familiar with Blogger so unfortunately can’t be of help with the ‘next page’ query.
Randa,
You’re right, I didn’t intend on this being a site critique, but I did think it would provide a unique insight into how you view my website. I’ve received some great ideas and already have put a few into place.
David:
Nice job on cleaning up the 3rd column. Much improved!
I think the suggested changes are definitely for the better. It seems a bit bland / text heavy when you scroll down to the categories, but it’s better now.
@ Johno, I think it’s ok to have a portfolio on a blog, as long as what you talk about on your blog is related to your work. If you are talking about drink with buddies or other such things that are not professionally related, it would probably turn clients away. It would also be interesting to readers to see your stuff (I know I want to see your work!) and I agree with Randa, people may be more likely to hire you if they feel like they know you and can trust you based on what you write about.
I really like the clear and clean design of your site. It changes subtly, it evolves, it improves with time - here I’m saying that I do like the fact that the design is not all that static.
The title is good - giving a clear sense that this site ‘does what it says on the tin.’
You take a lot of effort to engage you readers - as this post alone shows.
You cover a range of different subject material which lies outside the framework of many conventionally-conceived blogs, and a favourite design feature of mine is your ‘related articles’ list included at the end of each post.
That tells me ‘there is a lot of stuff in this site’ and it helps me to start exploring in a more intuitive way than categories alone might allow. This is a feature which Lorelle on Wordpress uses even more - perhaps almost to excess - and I’ve recently tried to follow an approach which is more similar to yours.
One thought I have is that whilst your recent photographs are great, perhaps they reflect a slightly different side of your visual skillsets, and might best belong on a separate page where they can feature more prominently. And / or perhaps you might change them around a little more often.
Concerning my own site - time, inexperience, and the relative creative confines of a WordPress.com platform impose some limitations.
For all of those lame excuses, my completely untrained opinion is that the best design often looks almost undesigned, and nearly always underdesigned.
A clean and open feel conveying landscapes and writing is my aim. I am trying to achieve a simple, intuitive and hopefully inviting architecture which does not divert too much attention from the writing, but leads the reader into it instead.
The Cutline theme I use by Chris Pearson is a strictly no-frills solution. It’s not fancy but it’s flexible and was uncluttered until I got my hands on it.
The question of how to improve a site design within a non-hosted environment is really key for me, though, and that may well configure a different set of answers than for your other readers above.
Many thanks in advance for any thoughts you or your readers might share.
I never thought if web design that way before. I usally just go with what looks good and not what it says. So I think I will start doing that. You never know maybe my designs will improve with this new way of looking at things.
I want my design to come across Professional, Organized, and Friendly. Hopefully the design hits on a couple of those points at least (even though I don’t have much content yet).
David: Your design definitely comes across Professional, Trustworthy, and Friendly. I think the colors used make it Professional (I love blue) although I think you could replace the clouds with something else (clouds seem to be to overdone). The fact that it has a Professional feel is what makes it Trustworthy, and as a result of being something visitors can trust, it’s becomes a Friendly atmosphere where visitors want to comment and share thoughts (made me want to comment, so you’re doing something right! :-) )
[...] you are enjoying the site and find it easy to read and navigate. David Airey posed the question What does your website say about you? this week, and his feedback about my site was very helpful (and kind!) in regard to some of the [...]
yes, i’ve seen many sites, and david’s is difinitely one of the best. the site has a great layout. nice fonts. nothing on david’s site hurts your eyes. with a combination of lite colors with nothing evil flashing in your face, it makes the site comfortable, calming, maybe even a sense of zen. (whatever that is). keep up the good work.
check out my site, it’s on vacation, maybe perminant. way tooooo much work. not worth it.
see u again :-)
I’ll put some of my work up within the week so you can take a look.
Roads,
Thanks very much for the comments.
The theme you use might be a popular one, but it’s a lot better than many of the other more-used ones out there. Good choice. Updating my photos is a good idea. I can’t remember the last time I did!
I suggest putting your recent posts at the top of the sidebar (just under the search). You could also move your RSS icon to the top of the sidebar. I’m not sure why you’ve labelled your tag clouds as ‘themes’.
