I need ideas - Help!
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Ok, so I have this crazy cool opportunity to run a website for the manager of the LA Dodgers, Don Mattingly. I ran his site for him once, years ago, and it has been down for about 4 years. I recently got his permission to re-launch. I went with C5 because of the flexibility, but now I am having creativity issues.
This is by and large a fan site for Don Mattingly, but it is his official site. I need to figure out what is best to offer the community.
Here is what it needs to be:
- Engaging to visitors and fans
- Sharing with Twitter and FB on auto-pilot if possible
My ideas so far:
- I will have memorabilia available soon, so a store is already in the works
- I was thinking of a blog, or forum, or both for fans to interact and discuss games, spring training, etc.
- Information on charities that Don is involved in
- Future signings and events
Bam, that is where my ideas stop. I need this site to be cool, help me!
So far I have the $55 Mailing List add-on and Slate for my theme. I want to stick with Slate, but am open to everything else. Please give me ideas to make this site cool!
Shannon
This is by and large a fan site for Don Mattingly, but it is his official site. I need to figure out what is best to offer the community.
Here is what it needs to be:
- Engaging to visitors and fans
- Sharing with Twitter and FB on auto-pilot if possible
My ideas so far:
- I will have memorabilia available soon, so a store is already in the works
- I was thinking of a blog, or forum, or both for fans to interact and discuss games, spring training, etc.
- Information on charities that Don is involved in
- Future signings and events
Bam, that is where my ideas stop. I need this site to be cool, help me!
So far I have the $55 Mailing List add-on and Slate for my theme. I want to stick with Slate, but am open to everything else. Please give me ideas to make this site cool!
Shannon
Thanks Alex. Good recommendations. Do you think I need a Blog AND a Forum, or would a Blog suffice?
I would also need blog posts to hit the new Facebook Page and also go to Twitter.
More ideas please.
I would also need blog posts to hit the new Facebook Page and also go to Twitter.
More ideas please.
Also, I am new to Blogging. A forum could mean trouble if I turn users lose, but can I also allow them to blog and create articles in given categories themselves or would that be a bad idea? Can any of the blog software addons allow me to review each blog submission by users and approve or deny?
I would hate for it to be only my articles that make the blog, that seems a bit boring to me. :)
Any post though I need to have the capability for users to share it out and I would want it to go straight to my twitter and facebook page when posted.
I would hate for it to be only my articles that make the blog, that seems a bit boring to me. :)
Any post though I need to have the capability for users to share it out and I would want it to go straight to my twitter and facebook page when posted.
http://www.digitalfaq.com/editorials/websites-blogs/comments-vs-forum-posts.htm
http://socialmediatoday.com/SMC/197532...
Did a little reading on blogs vs forums, The articles above are probably worth a read.
Sports forum websites have historically been the target of some pretty bad trolling, using a blog and then employing the guest-blogger add-on that 12345J posted would be a pretty good solution to that issue though.
But saying that, a forum would probably promote more of a sports community discussion feel for your site, rather than news discussion.
Perhaps some baseball tipping ?
http://socialmediatoday.com/SMC/197532...
Did a little reading on blogs vs forums, The articles above are probably worth a read.
Sports forum websites have historically been the target of some pretty bad trolling, using a blog and then employing the guest-blogger add-on that 12345J posted would be a pretty good solution to that issue though.
But saying that, a forum would probably promote more of a sports community discussion feel for your site, rather than news discussion.
Perhaps some baseball tipping ?
I think you need a section dedicated exclusively to moustaches
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_73exSt_W91A/SSPKKgsuBuI/AAAAAAAAAJU/ysfWK...
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_73exSt_W91A/SSPKKgsuBuI/AAAAAAAAAJU/ysfWK...
Very as it sounds, I bet fans would actually enjoy that! :) Sounds like a good drop down menu under Biography and Career Statistics!
More ideas!
More ideas!
Ranked 3rd in Google already, nice.
I agree with your decision to stay with slate, you've paid for a pretty good theme and it's responsive (looks good regardless of available screen size). You'll start to get a better feel for the layout once you add in some more relevant content.
Definitely start writing a few articles or get a blog going as that's going to be how you attract your target audience. A friend of mine started a youtube soccer channel that took a little while to take off, but one week an article got featured by a major sports news website and his channel just took off.
Check this add-on out to get a basic forum started, there is also an upgraded version if you're after more features:http://www.concrete5.org/marketplace/addons/basic-forum/...
If you want to get a blog going there's also a heap of blog tools on the marketplace.
http://www.concrete5.org/marketplace/addons/simple-blog/...
Good luck !