Hi JP,
Ok team, here is an update. Massimo and I are talking about how to revamp the site and forum now that I have more time for this kind of thing again. What this basically means is me getting off my ass and doing something about the entry page and other content of the site, blending it with Massimo's work, and customizing the forum away from this generic looking thing we have.
I think you are both right, a revamp will be a good thing.
The web page -
1. Blog style. Instead of having to create a web page every time I want to post something, I simply enter an article like a forum post with images, etc. By blog, I simply mean an easier way for me to post things. Massimo would have access and be able to "blog" post and link updates, giving the entry portal relevance it has frankly never had. (Massimo's portion would remain unchanged.) An example of what I might use it for - post a model work-in-progress thread like I'm doing on the forum. When the aircraft is done, write/publish an article on the finished product, and link back to the forum showing the work in progress and all the discussion leading up to the finished build.
Hmmm...blog style.
Might be a good idea for those you put up the content but I've seen a lot of blogs where it's almost impossible to find rapidly or even to find at all old items.
In a previous life(11 years ago
) as a webmaster the most important thing to keep visitors interested was that they must find items within 3 "clicks" at the most.
So if your suggestion includes these 3 clicks, needing links on the home page, I'll be happy.
For example the in home page there should be the links found in the table in this current page:
http://mig3.sovietwarplanes.com/If not I'll have to see
2. Install a robust search feature and delete my useless index style of pages that no one uses anyway. This way, I can re-edit the articles already on the site and begin re-adding them as blog posts. (Minus the spam ads that somehow found their way into the pages.) If anyone wants to find something specific, they should be able to search the entire site and find results. This is better and easier than trying to establish and maintain a large structure of files with an index for people to click through.
OK, but again the major parts should be seen up front. Search engines are not perfect and visitors not always.
As an example; if someone is looking for informations on La-5 and write Lavotchkin the search will results with nothing if in the site it's writen Lavochkin.
To sum up my toughts let's say that with links and a search engine the content will be easier to reach.
Add a sitemap and it will be better
The forum -
1. A custom site banner at the top linking back to the main page.
Way to go !!!
3. A new template and custom color scheme... Basically, I'd like it to be designed specifically to go with our site.
My I suggest AII green over AII dark green. It will, for sure, make for lively discussions.
All the best.
Jean