Feedback Wanted - Alt. News Site

[openwide]

My website openwide.webs.com
is an alternative news aggregator.

It's intention is to share information that rarely (if ever) gets the attention it deserves from more mainstream sources for reasons such as censorship, profiteering and conflicts of interest with sponsors and investors.

I know its nothing extrordinary, I find the headlines page really useful but
it's not getting many visitors and I would like to know if anyone could give me some feedback on it please.

Also I'm willing to return the favour if you're also developing a site.

Thank you.

[machine]

Originally Posted by openwide

My website openwide.webs.com
is an alternative news aggregator.

It's intention is to share information that rarely (if ever) gets the attention it deserves from more mainstream sources for reasons such as censorship, profiteering and conflicts of interest with sponsors and investors.

I know its nothing extrordinary, I find the headlines page really useful but
it's not getting many visitors and I would like to know if anyone could give me some feedback on it please.

Also I'm willing to return the favour if you're also developing a site.

Thank you.

Its name sounds a bit rude.

[mikiko]

Excellent idea. Just visited sites I have never came accross before.

Will you include all infowarriors? How do you differentiate the good from the misinformation sites?

It would be great if we could pass on just one website to someone who just came out of the slumber.

[openwide]

Originally Posted by machine

Its name sounds a bit rude.

It's refering to your eyes or mind not your legs or mouth

[mido]

Here's my 2 cents. It's a sound idea but the implementation looks a bit amateurish. The layout and bright coloured labels are a bit basic and I think first impressions are vital. I suggest more conventional lighter background with a dark typeface, and ditch the coloured title labels.

[neutrino]

This site: http://www.newsblok.com/

Seems easier on the eyes and easier to digest so you might consider a similar style?

Dunno.

[moldoviteman]

good stuff,get in touch with globegigradio.com we can give you a push.

[openeyed]

Originally Posted by openwide

My website openwide.webs.com
is an alternative news aggregator.

It's intention is to share information that rarely (if ever) gets the attention it deserves from more mainstream sources for reasons such as censorship, profiteering and conflicts of interest with sponsors and investors.

I know its nothing extrordinary, I find the headlines page really useful but
it's not getting many visitors and I would like to know if anyone could give me some feedback on it please.

Also I'm willing to return the favour if you're also developing a site.

Thank you.

Looking good to me, though it says you have no rank at all, have you submitted it to search engines? Once you have done so and your rank begins to come, start emailing similar niche sites see if they will trade links with you.

Also check out some fiverr.com gigs, some are very useful at $5 a pop and will help you build much needed back links.

[higgs boson]

Originally Posted by mido

Here's my 2 cents. It's a sound idea but the implementation looks a bit amateurish. The layout and bright coloured labels are a bit basic and I think first impressions are vital. I suggest more conventional lighter background with a dark typeface, and ditch the coloured title labels.

Originally Posted by neutrino

This site: http://www.newsblok.com/

Seems easier on the eyes and easier to digest so you might consider a similar style?

Dunno.

What these 2 say. I like the site and have stuck it on favourites but you should get rid of the colour mix to make it easier on the eye. Newsblok is ok but the pop up info boxes can be a bit distracting and annoying. I find the plain simplicity of something like The Drudge Report to be more favourable.

[o_rourke]

Originally Posted by openeyed

Looking good to me, though it says you have no rank at all, have you submitted it to search engines? Once you have done so and your rank begins to come, start emailing similar niche sites see if they will trade links with you.

Also check out some fiverr.com gigs, some are very useful at $5 a pop and will help you build much needed back links.

I agree. It would also be a good idea to contact the sites that you are promoting to see if they will return the favour by advertising your site.

There's Google Ads, Yahoo Ads etc, where you can PPC (pay per click) advertising. But that can be very expensive if you gain nothing out of it. I.e. you are not driving people to and from your site to buy anything.

[openwide]

Originally Posted by mikiko

Excellent idea. Just visited sites I have never came accross before.

Will you include all infowarriors? How do you differentiate the good from the misinformation sites?

It would be great if we could pass on just one website to someone who just came out of the slumber.

Thanks, i'll check out infowarriors and the sites are just my personal choice but i'm open to suggestions.

Originally Posted by mido

Here's my 2 cents. It's a sound idea but the implementation looks a bit amateurish. The layout and bright coloured labels are a bit basic and I think first impressions are vital. I suggest more conventional lighter background with a dark typeface, and ditch the coloured title labels.

Originally Posted by neutrino

This site: http://www.newsblok.com/
Seems easier on the eyes and easier to digest so you might consider a similar style?
Dunno.

Originally Posted by higgs boson

What these 2 say. I like the site and have stuck it on favourites but you should get rid of the colour mix to make it easier on the eye. Newsblok is ok but the pop up info boxes can be a bit distracting and annoying. I find the plain simplicity of something like The Drudge Report to be more favourable.

OK I'll start trying out a simple black on white style soon then, thanks.

Originally Posted by o_rourke

I agree. It would also be a good idea to contact the sites that you are promoting to see if they will return the favour by advertising your site.

