My website is now up...Please critique!

[uberinquisitive]

It's finally up! Yipee!

The link is in my sig. It is NSFW, because of language (no lewd pics...sorry guys!)

Anyways, should I revise to make the business model more prominent? What would make most business sense, as well as aesthetic sense?

My business model is as such:

Talented erotica writers submit short stories. Stories over 10 pages are sold on my site. Their share is 35% (which is damn generous). I also write stuff, but I really would like this site to be a showcase of awesome, literary, artistic, hardcore erotica written in diverse voices.

[dave marshall]

hi,

well you certainly can write well and the site looks good, just made ten spelling mistakes as my mind is on som smething els entirly.

Ok refocused,

site is great, writing is compelling but I would make the business proposal more prominant, maybe outline it with a link along with the home,email and about link. Although the writing itelsf in obviously enjoyable you want to make money right?

I think you should realy promote the idea that talented different writers are on the site, this encourages people to come back and see if anyone new has written a story. you could say what stories will be published next, i was going to say a 'coming soon' area but it seemed a bit obvious.

all the best

dave

[uberinquisitive]

Originally Posted by dave marshall

i was going to say a 'coming soon' area but it seemed a bit obvious.

I hadn't thought of this - thanks!

How could I make the business thing more prominent? Currently, I have the "All About Us" section. Is that enough?

[Tayrak]

I didn't bother with the about us page. If you want new writers to know they can apply to have stories posted you're going to have to put something on your home page, out in the open where it's easy to find.

This is just my preference, I don't think of guys as wearing panties. Girls wear panties, guys wear undies, boxers, shorts whatever. Also the silky camisole, how about a silky t-shirt, undersirt, kinda thought you had a cross dresser thing going there for a bit. Just a little thing.

And the spelling..sorry it does put the story off. A mistake here and there, and I'm thinking oops you missed one, lots of them and it seems you just can't be bothered to use spell check.

[Gene]

Originally Posted by dave marshall

hi,



site is great, writing is compelling but I would make the business proposal more prominant, maybe outline it with a link along with the home,email and about link. Although the writing itelsf in obviously enjoyable you want to make money right?

What business proposal? I did not see it and I looked briefly after reading your admonition to make it more prominent.

[Interpreneur]

Uber.....I think if you plan to make a living from this site, you need to go back to the drawing board.

1. You mentioned that you had to fire your web designer, but the site still looks like a very basic Wordpress template.

2. You need to add more color and pictures. Plain stories will atract a certain type of audience, but not the masses looking for a "quickie" online.

3. I'm not loving the name "Proper Filth - Really Slutty Stories". There seem to be a lot of contradictions in those five words.

4. If you want to start generating serious traffic, you need a lot more content. I assume you have a lot more stories already written, so it might be a matter of publishing them.

5. You might want to consider sticking with a certain niche. "Really Slutty Stories" seems very generic and it bunches your site with every other "really slutty stories" site on the net.

6. From one word to the next, your stories go from being very "proper" to being very "filthy". Although that lives up to the name of the site, I think proper-to-filth should be a more gradual transition. Give people the time to get a little hot and bothered. Remember that ultimately people will be reading your site for sexual pleasure.

So I don't think your site is quite there yet, but you obviously have a lot of potential, so my personal opinion is go back to the drawing board and go make those millions.

[Pegasus]

Who is your target audience?

[uberinquisitive]

Originally Posted by Pegasus

Who is your target audience?

Definitely not mainstream.

Hipster types. Female, very "in the know" about current culture and what's "cool", an urban dweller, who goes to underground bars, wears American Apparel brand, reads Vice Magazine, reads poetry, and loves erotica but likes it cheekier, more ironic, more kitschy and more dirty.

Originally Posted by Tayrak

I didn't bother with the about us page. If you want new writers to know they can apply to have stories posted you're going to have to put something on your home page, out in the open where it's easy to find.

Excellent point.

Originally Posted by Tayrak

This is just my preference, I don't think of guys as wearing panties.

Yea, there is shock value involved.

Originally Posted by Tayrak

And the spelling..sorry it does put the story off.

Excellent point.

Originally Posted by Gene

What business proposal? I did not see it and I looked briefly after reading your admonition to make it more prominent.

Noted.

Originally Posted by Interpreneur

1. You mentioned that you had to fire your web designer, but the site still looks like a very basic Wordpress template.

I haven't fired her. I should have, because she couldn't deliver what I want. I think I have to cut my $$ losses with her as a business lesson learned.

Now I need to find a new web designer - the look of the website is very important because my target audience is very hip.

Originally Posted by Interpreneur

2. You need to add more color and pictures. Plain stories will atract a certain type of audience, but not the masses looking for a "quickie" online.

I agree.

Originally Posted by Interpreneur

3. I'm not loving the name "Proper Filth - Really Slutty Stories". There seem to be a lot of contradictions in those five words.

Yea, that's the point! It's supposed to be cheeky.

Originally Posted by Interpreneur

4. If you want to start generating serious traffic, you need a lot more content. I assume you have a lot more stories already written, so it might be a matter of publishing them.

Well, I just opened for business a day ago. I need some time to catch up!

Originally Posted by Interpreneur

5. You might want to consider sticking with a certain niche. "Really Slutty Stories" seems very generic and it bunches your site with every other "really slutty stories" site on the net.

Hmm. I guess I need to find out how I provide unique value. For me, it's the "voice" of the stories - which are kind of poking fun at typical romance novels.

I think after a web re-design, the stories definitely have to be tweaked.

