16 replies to this topic

[1dmf]

Hello Peeps,

I had a domain renewal notice and decided if I was going to keep the domain it was about time I pulled my finger out and actually finished a hobby site for a change.

Plus some thanks goes to Scottie & Randy , as Scottie's signature says [Ideas are worth nothing unless executed] , which Randy has reitterated many times, so I finally executed one of my ideas and this is what I came up with over the weekend, hope you like it and welcome all feedback / critisism.

There are only 3 out of the 6 albums currently available, it's taking ages to upload the MP3's as I have to do each track and the album zip (each album zip is @ 100mb), and with my poxy upload speeds, it'll be a week before i'm done!

http://www.dance-music.org - The home of free dance music.

General
Is this site completed or under construction?
Completed

If completed:
How long has the site been up?
2 days
SEO
Do you have incoming links?
No
What keywords are you targeting?
Dance Music, Free Dance Music, Free MP3 Downloads , Free Dance Music Downloads, you get the idea!
Do you want your code reviewed for errors or improvements?
Sure, but I have already validated to W3C X/HTML1.0 Strict
Marketing
Who is your target audience? Think about:
Gender : Any one who likes EDM
Nationality : Any
Age Range : Any
Income/Education level : Any
Likes/Dislikes : Well they need to like the music, bit pointless downloading if they don't!

Why is your site different from sites selling/offering similar info/goods/services? Why will someone want to do business you?
coz it's FREE

How important is usability?
Very, need to be easy and simple to get the music

What is the purpose of the site? (inform, sell, online community, support B&M business, contact info only, etc)
To give away free electronic dance music
Design
Do you want design suggestions?
sure, though it is based on a free template, I used Fireworks to create the logo and found the mike image on the net, so any big design changes are beyond my graphic capabilities!

Edited by 1dmf, 13 July 2008 - 11:49 AM.

[Ladybug]

Nice site, love the graphics

[1dmf]

Thanks LadyBug - though the design is based on a free template so I can't take all the credit, but I have personalised it!

[Jarret]

Not too bad, but I would change a few things.

The big header section, under the navigation...I would do something a little different.

First off, make the cartoon graphic a little bit smaller so that you have more room at the top. Spread out Dance Music Organization (you mispelled it) so that it spreads across the entire header section.

Get rid of the Free MP3 Dance Music Downloads and the image of the microphone. The image is just wasting valuable space in my opinion. You can move Welcome to Dance-Music.org, the home of free dance music. under the Dance Music Organization headline.

You could take the Free MP3 Dance Music Downloads and rewrite it as Top 5 Most Popular Dance Downloads or something along those lines and replace the image with the top 5 songs (obviously). Or something else, perhaps maybe a newsletter to build up an email list or something to get people to sign up for. Not sure exactly what your intentions are with the site other then providing free downloads, but what better way to get people to sign up to a newsletter then to provide them with something that is free?

Other then that, not too bad. I would change the look of the site, but you said it is a free template and that your skills keep you from changing much so that isn't really an option.

[1dmf]

Thanks Jarret,

I was thinking replacing the mike and just having the strap line, the original template had an image there so just replaced it with one more in keeping with the template colours.

Dance Music Organization (you mispelled it)

Err no I haven't, this site is English, we don't use 'z', that's the American spelling.

Not sure the point of a newsletter, I don't want people to sign up for anything, I'm just giving my music away for free!

[Jill]

Haven't looked at the site yet, but from your info:

Dance Music, Free Dance Music, Free MP3 Downloads , Free Dance Music Downloads

It's a brand new site. You're going to need to find keyword phrases that get searched upon, but aren't too competitive to target.

While "dance music" is highly searched upon, it has over 3/4 million pages using that phrase in their title tags, for instance.

Some of your others aren't competitive, but no one is searching on them either.

I suggest doing some extensive keyword research to find those keyword gems that get searched upon, but for which not that many have already optimized.

Yours don't appear to fall into that category where they're either too competitive or are too longtail.

[Jarret]

Err no I haven't, this site is English, we don't use 'z', that's the American spelling.

Ah ok, my mistake then.

