7 replies to this topic

[TheAlex]

I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on the below - it will be a personal website. I may add links to buy prints of some photos but I don't intend to make money from it.

I know the general advice is to keep a website focused on one topic. The main focus of this one would be travel photography and writing, plus the following:

Live music photography and reviews (with the occasional article featuring band interviews and other stuff)
Portrait photography

I occasionally write fiction and poetry, and dabble in CGI, so may include some of this in the future.

I will also have a couple of pages for my band(s) - I'll probably keep these completely separate from the rest anyway - not even in the main menu.

Does this sound like too much? Could it confuse the user (especially when they come across non-photography articles on what will mostly be a photography site)? Perhaps I could put it all under one umbrella - something to do with creativity, but I don't think that would fit with the travel aspect. Do you know any websites that mix something like the above well? Should I just go ahead and do it and stop worrying about it? I will be using it on my CV for SEO jobs though from my point-of-view it's just to show I can write and do most SEO and design related things well.

It's just so much easier (and cheaper) to maintain one website rather than a few.

Oh, and to add to the randomness, I've always had a 'Happy Smiley' page on my website. So I need to keep up that tradition.

[DonnaFontenot]

Go for it. Just make sure you have clear navigation and perhaps an introductory paragraph that lets users know what to expect. I miss the days of blogs that covered any and all interests by the blogger.

[Walter]

Hey Alex,

I think the thing that draws it all together is you. I wouldn't flinch at that.

Walter

[jonbey]

I agree, not too much. Besides, Wikipedia seem to do OK with a variety of topics. Maybe niche is too overrated anyway?

[tam]

Yep, you're the 'brand' that ties everything together, just like you might have an electronics company that talks about microwaves and cameras.

[bwelford]

Oops, I seem to be the loner here.

I'm not sure you need a website for other users, Alex. It seems this is all about you, so the only people who may visit are those who are interested in knowing what you have put on your website.

Is this your goal? To make the best website that you will be proud of?

If not, you will need to figure out who are you designing this website for. What would they like to see? I'm sure you can't design a universal website that appeals to all, unless you give away money.

[TheAlex]

Thanks for the replies; I have more confidence in doing this now.

BWelford - I'm glad someone has disagreed! I don't intend the site to be about me. In the travel photography section, for example, I'll be writing about places that other people are interested in visiting and reading about, and providing some useful information alongside that (like what to do, how to get there if it's difficult). The aim is to provide content that people will be interested in viewing and sharing. I tend to travel off the beaten track quite often, so the main target audience would be people who are interested in similar locations, whether they want to go there or just read about it and look at pictures (a lot of places I've been to don't seem to have been photographed to a decent standard so I think I have that to offer too). There are always a few people who like to see photos of live music events they've attended, and read interviews with their favourite bands, so that covers that section. The portrait photography is just something I'm having a go at...

I think what I'll do is make the photography and writing around that the main focus, and perhaps just link to the other stuff less obviously (in a footer perhaps, or smaller and to the right of the main menu). I'll try and design it so it makes sense.

Edited by TheAlex, 27 December 2012 - 05:34 PM.

[EGOL]

Does this sound like too much?

That's what category pages are for.

The homepage of your site can be a nice array of images - each representing your categories.

Of course, this is something that you have to grow for a while before you have enough posts to make these categories look healthy.