Photo.net Homepage Redesign...

<p>Howdy everyone,</p>

<p>After...oh probably....8 years of being more or less the same, we decided it was high time to redesign the Photo.net homepage. Things were getting a bit cluttered and out of date.</p>

<p>The main goals were:</p>

<ul>

<li>Reduce overall clutter and simplify the navigation</li>

<li>Bring more focus onto new review and learn content</li>

<li>Add in additional user image placements</li>

<li>Eliminate duplicate links/content</li>

<li>Increase size of image thumbnails</li>

</ul>

<p>I think we did a pretty good job. I have to say that I prefer the two-thirds/one-thirds split to the eye clutter that the three-column layout had become. Based on clicks and google analytics, we knew what was and wasn't being used as far as links on the home page. So we based much of our "keep or toss" decisions on that to start with. Then we just went down the list and addressed the items on that list. The page isn't totally static, I have some other ideas and features that will likely be added. But I myself like the new layout a lot and think it will be an advantage for new visitors to the site (who are a large part of the homepage traffic).</p>

<p>Thoughts, questions, or bug reports..please post them here. Angry rants or insults...please email me via the "contact us" link at the bottom of the page.</p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>Josh<br>

 

<h3>EDIT for additional changes...</h3>

<p>We made a few changes and updates:

<ul><li>Top banner ad is now removed for any logged in user.

<li>Moved "most recent critique image" back up to the top where it was supposed to be. Moved POTW to the second "above the fold" spot.

<li>Re-ordered a few other things on the right hand 1/3 column

<li>Created a page to see all of the "daily sampling" images and a link from the daily sampling box. URL for the page is <a href="http://www.photo.net/gallery/sample-gallery">http://www.photo.net/gallery/sample-gallery</a>

<li>Added a few more fixes for the dropdown menus for IE7 users.</ul></p>

 

<p>Please note that these changes are NOT reflected on the screenshot below. They are, however, live on the actual homepage.</p>

<p>Thanks,<br> -Josh</p>

 

 

<a href="../photo/15475612&size=lg"><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/15475612-md.jpg" alt="" /></a></p>

<blockquote>

<p>I think we did a pretty good job</p>

</blockquote>

<p>so do I</p>

<p>I was wondering what happened when I hit my back button, and the font on the radio bar across the top changed... Since I usually hang out at the Unified View forums page, I had to refresh to see this posting.<br>

Yes Josh (and crew), you did a good job.</p>

<p>Looks good to me :)</p>

<p>Nice, I like it</p><div></div>

<p>I'm preparing my angry rant and insult e-mail now ;)<br /><br /><br>

I like the new appearance but might have made the two thirds split the opposite way with the product stuff being the third. It has a wee bit dpreview equipment dominated feeling to it although the images at the top negates that a bit. I gather the way it is done is less cluttered as desired and can see other reasons for it. Nice work as usual.</p>

<p>Store -> Memory, is a dead link. </p>

<blockquote>

<p>Store -> Memory, is a dead link.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>That's probably unrelated to the homepage redesign. But I will look into it. Thanks.</p>

<p><strong>Josh,</strong><br>

A big <strong>THANK YOU</strong> to you and the elves. Good work!</p>

Looks good. Still very recognizable as photo.net.

<p>The old layout was a little cluttered, but I think it had more personality. This looks kind of generic, and it seems to me that way too much space is given over to the camera and equipment reviews, which is the kind of information you can find on a lot of sites.</p>

<p>Photo Net's new look reminds me of <a href="http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/">http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/</a>, which I find a little bland looking.</p>

Looks like a catalogue mail offer page! Unused space is almost all around ads. Old good marketing request how to

increase click on ad chances. Oh, well....

<blockquote>

<p>Looks like a catalogue mail offer page! Unused space is almost all around ads. Old good marketing request how to increase click on ad chances. Oh, well....</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Brano, I think there is some confusion. Aside from the centered banner ad at the top/bottom, the white space around the ads is about 3/8 of an inch or so, pretty much the same as it was with the old design.. The same as most other stuff and much less than the space around the article links or the daily sampling at the top or the flower images in the gallery at the bottom.</p>

<p>Honestly, I always thought PN's home page looked a bit amateurish. The new design is a big improvement. Good work!</p>

<p>I don't often pay much attention to the home page, but the redesign helped me find a <A HREF="http://www.photo.net/learn/art-photo-galleries/three-tips-for-selling-showing-your-photos-in-a-gallery/">recent article</A> relevant to my interests. Both the article on gallery shows and lively comments section were interesting since some of my work will be displayed (and hopefully sold) for an upcoming fund raiser.</p>

 

<p>Overall it's a cleaner, less cluttered look and puts more emphasis on member photos.</p>

<p>The old design emphasized members' pictures, with the recent most picture submitted for critique, for instance, placed smack dab in the middle of the page. Now, that's placed off to the side, and the emphasis is on other things.</p>

<p>Without that emphasis (which perhaps is not available elsewhere), I'm not sure what Photo Net is supposed to be.</p>

<p>The new page looks clean. I like it . To be totally honest tho I use the Unified forums Page is the one I use as my home page here so I seldom saw the old home page</p>

<p>i am disappointed to see the eight thumbnails disappear. i used to open all eight photos at once in tabs of the browser and can no longer do so. please bring back the stationery thumbnails. --david</p>

 

<p>My first impression is that it looks nice, but I'll do some tests and return to you if something is nagging me.... ;)</p>

<p>I also have the Unified Forum page as my home page, and I do agree that the new look is cleaner - but I was a little disapointed to see so much space given to gear. For me, PN is all about the forums, member's photos and learning/articles. Gear has its place of course, but I had to scroll down alot to even find the 'Discuss - Photography forums' section. For me, I would prefer to see the forums placed so that they are visable is the top third of the page.</p>

<p>nice clean, fresh look; I like it! cb</p>

<p>Josh: I was pleasantly surprised when I logged on a few minutes ago. The new format is less cluttered. Good stuff!</p>

 

<p>I like the POTW closer to the top and the scrolling photo sample lineup. I am bothered by the ad at the very top signifiying that PN's top priority is advertising. I fully understand the importance of advertising to the operation of the site, but the very top position is sending the wrong message. Although now that I think of it, I'm not sure if it wasn't at the top in the previous design. I agree with the above comment about the prominence of the equipment reviews. To find articles of other interest, one must scroll down quite a bit. Overall I applaud the effort to simplify and clean up the clutter, but I think it falls short on ease of use and advertising display.</p>

<p>Seems less cluttered and I like the larger image thumbnails. The focus on new equipment reviews is a good one as long as the content keeps up. Overall a nice change.</p>

I like it very much. It is more eye-pleasing, polished, and professional.