Website Review and Suggestions

**ustings** · 01:09 PM

Review my website www.ustings.com we offer free US Classified ads in all 50 US states

**edgray** · 10-18-2010, 01:02 PM

I'm guessing you want us to review ustings.com rather than usings.com, which was just a holding page...

Ok first impression was the site is just an Adwords site: they're everywhere on there. But getting past that, design-wise, it's very narrow. You've got a lot more room to play with these days, and width-wise, 960px is considered the norm. You could make the whole site more readable with that extra width. Not to mention prettier.

Secondly, and back to the ads, the Google ads at the top look too much like the site navigation. That may be intentional, but from a usability stand point, it annoyed me a little.

Thirdly, it's very cluttered. Which is impressive, given that it's essentially a simple site. The home page does look messy, mostly because of the adwords all over the place. Try to make more distinction between the two.

To improve the design, I would widen it, and I would make sure the site elements, such as search, navigation etc, were in boxes, so it makes it clear to the end user that they're not adverts.

The site works nicely though, and once you're in, moving around wasn't too hard.

**ustings** · 10-18-2010, 01:14 PM

Thanks I will consider increasing the width of the website.

With regards to making it prettier, not sure. I wanted to make it a workman type of site. Where the content provided by users are the important thing.

**edgray** · 10-18-2010, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ustings

Thanks I will consider increasing the width of the website.

With regards to making it prettier, not sure. I wanted to make it a workman type of site. Where the content provided by users are the important thing.

that makes sense. I would just try and distinguish between the adverts and the content of the site a little more.

**ustings** · 10-18-2010, 02:01 PM

Well I increased the width of the website and font sizes I hope it is much better now.

**edgray** · 10-18-2010, 02:23 PM

that is, quite literally, a massive improvement: the whole site looks so much clearer and more modern too now that's wider. The adverts seem less dominant now, making the site feel much nicer to use

Now that it's larger, I don't really think much is left to change. As you said, you're going for a very workman's look, and I think it fills that criteria perfectly.

**EddieAee** · 04:45 PM

I would defiantly put less ads on the site. Is putting 10X as many adds as you need going to make people click on them or will it just make them leave your site?

removed

**Knight13** · 10-19-2010, 02:50 AM

The site looks alright but it still looks like it was made a long time ago, you need to try and make it look more modern also maybe make a banner that is a little better than the one you are using now.

**m112** · 10-19-2010, 04:16 AM

the is site looks very simple - but its not an eye catching at all
you have just some text and adverts - I would not stay on this site for longer then 10 sec

**ustings** · 10-20-2010, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m112

the is site looks very simple - but its not an eye catching at all
you have just some text and adverts - I would not stay on this site for longer then 10 sec

Why is craigslist.orf so popular?

Why google is so popular?

People don't stay commited to a site because it is attractive. But more for what the site can do for them or if it is serving their needs.

**rusakow** · 10-22-2010, 12:39 PM

Very old style. Looks like site was made in the 80's. Try to use CSS styles for links. Make another logo - this one looks very bad

**ustings** · 10-22-2010, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rusakow

Very old style. Looks like site was made in the 80's. Try to use CSS styles for links. Make another logo - this one looks very bad

I agree about the logo I will work on that. The emphasis of this site is revenue generation and not appearance.

**mylittlehouse** · 10-26-2010, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ustings

Review my website www.ustings.com we offer free US Classified ads in all 50 US states

Looks like Craigst list in New York

**vickiehoo88** · 10-28-2010, 04:14 AM

the area of intermediate version can be bigger, the two editions of left and right have a bit waste.
Fonts and colors can make some changes
the whole web feel a bit monotonous and messy.

**Private-I** · 10-28-2010, 04:54 AM

it's quite basic, I think you need a logo or a unique selling point for this website - something no one else has.

**emjim** · 10-29-2010, 05:31 AM

"I wanted to make it a workman type of site. Where the content provided by users are the important thing."

You have achieved exactly that. I liked it immediately and knew exactly what the site was trying to do.

**Leopard** · 10-30-2010, 04:11 PM

The problem with this site mainly is that you are trying to remake craigslist, and my deal is why remake the wheel unless you are making it better. It is already a free solution and everyone knows about it.

But honestly, about your statement earlier that some popular websites don't have the best designs, that is incorrect.
Google has likely had more hours put into designing their homepage than any other site that you use, even though it is simplistic, the usability is what is most important which is why their site is as it is (compare that to yahoo).
I will agree with your statement about craigslist though, it isn't very interesting looking though it is incredibly usable, the problem for you is that your site isn't as established as craigslist which means you are going to have to go above and beyond to get people to choose your site over craigslist.

Try adding more color, more interest, make it clutter free, all of that adds up to a nicer design overall.

I wish the best of luck to you.

**rvaibhav** · 10-31-2010, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ustings

Review my website www.ustings.com we offer free US Classified ads in all 50 US states

The site is good...but what you have tried is re-inventing the wheel...

Go for some AJAX applications...They would really enhance your visitors and compell them to come back to ur site...

**ustings** · 11-01-2010, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leopard

The problem with this site mainly is that you are trying to remake craigslist, and my deal is why remake the wheel unless you are making it better. It is already a free solution and everyone knows about it.

But honestly, about your statement earlier that some popular websites don't have the best designs, that is incorrect.
Google has likely had more hours put into designing their homepage than any other site that you use, even though it is simplistic, the usability is what is most important which is why their site is as it is (compare that to yahoo).
I will agree with your statement about craigslist though, it isn't very interesting looking though it is incredibly usable, the problem for you is that your site isn't as established as craigslist which means you are going to have to go above and beyond to get people to choose your site over craigslist.

Try adding more color, more interest, make it clutter free, all of that adds up to a nicer design overall.

I wish the best of luck to you.

I hear what u r saying, however I think there is more room in the classifieds market.

As simple as the site looks I am getting a fair amount of traffic to it and persons are posting ads on a daily basis.

Search for "us classifieds" and we are on the second page of google. Search for "new york classifieds" and we are on page three. All done in less than six months. Adsense revenue greater than a $1 per day.

My guess is that in three years time we will be successful and well known.

I only need 1/10 of craigslist traffic and money and I will be ok

**rvaibhav** · 11-02-2010, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ustings

I hear what u r saying, however I think there is more room in the classifieds market.

As simple as the site looks I am getting a fair amount of traffic to it and persons are posting ads on a daily basis.

Search for "us classifieds" and we are on the second page of google. Search for "new york classifieds" and we are on page three. All done in less than six months. Adsense revenue greater than a $1 per day.

My guess is that in three years time we will be successful and well known.

I only need 1/10 of craigslist traffic and money and I will be ok

@ustings,

I totally agree with you that u will be well off in three years time...
But run after excellence, not after money...Sure there is more room in the classifieds field. But the time u start getting complacent your creativity ends there...

I also own my own website, and I have not yet put any advertisement on it. Majorly because first i want to make my product successful. Go after quality, not quantity.