|
View previous topic
::
View next topic
|
| Author |
Message |
bradley
Joined:
24 Feb 2004
Posts:
78
Location:
Chesterfield, Mo. Suburb of St. louis
|
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2004 1:10 am
Post subject: Martelly design layout
|
 |
|
I am curiuos why the Martell type of sites do not take up the full monitor. I am using a 1024 x 768 on a 19" monitor and i see about 3-4" on both the left and right hand sides. To me, that seems to be wasted space.
Just curious to the "why" behind this design feature. I have noticed this on Martel style sites. Currently, I am using this style but would prefer to be able to have it view better on my monitor. So not sure if its designed that way b/c of SEO.
All the Best,
Chris Bradley |
|
| Back to top |
  |
 |
Charlie
Joined:
22 Aug 2003
Posts:
3305
Location:
UK
|
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2004 11:44 am
Post subject: Re: Martelly design layout
|
|
|
| bradley wrote: | | I am curiuos why the Martell type of sites do not take up the full monitor. I am using a 1024 x 768 on a 19" monitor and i see about 3-4" on both the left and right hand sides. To me, that seems to be wasted space. |
I'm pretty sure it's because he's using one page design for all screen resolutions. (Some people use javascript to rescale pages depending.)
Many people still have 800x640 screens. If you design wider than 760 (think vertical scrollbar) you will force many people to scroll horizontally just to see all the page.
I don't mind scrolling down, but across is quite another matter. Many others feel the same.
Designing for 800x640 is the easiest way to please most of the people most of the time. 
Incidentally, I can't see that new panel Allan has added to the right, and Adsense put pressure on many sites to move wider. Thankfully, now more central ads are doing well! 
Cheers,
Charlie.
P.S. I think you're right... it has nothing to with SEO.
_________________
"Before I speak, I have something important to say."
- Groucho Marx |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bradley
Joined:
24 Feb 2004
Posts:
78
Location:
Chesterfield, Mo. Suburb of St. louis
|
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2004 7:00 pm
Post subject:
|
|
|
I am new to the desing aspect, since this type of design really doesnt have anything to do with SEO, I am now curious....why they dont design the sites so it will fit nicely on all resolutions so people dont have to use the horizonal scroll bar---(i agree, that really frustrates me!!)
I would assume there is a way to design the template so it will fit correctly on all resolutions or does that add too much code which can effect SEO or too time consuming to do?
THanks, I am in the "why" stage of learning aspects of web-design, lol
Chris Bradley |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Debs
Joined:
16 Aug 2003
Posts:
4296
Location:
NY
|
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2004 10:29 pm
Post subject:
|
|
|
It's a design style method James found that he covered in the Buzz newsletter and recommends. James doesn't recommend something like this without very good reason
Centered designs and stretchable designs are both good ways to make use of the full browser, no matter what size it is opened to. Not everyone views "full browser" ... most view with the browser set to 75% open at curently popular resolutions and and the higher the resolution, the smaller the browser window % size gets ... usually around 50%.
The biggest problem is with fixed width designs ... they are either too wide and make you scroll, or leave a gap on the right if they are aligned left. So a centered design that is fixed width is a nice compromise.
You can do stretchable designs (resize according to browser window measurements of the visitor) using either tables or css. You would set the width to 100% ... that takes care of the resizing so long as you don't set all your columnar structure to fixed widths.
Debs
_________________
Learn how to turn keyphrases into quality, well-targeted articles your visitors and SE's will love with Gary Antosh's new ebook "Web Content Made Easy!" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
wayne
Joined:
05 Sep 2003
Posts:
50
|
Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2004 12:30 am
Post subject:
|
|
|
Get a mouse with a wheel in the middle, it is very easy to scroll
up and down. I also design my sites for 800 wide resolution and
think that is the best way to do it. You can have your pages designed
to fill the whole screen, but it is very hard to control the layout, since
it changes with each monitor resolution. I have no problem with
scrolling up and down, but left to right is another thing. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
AllanGardyne
Site Admin
Joined:
02 Jul 2003
Posts:
6326
Location:
by the beach, Australia
|
Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2004 12:25 pm
Post subject: Re: Martelly design layout
|
|
|
| Charlie wrote: | | Incidentally, I can't see that new panel Allan has added to the right... |
Very sorry about that. I designed it to fit nicely into my laptop screen. I thought would be small enough for anyone.
_________________
Allan Gardyne
AssociatePrograms.com - You're here. Explore it! |
|
| Back to top |
 |
|
Charlie
Joined:
22 Aug 2003
Posts:
3305
Location:
UK
|
Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2004 1:56 pm
Post subject: Re: Martelly design layout
|
|
|
| AllanGardyne wrote: | | Charlie wrote: | | Incidentally, I can't see that new panel Allan has added to the right... |
Very sorry about that. I designed it to fit nicely into my laptop screen. I thought would be small enough for anyone. |
Sorry, there's always one. 
I'm not sure how many people surf via laptops these days (or how many leave the default screen res), but I'm prettiy sure 800x640 is still very popular.
Remember too, anyone struggling to read text on screen can reduce a more modern large screen to 800x640 - kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.
By the way, Allan, I like the look of these new page updates. (I'm talking design not content, though that too.)