Personally, I’d remove the FeedBurner count chicklet until you have at least triple figures. It’s kind of like advertising a restaurant with photos of empty chairs. Had you thought of rotating your header image?
Mosley,
Good of you to stop by. From Pittsburgh eh? I spent a summer in Sewickley when I was younger, with its white picket fences and American flags on the porches. Interesting experience. I loved downtown Pittsburgh.
Deron,
I appreciate your comments, and I like your minimalist site. Your use of large imagery is appealing too. One thing I suggest is making your subscription options more prominent, rather than pushing the feed icon to the bottom.
Nice choice of quotes too.
Hi David, having been to your site before the changes. There are positive changes happening. Awesome job! I enjoy your site for the clean, uncluttered look with easy to find information. Great logo too!
My wordpress.com blog is fairly new and is improving. By no means am I a ‘pro’ but I enjoy blogging about life “stuff”. There are a couple good entries.
As for,”What does your website say about you?”. It says, “I need a lot of work in the writing department.”
Have a great weekend! :D
I think you have touched on a great point. This is what most people call “branding” and its about a subtle presentation of your core values via the design of your site.
That being said, alot of people argue that blog design is not as important as content. However these days with the millions of blogs out there. Design is starting to make a difference, and should be used as a means to differentiate.
I went through similar branding exercise when I redesigned Design Sojourn and from feedback of what people tell me I have been fairly successful in communicate my brand. However I went through a slightly different process and used a “Mantra” instead. If you are interested have a look at it here:
A quick and dirty guide to branding yourself.
Thanks for the comments. Yeah I’ve tried playing with large images and small images in articles, never really could decide what I wanted to do there I just knew I wanted an image in the articles. I am leaning toward the large type images. The feed icon is a good idea. I’ve thought about this before, but it really slipped my mind. Glad you brought it back up and confirmed that it needs to be higher above the fold.
Thanks
Just wanted to say something more about the whole portfolio plus blog thing (Lauren made me think about it again):
The only problem I foresee with combining both is that it may hinder/limit one’s ability to, every now and then, go off topic, or rant. Perhaps that’s a good thing; perhaps that would ensure some focus; I’ll have to give it more thought. I wouldn’t like to think–every time I write–’I wonder if this will offend client x….’.
Moreover, it might affect the weight of one’s critique; for example, I’m writing about the importance of typography and yet the typography in my own designs is atrocious. Now, the typography within my own designs is, of course, irrelevant, and is unrelated to my premise; 2 plus 2 equals 4, and it’s ‘4′ coming from a liar or a Saint. I wouldn’t wish my readers to be sidetracked by argumentum ad hominem.
Hey David!
This post has helped me to clarify my thoughts on what I want for my own design. I want people to think, professional, originative, and exhilarative, but I don’t think it achieves either of those currently. I’m not without ideas though :)
As for yours, I’m not sure about the clouds either. I think you need a header that is more profound. You’re a designer, your site is one of the few that needs to hit your audience with a bang, telling them, ‘I know what I’m talking about’.
Hi David,
I really like your site. I like the clean and organised feel of it. It definitely says professional, and your writings come across as friendly.
My blog is a bit more cluttered. It’s not my design site, which I keep free of anything extraneous, so I like to play around with it. It’s a place where I can use more colors and textures, and I enjoy doing so.
DT,
“Guiding design” is a great mantra, and I’m curious as to how your logo came around. Is it your own handwriting? I fully agree that blog design should be used to differentiate. It’s not the MOST important for everyone, but for a designer it certainly has a high level.
You’re very welcome, Deron.
Johno,
Sometimes when writing articles I have wondered what particular clients might think, but I don’t want this to be a place for rants, preferring to keep it positive. Perhaps I’ve gone off track a few times, but it’s part of being human, and I think clients would understand.
You bring up an interesting point about the importance of typography and how good your own typography is. If you understand the values, even if you’re working at it yourself, I think you’re totally justified to express those values. You get no argument from me at all.
