General thoughts about the homepage / member's main page

[irriadin]

Here's my opinion about the current state of the homepage / member's main page:

• Cluttered homepage design - The current homepage is kinda a confusing mess. We've got a little intro paragraph welcoming people to the org, then news, then the AMV Spotlight, then more news. There's little to no consistency with the presentation, which causes confusion and makes it easy for people to ignore the news altogether.
• Waste of valuable space in the right column. The login area is over there, and nothing else. The width of the page container is already pretty small, this just makes it worse. Additionally, having a three column structure in such a low width site makes things look cluttered inherently.
• The whole "homepage vs member's main page" thing. This is just poorly executed. Sure, we probably do need a separate page for members and just the general public. But making the two pages so similar causes a lot of confusion (to me at least), particularly in that the "main homepage" is hard to get back to once you leave it.

Here's my suggestions to make things more cohesive and less confusing:

• Create a visual hierarchy that separates content, news stories, amv spotlight, etc. into an easily comprehensible layout. This will give the spotlight area the, well, spotlight. Additionally, news items won't get lost in the shuffle and will be more apparent to viewers. See this thread for an example of what the new layout could look like for the homepage.
• Effectively utilize the screen space, while also creating a presentation that is spaced appropriately and allows for expansion.
• Create an easily navigable layout for the homepage and member's page. In my mind, the best way of handling this would be to make a little nav in the top-right of the page that has like, three links: "Homepage | Member's Page | Log out" or something like that. And let's also give the new member's page a custom layout that makes it markedly different from the main page.

[Shin-AMV]

I think there should be a place on the homepage that features some of the newest uploaded videos. Maybe just the title, and a small thumbnail. As it is right now, its really tucked away in the member's page on the lower right hand corner. You'd be surprised at how many decent videos get uploaded but are never announced in the announcment threads.

[Chained(E)Studio]

I think the whole homepage needs to go. It needs to be build in a way that will attract viewers (not just the everyday editor, or regular a-m-v.org user). Even if you make the AMV Spotlight better, or condense the side margins its not going to help. It should be more of a system like AMVnews.

What AMVnews has:

Spoiler :

Middle Margin:
-They update their front page with better videos, but still offer a great area known as "examination" for new and less experienced editors. So you come onto their site and boom you get the best. They post videos from ALL communities on their front. Usually they deem the front by experience of editor, quality of footage, quality of video, proper clip format, and if the AMV has won in previous contest.

-Then to combat the new editors or less experienced, they offer an examination place in which their videos can be voted by viewers to be placed on the front page. Some make it, some don't. But its a system that works great. I personally feel no shame or "unworthy" or that I suck when I don't make front page because you still get a decent amount of views regardless.

On top of all that, they are newer, or brand new AMVs. Which is great, who wants to see the same AMVs over and over again?

-Then if that isn't enough they also blast their front page users with their site contests, articles from editors, off site contests, etc. They keep everything updated and going so that you never get bored and you can find everything you need right there. They take the time to make contests for their own site, banners, organize it, and even find judges.

AND they offer a contest information section where you can post contest, or articles from off their site and then they post them on the front page.

Left side margins:
Are easy to find, read. First navigation offers yours basics: homepage, videos, anime, ratings, articles, voting, search, links, and your forum. Each of these links all branch off into basic and simple to find information. Your second link offers an easy search aside from the search bar option in the first navigation. The third navigation offers your competitions spotlights. And lastly you got your information panel. Simple.

Right side margins:
Offer you, your login. (English or Russian text), your event spotlight (like their recent contest going on, or next contest), top 10 AMVs, a nice random poll which gets changed, some recommended links, and your users.

It is a simple table/blog format that even if you didn't click the option for English you could find what you need just as easy as you could if it were in English. There site offers a lot more than just this, you don't even need to be the author of the AMV to upload it and category it under your own name. AND they offer both basic uploading and ftp access.

Sure their site has a basic design like a-m-v.org but they keep its content fresh and going.

What a-m-v.org could compare to:

Spoiler :

Middle Margin:
Update feed – You are updating the facebook and twitter with different feeds why not the front page.

Contest - Post the contests from the contest section on the front page (keep people informed about deadlines, rules, when they start), post AMVnews & AMV-France associated contests, you could even post IC Competitions from other communities and forums. I mean Phoenix Team and Souls Team both offer great IC's throughout the year. This could easily give editors great ways to find activities.

Articles: Post articles like the Lip Flapper weekly, and any other articles that might come.

Keep it daily to weekly updated so its new and whats going on. I know that there are a lot of great editors who don't edit anymore and its awesome to see their AMVs... but honestly new editors and viewers don't care as much about that as what's brand new. Those are the ones you need to attract. This even in itself would be a lot of work, but you can expand your administration. There are people who would help, its just you need to expand those people too.

AMVs: Org offers something that I think can be unique. Its users can only upload their own AMVs, which is nice because maybe you uploaded hat wrong AMV on youtube. Someone ripped it and posted it up on AMVnews and now its out there and download-able but here that can't happen. Its users can be secure in knowing which of their works are being put out. On top of that if your changing the AMV spotlights on the front with new AMVs that in itself will encourage people to upload because maybe must maybe their AMV will get put up. Who doesn't want their AMV right out there. AMVnews has their examination section which determines which less experienced and newbie editors go on front. Org could implement something similar where they just make sure to post a newbie amv (that is decent and watchable) or a less experienced editor on the front page. So it doesn't look like its completely being bias. You have to let these ones in here and there regardless of whether you like it or not. It keeps the viewers.

