Sports Site Makeover

**Frank Rizzo** · 07:49 AM

The home page is usually the one which makes a first impression. Get it wrong and a visitor may not stay around or come back again.

A problem I have is creating a homepage which "says what the site does", and which doesn't frighten visitors away. Unfortunately the site contains zillions of stats and numbers and stuff so I'm pretty sure the site is losing visitors who don't know what the site is about or how to navigate to something else.

I have made a new home page based on a template. Please review here:

(update: I ditched the initial style. Please see messages at end of this thread)

**Foundationflash** · 08-11-2008, 08:21 AM

It's good, definitely. The logo is fairly good (6/10), could be improved, but fine. The colours work well, but the odd orange colour in the meetings box to the right is interesting. If the different colour means something, say so, if it isn't, I'd keep it dark green.

The only other point is that the logo says FlatStats, whereas everything else says Flatstats.

Good to see a UK site.

Surely form does have some effect? I mean, if that is a USP, you may need to qualify it.

**Frank Rizzo** · 08-11-2008, 08:52 AM

The logo is from the existing site. Actually that logo was designed in a competition run on this site a few years ago.

I still like the logo but don't know if the colours need changing. As for the FlatStats / Flatstats I never really saw that as an issue. Over the years the site has been linked to by others as flatstats flat stats Flat Stats etc.

The orange bit in the meetings box shows all weather (sand) races whilst green shows turf races. In the summer this is usually always green and in the winter it is always orange.

The USP is indeed that we don't do form whilst the masses of punters out there do. The theme of the site is the systems - stats - ratings. Visitors should know that this is exactly what we do on the site and this is different to what the masses of punters use out there namely 'form'.

One problem I think we have is that the site is seen as niche / nerdy / geeky due to the vast amount of data which is available. I think some are put off by the fact that they have too much information and they are saying "just gimme the horse, gimme the winner".

I need to make the site more welcoming for new visitors and not frighten them away with a site they may think is too technical.

**saurabhj** · 08-11-2008, 09:06 AM

I don't like the hover effects of left menus. Grey color is worst there. You can try out the different color and it will look good if you make darken your colors and use light colors while hover.

**Cre8iveDesign** · 08:47 AM

Wow, i don't bet on the races and man that site was overwhelming. I couldn't work out what it was about even after you told me. The front page should be so simple you could navigate with eyes closed. you have way too many numbers and paragraphs. maybe try to sum up what the site is about with one picture and one paragraph. good luck
<removed>

**Frank Rizzo** · 12:59 PM

This is actually a problem for the whole sports industry and not just horse racing. If you google for other sites you will see they too are just a mass of information on the home page.

Here's one from the UK

attheraces dot com

and the US

drf dot com

It doesn't matter so much if someone who does not know horses visits the site and is put off by what they see, as that person would not be googling for that type of site in the first place.

What I means is: I guess websites on quantum physics are pretty complicated but I would never search for those terms and would not have a desire to visit them.

The task here is to convince the 'on theme' visitor who does know about racing that this is a site he should have a closer look at.

What attractions can be put on the page to make him want to click and find out more? Should there be more words or less? Should there be charts rather than tables? etc.

saurabhj - the hover effect on the left menus. Point noted I'll try some alternatives.

**Foundationflash** · 08-11-2008, 01:59 PM

I don't think it's complicated - I understand that some people who do not bet may find it confusing, but they won't be the ones on the site, just like you say. There is no favicon BTW.

**Frank Rizzo** · 08-12-2008, 01:51 PM

I'm putting this on hold for a while.

I think the stumbling block is more to do with the menu structure on the left - there are just too many choices.

Testing some drop down menus to see if the page becomes less confusing.

Thanks for all comments and suggestions so far.

**Frank Rizzo** · 07:55 PM

I found a nice nav bar with drop down sub menus. I think this works great with the site as it removes the site clutter and is more intuitive for users.

Don't laugh at my attempts at css layouts

but what do you reckon on a nav bar like this?

As I'm pushed for time I'm probably going to need some paid help getting the page right (it's a mix of two different templates, and doesn't work in IE). What's best? Post in the design competition section or freelance work offers?

**jv17** · 08-13-2008, 11:07 PM

that's nice..you have a good site..

**Frank Rizzo** · 08-14-2008, 07:27 AM

I setup up a contest in the Graphic Desgings Contest section if anyone is interested?

Home Page Makeover Contest

**MatrixIT** · 08-14-2008, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saurabhj

I don't like the hover effects of left menus. Grey color is worst there. You can try out the different color and it will look good if you make darken your colors and use light colors while hover.

I agree, I'd reccomend a different set of hover colors

Rest of the sites pretty good though

**ondemand** · 08-14-2008, 10:45 PM

just wanted to say nice site man.