Web Concepts

By Mitch “Loves the Layout” Keeler

Have you checked out the new Lunarpages.com layout and design?  I must say, it is pretty sleek and stylish!  The new interface includes several new and exciting features - so I encourage you all to go check things out!

Some of the new things worth mentioning are:

• More professional interface
• Easier navigation through all the pages on Lunarpages.com
• Inclusion of more great support resources (such as the Wiki!)
• The new community section is just amazing!
• Easier access to the free webmaster tools!
• Check out all the current special offers and deals!

Check it out, and then be sure to leave your comments on the Lunarforums thread on and about the re-design. 

© Lunarpages Web Hosting - Great web hosting with unlimited disk space and bandwith for only $4.95 per month? Check out the Winter Special!

Original post by Mitch

By Mitch “Loves Free Things” Keeler

When searching through some of my personal favorite CSS and design resources, I stumbled upon an old favorite of mine - Layout Gala.  It might be a ‘bit old, but the advice and layouts here are as good now as they were then.

Via the web site, you can download up to 40 different variations of a basic or skeleton layout. As they state on the site,  the main goal of the article was getting the maximum number of layouts based on the same markup, each with valid CSS and HTML, without hacks nor workaround and a good cross-browser compatibility.

Hopefully you will get as much use out of this resource as I have over the years.  It comes in great when it comes to fleshing out the basic look and feel of a CSS powered site before getting into all the various design details.

© Lunarpages Web Hosting - Great web hosting with unlimited disk space and bandwith for only $4.95 per month? Check out the Winter Special!

Original post by Mitch

By Mitch “Hates Info-mercial Web Design” Keeler

Why is it that almost every eBook or “great money making deal” that you see out there is always based around a web page that looks like it was built back in 1995?  That is a question that has just plauged my mind forever.

As an act of public service - I am going to now donate my time to these poor saps and find them a few basic design tutorials that they can read and learn from (hopefully).

CSS Tinderbox

Web Designer Wall

Smashing Magazine

A List Apart

Digital Web

NETTUTS

woork

Know of anymore CSS or design magazine-style sites that we could send to the people who keep making these ugly eBook or “make money quick” sites?  Share the wealth!

&copy Lunarpages Web Hosting - Great web hosting with unlimited disk space and bandwith for only $4.95 per month? Check out the Winter Special!

Original post by Mitch

By Mitch “Hates Info-mercial Web Design” Keeler

Why is it that almost every eBook or “great money making deal” that you see out there is always based around a web page that looks like it was built back in 1995?  That is a question that has just plauged my mind forever.

As an act of public service - I am going to now donate my time to these poor saps and find them a few basic design tutorials that they can read and learn from (hopefully).

CSS Tinderbox

Web Designer Wall

Smashing Magazine

A List Apart

Digital Web

NETTUTS

woork

Know of anymore CSS or design magazine-style sites that we could send to the people who keep making these ugly eBook or “make money quick” sites?  Share the wealth!

© Lunarpages Web Hosting - Great web hosting with unlimited disk space and bandwith for only $4.95 per month? Check out the Winter Special!

Original post by Mitch

By Mitch “Highlight the Positives” Keeler

When developing content online, you have to keep this question in mind.  Is your web page scannable?  Can I quickly scroll over it, speed read and easily pick out the basics I need to know?

In my Google Reader account, I might subscribe to 150 to 200 RSS feeds from different web sites.  Now some people might say I’m crazy.  How could a person find time to read all that content?  The real secret is, I don’t. Most of the time, I am quickly scanning over the text for things that jump out at me.

Nobody spends much time on web sites these days.  So, instead of looking at that as a bad thing, think of it instead as a good thing.  What you need to do now is to help them get the content they need quicker.

What helps to break up the monotonous long page with just text?  Try tossing in some headings and sub headings.  Use pictures, blockquotes, shorter paragraphs and formatting.  Just make sure you do it all in moderation.  Go check out the New York Times web site.  Now I can scroll down that just glancing over the headlines in a few seconds.  If something pops out at me, I might read a little more.

It might take a while to find the right balance.  Check out some other web sites Online and see how they are breaking their web sites up to be more scanable.

© Lunarpages Web Hosting - Great web hosting with unlimited disk space and bandwith for only $4.95 per month? Check out the Fall Special!

Original post by Mitch

By Mitch “Billy Mays is an Icon” Keeler

If Billy Mays was here, he would tell you to write a good headline you have to use exiting words, sell yourself and yell a lot get your message across.

So I am here to share with you headline writing, the way I think Billy Mays would want you to do it.

Use Amazing Keywords and Teases!

