Website Review: Your Advice Requested

[Engage]

Hi guys,

I've just started a new project, and would appreciate your
input if it interests you.

The mission of the site is to teach non-profit organizations
to become Adsense publishers, and provide them with the
tools they'll need. They key concept is that non-profits
that can involve their supporters in creating an Adsense
site would have an opportunity to create a new source
of revenue for their projects.

I've just finished the first draft of a five page overview
which attempts to explain Adsense to non-profit leaders who
know little to nothing about online publishing.

As simple as Adsense is, I'm concerned I may not be
explaining it well to folks who don't think about these
things all day like we do.

I'm at that point where I've read my words so many times
I can't really see them anymore.

If you'd like to offer a quick review with your suggestions,
they'll be read with interest and appreciation here.

http://non-profit-funding.org/

LOGIN: funds
PWD: funds

If you only have time to read one page, this one would
probably be of most interest.

http://non-profit-funding.org/adsense/your-secret-success-strategy.cgi

Actually, if you have someone in your life who is NOT involved in online business who would be willing to review the five page overview, that would be fantastic.

Any input, however large or small, is appreciated here.

Phil

[BrittMalka]

The site asks me to login. So I'm afraid it's impossible to tell you what so ever.

[Chloe]

The site asks me to login. So I'm afraid it's impossible to tell you what so ever.

LOGIN: funds
PWD: funds


This is from his post - I tried this and it worked for me. Hope that helps! :)

[BrittMalka]

Gosh! Why didn't I see it? I even checked???

Well, partial blindness. Thanks :)

[BrittMalka]

Very nice site, easy to navigate.

You could make some minor improvements.

When I first loaded the front page, it changed size several times. If you add height and width to your img tags, this will go away.

Also, I saw some images without alt attributes. These are important for SEO, and for blind people.

Instead of "here", you should use an anchor text that tells people about where the link leads to.

Not: Read about coffee here
but: Read more about coffee on this site about beans.

Lousy example, but get rid of the "here" anchors.

[Engage]

Thank guys.

Sorry about the need to login. As you can see, the site is far from done, so I don't want it in the search engines yet.

Here's a bit of a sneak preview.

First, there's probably nothing on the site that you don't already know. The site is intended to serve non-profit organizations, whom I'm assuming don't spend all day everyday thinking about net business like we do. So, no hot insider secrets cause, well, um, I don't know any. :)

I'm very interested in what publishers can accomplish if they work together, and this non-profit site reflects that.

Let's say you have a site that makes $257 a month in Adsense income. Ok, that's great, but...

How much could your site make if you had dozens or hundreds of people working for free to help you build the site, and get links to it?

You and I aren't in that happy situation, but a non-profit organization that is doing good work, and has built good will with hundreds or thousands of supporters might be.

Ok, that's all you get for free. If you want more, you'll simply have to pay the bill of zero, and login. :-)

Seriously, thanks for any input you might have time to share.

[Engage]

Very nice site, easy to navigate.

Thank you for noticing, I have navigation obsession disease.


You could make some minor improvements.

Of course, thanks for helping me find them.


When I first loaded the front page, it changed size several times. If you add height and width to your img tags, this will go away.

Yes, you're right. For the better or worse, here's what's happening. I use a style tag on some of my images. Here it is:

style=width:100%;

This replaces the height and width tags. The point is to make the image fill the size of the column, however wide the column might be. This tactic is part of my neat and tidy obsession mania compulsion. :) I don't know how good of an idea this is really, but that's the explanation.


Also, I saw some images without alt attributes. These are important for SEO, and for blind people.

You are right of course, thanks for pointing that out. I'll track down the culprits, and fix'em up.


Instead of "here", you should use an anchor text that tells people about where the link leads to.

Thanks for that. Yes, I'm probably not giving people enough credit for knowing how links work. Duh. Sometimes I get carried away with trying to be helpful.

Thanks for your review, much appreciated!

