Insight for a novice web designer and website? gxsol.net

[GD0X]

I'm 18, and instead of finding a "real" job, i decided to buy a website, not only for myself, but as a possible source of income. I went through Ipage as my web host... overall great experience so far (frustrated with lack of design options though). Anyways, my site is dedicated to all things technology; in a sense it brings together the more interesting stories from multiple technology blogs i read everyday, including this one. Beside from lack of design (generic looking, I know), how is the work in a month's time displayed on my site?

If I get enough response, I would love to change my site to appeal to more of a mass, rather than just a few willing friends/fans who support me. So my questions, aside from lack of content at the current moment, what types of opinions, suggestions, or changes can you give to me (for my site and as a novice web designer?). Thanks!

gxsol.net- be as nasty as you want with the ridicule

 

[digitalField]

umm so advice.

1. take 'tech' out of quotes.. unless there is some reason i am not aware of as to why you put it in quotes.

2. go write some articles... i dont come to macrumors.com because the site is pretty.. i come here because i like the information they have and the voice its written in.

3. go get a job at a design firm or agency for a month. you will learn a boatload and you will get paid.

 

[John444]

You should learn HTML, Javascript, and CSS if you are going into web design. Also once you have those down packed, I would look into PHP. With knowledge of these coding languages you can virtually do anything.

 

[Hexiii]

Well, there are tons of these sites, I don't think it will be successful. I suggest you to come up with something more original.

 

[brisbaneguy29]

I can't believe you think you can have serious content with a home page that tells you how to pirate Windows. Dude, bad move.

Either be legit, or a pirate site, decide, but you cannot have both.

 

[bpaluzzi]

3. go get a job at a design firm or agency for a month. you will learn a boatload and you will get paid.

With no degree and no experience? Good luck with that. Even getting unpaid internships is difficult these days.

 

[GD0X]

if you guys don't mind, how do you like the layout now?

 

[tobr]

The internet is not a magical place where money pours into the pockets of anyone with a domain name and an Adsense account. Like in the real world, making a living online requires both competence and dedication. Are you a good writer? Are you a good designer? Do you have the entrepreneurial drive? What is your competence? What is the value that will motivate anyone to return to your site, or recommend it to their friends? Remember that even many professional sites, run by professional writers, designers and business people, struggle to survive. There are plenty of people online who make money from making you and others feel or believe that it is easy, but it's as much work as running a business offline.

Since you have the site up, you've already come farther than most people who want to make money online. But so far there is no value to me as a visitor at all, and the hit-and-miss design makes it feel spammy.

What I want to say to you is, keep doing this. But instead of having the goal of earning something, try having the goal of learning something. If you're passionate about tech and want to learn how to run a blog, that's going to work much better for you as a driving force rather than making money.