plainbeta

Free Reviews and a Set Posting Schedule

If you take a moment and look at the top navigation, you’ll notice a new link: Free Reviews.

Free Blog and Web Site Reviews

Yep, it’s exactly what the title says.
>Get free reviews of your blog and/or web site’s layout and ‘purpose’ for free!
(If you want me to look at your SEO, code, and/or content - I am for hire…)
Please note, that I shall be reviewing web sites at my discretion and at the order I choose.

What’s the catch?
There is no catch!
I’m simply trying to establish myself in the world wide web.
However, a link back would be greatly appreciated.

Questions? Contact me.
Want to get in on it? Fill out the form and get reviewed!

New Posting Schedule

As mentioned, I shall also be following a set posting schedule. It seems to be the best way to keep me posting regularly.

Monday - Design of the Week
Wednesday - Web Site Review
Friday - Design Analysis

Design of the Week

The design of the week will be kinda like a mini-showcase.
I am going to pick one web site each week that I like.
It’s a simple as that.

But please note, if you think you know of a ‘good’ web site, let me know.

Web Site Review

I already explained this.
I’ll post my review once a week on Wednesday.
Questions? No? Good.

Design Analysis

That’s simply my attempt at fancy talk.
Friday’s shall just be my ’substance’ post of the week.
That’s when I’ll talk about web design, etc.

So there you have it.
My new twist for plainbeta, and my attempt at keeping consistent with my blog.

Custom Wordpress Theme Winner

Congratulations to Binh Nguyen for winning the custom wordpress theme contest!
Binh has won a custom wordpress theme worth over $300! (But with what he’s telling me he wants, it’s probably close to $1000 in worth…) I’m looking forward to working with Binh and think this theme has a lot of potential!
Binh’s blog appears to be fairly nice and to have a lot of potential.

I also want to give a thanks to those who participated.
Blink Dagger
Can the World Hear Me?
Erzology
(Yeah, it’s not a lot of entrants… But there was one who didn’t have an english blog and another who didn’t have a running blog. So props to them)

If you’re interested in seeing how the design turns out, I’ll be letting y’all know - so subscribe to my RSS feed!

And finally, my design services are available. Simply check out my hire me page and contact me with your job request!

The Best Posts of 2007

Happy New Year!
To celebrate the new year, I figured I’d share with you my top five posts of 2007. (Although they’re all fairly recent posts…)

A Comprehensive List of Design Showcases
This post is by far my most popular.
It is simply a long list (over 70) of high-quality design showcases.

A Few Components of ‘Good’ Web Design
My second most popular post explores what ‘good’ web design is and examines three aspects of ‘good’ design.

(Interesting side note, my about page falls in here in the rankings. Just goes to show the importance of the about page!)

The Quest for PageRank - How it Works
This is the first post in a two-post mini-series on Google’s famous PageRank. The first post in the series explores PageRank itself and how it works. (The second post explores how to increase PageRank)

Win a Free Custom Wordpress Theme
Surprisingly, my fourth most popular post is my contest post. Unfortunately, by the time you’re reading this, the deadline will have ended.

Three of the Best Logos of 2007
For this post, I simply looked at three of my favorite logos that were designed in 2007.

Well, there you have it. My five top posts.
Enjoy!

Deadline Extension to the Custom Wordpress Design Give-a-Way

I’m extending the deadline for the custom Wordpress design give-a-way to midnight (Central Time) on December 31st.

Why?
Not many submissions.
So I’m gonna try and contact some blogs and try and get some more publicity.

If you want to learn more about this excellent opportunity, check out the official contest page.

But quickly, I’m giving away a free custom Wordpress design.
Entering to win is easy.
1: Write a post on your blog linking to the contest page ’selling’ your blog to me.
-Why should I pick your blog?
-What do you want the design to look like? (If you’re not sure, that’s fine. I’ll be happy to help you come up with a design)
-Remember, I have to like your blog in order to pick it. So what’s so special about it?
2: Contact me with a link to your entry.

And again, If you want to learn more, check out the contest page.

Free Custom Wordpress Theme

Today is your lucky day!
I’m giving out a free custom wordpress layout design!

Why?
I’m bored and want to design a web site.
I currently need stuff in my portfolio, credibility in the design industry, and links.
I’m having difficulty with coming up with the WDA layout and need a break.

Thus, I’m offering a free custom Wordpress Layout design.

I figured it would be a good way to start getting my name out there in the design world.

However, I’m not just going to give it out. There are a few requirements.

Contest Requirements

1: Must be a Wordpress powered blog (duh)
2: The desired layout must be a minimalist, web 2.0, like design.
3: The blog must be something that I like.
4: No logo design can be involved.
5: ‘Designed by’ link must remain in the footer.
6: The blog already needs to be in existence.

