I was interrupted yesterday in the middle of my post. I had to leave unexpectedly and didn't take my notes with me.
So any way-
I noticed a lot of the other sites have ads which you do not want and I appreciate it. I have to wonder if the ads also help drive the search engines.
Does the fact that people are moving away from traditional desktop and lap top computers to mobile devices effect the activity on this site as well? I will be the very last person to get a smart phone. I know you have worked on the applications for that kind of use in the past. But I do not know where you are with it today since I don't use it.
Some of the other sites are horribly laid out. I don't know the terminology but it is stuff we haven't used in years.
Some places allow people to sign in using fb, google+ and twitter. Does that increase the sites visibility on the search engines or just those social media sites? I know you have been working with fb and twitter already.
What would happen if you expanded the site to have more subforums? A bigger section for music. Brewers, Bucks, Badgers. And then the additions below them. MLB section in Brewers. NBA or basketball in general below Bucks. Big Ten or NCAA football in Badgers.
I know you set up a new site for Brewers a year or so ago. It had some activity. I personally didn't want one more place to go and sign in. I wouldn't mind going to Brewerland if it is apart of this site the same as we go into Random Babble now to speak on other issues.
I do like your links. I see you changed it a bit in the last day or two. I actually liked it better the old way. But the way you have it set up right now provides a better description.
In my search I saw this site linked in a few places but not very many. (Not as many as Chatters.) I am not saying it is good or bad. Just an observation. I also found it interesting the site many use to belong to has made a recovery. A few of the old names are still active but they have a few new people as well. At a glance I couldn't see that they have a more people posting than we do but it is the slow time of the year.
Back to links- I like being able to find a lot of info in one place. You put up the Packer schedule and that is great but we need the roster and depth chart in an easy to reach format. I don't mean you have to set it up and monitor it. A year or two ago one of the papers had a link to a 3rd party's roster and that would work too. Most have pulled them down for the off season. What about Ourlads ? they link who is a RFA, UFA, what year and round a players was drafted. I have not been here in a long time but it looks interesting. from there you can get the opponents depth chart as well. I like to print these off before going to a game. It is nice when you can get both teams in the same format at the same place. (Once again no mobile device for me.)
Other links- more on the Packer Hall of Fame, list the radio network, I am sure we can come up with more. Have these listed separately on the side border instead of only being buried in the "links" heading a the top of the page. I know you will want to be careful with a clutter issue. But since this is a slower time on my boards you will have a little time to look and see what works best for you.
I am far from an expert. These are some things I jotted down yesterday in hopes for finding something that will bring more traffic to this site. Perhaps not a one of them is something you will like. I am fine with that.
Originally Posted by: wpr
edit- I just went to look at the new member section and I can't find it. Kevin did you close that forum down?
Originally Posted by: wpr
Ads and traffic :
I absolutely hate the idea of profiting from my hobby. I know I can make a website and profit massively from it, but that's not what my fanhood is about. Would it help the site? I dunno to be honest. If the ads were tactfully designed and had some correlation to our user base, maybe. I suppose I could use the money to facilitate a better internet connection at home and host the site from there instead.
Mobile devices :
there is an app called TapaTalk that I've spoken to the YAF developers about Incorporated into YAF. Crazy enough, I actually have the knowledge to do that API myself. It would just take me a lot of time.
Twitter and Facebook login:
We have that feature and I have my other account using it to log into the site. I don't think that increases visibility though. I do know Twitter/Facebook posts/tweets whatever do increase visibility. Big time.
Site layout :
I have a redesign in mind, two actually, that I think will present a more unique look and feel to the site. I just haven't the knowledge of implementing it how I desire. I think our design is quite better than a lot of fan sites out there.
More subforums :
What subforums should be added? I've been against this because I don't like 50 forums all over, but that doesn't mean it can't work. I need ideas for that for me to buy into it.
BrewersHome.com :
I had wanted someone else to lead the charge on that, but they are too busy, understandably. So, do you mean have a Brewers, Bucks and Badgers section? One for each?
SEO links :
The links are for search engine optimization ... its supposed to make the site more search friendly.
Linked in :
Where do you see PC linked in, but not PH? I registered PH with dmz.org or whatever a week ago. It takes over two weeks to get approved/denied.
PF :
PF was never really dead ... the new owner pissed off some of the loyal members, that's about it. Ryan did a fantastic job of registering that site everywhere and then he had me going around from site to site obnoxiously parading this new packers forum everyone had to check out. PF is still reaping the benefit of Ryan's hardwork.
Additional links :
Roster page, Depth Chart page, and Schedule page. I would like to have a link to each of those pages on the top of the website like we have Top 10, NFL Pick'em, etc...
Ourlads :
Do they have an API that I can tap into? I'd like to have something that shows UFA, RFA, etc ... I need to pipe that into the database somehow so it's easily viewed and can be formatted pleasantly with the over all theme of the site.
Side menu:
Having a side bar menu with links is something I've also considered, similar to how we were designed with DragonFlyCMS. Basically three columns, left an right were basically 15% of the screen each, and the remainder was the primary content of the site in the middle. I liked having the blocks/modules and that is the aspect of asp.net design I am ignorant on. When I get that figured out, the new design will be up an running.
Welcome section:
I brought back the welcome section ... not sure why it was removed. I see it being used already and I think it makes the site more 'home-like' to new members.