Saturday, November 26, 2005
finance directory
Niche directories are gaining in popularity with recent changes with search engine alogorithyms adding weight to links from these directories. This directory, www.myfinancedirectory.com is directly related to the finance field and broken into appropriate categories.
Site uses the popular php link directory script with some layout mods.
The directory has some strict guidelines to filter out spammy or inappropriate sites see: Add Url section. Something I havent seen before is the requirement for PR and a tool to check such at the Check PR page.
Site loads at reasonable speed and is layed out well although there does seem to be a rendering issue veiwed in mozilla although explorer renders well.
Good to see on a directory is more added value content for the user being finance news page and finance articles page. I think this could be expanded on quite easily to add more value.
Site uses the popular php link directory script with some layout mods.
The directory has some strict guidelines to filter out spammy or inappropriate sites see: Add Url section. Something I havent seen before is the requirement for PR and a tool to check such at the Check PR page.
Site loads at reasonable speed and is layed out well although there does seem to be a rendering issue veiwed in mozilla although explorer renders well.
Good to see on a directory is more added value content for the user being finance news page and finance articles page. I think this could be expanded on quite easily to add more value.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Ringtonefinder.com.au
Site Review
ringtones
This site is related to add ons for your mobile phone including download of ringtones, wallpapers, screen savers, themes and games. The site is asthetically pleasing and the navigation appears quite useable. Polyphonic ringtones section is well laid out by category or theme of tone required, then it is a simple matter of choosing the name of tune/song, selecting your model mobile and away you go. It is also available to preview your choice prior to download. The site is available in many different languages and redirects to correct language depending on location of user - quite neat.
Other site features:
Mobile News
This section features updates on the latest model mobile phones including a brief review.
Australian Directory
The site also features a quite useable directory of Australian websites in categories as well as a section for non-Australian located sites.
ringtones
This site is related to add ons for your mobile phone including download of ringtones, wallpapers, screen savers, themes and games. The site is asthetically pleasing and the navigation appears quite useable. Polyphonic ringtones section is well laid out by category or theme of tone required, then it is a simple matter of choosing the name of tune/song, selecting your model mobile and away you go. It is also available to preview your choice prior to download. The site is available in many different languages and redirects to correct language depending on location of user - quite neat.
Other site features:
Mobile News
This section features updates on the latest model mobile phones including a brief review.
Australian Directory
The site also features a quite useable directory of Australian websites in categories as well as a section for non-Australian located sites.
How to review websites
There are a number of steps to reviewing a website and here is just some:
Is the website current?
Personality - does the site's look and feel seem to match the subject matter, and align with the intended reader or market?
Is the sites content original and unique? There are tons of sites out there that are simply scraping the web and rehashing someonelses content.
Speed of loading - slow sites are painful.
Asthetics - Use of graphics, type, white space and eye-appeal and use of colors.
Useability - intelligent and logical hierachial navigation and accessability.
Spam - are there Banner ads, pop-ups, tracking scripts or is the site purely affiliatte links or scraped content? Does anything blink, scroll or move that is not an integral part of the content message? Is the page keyword loaded?
Distractions - are there visual elements, design elements, pictures, or content blocks that are distracting, or that keep you from flowing into the content message?
Does the coding validate? Refer to http://www.w3.org/ for exellent information and validation tools.
Is the website current?
Personality - does the site's look and feel seem to match the subject matter, and align with the intended reader or market?
Is the sites content original and unique? There are tons of sites out there that are simply scraping the web and rehashing someonelses content.
Speed of loading - slow sites are painful.
Asthetics - Use of graphics, type, white space and eye-appeal and use of colors.
Useability - intelligent and logical hierachial navigation and accessability.
Spam - are there Banner ads, pop-ups, tracking scripts or is the site purely affiliatte links or scraped content? Does anything blink, scroll or move that is not an integral part of the content message? Is the page keyword loaded?
Distractions - are there visual elements, design elements, pictures, or content blocks that are distracting, or that keep you from flowing into the content message?
Does the coding validate? Refer to http://www.w3.org/ for exellent information and validation tools.