Left Side Margin: None Logged in User
Make is simple and offer more to your everyday viewer: Homepage, Contact Info, Donation, Forum, Search, FAQ, Articles ( put all interviews, lip flapper articles or any article here), Contests ( you only have VCAs, your Banner making, and your basic logo making contest. They could be stationary objects there aside from the middle margin which could focus the other contests.

You could even though I know there was talk about this before.. make your own contests. So what if its the same as AMVnews or any other site, its all fun and all taken from each other. So why not bring some more spark to org with a couple more org friendly contest. (NOT org based, only org associated people can enter, not you must be this active to take part because that scares everyone away. It needs to be open to everyone, friendly and made so that they must host their AMVs on this site either through FTP access or another easy uploading tool, to keep logging them and keep it going. I don't want to be following a contest in which I must run to 5 different sites like mediafire to download the AMV. It needs to be directly attached/ hosted and previewable. If it isn't well then they are disqualified simply, or only allow that in the rules.)

Left Side Margin: Logged in User
Things that should change: Make “Fans” into Favourites. Take away interviews and place it in the contest area with other articles like the front page version on contest (above paragraph). Remove Guides to the forum only. Make video entry and upload video in same area, not 2 different places. Everything else is perfectly fine I think. The colouring and size of the font should be made into something more viewable though.

Right Side Margins:
None logged in user: Add affiliates (even if they aren't real ones, link to AKROSS, AMVnews, AMV-France, ZONA-AMV, etc), maybe some banners to contest on side. Make it look more livelier.
Logged in User: Add contest banners here too, maybe show who is online in forums.

Forum: Just added it here

Spoiler :

Anime Music Videos:
Site Announcements
Site Rules
Site Feedback
-org design
Site Help
Moderator Drop Box

All About AMV:
AMV Announcements
Multiple Editor Projects
Opinion Exchange
AMV Discussion
-recommended viewing
-amv suggestions
-general amv
-etc
AMV editing
-guides
-software help
-video help
-etc

Contests
org based
-vcas
-jcas
-banner contest
-logo contest
none org based
-anime boston
-anime expo
-japan expo
Conventions

Forum Discussion:
-Chat Room
-New Members
-copy paste rules
-basic tutorials for use on site
-welcome
Music
Anime
-anime series
-anime screencap
-anime talk
Manga
-manga series
-manga talk
General
-desktop screen cap
-why are you happy
-why are you venting

Don't get me wrong or anything XD I like org, but I like org because I've spent the time reading all threads in the forums and seeing everyone's thoughts and opinions. That's not enough to keep this site going. Not everyone wants to read that, and a lot just want to see AMVs and Contests.

[Otohiko]

(stuff).

Awesome post, thanks for the suggestions!

I especially like your analysis of AMVNews - we NEED to be able to learn from their (and other sites' success) and to see what they do right, and you've definitely pinned down a lot of really important things.

As for news on front page similarly to twitter/FB: I wonder if there is an easy way to import the twitter feeds right into the front page?

[Chained(E)Studio]

(stuff).

Awesome post, thanks for the suggestions!

I especially like your analysis of AMVNews - we NEED to be able to learn from their (and other sites' success) and to see what they do right, and you've definitely pinned down a lot of really important things.

As for news on front page similarly to twitter/FB: I wonder if there is an easy way to import the twitter feeds right into the front page?

I have seen Twitter on a lot of self sites, blogs and etc. I think they just use something similar to this.. a basic widget/code

http://www.sitepoint.com/integrate-twit ... eb-design/

They are available for MySpace, Facebook, Flash and HTML websites. Might take some reading to see how to place the coding, but seems like it would work with anything. I am not sure where about it should be placed though.. under Quick Search would probably be the best spot. If the middle did end up getting changed out into say a blog format/ recent update page. Going under Quick Search would be very eye catching and viewable to a webpage whether your logged in or not. Especially with the dead white space floating around over there.

[dokidoki]

As for news on front page similarly to twitter/FB: I wonder if there is an easy way to import the twitter feeds right into the front page?

Added.

[mirkosp]

Doki is boss.

[Otohiko]

One more thing though - could we add these to the members main page as well somehow? I have a sense that a lot of members see that page far more than the main page....

AWESOME job otherwise!

[Radical_Yue]

One more thing though - could we add these to the members main page as well somehow? I have a sense that a lot of members see that page far more than the main page....

AWESOME job otherwise!

The members main page is my homepage

It has been for the last 5 years >>


Also, holy shit! Tim is the bestest person in the whole wide world :3


Can we get some dokidoki "change" posters up in here?


Ps. Anyway we could get the buttons for FB, OrgApp, Twitter, etc... on the main page in full color all the time instead of when you just scroll over them? They kinda blend into the background when they're grey...
Heck, I didn't even notice we had them till Ileia pointed them out to me and I visit the page multiple times every day >_>;;

[Shin-AMV]

As for news on front page similarly to twitter/FB: I wonder if there is an easy way to import the twitter feeds right into the front page?

Added.

Would it be possible to switch it over onto the right hand column. Right now its well below the fold, and there's not a lot going on in the right hand column, at least on the main page.