There's Google Ads, Yahoo Ads etc, where you can PPC (pay per click) advertising. But that can be very expensive if you gain nothing out of it. I.e. you are not driving people to and from your site to buy anything.

I'll look into that but i'm going to work on improving the site first, thanks.

Originally Posted by moldoviteman

good stuff,get in touch with globegigradio.com we can give you a push.

Will do, thanks.

Originally Posted by openeyed

Looking good to me, though it says you have no rank at all, have you submitted it to search engines? Once you have done so and your rank begins to come, start emailing similar niche sites see if they will trade links with you.

Also check out some fiverr.com gigs, some are very useful at $5 a pop and will help you build much needed back links.

I thought id submitted it to Google but I guess not so I'll look into that, thanks.

[openwide]

Okay now what do you think? openwide.webs.com
I've probably gone a bit too plain and simple but I think it looks better than it was and the site runs a bit quicker too.

[lesleypumpshaft]

Don't worry too much about the design of the site for now, just make sure it is optimised for the search engines. There are lots of free resources on SEO on the interwebs.

As people have suggested some good quality links from other sites to yours.

Google penalises sites for duplicate content. If you are a news site you need to re-write the articles for your site in your own words. Then use the feed as a reference. As Google is the big kahuna, even if it is evil, it is very important to make sure your site performs well.

Also, keep adding good quality content, Google looks favourably on this.

Theer are lots of webmaster forums where you can get tips off experienced people. The Google algorithms are not static, things change all the time.

[mediatrix]

Originally Posted by neutrino

This site: http://www.newsblok.com/

Seems easier on the eyes and easier to digest so you might consider a similar style?

Dunno.

Great site. Thank you.

[jackdaw]

Originally Posted by openwide

Okay now what do you think? openwide.webs.com
I've probably gone a bit too plain and simple but I think it looks better than it was and the site runs a bit quicker too.

I suggest a smaller typeface = more spacing between links.

[uprising]

Have you done any reporting of the Hollie Greig and Robert Green cases?

[smoke n mirrors]

Do you have a hosting account with Apache, php and mysql? If you do I can give you a hand to install and setup a Joomla site which would be easier for you to add content etc. long term.

PM if that would be useful.

Check out the Joomla Free Demo for 30 days here http://www.joomla.org/ the on-line demo is cloud based.

If you want to test it out on your own computer install wamp or xamp and then install joomla. There are loads aggregator extensions and other dynamic content modules in the extensions area http://extensions.joomla.org/

Here is a site with some free templates http://www.joomlashack.com/products/...omla-templates

This might be useful http://magazine.joomla.org/issues/Is...e-is-available
.

[crypticmystic]

Originally Posted by openwide

I would like to know if anyone could give me some feedback on it please.

input the following, into a search engine, "ALJAZEERA cia"

[openwide]

Originally Posted by lesleypumpshaft

Don't worry too much about the design of the site for now, just make sure it is optimised for the search engines. There are lots of free resources on SEO on the interwebs.

As people have suggested some good quality links from other sites to yours.

Google penalises sites for duplicate content. If you are a news site you need to re-write the articles for your site in your own words. Then use the feed as a reference. As Google is the big kahuna, even if it is evil, it is very important to make sure your site performs well.

Also, keep adding good quality content, Google looks favourably on this.

Theer are lots of webmaster forums where you can get tips off experienced people. The Google algorithms are not static, things change all the time.

I just don't have the time or skills to re-write all the articles im afraid.

Originally Posted by jackdaw

I suggest a smaller typeface = more spacing between links.

Done, thanks.

Originally Posted by uprising

Have you done any reporting of the Hollie Greig and Robert Green cases?

I've posted a few tweets on it in the past.

Originally Posted by smoke n mirrors

Do you have a hosting account with Apache, php and mysql? If you do I can give you a hand to install and setup a Joomla site which would be easier for you to add content etc. long term.

PM if that would be useful.

Check out the Joomla Free Demo for 30 days here http://www.joomla.org/ the on-line demo is cloud based.

If you want to test it out on your own computer install wamp or xamp and then install joomla. There are loads aggregator extensions and other dynamic content modules in the extensions area http://extensions.joomla.org/

Here is a site with some free templates http://www.joomlashack.com/products/...omla-templates

This might be useful http://magazine.joomla.org/issues/Is...e-is-available
.

I'm using the webs.com server, I'm not familiar with xamp and stuff and I'm limited in what I can do with the feeds as I'm using a javascript template from http://feed.mikle.com.

Originally Posted by crypticmystic

input the following, into a search engine, "ALJAZEERA cia"

I did, what am I meant to be looking for?

[smoke n mirrors]

Originally Posted by openwide

I'm using the webs.com server, I'm not familiar with xamp and stuff and I'm limited in what I can do with the feeds as I'm using a javascript template from http://feed.mikle.com.

From a quick glance at their packages they don't provide information about mysql. I would also assume that mysql isn't part of the free package.

.