New and need Help with my new site

If you have a new site, 100-160 visitors per day is pretty darn good.

What you need to do is focus on building legitimate content, keeping your viewers engaged and keeping them on your site.

If you don't have content for them to peruse, they're going to bounce.

Anyway, sounds like you're doing better than the norm.

Just stick with what you're doing and build on it.

You have 128 members - seems pretty good. From a consumer/visitor perspective I would say the site is a little boring. Just my opinion but i would switch the grey/white theme to a different color, and have more pictures/videos. Assuming the majority of people visit your home page first, I would really try to grab their attention.

The answer to your question is NOT:
- changing the color
- changing the font size
- layout in a different format

Think big-picture. The most important question you MUST be able to answer confidently is:

WHO goes to this site?

Define crystal-clear specifically WHO goes on this site, and all the answers to any question you could possibly have will magically come to you. By WHO, I mean:

Are they parents? Children? Teenagers?
Male/female?
Doctors? Dentists? Janitors?
Looking to buy something? Interested in a topic?

For websites, people take action to claim or keep value. If most people are bouncing from your site, that means they do not see VALUE in what you are offering.

The solution? Get a crystal-clear sense of WHO you want on your site, by answering the questions above, cater the site to them, and attract those people.

For example, if you want people who are interested in booking cruises (I noticed this was the second post down), then:

1. Figure out WHO books cruises. (parents? male/female? etc)
2. Build content that caters to what THEY want
3. Find where these people are, and bring them to your site

First off, congrats on getting that many visitors so early on! Tells you something about the domain and content being good so far to attract traffic (I'm assuming 99% of the traffic is coming from organic Google results, correct?)

One thing I liked was that from the few reviews I read, they were pretty good quality content with graphics. Nice.

Second thing I liked was how you integrated Facebook likes in with the content of the review. Smart. And hopefully it pans out to bring in some viral traffic for you!

Third thing I liked was the Facebook Connect login. Again, one less barrier for entry makes it easier to post, more reviews = more content = more traffic.

As a professional web designer, here's some things I would change:

a) Colors, as mentioned by other warriors, is too bland. I see you're using the SMF forum system. Download a free theme that has some more 'pop' to it... here's a few I'd recommend:

Flagrantly
ProRed

b) Design a logo, or get one designed. A logo is something that can instantly give your site credibility and a professional feel. It is also your brand and for sites like this, having a credible memorable logo and brand is important. Try posting a project on Logo Design, Web Design and More. Design Done Differently | 99designs.com and get a logo done that really stands out, or if you can't afford $200+ for a logo, try hiring someone to make a cheap one on fiverr.com

c) Video video video... put one on your homepage introducing yourself as the administrator/staff and welcoming the visitor to check out the many reviews on your site, to submit one, etc.

d) Implement a rewards system. One that I'm using on a big forum I'm running right now is PunchTab.com, it's free and by placing just some simple code on your site you instantly have a rewards system (integrated with Facebook) that lets users to your site build up 'points' for visiting and they can redeem those points for Amazon and Starbucks giftcards (go figure, there's a review on your site about Starbucks too!). The points are a great way to bring vistors back to check out reviews each day and save up points, and it costs NOTHING to you!

Enjoy!!! And if you do need a logo or design, you can always PM me for help.

100 - 160 visitors a day is pretty good for a site that has been around for 3 weeks.

Try and focus on giving out more content for the site and build off that.

Maybe make categories to get the content organized and have some reward, points, stats, like post count here for posting reviews... icons

Jay

More More More images...and some color into the site...and how about placing categories on what have been reviewed like Travel...Products...perhaps? Good luck to you

Use interactive javascript or fliers designed with images related to niche of your website.

man, you guys have been great help so far.
thank you!! there's a lot of work to be done

Try and socialize more with the users, maybe a chatroom or allow user submitted content

A hundred plus visitors a day to your site is pretty good. All you have to do to maintain it is to post original and great content. Add images that will attract people. Make your font lively and brilliant to every visitors.

1. make sure ur site loads up fast.. get a good host provider.
because some people go to ur site and if it lags or takes time to load up they might just close. tat will count as ur bounce rate.

2. have relevant content, and also valuable. so they will stay and read.

3. have a attractive site. for them to want to stay.

4. have something to offer them. like a free gift.

5. interact with ur visitors. have them answer some questions or survey.


this are some ways to decrease bounce rate.

Who are you hosting with? Lots of good hosts like hostgator you can switch to that'll be wayyy more reliable, and you don't have to spend a lot at all.

If you have a good host on your side, then your customers will see the difference right away and see you as professional. If your site goes down for any reason, you instantly lose credibility!

Put a Video on your site (non-commercial) That will definitely help decrease the bounce rate.

Alright you posted this because you want help in any form. Sorry if I'm harsh.

After visiting your site, I was bored instantly. I didn't want to surf it because the layout was confusing & bland.

You haven't got much on the front page that actually explains what the site is. So if average Joe comes along, he doesn't know what he's looking at.

Secondly your layout. You need to do A but of changes, Me myself I'm a coder and website designer, and there's a few easy things that you an do to attract people. Color is the main part, it's very dry and bland.

Also your writing font on the page is boring, try use Different fonts and sizes in your paragraphs and heading, have headings that stand out of the page.

And lastly, I don't understand how you're making money at all off this site. There are no adds, no page lockers, nothing. So I don't know what the point in your site is.

As I said I am a website designer, designer & coder, so if you have any questions feel free to PM me your email and skype & i'll answer any questions that you have.

Cheers

- RokDot

TEST, TEST, TEST.. Once you get to a good traffic level like that, it's time to start doing some basic A/B split testing. Put up one page for X amount of visitors and look at your stats, and then put up another for about the same amount of visitors and compare the stats. Go with the winner, and then do it all over again!!

That's amazing to be at that traffic level all ready. ESPECIALLY if it's free traffic and relatively targeted. Congrats!!

Here is the reason why I left your site in a hurry.

There's not much focus.

I agree the most with YonghoShin.

You need a focus on the type of audience. I don't like different products strewn about, I like to focus on ONE type of product that fits 'me'. You seem to have 'something for everyone'. If I wanted that, I'd go to Consumer Reports instead.

I really think you should read YonghoShin's post again and strongly adhere to what he is saying, as he's right on the money.

Wishing you the best,