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Welcome to Crystalline, your one-stop spot for site improvement, run by Anna. This site offers many features, including tools for self-assessment, coding help, reviews, and more! If you are looking to improve your site, Crystalline is the place for you!
If you're having trouble setting up your site, you've come to the right place! With Crystalline's Coding Help Feature, you will be guided through the process of coding your site's layout, making graphics, and whatever else you need done. To request coding help, simply fill out the form below and send it to me!
Please note that due to the nature of these requests, they may take quite a while to finish. I work chronologically, but if one request will only take a short time, I will work on multiple projects at once.
Sometimes when sitemaking, all you need is to have one or two simple questions answered. That is where Crystalline's Quick Question Feature comes in! To ask a question, simply fill out the form below and send it to me! When your question has been answered, it will be posted here.
If you have asked a question, it will be posted here along with an answer. Archives coming soon.
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Welcome to Crystalline's Review Feature! No matter what type of site you own, you can be sure there is a review template suitable to your site's needs! If not, you can create your own review with the freestyle template. After you have selected a review type, click here to continue to the request page!
My first impression when entering Soroptimist Directory is "Wow." The layout is extremely convenient in most browsers, and encompasses cuteness while maintaining professionalism and efficiency. The banner and layout match well, although I feel that the textures in the banner are a bit too noticeable. Had they been put on a lower opacity, this would have been better. The lettering for "Soroptimist Directory" still manages to come out, but the orange lines in the banner texture are particularly distracting. Again, had this layer been put on a lower opacity or taken out altogether, the banner would have been in better shape. I like how the links at the top of the page for various Soroptimist divisions change color when hovered over in various browsers (The Guide Library, Site Community, etc.). However, this does not occur in Internet Explorer. Overall my first impression was a positive one, but because of the widespread use of Internet Explorer, I feel it it imperative to cater better to the demands of that browser.
-1 for banner distractionThe layout is extremely convenient. Because the navigation is anchored in place, it makes browsing through the site extremely easy. Users can also simply hit CTRL+F to find what they are looking for, a feature I find most helpful at Soroptimist Directory. You use space extremely effectively throughout, minimizing scrolling on the page. However, in the Untaken Names section, due to the lack of listings there is a lot of blank space. Although I recognize that you have kept the space of boxes consistent throughout the site, to minimize scrolling for the page I would shorten the height of the boxes in this section. Overall, the layout is great!
-1 for unneeded scrollingOne of the hardest things to do when running a directory is keeping its listings up-to-date. Although I recognize that users want a lot of variety when browsing, it greatly lessens convenience to have links to inactive sites. I like that you continue to list sites that have been inactive for a bit, as it directs users to where exactly they should go for various services. However, I find it unnecessary to continue listing sites that have been inactive for several months, as they end up taking up precious space in the directory. For instance, in the Reviews section there are nearly as many sites on hiatus as there are open ones! Some of these sites have not been updated in as long as four months. To avoid listing sites that have not been tended to in so long, I would make a rule stating that any site not updated for three months is to be removed from the site, unless of course it is the kind of site that does not require regular updating. I would also include what sites that you consider do not need regular updating, just to make things clear.
Another area for improvement would be in the rankings for each category. In many categories, there are blank spots waiting to be filled. In order to increase visitor convenience, I would consider filling in these rankings. In some categories there are sites that are ranked, but do not have a button. In these cases you used a "Button Here" button. This is okay, but it is the same "Button Here" button that you used when there was no site to fill the rankings. I would look into getting different placeholders for these situations, because if a user sees the same "Button Here" button everywhere, they will assume that there is no site there, not bothering to hover over the button to see if it is linked to a site.
Even with these minor issues, Soroptimist still delivers the finest selection of petpages out there. With closer maintenance of each category, the directory could become even more convenient for its users.
-1 for number of inactive sitesThis cuts down on wording. The word "guides" makes it clear that any kind of guide is listed here.
