Website Review and Suggestions

**Dirt Hammer** · 04-16-2012, 12:55 PM

http://dirthammers.com/

Please review my dirt bike offroad site.

**PaulW** · 04-16-2012, 09:44 PM

I'm torn between good and a bit too busy - there's a lot on each page, especially the home page. Fast to load and render though.

Content: fresh, well written, enthusiastic. Wil you be able to keep this fresh/updated? Secondary point, what about sub-nav as content grows in each section?

Overall, impressive - if I were interested in the subject I'd be grabbed by this site.

**Dirt Hammer** · 04-17-2012, 10:49 AM

Thanks for the helpful tips and useful review. I'm working with a plugin that allows me to control side bar content per page etc, I'm just slow at getting it done for each section as I would like to narrow down the content in the side bar on all pages etc.

It's work in progress as each day I'm working on something to keep it fresh with content.

Sub nav, didn't think much about that but I see where I could break a few things up like the section labled "TOOL BOX" I have tools and oil,lubes listed under that one header, I could make a sub nav labled "Oils & Chemicals" maybe. Is that what you meant?

thanks again.

**PaulW** · 04-17-2012, 07:14 PM

No, I meant navigation between drilldowns - you can end up with a lot of content that never gets touched if you're not careful - it drops off as it ages and never gets a prominent link,

**jelebiby** · 04-18-2012, 03:43 AM

Awesome look & feel, user-friendly navigation. Overall an informative website. Great work.

**WebOutGateway** · 04-18-2012, 05:14 AM

No offense meant, but I find the design and layout a bit dull... perhaps you could make a cleaner layout like the website of Deaf Pigeon

**Dirt Hammer** · 04-18-2012, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulW

No, I meant navigation between drilldowns - you can end up with a lot of content that never gets touched if you're not careful - it drops off as it ages and never gets a prominent link,

Thanks for the reply. Please explain "navigation between drill downs" not real sure what direction your talking about. Thanks.

**Dirt Hammer** · 04-18-2012, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jelebiby

Awesome look & feel, user-friendly navigation. Overall an informative website. Great work.

Thanks.

**Dirt Hammer** · 04-18-2012, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WebOutGateway

No offense meant, but I find the design and layout a bit dull... perhaps you could make a cleaner layout like the website of Deaf Pigeon

None takin. I checked out Deaf Pigeon and yes that's a very clean and modern layout for sure. I'm working with a free themeplate so I have some limits, looking to upgrade the themeplate soon (purchase).Thanks.

**PaulW** · 04-18-2012, 01:56 PM

Drilldowns = items in a group, eg news stories in a news section, product reviews in a group. Without prominent and easily understandable navigation, people don't go too deeply into the store of items - only the recent get read.

**Dirt Hammer** · 04-19-2012, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulW

Drilldowns = items in a group, eg news stories in a news section, product reviews in a group. Without prominent and easily understandable navigation, people don't go too deeply into the store of items - only the recent get read.

Sorry but still not getting what you are talking about.

**PaulW** · 04-19-2012, 02:00 PM

You have several sets, eg one is "Latest News/Hammer Stories", one is "Hammer tested". Each article in those groups is called a drilldown (as you drill down the categories to reach the story). When you only have a dozen or so in a set, you can fit all on one page but as the site grow and matures you'll have too many in some sets and so will need to have lower level navigation so people can reach all the content.

**Dirt Hammer** · 04-20-2012, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulW

You have several sets, eg one is "Latest News/Hammer Stories", one is "Hammer tested". Each article in those groups is called a drilldown (as you drill down the categories to reach the story). When you only have a dozen or so in a set, you can fit all on one page but as the site grow and matures you'll have too many in some sets and so will need to have lower level navigation so people can reach all the content.

I understand now, but not sure how to make it happen.

**PaulW** · 04-22-2012, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirt Hammer

I understand now, but not sure how to make it happen.

You essentially need a low level navigation system. This could be time-based, it could be subject-based - and that could be either loose or listed.

Time-based: simply put a list of all other articles in the category published in the same month (or appropriate period) at the foot of each article. Have a page somewhere which links by month.

Loose subject-based: list of similar/related articles at the foot of each drilldown

Listed subject-based: hard code a set of sub-categories and list within sub-cat.

Whichever way, the aim is to get an easily understandable and coherent set of links in place without placing too much maintenance load on site updaters.

**TWD** · 05-13-2012, 07:39 PM

Top navigation menu needs to be bigger and have better contrast with the background. People with less than "eagles eyes" may have trouble reading those menu items.

**Private-I** · 05-15-2012, 11:25 AM

just like everyone else I loved it, nice graphics. I would think about methods of keeping people coming back. maybe an effort to get people to join a newsletter or sign up for blog updates?