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New Front Page Format for Gilded Serpent

topic posted Wed, January 28, 2009 - 8:25 PM by  Lynette 		Share/Save/Bookmark
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Hello!
We have now posted a updated format for our cover page on Gilded Serpent. There are a few details that I would still like to tweak but it is an improvement in many ways.

I'd like to modify the RSS box at the bottom right to bring a more quality stream of news aritcles from sites beside those within our community. Hopefully we will be able to figure out that detail soon.

In addition there is the Serpent Cinema at the bottom left. If you want to see the videos in a larger format, you can double click on the video box and it will take you to youtube to see the larger and higher quality versions of the 64 videos we have in our channel so far.
(youtube.com/lynetteserpent)

The featured photo has been replaced by a slideshow that will show teaser photos from articles to come and linked photos to articles already on the site.

This is just a start to a slow but steady updating of Gilded Serpent. Your feedback and suggestions are welcome as always.

Thanks for your support.
Lynette Harris
www.gildedserpent.com/
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  • "Shay"
    "Shay"
    offline 518

    Re: New Front Page Format for Gilded Serpent

    Thu, January 29, 2009 - 12:47 AM
    He Lynette,
    I really like the new layout! The only continuing niggling issue I have with the Serpent is the backgrounds--way too busy. There is so much to read, the eyes can fatigue easily with too much texture and color to compete with your attention. A nice solid or subtly textured background for each page would be SUCH a welcome improvement during these changes.

    Thanks for all your hard work you do!
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  • "Shay"
    "Shay"
    offline 518

    Re: New Front Page Format for Gilded Serpent

    Thu, January 29, 2009 - 10:57 AM
    One more note, since you asked: I think more space should be allotted to actual content than ads. That first page is literally visually half content, and half a sea of advertising.

    I know you want to sell advertising to keep the site running, but those ads are nearly useless in such a patchwork quilt. Makes me not want to click on any of them. You need to be careful of ad saturation, and turning off your intended market and hindering the efforts of your advertisers...

    This is something Google knows a lot about with their AdSense ads, and limiting the number of ads per page. People get "ad blindness" and will skim over it all if you put too much out there. Your advertising would be more effective (and more valuable) if you limited it much more.
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  • Re: New Front Page Format for Gilded Serpent

    Fri, January 30, 2009 - 10:14 AM
    I'm enjoying our conversations about the direction you are headed with Gilded Serpent. I know that you are making efforts to make the site more streamlined, current, and easier to read. Kudos for you for beginning this process. Thanks for your contributions to the community.
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    • Lynette
      Lynette
      offline 10

      Re: New Front Page Format for Gilded Serpent

      Sat, January 31, 2009 - 9:09 PM
      Thanks so much for the feedback!

      Yes, I'm trying very hard to restrain myself with the background these days. Most of the more recent articles have just gradients for backgrounds. As I get more comfortable with the new formatting it should get easier too.

      The front page actually has the same amount of ads as it did before the format change except for those 2 spacers at the bottom. But I will raise prices on those cover ads and that should cut down them real quick! Every one wants to be on that front page.

      I will remember those terms about ad blindness too. I guess because of other sites have stat statistics, clients are always asking how many pages they are on. Its hard to explain that they are static and of higher value than the rotating ones. Though I am going to look into rotating ad software too and see if I can afford it or if their is free open source stuff around too. Samira have you had any luck on finding out any info?
      Thanks again for your help. More changes coming soon.
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