2.) "Greet the newly added sites, wave good-bye to closed sites, and read/post site ads."Again, this cuts down on wording. "Newly-added" should have a dash between, because both describe "sites," but "goodbye" should only be one word because it is one word. "Closed sites" is repetitive, so I changed it to "closed ones.
3.) "Soroptimist Directory is a simple and hopefully convenient directory of petpages and Neopian Times articles, run by Cass. I've listed 2,528 petpages and 1,060 NT articles at this time. With such a wide selection, I'm sure you can find what you're looking for! All the guides are listed at The Guide Library, my extra content can be found at the Supplement, and you can find my daily-updated list of open requests and reviews at The Status Center! You can even find out what's going on around the community with the sitely news!"Within a paragraph, it is important to stay in one point of view. Your first sentence was in third person but the rest was in first, so I changed everything to third. This way, the reader is presented with a welcoming but professional-sounding introduction. Neopian Times, because it is a newspaper, should be italicized, and "Sitely News" should be capitalized. I also added a concluding sentence to the paragraph, so the reader is not left hanging.
4.) "Please notify me of any errors in this section such as closed sites or incorrect links."Because you are giving examples, a comma should separate the two parts of the sentence.
5.) "Banner textures from Nienke's Premades and innocense"Overall, your Sitely section is very good. It is well-organized and lists everything you need. Because you have already noted where Soroptimist is listed in the Link Directory section, I think it is fine that you do not have a "Listed At" section in the Sitely. Most of your buttons are very good, but a few need work. For instance, this button's animation is rather distracting.
Soroptimist Directory never ceases to amaze me with its different content. Its layout is nothing ordinary, and the sheer magnitude of sites listed is astounding. The fact that you list NT articles is another aspect that sets you apart from the rest, and divisions such as The Status Center and the Site Community are works of genius. It is because of these ideas that you have created a truly one-of-a-kind site that has revolutionized the way link directories are looked at. You have set the standards high for other directories, and I am excited to see the new features that you will add in the future.
Final CommentsI cannot stress enough how wonderful Soroptimist Directory is. Extremely convenient and informative, Soroptimist stands as a testimony to what sitemaking is all about. Like any site, there are some areas that do need improvement, but without things to improve upon, sitemaking would become extremely boring. It was a blast getting to review your site, and I can't wait to see what Soroptimist does next.
I cannot think of a reason not to revisit Soroptimist Directory. Whenever I am looking for a site or want to advertise my own, Soroptimist is one of the first places I would stop.
I would highly recommend Soroptimist to anyone looking for a certain site, or wishing to get the word out about their own. Keep up the great work, Cass!
When first entering Twenty-One, I really liked the banner! The pink colors are quite pretty, and there is just enough yellow to balance it out. However, the text is somewhat difficult to read, because there is no border around it, and the number "21" was placed over, instead of under, the name "Twenty-One." The background does not quite match the rest of the layout. Might I suggest using a solid color? With a solid color, you can be sure that visitors are not distracted by your background, and focus on the great content you have to offer! I would suggest using #F8E1B7. To get this color, I used the color picking tool to take it directly from the banner.
I also really liked the color of the navigation links. They match the banner well, and are easily readable against the white background. In fact, I like the color so much that I would suggest keeping all the links on the home page the same color! This would create a feeling of uniformity throughout the entire home page.
One thing I must address, though, is the difference in size between the text in your table, versus the text on the rest of the page. The entire home page would look much neater if all the text was the same size. To do this, you could add the following text between your style codes!
Your home page is very welcoming, and provides a great first impression! With just a bit of tweaking, a visitor's first impression could be improved even more!
-1 for hard-to-read bannerTwenty-One's layout is easy-to-use and convenient, just as a directory should be. Most sites put their navigation on the left, so I think that it is a fun change that the navigation bar is at the right instead! I also really like how you have organized the navigation into different sections. If a person is looking for a certain kind of site, it is far easier for them to look for the correct group of links and then find the one they are looking for from a short list, rather than looking through a very long list to find what they are looking for. As I mentioned before, I also really like that the symbol key is in a place that stays, no matter what link the user clicks on. This greatly increases visitor convenience, making your site even easier to use!
