Bengo's dashboard

Indeed, if there are no features or decorations, and it's liquid, and you can upload a background color or pattern, then you would seem to be in need of only one additional style. – Bengo, on August 10, 2008 06:23

I should mention that I particularly want neutral layouts (black, white, grey, green) that are liquid and they should have no decorations. If there is a masthead, like Red Planet has, it should be swappable. Earthtones and textures like burlap and cotton fabric would be appealing. Also appealing would be "load your own" background patterns, because many people custom make them. Example of custom made liquid background, as I understand it: http://dummcomics.com/index?sid=105 – Bengo, on August 10, 2008 06:19

That's a great idea, but I have 275+ web pages already. You've got me thinking, but I believe a liquid layout template is the only good option. Please tell me if you disagree. – Bengo, on August 10, 2008 06:15

I mean a liquid layout. – Bengo, on August 10, 2008 02:30

To AAHP,

Good site. Next I'll be cleaning something.

At the bottom of p 1 you have a link to another site but no links to your internal pages. This is going to cause people to leave your site.

I suggest you save the external link for later and place a link to your next page, or a menu of your inner pages.

Right now it is not clear enough that you have internal pages.

Good luck with it.

Bengo

I might add, the user demographic for your product may be people with low programming experience, but there will be churn that will slow growth if expressibility of the tool doesn't grow with the user, and there are visual factors that say, "This is a tool, not a custom design" will be seen by some as poison. I realize I am lecturing at a level that is over my head, and I apologize, but I mean well. I want everyone on your end to understand how we see things on this end. To be honest, this factor has put me under pressure to consider other options than Synthasite, but I have held out, expecting that it will be resolved. Just for example, we recently were invited to merge with another comics collective, and I feel I must bring my sites up to the standards of the other members. I remain 100% confident I can do this with Synthasite, given the right tools. Please don't think I am threatening to leave -- I would make every effort to resolve whatever was motivating such sentiments before considering it. Nor am I meaning to pile my wish list on the backs of your staff -- I think I have managed to make clear what I feel is of high importance and what I feel is merely desirable. It's just hard for me to argue my case without coming off like I am making demands. That is not my intent. I only want you to see it how I see it, so that you can factor my view into your decision-making. I'm sure you have priorities I can't imagine, and I would not want to disrupt them.

THANK YOU for listening. :)

I'm sure you are advocating for us!

I don't know what the counter-arguments might be (programmer priorities?) but this issue is a deal-breaker for many in the comics/illustration/art and design communities -- and these people are prolific producers of web sites. At much as I have suggested that colleagues consider Synthasite, this issue has been the block at least 60% of the time.

Many art sites are eligible for awards, and the foundation look of the site can divide them into the also-ran group if it looks unprofessional. It also limits design options.

Competing options have serious deficits that are not likely to change. Eliminating this issue at Synthasite represents an opportunity.

I am also unable to recommend Synthasite in my blog and other places until this is addressed, or it will be counter-productive. I am no power blogger, but I have a following, and those people have a following, and so on. I can't promise a surge of users, but I will report my experiences in my area of the web.

Hindi Karaoke is new to me. You'll forgive me if I mumble a bit when it's my turn with the microphone.

You have a great start on a niche site. When Google finds you, I bet you are high on the search results for your topic.

I installed the two-URL code on the home page of one site but it seems to make no difference in the analytics reports I received today.

Todd, here is a list of some webcomics people who accept commissions:

http://psychedelictreehouse.com/commi...

First I write and draw the comics the traditional way, using pens and markers on a pad.
Then the comics are drawn on a Wacom Tablet using Adobe Illustrator by my wife. The tablet is like drawing on a pad but having the lines appear on your screen.
Photo of tablet ----> http://z.about.com/d/graphicssoft/1/0...
Coloring is done with Adobe Photoshop. Word balloons are done in a combination of Photoshop and Illustrator.
When a page is done, she saves it to the optimum size and resolution and sends it to my computer, and I upload it onto the site. I make certain things for each page, like navigation arrows or page numbers, depending on the comic. ScratchinPost.com is more complicated because it has many more link buttons. It takes about six hours for the average LilNyet.com page and two days for a ScratchinPost.com page, not counting the original drawing and writing.

You are asking about what are called stock, or royalty-free photos, and Googling those terms will bring up many sources. "Free clipart" and "free graphics" will produce results for images. When you are ready to have something custom made, simply ask around -- don't try to hire a designer over the web for a masthead or other small task. Someone you know, or someone they know, is eager to show off their Photoshop skills for a gratuity. That doesn't mean they have good design sense -- for that, you have to get lucky or approach someone whose work you like.

Thanks for asking -- I don't get to talk about work technique outside of the comics community very often.

Best,
Ben

I'm sorry that one entry is poorly formatted. Some kind of error on my part. When I've time I'll tidy it up.

