Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Hello,

My current website design is based around providing free content to users and using Google advertising tools to generate revenue.  I am a computer security professional trying to target the security needs of users new to the internet and computers, newbies.  While there is a lot of security information available on the Internet, I feel it is sometimes targeted at savvier computer users.  I am especially interested in feedback relating to the layout the site, if the content is written in such a fashion that a "newbie" could understand it, and topics that you would like to see covered.  I am aware that the books section needs some formatting.    Any feedback is appreciated.

http://www.newbiesecurity.com



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Helping new computer users have a safe and fun internet experience. www.newbiesecurity.com

I like it too. Too many websites are going the way of clutter. I like simplicity.
I don`t know if the clutter trend is something people like but I certainly don`t.
Anyway, your site looks good in my opinion.

The one thing I would do, though, if it were my site, is to bold that first sentence "I created this site to help those new to the world of computers and the Internet, a newbie, have a safe and fun experience" just to re-emphasize what the site`s about but that`s just me.

Otherwise, I love the simplicity.


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Get Your Name in ".com" at the International Internet Authority

I like the idea, but as a writer, I`m learning an important lesson. I think it may be new to the online reading experience, but I don`t know that for sure. It`s that people want short paragraphs, even if there are many of them. It may be simply the difference between paper contrast and a video monitor of some kind, but your first paragraph was hard to read.

Here`s an example of how I`d have maybe preferred it:


Coming from past experience, I`d  write the content in MS Word and turn ON the grammar checking. Set the options to notify you for "passive voice," as that`s a really boring way to write sentences. You can research this passive voice, but it basically means to be more direct. :-)

The site`s a great idea, but why not make it more personal? In the above edits, I changed it from "you" talking to "them," and brought it more into "we`re all in this together." It makes it more friendly, in my experience, and newbies are mostly worried about how they`re coming late to the party. They already feel they`re being talked down to, so why not be more inclusive? :-)

These are just my initial thoughts, and understand, they`re coming from my basis as a writer. I`m learning a whole lot as I post on SuN, read other Web sites, and really contemplate what it means to communicate electronically. Not so simple...when you start to really examine the entire process. :-D

my thoughts:

• nice clean look. good job
• i`d recommend having links to other sites open in a new window, this way people do lose you.
• i`d spend some time on your books page. find a better way to display them so it`s not so obvious that it`s just amazon ads. maybe review the book and then provide links to buy them at amazon etc
• your site is only 700 pixels wide. you can squeeze it to 760 pixels wide and still be a-ok. that will provide you some breathing room
• like the security notices, but wish there was a bit more meat in the text
• you`ll need to find a better way to list your articles, especially as you add in more content. think about adding those extra 60 pixesl and creating a side menu etc

nice stuff

Actually, Jonese`s idea about reviewing books is great! Remember that first of all, if you have outbound links to other sites it won`t do much at all for your SE rankings. But secondly, and more importantly, search engine`s are looking for unique content. What better unique and original content than your own book reviews?

I`m so tired of reading a book review, then going out on Google and finding exactly that review repeated everywhere. Or software reviews; same thing.

Since you`re providing original content, meant to be extracted and used on other sites, your own critical analysis and reviews of books about security would be super helpful to many people, not just newbies. It would additionally give you opportunities for links from other sites TO your pages. That`ll push you up in the rankings.

Thanks everybody for the great input!  I really appreciate everybody taking the time to review my site and give me thoughtful feedback.  I am taking notes and working on implementing some of the suggestions.

CraigL,

I agree about the paragraph formatting and trying to be more inclusive with my audience.

Jonese,

Thanks for the formatting information and the book review idea.  I will also put a little more meat into the security notices.  I was keeping them rather simple because my target audience, to some extent, wouldn`t know the difference between HTML, POP or Google and I didn`t want to overwhelm them with a bunch of technical information when the solution is to simply patch.


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Helping new computer users have a safe and fun internet experience. www.newbiesecurity.com

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Get Your Name in ".com" at the International Internet Authority

I like it because it`s simple and to the point. Great job!

My advice echoes another member`s suggestion to work on the
copywriting a bit. I would change the headline from "Welcome to..." to
something a lot more catchy. The top pictures and the headline are what
most people are going to notice first so grab them!

Describe the #1 benefit of the service you are offering. And in the
subsequent text content reinforce that benefit and list others.

You also need to have a strong "call to action" near the top of the page.
You have to ask your visitors to take action and engage with you by
giving you their email address. Write a brief report called, "10 Things You
can Do to Make your Computer Safe and More Secure" and have them
sign up to receive it through email.

Anyway, those are my humble suggestions. I hope it helps. Best of luck!



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-Danny E-Synthesis: Marketing + Web Design Web Design and E-Marketing Services for Small Business

Wow! That`s so perfect! Dan, I`ll suggest that all registered users to SuN send you $100 bills, immediately! ;-D

I`d forgotten the most basic idea of having exactly what it is you do, right there at the top of the Welcome page. And then to have the Top 10 list, it`s perfect for this type of site.

Fix up the copy writing, and put in the lists, and I`ll bet the site really starts to get some traffic. You could maybe work out a way to link it with Kim Komando, too, as she`s definitely helping out newbies about all sorts of things.