Learn to use big and important keywords in your titles and headlines.  Certain words seem to draw in more interest than others.  Do you want to look at the tips or the “top” tips.  Do you want a list of tools or a list of “amazing” tools.  Look at the world of infomercial advertising and mold it to fit your own needs.  You know why those woman’s magazines often have the corniest headlines?  Cause they draw in eyeballs.  More people are going to read a page titled “The 10 Best Ways to Keep Your Man Happy” rather than “An Discussion of Relationships with Men”.

Don’t Forget to Stay on Message!

Now that you have gotten into the habit of dolling up your headlines with a few more adjitives, it is time for tip number two.  Make sure you do your best to stay focused on the content of your page.  Don’t tell me you have something that you don’t have, and don’t forget to include something you do have.

Now who says you can’t learn anything from an infomercial?

© Lunarpages Web Hosting - Great web hosting with unlimited disk space and bandwith for only $4.95 per month? Check out the Fall Special!

Original post by Mitch

by Tiara Rea

Once again, sorry for the late results! Also, this is just a reminder that the WordPress Theme Design contest is now over halfway over! You now only have less than 1 month to turn in your Free WordPress Themes for the chance at $1,000 and 5 years free hosting! New entry submissions close on October 12, but if you turn them in that last day, they are only eligible for our surprise 5 picks and not for weekly community voting.

Any questions, please ask!

Now, onto the voting!!

Web 2.0 by uncle sha

World Business by Autobazar

Hi Tech by Igor Dimev

Brown Stitch by SimplyWP

Frozen Love by n252

Good luck, everyone!!

© Lunarpages Web Hosting - $25 off Web Hosting! Coupon Code: blog25

Original post by Tiara

By Amy Armitage

We have counted the staff votes and taken the community votes into consideration and …

We have our winners!!

[insert drum roll]

First Prize of $1,000 cash and 5 years web hosting on our Basic Plan

Lilicious by Liza Kliko!!!!!

Congrats Liza :D  You really are an amazing designer!  Our CEO REALLY loves this one too and so do around 75% of the LP team!

Second Prize of 3 years free hosting + $300 cash

Phunk Attack by Dulce Rose Lada!!!!

They had a very strong community vote and quite a few staff votes.  Well done

Third Prize of 1 year free hosting + $100 cash

Aero Inspirat by Anne!!

Anne had 2 entries in the final and her work is clean and fresh and very popular with the Lunarpages team, especially our developers.

Honorable Mention

We didn’t plan a 4th prize, however our CEO really liked this design and although it didn’t place for 1st, 2nd or 3rd, he wants to give the designer of Magic TV 1 year of web hosting!

Magic TV by n252

So how do you all claim your cash and free hosting? 

Please email affiliates@lunarpages.com and I’ll shoot you back an email with details on how to get your goodies..

BUT WAIT there is MORE!!!

Check back in the next few days for the download page to access all of the free WordPress themes that were in the design contest!

And..

Series 3 should be launched this coming Monday, so make sure to subscribe to our RSS feed!

Any suggestions on how to make series 3 better?  TELL US!

Thanks to all the designers who participated.  We hope to see you for series 3!

By Amy Armitage

Voting has closed for the weekly finals and now we are down to the 15 finalists - 10 voted by our community and 5 picks from Lunarpages staff. Voting will run until July 7th and the winners will be announced July 8th!

Unlike last series we do have a policy in place to avoid cheating (proxy votes etc) where the voting results will be considered, however Lunarpages staff will help to decide the final 3 winners.

Just a reminder of the prizes:

First Prize is $1,000 cash and 5 years free hosting on our Basic Plan

Second Prize is 3 years free hosting + $300 cash

Third Prize is 1 year free hosting + $100 cash

Check out the 15 finalists and don’t forget to vote for your favorite!

Round 1 - Mag On Wood by ChiQ Montes

Round 2 - TeamRejoice by Edgardo Canape Jr.

Round 3 - Translucent Dream by Nicki Faulk

Round 4 - Vectorize by Ed Canape!

Round 5 - Phunk Attack by Dulce Rose Lada

Round 6 - Twilight Crown by Nicki Faulk

Round 7 - AutumnLeaves by Edgardo Canape Jr.

Round 8 - Sexy Back by Dulce Rose Lada

Round 9 - Minerva Aqua by Anne

Round 10 - Aero Inspirat by Anne

Lunarpages Pick 1 - Magic TV by n252

Lunarpages Pick 2 - The Grundge by Ophelia Nicholson

Lunarpages Pick 3 - Whitepaper 2.0 Beta by Fath

Lunarpages Pick 4 - Tree Sunset by andrej

Lunarpages Pick 5 - Lilicious by Liza Kliko

Vote Now!

&copy Lunarpages Web Hosting - $25 off Web Hosting! Coupon Code: blog25

Original post by Amy

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Original post by Mitch