Hi guys! The summer just started (officially), and it's time for more improvements. They should be related to 3 things:
1) Look
2) Functionality
3) Advertizing the site

I have some ideas and I will try to implement most of them. I wanna know first hear your opinion on them, and hear your own suggestion too.

I would like to make the "quick links" more "attractive. I feel the shoutbox is taking too much space on the top of the page, so may be put a link that opens a shoutbox when you click on it. What do you think?

I also have other ideas, but I will make sure they are implementable before talking about them.

First, Iwould like to have a "tell a friend about qnhl.com" page, "link to us" with qnhl banners and text links, and "advertize with us" to make it easier to attract advertizers.

Oster offered to help making a myspace profile to promote qnhl.com, and I appreciate ANY HELP from other members.

Lots of members (I don't want to forget anyone) post in other forums and put qnhl.com in their signature. Wingsfan made videos and added the qnhl.com signature too.

I would like to hear your opinion how to promote the site more, what do you think of the current positions of the ads, and how to make it better, and ideas about the look and the functionality.

Don't be shy! I am waiting for your ideas, suggestions and help!

Regards,
GSA

Thanks Eagle! Other suggestions?

GSA

i've seen advertisement on myspace and i've heard it's free (i believe), so maybe you could check into doing an add on myspace.

There aren't too many advertisements, but the placement is not aesthetically pleasing in the least.

Try dispersing them a little more evenly. Use sidebars if you have to or have an automated ad post after each first post of any thread. Use the space inbetween posts, as well.

Nearly the entire first "eyeful" is just the logo and a mess of ads. The bottom of every page is about the same. It should be noted that the average user (a user surfing the web with the browser maximized at a 1024x768 resolution) can see more than 10 advertisments but can not even see the forums (what makes them repeat users) in the first screenful. It is only logo, navigation and advertisements. Widen those images and shorten your header so there is visible content. The first "screenful" is what the majority of your success rides on. It should contain both reasons to stay (content) and reasons to leave (advertisements) that are beneficial to both user and owner.

If placement is going to be in "horizontal territory" be sure to minimize the height of the advertisement, and for vertical placement think about the width.

All of the same ads could be contained in these pages while giving the pages a better "flow" and making the ads more visible. Using bright green makes it noticable, but doesn't make it a more "visible" (AKA usable) part of the page. It's an annoyance and will sooner be ignored than clicked, thus not making you any money.

It benefits both the owner and the user. If the advertisement is part of the flow of the site and you have done your job at targeting said advertisement, then it is part of the content rather than just an obligatory billboard. If you want users to accept advertisement as content (and therefor usable [clickable]), then it must be treated as an extension of the content rather than an extension of the template frame.

Ads that are part of how users surf are useful and encourage clicks. Ads that are visible but not part of the experience are only annoyances and will not draw traffic. Your users will be more likely to just run an ad-blocker than click them.

We can all win on this one. Channel your inner artist and give us a groovy flow.
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Another "heads up". The archive (lite) section is non-functional.

ChompBoard.com - San Jose Sharks Fan Forums & Message Boards & more

You should organize the smilies so the most used ones are available in the sidebar rather than last in the pop-up.

Don't forget to include varying versions of the same.

ie. vs :-)

^ Not complete. Most users will type their shortcuts without browsing your selection.

ChompBoard.com - San Jose Sharks Fan Forums & Message Boards & more