The only thing about Twenty-One's layout that may detract from visitor convenience is the fact that there is no way for the visitor to find a page by simply hitting CTRL+F. If a visitor knows the site they want to go to but cannot find the link, it can be irksome for them to have to go through finding the appropriate link and clicking on it, and then searching to find the page they are looking for. Other than that, Twenty-One's layout is wonderful!
-1 for lack of visitor convenienceTwenty-One is not the biggest directory out there... yet. It has a lot of potential, with plenty of room to grow! However, there are some areas that need to be looked at. In most sections, there is a lot of blank space, because there are entire columns where no site is listed! In these places, you have put "links." This gives off the impression that your site is ever under-construction and makes it look more unorganized. It would be wise to delete these columns altogether, until you have some content to fill them. The same is true in the "Coding Templates" and "Guides" sections, which have no content at all. It is okay to still have these boxes in your coding, as you will undoubtedly need them as your site grows. For now though, it would be a good idea to take their links out of the navigation section, and only add them back when you have some content with which to fill these sections.
I have also noticed that many of your rankings are either partially or entirely unfilled. Rankings do help visitors who want to be directed to the best sites quickly, but are of no use to the visitor if they are simply taking up space at the top of the page. I would suggest that in sections that do not have many links, such as Customization, you take down the rankings altogether, as they will not increase visitor convenience, even if filled. For categories such as Adoptions/Trades where there are many sites to choose from, I would highly recommend filling them in. Not only would this greatly increase visitor convenience, but it would also attract more attention to some really great sites that you have listed!
I think it's really cool that you offered layout requests for a while, and that you have a monthly event area at the top of the page. However, because the layout requests are over now I would remove the page, and I would either update the monthly event to January or remove it, as it is no longer relevant.
The last point I would like to make in the content section is that you do not have to wait for people to ask to be listed! In order to fill in areas that do not have many listings, I would suggest going to some larger directories and seeing what they have listed, to see what sites they have listed that you have not. When you have found some sites you want to list, make sure that they do not say in their sitely sections that they do not wish to be listed by just anyone. If they do not mention this, go ahead and list them! Just be sure to send the owner of the site a neomail, so that they can link back to you. Most site owners will greatly appreciate your taking the time to list their site, as it does nothing but help their site!
As a site that is still relatively new, having over 125 sites listed is great! As you move forward, be sure to actively search for new sites to list. Your content, however, is off to a great start!
-1 for blank columnsFor this section, I will post the "original text," my revisions, and why I revised what was written.
1.) "Welcome to Twenty-One _koogie_! 21,is a UNIQUE link directory that is run by Elena since October 8th,2011 This layout works in all browsers, and looks best in Chrome. How is it unique you say? Well, first of all, check out the navigation. It stands out from the all the other directories, because everything is kind of..grouped together. Pets are in one section, graphics are in another,Etc,etc. If you're looking for an A-Z list, please Be patient, I am working on an alternative list as well! To have your site listed, Please fill out the form below in full. If you have any Question, Concerns or Comments feel free to send me a message anytime. ~Elena
Welcome to Twenty-One _koogie_! Twenty-One is a unique link directory, run by Elena since October 8th, 2011. This layout works in all browsers, but looks best in Chrome. Twenty-One is different from other directories in its attention to visitor convenience. It is for this reason that the navigation links are broken down into categories, organizing them to make finding what you need a quick and easy process! If you own a site, feel free to get it listed here by filling out the form below. You are free to send in your questions, comments, or concerns at any time. Thanks for visiting, and please to enjoy your experience at Twenty-One! ~Elena
I fixed a few capitalization errors. My making "unique" lowercase was more of a stylistic decision than anything; I just feel that having the word in italics was enough to make it stand out. I also did a few tweaks to make it sound a tad more professional. The question to the reader was not really necessary, so I turned that area into more of a mission statement that still addressed the categorization of the navigation links. I also added a concluding sentence, just to leave the visitor on as welcoming a note as they received at the beginning of the introduction by you!
