Tips to improve website

[GarrettVD]

I'm not looking for a review, but instead I need some ideas about what I should add to my penpal website, ePalsConnect.com, in order to boost my PR.

I would like to boost the amount of content, for SEO puposes. I was thinking about adding some articles, but what exactly is there to write about on a penpals website? Tips on choosing a penpal?

Also, is it worth paying to be listed in Yahoo! directory for a non-comercial site? The penpal category there has a PR of 5, so I'm thinking about it. I'm already in a few other web directories (ie. Skaffe, BOTW, etc.) but they're not generating much traffic. DMOZ is out of the question as they're slower than molasses when it comes to reviewing websites for submission.

Thanks in advance, eagerly awaiting your responses.

-Garrett

[Demon]

You could do a guide to getting a penpal, and what one is exactly. You have to remembere that some people might look at your site but be completely clueless as to its subject matter.

Paying for a listing in the Yahoo directory is your choice of course, but if you're confident that it will generate enough visitors to justify the cost then go ahead. You could also run some sort of scheme on your website to make up the money you spent on Yahoo.

[justlukeyou]

This site looks very good, the curved areas and colours work well. I like the 'e' over the links but on the main logo the bottom left light blue looks a little bit droopy and could be made more circular. Also the top right circular area of changing colours attracts attention but doesn't really offer to much in content. Dont be scared to make the site look 'ugly' because this can really work sometimes. This could also help to focus on the idea of communication instead the actual design of the site.

This is a good site but you focus more on communication such as a strapline. "a place for friends" - Myspace. Ive also really got into www.meebo.com which is a great communication site which I think is great. You could also focus on a niche market such as local activities incorporating google maps etc.

Very good site with masses of potential.

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Please feel free to review my trial page:

http://www.webdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?p=709349#post709349

[bgillingham]

One thing that I can think of that would certainly improve your PR would be to get some links from members. If you could somehow ask them to place a link to your PenPal site on their website (if they have one). You should make it as easy as possible - create the HTML code so that they can copy + paste it into their page code. If your server isn't protecting images (hot link protection), I think that you could even go with a button image for the link code (make some small 88x31 with your logo - and create the code that goes with it).

With this "Link to Us" page, you could direct them to this immediately after they sign up, or if you have a newsletter - it isn't too late to talk about the value of linking to your site.

If you have a hard time selling the idea, you should point out to your members how the site would better be able to match pen-pals with more popularity (duh). This part of marketing has always been difficult for me.

Aside from that, there was one appearance issue that bugged me (but I am picky like that!)... I did a search for Penpals, and the resultant boxes (tables) were only as wide as they needed to be... I think that they should all either be the same width.

Best of luck -
Brian