I've always been a fan of simple text pages myself, but felt drawn more towards "graphickifying" my pages more, as most other people's pages have ended up looking more pretty over time.
Having seen your latest, I'm reminded how good text pages can look. I think it helps that I'm a fan of blue, too.
Cheers,
Charlie.
_________________
"Before I speak, I have something important to say."
- Groucho Marx |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
administrator
Site Admin
Joined:
02 Jul 2003
Posts:
1493
Location:
Maryborough Queensland Australia
|
Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2004 8:07 pm
Post subject:
|
|
|
Alas, Allan,
Most laptops are 1024 x 760 (or higher), a tad outside 800 x 600.
Tuff.
Wally |
|
| Back to top |
 |
|
jackson992
Joined:
17 Jun 2004
Posts:
97
Location:
USA
|
Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:45 pm
Post subject:
|
|
|
Last look 800x600 was at under 20% of visitors. Needless to say I don't worry about them anymore. Why anyone would want to use that size is beyond me LOL
_________________
Jack Mitchell
Jack's Retail - Online Shopping At Discount Prices |
|
| Back to top |
  |
|
Debs
Joined:
16 Aug 2003
Posts:
4296
Location:
NY
|
Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2004 10:42 pm
Post subject:
|
|
|
Your stats may show at less than 20% for those using 800 or less ... but some of the largest sites on the net that report resolution stats are indicating 800 pixels is running anywhere from 37 to 51% of their users. Several have also written on testing done to see how large the browser window is ... to what size it is minimized when viewing their site ... reports indicate at 800 pixels the browser is set 75 to 100% while those with screen resolutions at 1024 are set at 50 to 75% ... larger screen sizes run around the 50% mark.
That tells me people like to see their desktop, maybe to multitask or use their instant messaging and it tells me 800 is alive and well and likely to be for some time. Bigger isn't always better
Debs
_________________
Learn how to turn keyphrases into quality, well-targeted articles your visitors and SE's will love with Gary Antosh's new ebook "Web Content Made Easy!" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jackson992
Joined:
17 Jun 2004
Posts:
97
Location:
USA
|
Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2004 11:51 pm
Post subject:
|
|
|
Hi Debs:
I was going by the internet norm as reported to me by an affiliate manager. Naturally, the best solution is to make the pages fit the screen no matter what the size of resolution the visitor is using. pages that are aligned left, right or center look horrible IMO
_________________
Jack Mitchell
Jack's Retail - Online Shopping At Discount Prices |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Trinity
Joined:
01 Nov 2004
Posts:
17
|
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2004 2:25 am
Post subject:
|
|
|
Jack
hmmm.....looks like your affiliate manager is either using old data, or just taking a guess. I can't find any stats to back up your 20% theory.
It's easy to question why anyone would use 600x800, but then again, the folks that frequent boards like this one tend to be more net savvy than the general public. Most computers come preset at 600x800 and often the owners never change these settings.
I would think that Debs stats are much closer to the truth. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Debs
Joined:
16 Aug 2003
Posts:
4296
Location:
NY
|
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2004 11:31 am
Post subject:
|
|
|
Having a stretchable design is nice ... and I like them myself but also enjoy the creative endeavors of those who do centered designs ... I am a design afficiando with a real interest in useability studies. Combine that with wanting to get the best conversions, and you have to look at all the options and how they work. James has done that, as his subscribers know.
Debs
_________________
Learn how to turn keyphrases into quality, well-targeted articles your visitors and SE's will love with Gary Antosh's new ebook "Web Content Made Easy!" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bradley
Joined:
24 Feb 2004
Posts:
78
Location:
Chesterfield, Mo. Suburb of St. louis
|
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2004 5:00 pm
Post subject:
|
|
|
Hi Debs, does the the type of site you are creating lend itself to more of a centered or strech design? For example, when i look at Martells cell phone site, its basically short content with affiliate links, as opposed to more of a SBI type of content site, such as your debtsteps site.
Correct me if I am wrong here, the Martell type of site doesnt really encourage visitors to come back frequently as opposed to a more of a true content site, such as your site or Allans site here.
Has there been any type of studies to these different types of sites and the designs and CR's?
My own personal preference would be if i was creating a niche mini-type site, i would use the center design but if am creating a site where it wil have content growing on a weekly basis and one where I want my visitiors to visit, I would prefer more of a stretchability design.
Chris Bradley |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Debs
Joined:
16 Aug 2003
Posts:
4296
Location:
NY
|
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2004 10:03 pm
Post subject:
|
|
|
I tend to agree to some extent ... which is why my site is stretchable and fills the screen ... I wanted to make sure the content area wasn't squished ... if I went with a centered design (which I almost did) I would have opted for just 2 columns vs. the 3 I have now.
The biggest issue I have with a full screen site design, even the one I have ... at larger resolutions the content can get too wide and hard to read ... you do have more control over the width of the content area in a fixed width or flexible centered design at say 80% of the browser window.
It's a well-known useability issue that it's hard to read long lines of text and the higher the resolution of a monitor, the more likely this is a problem.
Debs
_________________
Learn how to turn keyphrases into quality, well-targeted articles your visitors and SE's will love with Gary Antosh's new ebook "Web Content Made Easy!" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Private Messages
Log in