Armen,
Thanks for your thoughts. You make a good point about the clouds and how they aren’t exactly telling of good design. By the way, I’m liking your photo of Ballintoy!
El Yanqui,
Glad you like the uncluttered look. I appreciate your visits and comments so thanks. It’s an honour to have a 3rd grade spelling bee champ amongst my readers! ;)
I totally get those three characteristics from reading your site, David. You could also add “credibile” — which I think a lot of business sites aim, or at least hope, to be.
David
Your constructive suggestions for my site have all been implemented - great insights, as always.
Thanks very much indeed.
Wow so many responses! Almost too many for me to go through and check out everyone’s site. I love checkin out people’s online design portfolios. Speaking of which… are you gonna get yours up online again, David?
Such a fantastic topic to discuss. It really is important to get an idea of how others perceive you to see if you are in fact putting yourself out there in the way you want. I’d love to jump in, but currently my sites are going through a revamp (and the biz is an entire rebrand) for this very reason - they don’t say anything about me.
I must admit I haven’t read through all the comments (I will when I get a few more free moments), but one thing I thought when browsing your site was there was no way for me to see any of your past work. If I was a newcomer the site, and potentially a new client, I’d want to see at least some of the work you’ve done. Maybe I’m missing the link - and if so, either I’m blinder than I thought, or it needs to be more prominent.
Glad you took my advice on board. I think you’ve improved your site with those little tweaks.
PG, Lorissa,
I’m working on adding my portfolio and you’ll be seeing some posts very soon. It was taken down recently when I moved my blog address. I appreciate you looking out for it though.
3 words to define the site.
Uncluttered
Lots of white space
Simple graphics that don’t move.
and, if I may,
Clear and consistent navigation
[...] my favourite blogs. One such blog was creative designer, David Airey’s, and his post, “What does your website say about you?” really caught my attention. It helped me to see that the design I had on this blog, was [...]
After a ten year web design, I’ve recently redesigned my whole site and basically started again as a blog. I’m still finding my way on what I really want to write about, but I’m having a lot of fun with it in the meantime.
three words? Hummm. I’m not there yet, but in time I hope to be inspirational, informative and creative,
Thanks for the feedback David. Sorry it’s taken me so long to reply!
The logo idea was based on the fact that I try to write about things from a different standpoint rather than just adding ‘noise’ to the already busy SEO/blogging for money niche so the idea was to combine steps (natch) and volume so that’s where I ended up. The type font I use is the same one as Shoutwire as it kind of suggested an element of Web 2.0 without going all rounded edges and reflections.
Liking the widgets in the footer, by the way. How’s it working out for you?
Hi David,
Unfortunately its not my hand writing. The logo font was modified from a free font I found on the internet.
I have plans to refine and develop it a lot more. I will probably do it in the next couple of weeks.
Thanks for the comment. If there’s anything I can do to help you reach your goals I’d be more than happy to help out.
Mike,
No worries at all. It’s always good to get a reply, no matter when. I moved the social widgets to the footer so the sidebars would appear less cluttered. I think it has worked out well. Cheers for asking.
DT,
I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with in the next few weeks.
I’m just curious what you think of mine. I’m reaching close to a year of blogging and have not branched out as of yet. This is my first blog and usually write about what’s happening in this brain of mine. So, are you going to view our blog and rate?
To rate your blog, i trailed off another blog and found yours via craigslist.com and found it interesting. your tag line caught my attention. And the way you have it displayed seems very professional. And your suggestion to view our website seems friendly enough to share your thoughts…but as far as trustworthy that is something gained…I think or ate least by me.
although, I did expect your blog to have a more detialed explanation of critiquing blogs by the designs displayed…I still think it is great.
Good to see that someone is thinking for a change. Nice one. Problem for many these days is there are few who know how to write interesting copy. So although the logo or site may allude to great things the content and copy rule every time.
I’ll follow your work with interest. Thanks. The Baldchemist
I just clicked on through to the Yahoo 360 page you link to. My suggestion is to get yourself a self-hosted WordPress blog as soon as possible. One year of blogging is longer than I’ve been at it so you’re missing out on developing your own traffic source.