[BrittMalka]

Hi again


Yes, you're right. For the better or worse, here's what's happening. I use a style tag on some of my images. Here it is:

style=width:100%;

This replaces the height and width tags. The point is to make the image fill the size of the column, however wide the column might be.

Oh, this is the explanation. I saw the style=width:100%, and wondered what it did.

That's clever.

I wonder if the two things can be combined, but I guess not.

And you're most welcome :)

[Engage]

I wonder if the two things can be combined, but I guess not.

If I recall correctly, it's one or the other. Fixed width/height, or flexible.

My sitebuilder gives me a choice after I upload an image. I can choose image code with the fixed size, or the fill the column size.

Setting aside code details, and non-profits, I wonder if this idea would interest anybody.

What I see are zillions of little "lone wolf" publishers like you and me all struggling by ourselves to get good search engine rankings and traffic. Very inefficient.

Suppose 20 people joined together to create one site? Each person has their own section of the site which they develop independently.

The 20 people would pool some money, and hire one person to do nothing but work on links. This liberates the members to focus on content, and would ensure everybody is doing their fair share of promotion.

However the details are arranged, it would seem 20 people could create an "authority site" much more quickly than one.

I propose that the future of the web belongs to those who can organize themselves in to publishing teams. Very few if any lone wolves have a broad enough range of talent to compete with a team.

What say you?

[BrittMalka]

I say "I agree with you".

And I already do it, in fact. In Danish.

I have a blog about making money online, and one about tips and tricks for the computer, website, etc.

Since I already have a name in those areas in Denmark, people were happy to join. We share AdSense on their posts, and many have reported to have made more in one day on these blogs than in a month on their own.

But - and there is a but - people need to be asked often to write. They forget about it. Or they don't have the time... You have to constantly motivate them.

[Engage]

Ooohh.... This is very interesting!

Thanks so much for your report. I'd be very much interested in reading any details you would care to share.

Please let me explain. I've raised this idea many times in a number forums, and the response is always negative, which I understand. After all, most of us became webmasters because we cherish our independence.

To post this idea and not only find a shared interest, but someone actually doing it now live in the real world is just wonderful.


We share AdSense on their posts, and many have reported to have made more in one day on these blogs than in a month on their own.

Yes, that's exactly it. I'd guess that the way such a site would usually happen is that one leader would start the site on their own, and develop the traffic to a point that would interest others. Everybody wants to jump on a train that has already left the station, few can see the opportunity in theory.

If you wish to instruct us further, could you describe the technology you use, how the Adsense income is calculated and divided etc? Anything you care to share will be welcomed.

Could I suggest that this "group site" concept might make a great topic for a new site in your network?

[AlexNewell]

Very nice, very gentle intro for charities.

I'm a little reluctant to criticise it but I would not say "begging for donations" but rather "add an extra revenue stream to supplement your donations and bequests."

Non profits are often very sensitive and anti business so you may have to handle them with kid gloves!

I might mention that adsense is under their control - any ads that show up and are unwelcome can be blocked.

Good luck!

[Engage]

I would not say "begging for donations" but rather "add an extra revenue stream to supplement your donations and bequests."

Oh my, you are so right. What was I thinking?? Thanks for pointing that out. Gotta fix that!


Non profits are often very sensitive and anti business so you may have to handle them with kid gloves!

Yes, very good point, this is my chief worry about the whole project. I'm concerned the gap between online business culture and non-profit culture may be too wide to be bridged. Or that I don't have the knack for the job.

I brought this idea up in a general way months ago on a teacher's forum. Most readers had a sincere passion for offering a thousand reasons why it could never work. Sobering.

Truth be told, online business has a pretty poor reputation in many quarters, and some of this reputation is deserved.


I might mention that adsense is under their control - any ads that show up and are unwelcome can be blocked.

Ah, yes. I do have a sentence for this somewhere on the site, but you're right, I should push this forward, as it will be a big concern for some. Good point, thanks!

[painternc]

the site looks very clean, visually - but I am not getting the connection to the photos of the children. To me those photos do not support the object of the site.
Bab