That appears to be for folding two domains into one report, but right next to it was

http://www.google.com/support/googlea...

which is for folding one domain with two names into one report, which is what I want.

Unfortunately, it means altering the tracking code on over 250 pages. Are any of your colleagues aware of such a thing as a find-and-replace widget that will spot this code and change the line that needs changing? I'll check Google myself.

Thanks for the guidance!

Bengo

A new tip: Deep links. Deep links are incoming links to pages other than your home page. Google likes to see these, as they suggest valuable content is contained throughout your site. One example is my Synthasite site Psychedelic Treehouse.com. Contained with that site is an important reference directory, http://psychedelictreehouse.com/Colle... - The Directory of Webcomic Collectives. Some users of my site are particularly interested in that, which is almost a site within a site, and I am starting to discover people linking directly to it. When designing your site, if it is going to have more than 5 - 10 pages, make some of them stand out by designing them as "major section" or chapters within your site. Don't make changes to your site design that will make it seem choppy, but do consider giving it a simple, clear text title in a larger font size to establish it as a section. The content needs to be useful in a stand alone way. For example, if I was doing a fan site about the Russian Blue cat variety, I might come across articles about special health needs of Blues, and assemble them into a section called "Health Needs of Russian Blues." That would be likely to get me some direct, "deep" links.

On a related topic, are you showing the world that you are open to linking and link trades? I recommend the following scheme as a starting point, and you can change it as you see fit:

1. Have a links page, and make it appear in your menu
2. Populate your links page with some sites your readers might like. You can use text links or banner links, but a section for both shows people you are skilled at using both if they want to approach you for a trade.

3. Link texts allow a few words saying why the link is great:
OnlyYellowCatnipPowder.com - Get yellow catnip powder here -- and they also have green.

4. At the bottom of the page, make and post your own banners in the popular sizes (button, half banner, banner, leaderboard, square, skyscraper - you can see the names and sizes of these in the blue boxes on this page: http://www.projectwonderful.com/adsea... ).

5. Have a navigation button called CONTACT that says how to contact you. Email is best. Most people stopping by to swap links won't be bothered with shout boxes and forums. Google "email obfuscators" if you want to protect your email from spammers. Get a free, second address from Yahoo or somewhere if you are concerned about your primary address being used by site visitors.

Another point I have to share today is: whatever category your site is in, make sure to track down the bloggers for that category and open communication with them. Start by commenting on posts they make that interest you, and put your URL with your signature. Right above your URL -- the line directly above it -- put a simple phrase stating what your site is about. That tells Google more about the link.

Eventually, as you build bonds will bloggers, they may link or write about your site, or review it or interview you.

Admittedly, if your site is a fun site scattered across multiple personal interests -- WoW gaming, Green Day and fashion, for example -- it will be more difficult to build mutual relationships with bloggers. Sites with a clearly defined purpose are easier to promote.

(Note: if my mention of Russian Blues led someone here by accident, go to RussianBlue.org ) – Bengo, on August 03, 2008 18:14

Hi, I'm a user of Synthasite, browsing posts and I saw yours. I can offer a personal opinion.

Synthasite is an easy web builder for people without tech training. It is also a powerful and versatile web builder for people with some tech skills and also with design skills and knowledge of site optimization in design. I'm the latter.

What that means is, I can build more sites faster and I don't have to do a lot of tedious coding or rely on a coder to build a site that will actually match my specs. I can do it myself. Because I can work with Photoshop and Illustrator, I can be my own graphic design studio as well as site building shop. I don't like relying on others, so this is empowering for me, and when I do have to rely on Synthasite staff for help, they always come through.

I've learned that SEO is a topic that contains a lot of bunk and a lot of redundant sites trying to make a buck selling knowledge you can get for free. However, it is an important topic -- I prefer to call it site optimization -- and it differs depending on the type of site. Merchant sites are different from browsing sites (like my web comic sites and most blogs) which are different from others types of sites. The SEO guidelines differ depending on the site, so collecting SEO facts needs to be planned around your intended audience.

Just some thoughts for you. Oh -- want to see my Synthasite sites, to give you an idea what I have done? (They are still short of my vision but my progress has been remarkable, especially with the new editor, which is fantastic.)
webcomic
http://scratchinpostcomics.com/
webcomic
http://lilnyet.com/
webcomic resources
http://psychedelictreehouse.com/

Best of luck,
Bengo

I'm a Synthasite user for a while now, and there are several fairly simple things that can cause that. Don't be upset. Give them time to identify what you need to do and it usually comes out fine in the end. The help here is very good. Good luck.

OK, that's great. Changing page names isn't a big deal, but changing the links that might go to a previous version of a page name can be a lot of work. Thanks for researching this for me. I appreciate your help, and now I know so I can share the findings with others.

Bengo