Can someone have a look at this free site for me?

[SheepGuy]

First one I've done in a couple of years. Submitted it to all of the recips a couple of days ago without a huge response. I know it's early to think it's been turned down, but I could use some input from the pros before I start building more. I like to learn from my mistakes almost as much as I enjoy not making them in the first place

[SheepGuy]

Doh! A freakin' url might help
http://www.hotwetvagina.com/dildo/

[virgohippy]

- You can use up to 3 outgoing links per page. I suggest you use 'em.

- I don't like the funky thumb resize job.

- I don't like the huge ad on your second gallery page. Ads called by scripts in general always make me feel a bit apprehensive for freesites too. At any moment, the sponsor could fuck with you. If it's your own site, fine, but you dont want to tarnish your reputation with a freesite.

- The word "young" in the outgoing url on gallery 2 will probably get you declined at some traffic producing places.

- "Click here to get instant access" is a bit blind, but okay by me.

Other than that, content is good, design is clean.

[Useless]

By today's free site standards, it's really quite horrific. But I mean that in the nicest possible manner. I'm honestly not trying to be a dick.

On the index:
The title isn't in the title bar. Only the word "dildo" is.
I've never seen the recip links on the very top. (Did you really submit it to DD's toplist?)
Every text link, including those in the recips, is that awful default blue color.
I'd prefer to see the graphic title on top, where it belongs.
Your adult warning is rather, well...more sales like than a warning. In fact, it may be the best text on the entire site.

On the main page (index2.htm):
Same situation with no real title in the browser title bar.
Text - "Yet Another Job The Robots Are Better At!!" Um, what?
No real story or build up. No real sales text.

Gallery one:
No title in the title bar (or on the page).
You thumb quality is very poor. You need to aim up to 5-7kbs each for small thumbs like that. They also look rather slipshod in there layout.
Two different banners for two different types of sites, yet no real sales push.

Gallery two:
No title in the title bar (or on the page).
HUGE banner ad loaded with blind thumbs - and it's all content you don't control, ie - it's hotlinked from a sponsor using Javascript (which is a banned element on free sites.)
Again, thumbs are scary.
You aren't attempting to promote anything.

In my opinion, you really need to surf around the GG's l-o-r or DD's and take a gander at modern free site structure and overall appearance. You really need to work on your sales text and approach. Don't waste your time building and submitting if you aren't selling anything. Sell, sell, sell.
I'm not one for the soft and cuddly approach, but this THE board to learn about free sites/link lists at and I have a sense that, even if that free site is junk, you are not a newbie.

[SheepGuy]

I thought about using 3 outgoing per page, but I decided to keep it ultra clean.

Not sure what you mean by funky thumb resizing, I used an old program called Thumbnail to List, it's quick and keeps things in proportion, some of the fullsize pics aren't exactly standard, so I didn't want to mess with them.

About the ad on gallery 2, I thought that might be a problem, I could cut it to 1 row or resize it so it's smaller, or use one of their shitty banners, but the ad works very well for me. Also if it would make things easier I could have the ad in an SSI so if a sponsor dicks me around I could switch it on every site within a couple of minutes. It's a pretty generic ad so I could use it on every niche I use. But do most of the players have a problem with javascript? If so, well, that's the way it is and I'll live with it, but on a smaller ad in an SSI from a trusted wm who flies straight I don't understand why that would be.

The "young" in youngsmut is kind of essential to me, I've had the domain for about 8 years and no matter how politically correct things get, I'm going to keep it as my hub. I know it scares off even some sponsors but it is 100% legit, has good PR and works well for me, lots of bookmarks and a long history. I'm going to list every site I submit to others on it, and if I was to make a mirror on one of my other domains I'd feel like I was burning everyone who linked back to me. I don't mind sharing.

My main purpose in getting back into free sites is to drive traffic to my main linklist (youngsmut) and to sell cam memberships which are my best converters by far.

I really appreciate your input Virgo, I'm relearning this aspect of the biz and you've got me thinking. Which is very cool, and why I'm here on this forum.

[SheepGuy]

Originally Posted by Useless Warrior

By today's free site standards, it's really quite horrific. But I mean that in the nicest possible manner. I'm honestly not trying to be a dick.

Ok Useless, yes you are a dick
No problem with me tho, you make some good points.
I'll do my thumbs with Fireworks and boost the quality as well as do a bit more homework on what's out there.
I'm not a newbie, but I'm here to learn so treat me as a newbie, and brutally honest is cool with me. I have thick skin and I haven't worked this part of the biz in a while.
My sales technique is far better than that example as well

Thanks man,

[virgohippy]

This thumb and this fullsize just don't sync in my eye. And I trust my eye far more than I trust any automation.

SSI for serving banners seems fine by me, just don't advertise it. Might give the newbies some bad ideas.

But as UW pointed out, the banner you've got up there has... like... 20 links? Plus the whole "what look like thumbs are actually linking to sponsors" thing. Ya have to be careful about that. If you have to, host the banner yourself, and fuck it up by slapping a big ass logo onto it... or better yet, some teaser text.

The only problem I have with java is that a lot of cheaters like to do sneaky shit with it, and a good freesite doesn't need it.

If you wanna keep using your hub, by all means continue to do so. Sounds like you've made quite an investement. Just thought it fair to warn you it might turn out to be a potential obstacle.

[Fonz]

UW made some pretty good points there.
The site looks like all sites looked back in 1998. Freesites have changed a lot over the last few years. Best thing to do is to head over to let's say LOR's new site list like UW suggested and see what's the standard nowadays.

And I know you're not a newbie

[KG Gary]

Hi Sheepguy.
I am a newbie, but on the subject of making thumbs, just in case it's useful, I use "ezthumbs" from - http://www.fookes.com/ezthumbs/index.php and find it to be just right for easy thumbnail creation.


Feel free to check out some of my freesites at http://www.pynio.com/pynio_sites.html. They're not to everyone's taste, but they almost always get listed and make me a few sales here and there.

[DangerDave]

Hiya Sheepguy...

Follow the advice of UW, Fonz, and you should be home free...

DD

[lorsha]

Am I the only one who does thumbs "by hand"? Seems to me, that is the only way to make them just right.

[Toby]

Originally Posted by lorsha

Am I the only one who does thumbs "by hand"? Seems to me, that is the only way to make them just right.

It depends on the original images. I usually let my favorite thumb/gallery software build a set of thumbs then I go through and replace any that need to be cropped better, lightened, etc. Sometimes I end up doing all the thumbs by hand, but it just takes too much time to do them by hand for every gallery. When selecting images from a large set I keep the thumbs in mind, that also help reduce the number of thumbs I have to remake by hand.

When push comes to shove I probably spend more time on my gallery layouts and sales text than on the thumbs, but I get compliments on my galleries fairly often, so the thumbs must still be better than most.

Often it's a matter of finding the right tool for the job, and adjusting the proper settings to get the desired result.

For example, I picked up a little utility last week that renames the files within a folder based on specifed format. That gem saves me 5 to 10 minutes on every gallery I build, over renaming them one at a time manually.

[SheepGuy]

I will be putting up some quality stuff soon thanks to all of the great advice given here. Just needed a bit of a re-education. I guess you can't spin them out in 20 minutes or so while watching a baseball game anymore

This is a great board! If I can help anyone with anything I will!

[Preacher]

Originally Posted by Toby

It depends on the original images. I usually let my favorite thumb/gallery software build a set of thumbs then I go through and replace any that need to be cropped better, lightened, etc...

Ditto.