How to Enter

1: Write a post on your blog linking to this post ’selling’ your blog to me.
-Why should I pick your blog?
-What do you want the design to look like? (If you’re not sure, that’s fine. I’ll be happy to help you come up with a design)
-Remember, I have to like your blog in order to pick it. So what’s so special about it?
2: Contact me with a link to your entry.

Why Should I Design Your Blog?

1: I treat all my designs as if they were my personal project, ensuring a high-quality product.
2: All my designs are light-weight valid XHTML and CSS resulting in cross-browser compatible, fast loading, web sites/blogs.
3: Because you pity me. ;-) I’m bored and I want to design a web site.

Contest Deadline is Midnight (Central Time) on December 25th

Contest Deadline is Midnight (Central Time) on December 31st

So hurry and enter!
Feel free to drop a comment if you have any questions.

The New Design and an Analysis of it’s Neat Features

As you can tell, plainbeta has a new layout.
The layout is a variation of Specky Boy’s The Azure Hut.
I took his layout and widened it, added a third column, and added a few touches of my own.
I like it a lot and think it’s an improvement from the old one.

Ok, so what’s so special about this?
Well, there are three main ’special’ components that we should look at.

1: Three Columns

Like I said, and you can tell, there’re three columns.
What’s so special about it?
It de-clutters the blog and allows me to space out the content in the sidebar.

Through that I added the ‘popular posts’ over to the right, the blog topics - also to the right, and the two 170×125px ads to the left. (One of which, is for sale. Contact me if you’re interested)

2: I Removed AdSense

There has been some talk on the web that AdSense detracts from the professionalism of the site/blog.
I agree.
So I removed AdSense.

While Google AdSense isn’t bad, it’s just not for me. After having it for months I only made $5.95.
That’s part of the reason why I added the 170×125px ads on the left.

I Customized My 404 Page

404 Error pages are often confusing and not helpful. That shouldn’t be the case. You should jazz up your 404 page. It’s helpful to your visitors, professional, and helps keep your visitors.

If you take a look at a 404 error page on my blog, you’ll notice two things.

1: I have a humorous image.
2: I suggest a that the visitor try something else.

Both will help keep your visitors from getting frustrated as well as keep them browsing your site.

If you’re using the ever popular Wordpress.org service than you can customize your 404 Error page in your theme directory under 404.php.
You can get there two ways.
1: Through your Wordpress Dashboard. Presentation > Theme Editor > 404.php
2: Through FTP. root > wp-content > themes > ‘theme name’ > 404.php

I Customized the ‘No Search Results’ Page

This is very similar to customizing the 404 error page, but seems to be less common.
If someone searches your site and is greeted with a page that says “No search results were found.” - and that’s it - then they may not stick around.
However, if you customize that page and encourage your visitors to keep searching and thus, stay on your site.

Here’s what I did.

Other than the over all look, that’s the gist of the re-design.
Hope you enjoy it.
I believe I’ve worked out all the kinks but if you find any or have any suggestions let me know.

Are You a Designer?

Are you a designer?
Do you want publicity? Jobs?
Get ready then…

Because I have the perfect publicity tool for you!
The World Design Association!

It is currently in the design stage right now, but it’s coming soon.

And I need your help!

I need a list of designers of all kinds when I kick this off.
If you are a web designer, graphic designer, flash designer, print designer, photographer, or videographer and want to get in on this when it starts, drop a comment or shoot me an e-mail with your name and web site’s URL. I’ll contact you when I get closer to launching.

What is the World Design Association?
I don’t want to tell you all the details, but I’ll share what I can.
The WDA is a web site designed to promote good design and designers - as well as aid designers at improving.
Designers will be able to show off their stuff, get and give help, and find potential clients.
The specifics…
…shall come when I’m closer to launching.

In the mean time, I want to know about you!
If you are a designer of any kind, let me know!

And finally…
I need some design help.
I’ll be the first to admit - I am not the best at graphic design. My strengths lie in the coding and layout of web design. Thus, I’d like some help with seven icons. They’ll be simple, for they’ll be used anywhere from 10×10px to 64×64px. I already have what I want in my head, so you won’t have to do that. But if you have some ideas, feel free to suggest them.
Your return shall be in publicity. As long as the web site is up, you’ll have a link there - specifically thanking you for this quick and easy work. I shall also give you (or your website/blog/etc) a free review here. Furthermore, you can have a 125×125px ad on the site for a month after it’s launch. (And don’t believe that won’t get you much traffic - I plan on coming in with a boom.)
Interested? Questions? Drop a comment or email me.