Ray,
You’re right of course. Great design is nothing without substance.
Thanks for the visit.
Nice topic.
I just stumbled across this site and before I read this article, I was struck with a very positive initial impression of this blog!
It appears amazingly well designed, welcoming and interesting.
If only more corporate sites were like this…
Thanks very much for your email, and for your comment here.
Great to know you approve.
Very good advice and a great place to start when thinking of branding and image.
For me I made a list of the top 5 things I want my website to say about me. Here is what I came up with but please note. My site isn’t quite there yet. I’m Just getting started.
My site should say that I’m:
1. knowledgeable
2. Dependable
3. Trustworthy
4. Helpfully
5. Fun and enjoyable to work with.
I know sounds like a boy scout.
Bill
I took a quick look at your site, but will reserve judgement until you finish. ;)
Thanks for your top five list. It’s a great goal to shoot for.
Great site, great advice
I must admit I tend to look for content above form but I realise that the way a site looks is what invites people to delve deeper.
We have an existing site but we are looking to improve it - your advice is invaluable
If there’s anything I can do to help improve your current site, just let me know. I took a quick look and know immediate ways to make it more attractive to visitors.
Just interested in what people think of my website. It is working, however, I am wondering how it could be improved? I have little experience myself & rely on others’ experience in the vague hope they know what they are doing!
I took a quick look at your website. I think you have too much happening, and too many different colours. I didn’t know where to look first, which was off-putting.
If you organise your content, you can direct your customers where you want them to go. At present it’s not working.
Hi. I was just wondering what you think my web site says about me. Besides the fact that I don’t post often enough and need to upload some of my work.
My initial thought? Brown text on a black background isn’t very user-friendly. White backgrounds are my personal favourite, with decent sized text. Make it easy for people to read what you have to say.
Thanks for commenting.
Hi David,
I’d love to hear from you regarding the website above? Please be as critical as you want. I have just started with this company and was asked to comment on their website. I see this as an opportunity to be constructive in my comments. Getting a professional opinion would be very helpful…
When I first accessed your site, I found it to look clean and professionnal. Tyhe content seems relevant. I need to spend more time reading it.
I look forward to receiving your comments
Thanks and best regards
Florence
I’m in the process of designing my ebiz site. I go for the white background and clean dark text look. I like my sites to be minimalist and simplistic. In my niche market I don’t think my buyers want anything fancy. Just a good clean site with easy navigation and great prices.
When I first accessed the website linked to through your name, I wasn’t sure where to look. It’s very busy, very text heavy.
I’d like to see a larger type size, and an easier to read navigation.
Best of luck with it, and thanks for stopping by.
John,
I think you hit the nail on the head with your description of what most people want. You just can’t beat a clean, minimal site that places emphasis on the content without the need for flashy elements.
Hi David,
Still loving your site and still amazed at the fantastic quality and quantity of posts you’re getting - certainly coming across as friendly, professional and trustworthy,
I’ve just re-designed the Character Creative website. We’ve just come to the end of our first year and it was definitely time for a face lift!
I designed it in Inexhibit, which is well worth checking out if you’re a designer that wants a portfolio site but isn’t sure where to start.
It would be great to hear what you think.
http://www.charactercreative.co.uk
Darren
It’s great that you’re benefitting from the content here, and I’m glad to know the impression you get of me.
Having looked at the new Character Creative website, my first impression was clean and uncluttered, which is always a plus.
I’m not familiar with Inexhibit. Looks interesting. Best of all, free for those not making a profit through its use.
I like your blog’s design very friendly and warm. You have created a friendly environment and I enjoy reading your articles. I wanted an edgy look for my blog’s design, how ever for my website I use a more soothing tone. Check it out and give me your feedback.
My blog thegnrgroup.com/blog and my website is thegnrgroup.com
Glad you enjoy reading my articles.
I had a look at your blog, and my first thought was that your header image is quite threatening. Edgy is good, but for me I’d tone down the imagery slightly. Saying that, you know your target audience much better than I do, so if it’s working for you, that’s great.
