Now that the new site has been up for a few days I’m really curious to know what people think.
I have an email list option coming soon, but I’m not sure yet what we’re going to put in the email… maybe I’ll “tell you how I really feel” if you’re on the email list :)
We’re still working on the photo album. You have no idea how hard it is to find a good compatible photo viewing/uploading tool. No idea.
What do you like, what should I do more of, what don’t you like?
20 Responses
Kathy Stacey
April 25th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
1Dana,
Is the top banner with your photo only supposed to appear for a second when on your page, or should it stay there? It comes up only for a second, long enough to see you, and then it goes away. Just wondering. I think it would be nice if it stayed there.
Thanks for keeping your Web log going and for the remodel. It looks great!
Kathy
*Leah*
April 25th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
2IT ROCKS!!! I LOVE IT AS ALWAYS!!!
vbkim
April 25th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
3I really like the new page. One of my favorite features is “The Latest” column at the top. I love that if I’m in a hurry I can look there quickly for an overview.
You’re quantity of posts has always been good: not too many, not too few. So as long as that stays the same I am VERY happy!
Heather
April 25th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
4I hate to say it, but i liked the old site better. Anyone else agree?
Jen
April 25th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
5I’m getting used to it. It looks more like a regular website and less like the old blogger thing.
Lou
April 25th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
6The new sites looks very good, Dana. Much brighter, more colorful, and the pics look sharper!
Dory C
April 25th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
7i quite like it actually….it feels less clogged and cluttered than the old one with ads and links all over the shop…where as now, its nice and neat….and pink yey lol
SeptBunny
April 25th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
8meh… I’m getting used to it. It seems to be a faster which is great–the old site was so slow in loading pictures. The new site also reminds me of the way that the PopSugar website is set up, except with more black outlines and graphics.
I have to say that I really HATE all of those, “click on this to see who!” deals… I don’t really remember seeing them on the old website which I quite liked b/c Perez and TMZ do this all the time, and it’s SO ANNOYING!! I mean, it could have happened from time to time, but not enough for me to remember or to irk me. Please stop doing this!
And, I think that the “Want more dirt? Click Here!” button and the “Next Entries>>>” buttons at the bottom of each page are CONFUSING!!! It’s irritating to click on something that you think will take you chronologically backward in the archives, but it takes to you the page that you were just looking at before the page you’re on. In other words, if I’m on page 2 and clicking to see what’s on page 3, it’ll take me back to all of the dirt I’ve already read on page 1–and then I’ll have to scroll all the way down the page to click again to page 3. Please change these to “Newer” and “Older;” or or something to that effect that would make things clear. “Want More Dirt?” could mean either going to newer or older pages, and so does saying “Next.”
Also, I really miss all of the photos. That’s what really drew me to this website in the first place…. I haven’t been checking back with this site as regularly as I used to do before (which was at least twice a day) because it’s become really boring. Please get that working as soon as you can! Thank you!
SeptBunny
April 26th, 2008 at 12:12 am
9oh, and again about that “Want More Dirt?” page chronology confusion thing? I just noticed that on the 1st page, the “Want More Dirt? Click Here” is on the bottom Right hand side of the page, which, naturally, would make someone click to see what was previous to it (to go to page 2). Then, at the bottom of page 2, the “Want More Dirt?Click Here” button is on the Left hand side of the page and “Next Entries>>” is on the Right side of the page, with the arrows pointing to the Right, which would also make you think that the Right hand side button with the arrows pointing to the right would take you to page 3, b/c of the bottom Right hand side button that you’d just clicked on Page 1 that took you to Page 2–but it doesn’t. So, you also have to make sure you’re being consistent with the placement of these “Newer” and “Older” buttons as well. Thanks!
D*ana
April 26th, 2008 at 1:07 am
10SeptBunny,
Thanks for all the feedback!
First I will address the picture situation. I have to pay for the pictures now, and they are expensive. The sites that have a lot of pictures are either doing it illegally (and will eventually get caught when they get enough recognition – that’s what happened to me) or they have a large budget and can afford a lot of pictures. Right now I only have 100 pictures per month with one agency. As soon as I have some more money to invest, I am going to start with another agency that will give me unlimited access and then I will be back to posting a lot more shots. That should happen within the next few weeks. Right now I am trying to maximize the pictures I have.
I am also trying to figure out a better way for people to view the photos… You obviuosly look at a lot of celebrity sites and I’m sure you’ve noticed how annoying it is to look at a picture and click “next” and then have to scroll down a little to see the picture, and do that every time. I am working on a way to view the photos in a window that doesn’t require you to do that anymore. That’s one of my website pet peeves and I am working to fix it. I don’t think people who don’t run sites have any idea how complicated and time consuming it is. I have been doing this non-stop.
I understand about not liking the “show me more!” thing, but if you don’t like those you don’t have to click them. I actually enjoy those things on other sites… I love TMZ’s “All Growed Up” and the site that has the piece the celebrity together.
I completely understand about the “WANT MORE DIRT CLICK HERE” thing and the NEXT buttons… When I did it, I was only looking at the first page and wanted to change the text from “previous” to something else… but I didn’t think about the “Next” buttons on the other page. I will change that tonight.
I’m not sure what you mean about the site being boring. Is it the content? Am I too nice or too mean? What did you find amusing about it before that you don’t like now? I have been both trying to keep up with posting and figure out all of the issues layout-wise so it’s been a lot of work.
I appreciate your feedback!!
Melissa
April 26th, 2008 at 10:11 am
11Hi Dana,
to answer your questions; here is some constructive critisisms or observations.
The old site had ‘something special about it. I liked it alot and checked it almost as much as Perez Hitlon’s site. Just to see what you had to write. I ended up looking at your Myspcae page a few times as i was drawn to the videos.
When your new site came on, I was a little surprised and disappointed. I was thinking about why after I read your ‘Just want to Know’. The word is ‘Charm’. the old site had charm (which the new one has but not nearly as much).
I was trying to figure out what made up the charm. Maybe the cartoon photo of you with the daisy over your eye….or the font….not sure. But, as they say….when it isn’t broke, don’t fix it!!!!
I do love how easy it is to watch the vidoes and see the photos. Love your personal videos. It seperates you from the rest.
Maybe ( even though a change or something new to look at is nice) change back to some old elements ( Cartoon photo of you and old font) but add the new techology.
That can’t change is is bloggers identity.
Don’t be upset….we are drawn to you, love you and that is why we look.
Melissa
NICOLE
April 26th, 2008 at 10:28 am
12Dana,
I think you have done a FANTASTIC job with this new site! It looks amazing and I love it! It seems like you’ve been working really hard with it, and myself and Im sure many more appreciate it! I look forward to visiting this site multiple times a day!
BTW, I like it when you’re mean ;-)
D*ana
April 26th, 2008 at 11:59 am
13Hey Melissa… I was on the fence about losing the cartoon for a while, but in order to change the logo and the look of the site I needed to. I don’t have another copy of the graphic and when we tried to alter it to fit some of the new things, it didn’t look right. I have also had a lot of people say they think it would be better if I used a real picture… so once I saw the graphic Adam designed I really liked it. I also wanted something that would fit the theme of the website more… I think you’ll get used to this one. I am not upset… I am much better at taking criticism these days, and I like knowing what people like and don’t like, so thank you!!
C
April 26th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
14I liked the old site better. can’t put my finger on it. The old one was more raw. This one looks like every typical, ‘professional’ gossip site. I don’t visit it as much.
Plus the advertisers are harder to see. I liked the way they were on the sides of the page and VERY visible. I have ordered from 2 of them in the last year! ELF, and World of Good. Put advertisers back where they were. Less fluff, more pics and gossip. We don’t care about the way it’s laid out, it’s about the content. The ‘guess who’ is aaight… could take or leave it.
I do like the vidoe blogs though. makes us feel like we know you better. Keep those coming.
I miss the old site!!!!! Good job though anyway.
:-)
D*ana
April 26th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
15It’s funny a few people have said they like the “rawness” of the old site… I can understand that a little bit… I’ve decided to make this both a business and a hobby – at this point I don’t have any other choice… As far as the World of Good and ELF… I am probably going to put World of Good back on here but I want the ads to be more effective so I am going to work something out with them. The ELF and all the other ads were clutterring up the page and with ALL of those ads – through the same company – I was getting checks for $1.35, 12.50, 3.78, etc. for over a year and I was just like – it’s not worth it, I can sell that ad space at a much better rate if I do it myself. I want to start doing some endorsements too, I think my vlogs will help with that… We’ll see. I needed the new layout to attract better advertisers and try to establish myself a little more… I do appreciate the feedback though. I LOVE the way this looks… I think you’ll get used to it.
jen
April 26th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
16I enjoy the content, however I, also agree – I liked the old site better. I liked the photo at the top banner of you on the old site. Maybe this needs some color in the background or something – I can’t put my finger on it.
It certainly loads better (faster). I can actually read it on my phone, which is a huge PLUS!
I like your raw, humor and commentary. That’s why I keep coming back. :)
Melissa
April 26th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
17Hi,
I’m such a geek but I was so excited that Dana (you) actually responded to my comments and wrote!!! I used to listen to you on the radio every night driving home from work! And, you wrote my name! ( told u that I was a geek).
It’s great that you appreciate your readers.
Melissa
meeeee!
April 29th, 2008 at 12:16 am
18At the risk of my comment being deleted, here’s my opinion…
I really tried to give your site a chance because you were super excited, but i’m really confused. It appears to me that it just a mere copycat of all the other websites out there.
i.e. “Guess Who/What..” is on TmZ. All your content/pictures seems to be credited to SPLASH. I mean, you used to post a lot of opinions [and some were very catty] about celebs, that’s how I can tell it’s not really your content.
I don’t know, maybe i’m wrong, but I just don’t feel like it’s genuine and I really could just go to TmZ if I wanted to play guess who or SPLASH if I wanted to see their content/pictures.
D*ana
April 29th, 2008 at 1:14 am
19I won’t delete your comment. It’s not mean, it’s your opinion… Well, some of it is fact, yes, all of my pictures are credited to Splash. I am working on contracts with other agencies but right now I decided to start with one. I am contracted to credit all of their pictures.
With the Guess Who/What… I did that once, I was trying to see how all of the new stuff on the site works… Now I’m doing some other stuff, like name that package, which I’ve gotten a lot of good feedback on. The Guess Who type stuff won’t be happening very often. If you don’t enjoy those posts, you don’t have to read them.
I’ve made some pretty catty comments lately… did you see the Denise Richards post or the one about Rumer Willis actually looking pretty?
Maybe I am “trying” a little bit harder now… before I felt like I was just throwing a bunch of pictures up and blabbing whatever… I’m trying to do a little bit of everything…
Soon you will be able to read the version of Dana’s Dirt that you want to read… By using categories I can sort posts… and then give you a link to whatever sections you choose.
I haven’t been able to finish yet, but I think it might work out really well. Some people don’t like the vlogs or personal stuff so they won’t have to see those posts when they check the site…
Anyway, I appreciate the criticism. I am also trying to build a business… The site has been a hobby but it would have been impossible for me to continue doing it the way I was doing it before. I won’t get into why. I could have given it up, or made it profitable… so here I am.
I hope you’ll get used to the new site… I am still working on a lot of the internal stuff and figuring out exactly what I want to do – and it will probably be ever-changing – so I hope you keep checking it, even if only once in a while.
Thanks!!!
D
jamie
April 29th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
20I read your site everyday. I love that you are doing more posts then ever. More of the Hills girls please. I don’t really watch it that much but I think it is crazy how famous they are for nothing.
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