I’ve just switched Squash Source over to a new design for August 2012. (RSS readers, you’ll have to click through to the site to see the changes.)
What do you think of the new look? I created the design myself and am personally pleased with how it turned out. It may not win any design awards, but at least my Web design skills are getting a bit better :-).
Recently I’ve been refocusing Squash Source away from squash news coverage and towards squash equipment roundups. I wanted to update the site’s design in a way that better reflects my new emphasis. I also wanted to declutter it a bit. I might have gone too far with the decluttering, but I can always add things back over time.
There are a couple of reasons for the change in this site’s focus. Firstly, as mentioned in a previous post, there are several squash news sites already doing a great job covering the sport. I didn’t feel I was adding enough originality there.
Aside from that, I found that the two most popular types of articles on this site were my equipment reviews and opinion pieces. I enjoy writing those types of posts, and I think that type of content will be valuable to squash players, so why not go with the flow?
I’m also interested in turning this site into a (very) small side business. It’ll be fun to try and develop my entrepreneurial skills in addition to satisfying my curiosity about the world of squash.
I’m not too concerned about the business stuff right now, as the site will first have to prove its usefulness. That said, I will be experimenting with different business ideas as I go.
One of the first things I’m going to try is including links to online vendors where people can buy the rackets and shoes they see on this site. Sometimes these vendors will have something called an affiliate program, where they’ll pay you a small commission if you refer a sale to them. I figure it’s helpful to squash players if I can help them discover squash equipment and places to purchase it. I’ll test out the idea and see how it goes.
Meantime, I hope you enjoy the new look. If you have any thoughts on the redesign or the business ideas, please let me know in the comments or feel free to contact me!
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