Please review my web design and development blog

**Destinyx3** · 06-18-2009, 06:29 PM

Hi,

I would like some suggestions on comments on my blog in correspondence to my website. I post articles related to web design, web development and anything to help webmasters such as SEO, tutorials and freebies.

I would appreciate constructive criticism on my layout, the articles and the blog itself.

Blog: Web Design and Development Blog

Thank you,
Nicole

**DiTryin** · 06-21-2009, 01:16 AM

Hi Nicole,

Here's my 2 cents...

You have a good, professional-looking site but if you really want it to bring you business, you need to re-write the copy on it. There's only one thing people want to know... "What's in it for me?" That means, take out all the "I's" and write it so it's all about your visitor ("You want..., You need... You'll get...") and you'll be halfway to the sale.

Think about every ad you've ever seen... Use our cell service and YOU get the network. Use our shampoo and YOU will get shiny hair. Buy our home gym and get the body YOU want.

See? What do your potential customers want? What will they get if they hire you?

One other thing... In Firefox, there's a big empty space under the sites you built. I'd suggest moving your services, contact form, etc. to their own pages.

As for your blog... When you first get to it, it looks like it's 70% ads. That doesn't exactly draw you (the visitor) in. And the first couple of posts there are just l-o-n-g lists.

Um... if you're offering web design services, why do you have a list of web design tutorials on your blog? Do you want people to learn to do it themselves instead of hiring you?

If you want your blog to bring you new business, people [read: potential clients] have to want to go back to it again and again so make it helpful and interesting to them. What does your target customer want to know? What concerns do they have? Write posts for them.

If you want people to find your site/blog on search engines, incorporate the keywords people used on search engines into your blog post headlines and the posts themselves. SEObook has a free keyword tool at:

http://tools.seobook.com/keyword-tools/seobook/

You're a very talented young lady! You have a very bright future ahead of you!

Diane

**Destinyx3** · 06-22-2009, 02:14 PM

Thank you very much for the criticism, I absolutely needed it (:

I will have to apply what you said to both my website and my blog. I have had a lack in clients and traffic, so I can guess what you said is why I am lacking. Once again thank you very much, your advice is truly helpful!

**mhiktrice** · 06-23-2009, 03:44 AM

nice nice. All i can say is you have a nice blog. My only comment is you make the drop down menus in the left a little smaller.

**dWhite** · 07-06-2009, 06:14 PM

I like it, it's really nice.

**amki** · 07-25-2009, 12:36 AM

You have been added to my 'Fresh is Best' list, Nicole.

It's not a real list, just a comment regarding the growing number of teenagers who are doing superb work and displaying a great deal of talent.

Regarding your own site, when I arrived and saw the vivid red and overall brightness, I was shocked at your site name as 'serene' didn't seem to fit its setting. I don't know whether that's good or bad, or just irrelevant, but it did rather pull me up short.

Diane made some excellent observations about your content, and I was surprised that she didn't mention what caught my eye immediately. Am I correct in thinking that English is a second language for you? Your name doesn't suggest that, but your writing does. Your usage and choice of words are sometimes not quite what I would expect from a native English speaker. Otherwise, I'll have to conclude that you are so artistically talented that you have nothing left over for writing.

One little thing more, "... walked up to me/came up to me and asked me to design..." was used to introduce all of the sites you exhibited, if I remember correctly. Once is enough, and I'm sure you can vary that without much trouble.

Now, for the good stuff: I think you are incredibly talented--elegant, sophisticated, imaginative--and I would say that there's no stopping you. I truly believe that you will be among the top designers in a short time.

Jo

**TWD** · 07-25-2009, 01:15 AM

Nice work Nicole

Aesthetically very pleasing.
Technically very sound.

Another fine example of what can be done with WordPress.

I think if you learn a bit about SEO and develop some
marketing savvy you will have a very bright future.

As Amki and Diane may have said, you might need
some help with the phrasing of some content.

The tag line is one the is immediately obvious.
"
If you are in need of a website, you are in the right place. I can make you a professional,
and creative website to attract customers to your business"

All that could be distilled down into:

"Attract Customers To Your Business"

I think you need a proper contact form too.
The one you are using doesn't really cut the mustard.

Good luck!

**The-Pixel** · 07-25-2009, 01:19 AM

I like it but for some reason it seems like its missing something? Perhaps add more examples of work you have done and more pages. Just does not seem very complete.

**Destinyx3** · 07-27-2009, 07:35 PM

@The-Pixel: I'm having a hard time judging my own work, so I will look over some client work and add more.

@TWD: I'm a little unsatisfied with that line. I'm trying to say what I can offer a business, but maybe I was too obvious. Your example is good, but I'm looking to almost speak to the clients like: "I am Nicole Foster and I can make you great websites". Do you have any suggestions?

@amki: Actually, I am a native english speaker. I was born in New York and still reside there. It may be because I'm only 17, so I may not know as much as an adult. I will have to work on my writing, and maybe it's because I'm on summer break xD. School lessons go right out my brain.

Thank you for all the criticism. I absolutely needed it! Keep it coming (: