Free Site Layout
 

How much of a "tricky" layout can I have without pissing people off?

What I mean is that I've seen some free sites where the Enter / Exit position and the Gallery 1 Gallery 2 position are nearly the same page to page.

That makes it very easy to surf and not pay attention to the sponsor links. :(

Can I put the enter / exit links a bit further down so people need to scroll or look a bit harder? Nothing crazy...just enough that it makes people scan the page a slight bit.

Also, if I can put the Enter / Exit links a tad lower can I then reverse that and put Gallery 1 and Gallery 2 links at the very top? :D

I've seen some sites where people did this and thought it was pretty smart. I knew the content would be there since it was listed, but it caused me to think and look at the whole page more. :)

Hey Alphawolf,

If you mean like this is
http://www.rockgalleries.com/baldpussy/
I haven't had prob with it

As long as they are there and easily seen
(not same color as bg or very small) you should be okay.
Just don't try to be too sneaky, if the ll owner can't find it, they won't list it

:)

see ya
---chris

More or less like that- yeah. Not sneaky...just a bit strategic. ;)

I personally like to see a prominent "Enter" link... Its a free site... that is basically offering the surfer sample free pics... dont mess with them.

As far as gallery links goes... i dont mind if they are mixed in with the feel of the main page... however that may be.. as long as there isnt more than 3 external links on that page and the gallery links are not the smallest text on the page.

"strategic" is a good word :D

As long as I don't click on something thinking it's an enter or gallery link, you'll be fine :)

I don't see what good it does to try to mislead someone to get them to click on a paysite link.

Better to show them the samples, get them worked up and entice them with your ads.

I totally agree that misleading a surfer is not the way to sell. Get them hot, get them horny and then move them onto the sponsor... its defintely the best method!

I dont think that was what Alphawolf was trying to acheive.

I am so sick of looking at a standard free site... and I am sure we could all do well to mix them up a bit. Sell the sponsor... give them some free tease... and send them on... it doesnt have to be the same formula that everyone else uses. Creativity is good :)

It's not so much tricking them into looking at one's ad text as it is snapping them out of repetitive, quick gallery surfing.

If Enter /Exit and Gallery 1 / Gallery 2 are positioned about the same place on the pages then surfers can...well, surf while not thinking.

I came across a couple free sites in particular on LOR where I had to scroll maybe 200px down to enter.

When I enetered and didn't see the Gallery links straight away I scrolled down again 'cos that's what I had to do to enter. :)

I was in zombie mode just checkin' layouts of the free sites.

I scrolled down and there was a link, but ad text not the gallery links.

That snapped me out of zombie mode.

I scrolled up and looked at the page content. I actually looked at all the page content scanning for the gallery Links.

Granted- it was maybe 3 seconds at best before I found the Gallery links way up top. :D

But it did snap me out of surfer zombie mode.

We all block out ads that are typically placed.

When I saw that layout I just thought it was a really smart "snap 'em out of zombie mode strategy"

|jackinthe

Its certainly a good way of thinking AW... good for you!

I completely agree with what you are trying to achieve. Usually, it is very easy to review sites, because all the links are in the same general area. Once in a while, someone will submit a site where I have to actually look at, or read the page to find the gallery links. It stops the surfer from "auto-surfing" and makes them at least SEE your ads.

Well, I thought so, but it's really up to what LL owners think. That's why I posted here.

That's the whole gist of it, jennym. |shake|