I was just throwing out random ideas, you don't have to necessarily have to use a newsletter. But....unless people are checking your site daily/weekly, which everybody may not do, a newsletter would be a great way to instantly notify them with newly uploaded songs or what is happening with you. Just a suggestion

[1dmf]

Very True Jill,

I haven't done any KWD research yet, it wasn't my priority, writing the site and getting the tunes up came first.

But I guess I need to look at the best way of getting exposure with non-competetive , search upon KWD's without spending money, after all i'm just dong it for the fun and giving everything away free.

I'm curious as to how G! see old domains whith new content, it's been so long since dance-music.org had content GWMT is showing no pages indexed, but I've owned the domain for @ 8 years does the age delay still come into effect?

[Jill]

I'm curious as to how G! see old domains whith new content, it's been so long since dance-music.org had content GWMT is showing no pages indexed, but I've owned the domain for @ 8 years does the age delay still come into effect?

Owning a domain and having a website are two different things in terms of the age of the website.

Currently, Google's aging delay seems to be in flux, so I'm not personally sure of how your website will be affected (if at all). It may even be a thing of the past, although I doubt they'd abandon it completely.

[1dmf]

I've made changes based on Jarret's suggestion , you were right Jarret, how is anyone going to know when I've updated the track listing / albums available!

Man been so busy getting it written, i missed the obvious, just as well I can come here and get some valuable input.

I've also ditched the mike image, gone for a bolder strap line, giving room for the newsletter signup section.

Hope you like!

Edited by 1dmf, 13 July 2008 - 05:30 PM.

[1dmf]

Ok all six albums uploaded, final tweaks made and logo change.

Any further suggestions appreciated, I was considering adding a pop-out menu with extra's such as Radio, quick link to specific album and maybe bonus tracks not released on album.

Any thoughts?

[Jarret]

Hey 1dmf, glad to see that you liked my idea

I don't have any other suggestions just yet. I am not quite sure what you mean when you are referring to a pop out menu but it sounds like it could provide some useful links.

I can't really think of it, but it just feels like there is something missing from the home page. Though I am not quite sure what it is....

Maybe you could add a little bit more to explain what exactly they will get when they sign up to your newsletter? Will they get instant updates when songs are added? Will they get a bonus track not available on the site? Adding something that is unique is a great way to get people to sign up and bring in more listeners.

You don't have to do any of this, it's just more thought then anything else. But if I am going to be signing up to a newsletter and giving somebody my email address, I want to know what I am going to be getting in return. And if what I am getting is something that the general public won't have access to, then I am really compelled to subscribe.

Other then that, I will try to come up maybe with some other ideas

[1dmf]

Hey Jarret,

Your idea was ok , no seriously , you were right the original template took up way to much real estate, that's the problem when you have a 22" widescreen monitor in 1280 x 1050 resolution, you forget that *most* run 1024 x 768 !

The pop out menu is a cool little script I got (and before you say I know JS) , that adds a little gadget popout menu, it would fit great in the main header and when click it would float over te newsleter signup part, I could then putt little extras in there as discuss, maybe hook up with Orbital Grooves again and add in their radio or a-n-other!

another unfinished site of mine has an example of the pop out menu - though i make it pop out automaticaly which normally it wouldn't , you can see the demo here

CODE

http://www.bargain-hunter.co.uk/index.asp

The newsletter is going to be current album progress and when album is released. I've decided I'm not putting out any of my singles, i've ran a record company with all that stuff for years, I'm not interested in releaseing singles anymore nor writing any, 8 years constant writing has been enoguh for me. (I do say all this on the about/latest news pages )

I could give away a free 'Exclusive' track on signup and as mentioned the popout could have the odd bonus track avaialbale, which maybe I could randomise on a weekly basis?

[ceuyan]

i must disagree with Jarret

The big header section, under the navigation...I would do something a little different.

i like the site design. it has a music, clubby, dance feel to it

[1dmf]

Thanks Ceuyan!

I ditched the pop-out menu idea for the time being, I had intergrated an online radio station into it which I used to work closely with and DJ from time to time, but their site has steadily gone down hill over the last few years and so have decided to remove it.

I've had a few sign up for the newsletter, which is encouraging, it means they are finding the site for starters, I guess I need to work out what i'm going to say when I now circulate my newsletter.

Thanks for the extra work Jarret