Web document / online publication

[angelize]

Starting with the next issue which goes out Wednesday I'm going to use Steve's trick to give each week's issue a title with a date so readers can see that they are getting the new issue, and this way the link will stay the same so readers can bookmark it and always have access to the most recent issue.

[Boy]

Now I got it. Smart solution. Thanks.

[angelize]

I've got the next issue up and live the link is the same as above The tweaks I made with Steve's page title trick, and my own little trick to get Google Analytics code in place worked nicely. Thanks to all who participated here!

[Cloud]

I like the grid you have used to keep the content nice and readable. My only suggestion is to have the text as one column rather than two, the columns are quite short so they would be clearer as one and be easier to follow. Perhaps try the layout below:

[angelize]

Thanks for looking Skech We often switch up the columns like in your example. Each issue will be different depending on a lot of factors

[Big Frank]

can i make a couple of design suggestings for the online copy?

• use more white space - my eyes tire quicklylooking at your original
• since its a newspaper/letter, use a serif font for headlines and sans for copy
• space out your text more
• if youre indenting your para's, justify fully, some paras look as if the text is centered
• add space between paras
• either use more space between artciles or use lines, in your copy its sometimes hard to tell the difference
• use graphics and interesting fonts for your humourous one-liners to demark them as such and keep them away from previous/next articles

here's the original and a version i made up
i know how much hard work goes into one of these
especially if you do it regularly
and my purpose isnt to criticise, its to suggest improvements
i hope you find the suggestions useful



i enjoyed reading it

[steve.ledger]

Agreed, Frank.

[angelize]

Hi Frank, I'm glad you enjoyed reading the Sunshine

I use the same document for the pdf's for printing and posting on our website for those that want a pdf and for the online version. We used to use fully justified columns but I get problems sometimes with how different browsers display fully justified text. It is much easier for us to use ragged right. In comparing your screenshots I see you also removed two adverts from the front page and that is something I can not do. The front page ads are always filled and these clients pay a little extra to be on our front page. However as I told Skech the layout is fluid and each week is a bit different. We do make use of illustrations and things like callouts and white space too.

[jon404]

There's nothing in the newspaper that asks me to advertise, or gives me a link to an ad rate/contact page.

Didn't realize at first that the 'www.goodmorningsunshine' link at the top of the first page was a link... I guess because it is red, not blue with an underline.

Then, when I went to that main site, the link to 'Advertise with us' just goes to an e-mail mailto: ... but I wanted to see an online rate card... ad sizes and their costs.

Make it easier for people to spend their money with you. It's a good enough product... the jokes are funny and make the paper unique. What else do people in a small town want to read about? Crime... you could pick up the local police report. And garden tips, with a photo suitably altered to show Mrs. Smith with here 4000-lb pumpkin.

[angelize]

Some how I missed the last post in this thread. On our main site we have recently added an Advertising Page that gives you all the prices, and the ability to purchase your advertising directly through the site.

Each week I upload the new version a day ahead of the distribution of the printed copies, readership for the online version is starting to grow XDP9 makes it so fast and easy to publish the html page.