Other than that, your spelling and grammar are looking great!
-1 for introductionLet's look first at your link back buttons. I especially like these two.
The site's name is very clear on them, the animation is simple yet effective, and they are overall very well done.
This one is okay, although it is nothing special.
As you request more buttons in the future, I would eliminate this one.
These two buttons, however, do not reflect well on your site.
In the first, the animation distracts the reader away from the button, and makes them focus on the color-changing hearts instead of the site name. The site name itself does not stand out well on this button. In the second, the site name is a little bit on the small side, and the background is a little to dark. Had the background been lightened up a bit, this button would probably be fine. I would delete these buttons immediately, and request some more, possibly from the same sites that created your two high-quality buttons.
Moving on! I'm glad to see that you have an affiliate, but I would really like to see you get a few more as your site progresses! It would be especially beneficial for you to become affiliated with some small directories like your own, as this would help increase traffic to your site the most.
I noticed that you have not linked back to any site that has listed you. Not all directories require that you link back to them, but as a directory I think it is important to do this. If you want others to link back when you list them, it would be a good idea to provide a good example by linking back to other directories yourself! Soroptimist Directory, Dragon's Lair, Affinity Directory, and A Small List have all listed you.
Your credits section is lovely, and overall your sitely is well-organized! Good job!
-1 for low-quality buttonsAdvertising a new site can be difficult. You have done a good job advertising by getting listed at other directories and getting a good variety of buttons, but more can still be done. In the future, it would be a good idea to get a few more affiliates. It would also be wise to advertise your site at advertising sites, such as Digihear? or News Flash. It is also a good idea to enter a few competitions, just to get your site's name out there! Good job advertising so far, and I hope to see more advertising for your site in the future!
-1 for no competitions enteredYour organization of navigation links is very unique. I also like that you had a request page at one point. Continuing with this whenever you have spare time would be a good idea, as it would be something that truly separates your sites from others. Other than that though, there is nothing that really makes Twenty-One stand out from the rest. Again, continuing the request page would certainly be unique, as well as thinking of a few other things to attract more visitors. It is hard to give advice on what would make your site more creative, as creativity has to come from the owner. However, many directories are focusing on advertising sites, and having "featured sites" that show what sites are worth taking a look at right now. This would be a good way to increase traffic, and make your site a little bit different from others that do not offer such services. Again, creativity has to come from the owner, not the reviewer, so be sure to keep thinking of ways to expand your site!
-1 for lack of unique featuresOverall, Twenty-One is a gem! It is obvious that you have put a lot of work into it, and it is definitely on its way to becoming a great directory. There are a few things that need to be done before it gets to that point however, most of them stemming from lack of content. Great job so far, Elena, and keep up the good work!
Final Score: 84/100 (B)I would absolutely revisit Twenty-One! Although content is on the slim side, you have listed several high-quality sites. While I would like to see many more sites in the future, I am confident that you will list many more sites to come.
Recommended: NoI cannot recommend Twenty-One quite yet. There are still a few aesthetic and content issues that need to be worked out, but I'm sure that these will be resolved!
Great job, Elena! Reviewing Twenty-One was a lot of fun, and I hope that my advice is helpful and insightful. You may request a re-review On February 6th, as long as some changes have been made. I would appreciate it if you linked back to Crystalline, so below is a button with all the information on your review entered. You may use another button if you like. Thanks so much for requesting a review at Crystalline!
Review content will go here.
Sometimes it can be helpful to have another person look over your site, either for dead links, spelling or grammatical errors, and the like. That is why Crystalline has set up a Services feature! Feel free to request a service, using the form below. (You may request up to three services at a time.)
When your service is finished, it will be available for pickup here.
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