I like the open and clean style you chose for your website. It makes looking for information easy. The company I work for has this website. I believe it can improve allot. What are your feeling when you look at our site? We want to appear dynamic, professional, energetic and service orientated. I don’t believe we accomplished that. Anything will be helpfull. Thank you
David,
Your website:
Professional. Straightforward. Well-informed.
Mine .. hmmn… I keep changing it around..
What I want to say is …..
Professional. Creative. Organised.
What I think it says right now is …
Organised. Thinks-in-the-box. Green.
Opinion?
Cheers!!
My first impression of your website was modern, but the tiny white text on the dark background is too difficult to read. That’s something I think you should change as soon as possible. All the best with it.
Arati,
Two things I’d change on your site would be to lose the splash page, which really serves no purpose, and to left align your content text as opposed to centred. Again, all the very best with yours too.
Hi David!
Its sad that I just recently discovered your website.
I want to say its good effort. some of your articles have been eye openers and thats good! keep up the good work.
the fact is my husband and myself have just started our own design studio, CreativeMOod! and so we have just put up our website for the same.
our site was done in quite a hurry as we had clients who were waiting to see our work.
now that i have read your post …one year after it was posted :)…. it has surely brought in a lot of inspiration.
I know our website is not one of the best … but I would like you to take a look and give us your constructive criticism…. we will surely appreciate that…. it will also help us improve.
our website is - http://www.creativemood.asia/
so please have a look…
looking forward to hear from you.
regards
Rochelle!
Thanks for the compliment.
The first thing I noticed about your website was the large amount of white above your logo. How about making the navigation more horizontal? This will pull your content higher ‘above the fold’, giving first-time visitors a faster idea what your website is about.
When will you be launching your blog? That could be the most important part of your online presence when it comes to attracting site traffic.
All the very best with it!
Oh wow. This is so neat. I had just e-mailed David earlier, and then I find this topic on his blog.
That’s a tough question you asked David: Three traits about my Web site. I’d say for mine it would be professional, creative, organized.
For anyone who looks at my site, I’ll share this background information with you. I have been teaching myself CSS/HTML (hard coding mind you, not just using DreamWeaver) and put this site together in roughly a week, maybe a little sooner.
It’s already been suggested to downsize the nameplate area. I agree, and will likely do that soon. Feedback welcome.
OK. Now, I’ll scroll through this blog and check out what everyone else is doing. I’m very glad I found this site. Good stuff, David.
Really enjoyed this post so far and seeing some of the changes taking place based on comments - a real work in progress post! Not sure if you’re still adding to it but just in case…
I love the information you are providing on your site and feel you are offering professional and trustworthy content. The friendly part not as obvious at a glance. I can’t put my finger on it exactly but your head banner, though pleasant and attractive, seems somehow as if it’s not directly related to your photo and to you. The blue sky and clouds has been used quite a lot in the technology industry I guess and I’ve been in it more years than I care to admit. It’s almost like it’s a banner for something else. So that part seems like it could be improved.
My company’s web site is dedicated to one product and the goal is to say “flexible, easy to work with and well trusted”
There are a lot of ‘cloud’ themes on other websites, you’re right, though I’m a little reluctant to do away with it, as it’s been a feature here for quite a while. I appreciate your thoughts though, and realise my site design is far from perfect (I’m no web designer).
Hi David,
Great website & post!! I think your design definitely says all three about you. It’s a small thing but I like that you have your photo on here, having a face to the name (site) definitely makes it more trustworthy & friendly.
I am a graphic designer with HTML/CSS skills. I think I’m in a similar position to Josh as I have been learning HTML/CSS without using Dreamweaver, and built me site myself. I am also trying to get my head around databases and want to build my own CMS for my site. Hopefully these skills will mean that I can use them for freelance work.
I would like people to think I’m professional, creative and friendly. What do you think my site says about me? - I read the earlier comment about dark backgrounds being bad, I think that this is something I will definitely look at in the next update. I like how you’ve got your ‘dark bit’ as your footer.
Your site is clean and uncluttered, which is great, though I find the small grey text on your black background quite difficult to read. As you can tell, white backgrounds are my preference, mainly for legibility reasons.