Okay, I got a big complaint about www.BimmerWerkz.com

[Delmarco]

I love all you guys & gals and will probably get banned for saying this, but we seriously need to fire the website's designer!

Since I've had some free time to check out other BMW websites that cater to my E46. I've come to realize that our website's front page suck!

The web page that comes up when you type in "www.bimmerwerkz.com" is not only swamped in Ad Banners and tricky Ad linkages but the links that actually get you into the forums are the smallest font size on the mainpage and are convoluted.

I'm not sure of the stats today, but 5 years ago when I googled for help to remove the worn out armrest on my E36 this website not only came up first, but with one quick click of the mouse I was transported into the E36 Forums here and into a whirlwind of useful information, great help and lots of colorful personalities that made me want to stick around.

On that note, I wonder what experience someone who just recently bought a BMW and is googling for help will get if they are directed to Werkz.

We need to revamp the front page. I understand Ad Banners pay the bills and are an important part of any website but we need to make the fonts size links for the actual forum bigger, more welcoming and more central to the main front page.

For example; why are they two similarly worded links for BMW Forum Home; that takes you absolutely NOWHERE, but another page filled with outdated arcticles and more ads! and the BMW Forum link which actually brings you into the real forum pages but this important link is bunched up and sort of hidden beneath that useless BMW Forum Home link? And the new members' registration link in hidden beneath those links in an even smaller font!

Also listing a nice large size grid showing links to the individual forum rooms on bottom of the main page may make our website more inviting and less mickey mouse!

EDIT: I just realized some of those ads on the front page aren't even BMW related! WTF!?

[AlpineSixAndSeven]

^ .... wait what i'm actually going to agree with del....

[jimmythepie]

i second that del boy,the site sucks.

[bigred318]

i agree... but its just part of the site... i dont let it rub me the wrong way.

[BigT's93]

Unfortunately you are correct that the ads pay the bills. I hooked my son up w/ a Jeep forum and it is the same old shiznit. Just take a deep breath, hold it, exhale and pass. Oh wait that's something totally different.

[denyo77]

I also think one could improve the front page

[wayoutcat]

Dang. You're right. That front page is confusing.

[Torque]

You dawg, I heard you like pages, so we put a page in your page so you can read while you read.

[da_bull]

does this mean we're going back to bmw-forums.com?

[gotKRAUT]

lol

[drz]

Let's make this the fourth post in a row from an administrator that offers no help on the issue.

[gotKRAUT]

i dont think it deserves much response....is del going to pay to run the site?

[drz]

I'll forward the link to the people who own the site (and many others). We use off the shelf software to run the forum, so who knows how much can be done without disrupting whatever cost structure the people who run things have stipulated.

Thanks for the input.

Thread moved to Site Talk

Edit: Oh, and we still get pretty good (a lot of the time still at the top) Google placement, despite the na change in the site and the unfortunate deletion of many DIYs that went down over the last couple of years.

[witeshark]

IMO: The banners are none more obtrusive than on most other sites. The content tends to show the broad and open exposure this site has become connected to. I see nothing to complain about, I have thought about this thread most if the day.

[dannyb]

I find this site to be LBF (Lazy Bastard Friendly), I come in and click on new posts which is on the top. No need to scroll or anything. If the site changes and I need to start scrolling to find stuff, I demand Del pays me for the extra effort.