Originally Posted by Interpreneur

6. From one word to the next, your stories go from being very "proper" to being very "filthy". Although that lives up to the name of the site, I think proper-to-filth should be a more gradual transition. Give people the time to get a little hot and bothered. Remember that ultimately people will be reading your site for sexual pleasure.

Hmm. I wonder if there is a way to easily categorize stories, so that those who want a specific type can find their stuff easily grouped together, and thus can't keep their mojo flowing?

Again, I need to find a new web designer.

****

Ok, so my task now is to find a new web designer. And to revamp stories and keep writing more.

New Business Lesson:
Have the most clear, most solid, most unshakeable vision. 'Cause if you don't, your website and product will give out mixed signals and dilute itself.

[JimOfferman]

Congrats on launching your site, uber! I'm sure you'll work out most of the kinks in version 1.1, or 1.2

A few comments:

- I like the "I've been a bad, bad girl" tagline in your signature much better than the "Really Slutty Stories". It's simply much more enticing... makes me wanna find out what the bad girl's been up to!

- You have a site with stories that people are supposed to read from screen, yet you use a tiny little font. Bump it up a notch or two, maybe three! Also, use a nicer font than Arial for your body text. I'd recommend Gill Sans or Century Gothic (both of which are pretty much standardly available these days).

- Ditch the second RSS link in the sidebar, it looks sloppy to have two. The one with the icon stands out more and will suffice. Also, shelf the Archives and Links widgets (they are widgets, right?) until you have a real need for them.

Good luck! May you be the internet queen of filth!

[uberinquisitive]

Originally Posted by JimOfferman

Congrats on launching your site, uber! I'm sure you'll work out most of the kinks in version 1.1, or 1.2

Actually, I've already made plans for version 2.0.

Yup - I contacted a web design firm whose portfolio I greatly admire. I'm willing to spend the $$ to get their expertise and aesthetic.

I know a lot of people don't want to spend a lot of $$ upfront, but I've come to realize that my website has to be branded very strongly.

Today, I'm going to spend a few hours putting down the most rock steady, take-no-prisoners, "♥♥♥♥♥ off, this is what it's about!" business plan and vision.

I've already IMMENSELY expanded upon my original ideas, thanks to the critiques. Now, I've crystallized the ideas into this: e-publisher.

Originally Posted by JimOfferman

A few comments:

- I like the "I've been a bad, bad girl" tagline in your signature much better than the "Really Slutty Stories". It's simply much more enticing... makes me wanna find out what the bad girl's been up to!

- You have a site with stories that people are supposed to read from screen, yet you use a tiny little font. Bump it up a notch or two, maybe three! Also, use a nicer font than Arial for your body text. I'd recommend Gill Sans or Century Gothic (both of which are pretty much standardly available these days).

- Ditch the second RSS link in the sidebar, it looks sloppy to have two. The one with the icon stands out more and will suffice. Also, shelf the Archives and Links widgets (they are widgets, right?) until you have a real need for them.

Very good points. I need to think of a new tagline for the website.

Originally Posted by JimOfferman

Good luck! May you be the internet queen of filth!

Oh yes!

[JimOfferman]

Originally Posted by uberinquisitive

I know a lot of people don't want to spend a lot of $$ upfront, but I've come to realize that my website has to be branded very strongly.

Well, you know how the saying goes: you need to spend money (wisely), to make money!

Good luck with your new designer!

[mercuryrising]

Originally Posted by uberinquisitive

Hmm. I wonder if there is a way to easily categorize stories, so that those who want a specific type can find their stuff easily grouped together, and thus can't keep their mojo flowing?

I had this thought of like a house or motel with different rooms and environments that you could enter. Something more sophisticated than "Bisexual" or "Threesomes". Maybe genres: rockabilly, steam punk, film noir, etc.

Some other random thoughts:

an erotic soap opera

monthly or weekly issues with themes

suggestive pics. in the story I read, a picture of baked peaches from a cookbook placed right in the middle of the story would have set it off.

choose your own erotic adventure

role playing games

continuous stories... like cybersex only more elaborate.



... just some thoughts.

[uberinquisitive]

Originally Posted by mercuryrising

I had this thought of like a house or motel with different rooms and environments that you could enter. Something more sophisticated than "Bisexual" or "Threesomes". Maybe genres: rockabilly, steam punk, film noir, etc.

Some other random thoughts:

an erotic soap opera

monthly or weekly issues with themes

suggestive pics. in the story I read, a picture of baked peaches from a cookbook placed right in the middle of the story would have set it off.

choose your own erotic adventure

role playing games

continuous stories... like cybersex only more elaborate.



... just some thoughts.

AWESOME! The motel idea is pure genius.

Everyone thus far who has replied: thank you SO much! Every piece of feedback is so helpful, and I am even more excited about Proper Filth.

I welcome any further responses!

[Ninja]

Ah... it's a relief to see a decently designed site that has a clean, userfriendly navigation and does not take ten hours to load. Don't change a thing

P.S. If you one day decide to put ads on your site, put them in the upperleft. That's where people first look instinctivly, according to one of my professors

P.S. P.S. No, there is one thing you might want to change, since there's erotic content on your site. Before you see the main page, display a warning first that visitors need to be 18 (21?) years or older yada-yada-yada in order to proceed. I believe there's a law for this.

[uberinquisitive]

A content what?

I know nothing about dynamic web stuff.

Please explain!

[JimC]

Good work on your site.

Since the content is so easily accessible, might I suggest a ratings meta tag. It might help avoid those e-mails from angry from parents who's kids happened to accidentally find the site. As far as I know, search engines still support this and maybe some parental control programs.

<meta name="rating" content="mature">

I don't personally think it's a problem, but there are some very defensive and protective parents... especially in the U.S.