My First Blog: CRITIQUE ME

[purem5]

Hey everyone I am majoring in Mass Communications and Broadcasting, and I have found this very useful for a future job.
I was told over and over again in class it would be beneficial for me to create a blog so I finally have done so.

Give me all your suggestions and or tips to make me a successful blogger.
fifthavenuenews

just add the www and com and it will take you directly there
* Will not let me put in links.. I thought I have been a member long enough to do so*

 

[m4nuell]

I can give you my first impression on this: "holy crap it's ugly".

 

[purem5]

How is it ugly?? give me more details. Yes I know I do not have the formatting set up right and all, but it was just created 5 days ago.

 

[dub28]

It's not ugly but you need a better design. Why not buy one on http://themeforest.net/popular_item/by_category?category=wordpress ?

 

[purem5]

It's not ugly but you need a better design. Why not buy one on

I am working on that as funds are at a low right now.

 

[Wilson Grant Fisk]

It needs work ... lots of it.

Get rid of the Hello World post and add a custom Favicon.

Remove your email from the About Me page and add a Contact form.

If it is just a general blog then fine, but it won't make much money, try to decide on a niche (learn Key Word research).

I didn't check the history of the domain but it probably has more potential as a news site and shopping information directory/portal for Fifth Avenue
A site covering one of the most expensive and best shopping streets in the world should be able to make a few dollars.

As it is your first attempt, treat it as a learning experience, you probably won't make any money from this blog but everything you learn can be transferred to your next site, which should be better.

Good Luck

 

[tradersinc]

I liked the domain name. If you are going to invest time and effort into it and make it a long term project, and are not sure about deciding on a specific niche, I guess you should make it look like an online news magazine.

 

[purem5]

It needs work ... lots of it.

Get rid of the Hello World post and add a custom



Remove your email from the About Me page and add a Contact form.

If it is just a general blog then fine, but it won't make much money, try to decide on a niche (learn Key Word research).

I didn't check the history of the domain but it probably has more potential as a news site and shopping information directory/portal for
A site covering one of the most expensive and best shopping streets in the world should be able to make a few dollars.

As it is your first attempt, treat it as a learning experience, you probably won't make any money from this blog but everything you learn can be transferred to your next site, which should be better.

Good Luck

AWESOME feedback man! I would love to hear more about what I could do with this site from you. Could you get in contact with me over skype please?

 

[Wilson Grant Fisk]

AWESOME feedback man! I would love to hear more about what I could do with this site from you. Could you get in contact with me over skype please?

As I said in your PM, I don't have time to skype but here are a few suggestions.

As I said the Domain possibly has potential (I have not checked its history or any metrics) it could make a good news/directory site monetized by adsense or affiliate marketing.

First carry out research, assess if there is potential, look at the competition, start making a list of keywords:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Avenue
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=history+of+fifth+avenue
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Fifth+Avenue
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Fifth+Avenue+news
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=fifth+avenue+stores

You could start off having at least 4 sections, front page, fifth avenue news(local area and shopping promotions), fifth avenue stores(directory), history of fifth avenue.
You could also add sections for restaurants and hotels etc

You can re-write daily posts from current news sites and monetize with adsense or find out which stores run affiliate programs
Here are details for Saks, try checking for programs for all the major retailers/stores/luxury brands on fifth avenue, nearly all will have some kind of program.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=saks+affiliate+program
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=saks+fifth+avenue+affiliate+marketing

These are just the ideas that came to me, people might have better suggestions. Good Luck

 

[Leith]

1. Site looks very basic/boring. Get a premium theme. You don't need to pay for one - just look in the "Downloads" section of this forum for themes.

2. Get rid of your Meta section in the sidebar.

3. Get a logo.

4. Get rid of your email on the 'About Me' page. Either show your email as a picture so that it doesn't get crawled, or insert a contact form.

5. Remove the default "Hello Wordpress" on your sidebar.

6. Change your favicon.

7. Copyscape: http://www.copyscape.com/?q=http://fifthavenuenews.com. Also have a check with http://www.seoreviewtools.com/duplicate-content-checker/.

8. I'm a perfectionist with most things, so this is bugging me, lol. In your categories, change "life" to "Life". Keep your grammar/style consistent.

9. Add a privacy/terms/sitemap. Add a "contact me" page with a form. Add more pages to keep users on the site. If I went on your site just now as someone wanting to read your posts, I'd probably exit straight away. Nothing on your site makes me want to stay on it.

10. Remove http://fifthavenuenews.com/hello-world/.

I believe W130SN also listed a few of the above changes so you should probably start by fixing these first.

 

[Deleted member 657006]

Not being narsty but if you have had 6 half million vine views
how do you not no what a blog should look like.

i hope you monitored all that 6 half million views into cash?

If not i would cry here and know ......

 

[Dndukwu]

HOLY SHIT

let me try and mention what hasn't been said already.
1. The color scheme is bland, it makes me want to leave
2. Your favicon is from hostgator
3. No way to connect with you via social media
4. You have no menu, or the about me page is the only menu item
5. You're missing a footer. Where is your privacy policy and terms of use?

 

[purem5]

guys.... this is my first ever website... like seriously you talk to me as if i SHOULD know how to host and operate a website when I have absolutely no idea how to manage one yet. I am slowly learning give me a break

 

[blackbrooke]

I like a minimal look website, keep website updated with fresh content and get some visitor

 

[Ambitious12]

You need to learn more on WordPress,dig some good wordpress blogs and try to opt what you can get from that.

 

[Buzzika]

guys.... this is my first ever website... like seriously you talk to me as if i SHOULD know how to host and operate a website when I have absolutely no idea how to manage one yet. I am slowly learning give me a break

Mate, the fuck is wrong with you? THese guys are not trying to put you down. They are giving you suggestions, aka, helping you. Nothing wrong with that. You wanted critique for your work.

PS. Good job for this being your first.

 

[Zwielicht]

I'll keep this simple as W130SN and Leith have covered the major improvements you need to make.

I like the favicon logo, but as a visitor, there's not much on your site that compels me to stay there. You need to find a way to differentiate yourself from the many other news sites out there.

 

[Crockett]

What tool do you use for editing blogs?I dont know html/php so even making blog like yours will be a challenge.

 

[purem5]

I'll keep this simple as W130SN and Leith have covered the major improvements you need to make.

I like the favicon logo, but as a visitor, there's not much on your site that compels me to stay there. You need to find a way to differentiate yourself from the many other news sites out there.

Could you think of anything that I should try??

 

[Zwielicht]

Could you think of anything that I should try??

Pretty much anything I would have said was mentioned by other members above. Other than that, here are a few other suggestions for you.

• Add a navigation bar
• Focus on a specific type of news
• Get rid of the word "blog" on your homepage or replace it with "articles".
• Some users dislike lazy-loading on images. If you suspect your target audience won't respond well to that feature, then remove it.