http://www.theweblogreview.com Blogging reviews ofother blogs en-us The Direct Creative blog is a simply designed, rather interesting blog about marketing, copywriting, and direct marketing design. It is the blogging corner for a company called Direct Creative, a copywriting and consulting company owned by Dean Rieck. Dean started the blog in October because he enjoys talking shop and sharing his thoughts and observations on his vocation, his job, his career and his life. Dean keeps it all business and doesn't talk about his personal walk up to this point in his life, and how he really came to be in this field. All business, all the time... copywriting and marketing advice is what it is all about here. Now, direct marketing is often a term that makes folks (myself included) cringe. Dean makes it fun by pointing out where folks make mistakes in their copywriting. There aren't a lot of archives, but reading through I felt informed and entertained with the content within. My favorite entry was a very recent one where it looks like a postcard is selling kitchen cabinets, but it is really a condominium complex that is trying to sell their units. Dean very carefully examines where the writers went wrong by trying to be to smart by half... and in the end, a quick view of the card leaves the recipient unaware that their future home might be in the palm of their hands because the message is lost. The website itself is nicely laid out. A bright orange header bar is gently overlaid by what looks like to be a "sheet" of paper almost ... it is a nice, classy design for a blog on creative marketing. Layout-wise, we are presented with a two-column format with entries on the right and navigation to the left. The left navigation area seems a bit cluttered by a lot of offers and Amazon.com ads and the usual money-making on your blog opportunities, but it isn't too overwhelming and noisy, and it really could be with all of the different widgets, feeds, gadgets and toys out there in the blogosphere. The RSS subscription feed is easy to find, as are the archives. All told, it is a nice, clean layout without too much noise. The perfect vehicle for Dean's message. I have a friend who is a copywriter and will refer her to this page to see if there are tips and tricks she can pick up. For the average, everyday non-marketing type like myself there isn't a real need to revisit. But if you're in the marketing industry and direct mail or copywriting is your thing, this blog (and Dean himself as a consultant) are a great resource. I give the blog a 3.75 rating because it is for a very specific audience and not the whole wide world of readers. Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EthEST http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3450/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWeblogReview/~3/OeYwEiidWgE/http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3450/ "Awakening Sense" has the subtitle describing the blog as being "about waking up to our awakening process...sensing its pull." Who awakens? Not us -- but our inner selves. What is this awakening? Spiritual mostly, and more of a consciousness of being. Delving into the blog one can learn more about what our author believes "awakening" means, and how folks can reach for this greater sense of being. The blog itself consists of a very basic layout. A large red banner with no graphic adorns the top of the page, and the title of the blog hyperlinks back to the home page at all times. The background of the blog is white, with two columns. Navigation on the far right and content on the left. Archives go back to September 2007, which isn't that long ago, but there is plenty to read here as our author has posted frequently through the months. There is very little in the navigation area as our author does not use blog apps or ads by Google. The site is refreshingly non-commercial and very uncluttered. And that is a beautiful thing. My only criticism of the blog, even though I do love the basic simplicity, is that I find it lacking in a way. The web is a big, wonderful, interesting place... and I would love if the author provided links and resources and information outside of their own little realm on the web. Not sales information through ads by google or whathaveyou, but links to resources he/she finds help nurture his/her philosophy. You will notice that I am using his/her and he/she as I refer to our author here. On the About page, our blog author outlines why he or she has decided to write anonymously. And in that anonymity, there is no detail as to whether the voice behind the blog is male or female. Not that it matters, it just makes it hard to point to the author with a proper pronoun so I'll have to be forgiven for using the he/she kind of notation. It is a little disappointing, this anonymity, because I would like to be informed more about who the individual is behind the thoughts and philosophy here. But I have to honor the decision, and thank the author for not creating a false persona behind which he/she hides. So many people either lie about who they are or create false identities to hide behind, so I have to give credit to the honesty shown here on the About page. The content of the blog is very spiritual and reflective, but more of a guide to the reader than the author's experience with the concepts of awakening him/herself. There are references to the many forms that god has taken across the realms of religious consciousness through history. I would recommend this blog to people who are interested in expanding their concepts of their inner self, their core being, and developing a stronger spiritual base. I give the blog a 3.75 and am changing the category from "creative writing" to "personal." I didn't find any of the content to be of a "creative writing" kind of vibe, because I found it to be more of a self-help and personal feel, and we don't have a religious/spiritual/self-help/philosophy kind of category. So personal it is. Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EstEST http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3456/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWeblogReview/~3/e9INSd6pkOA/http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3456/ The blog we find ourselves reviewing this morning is called "Gifts" in the submission area, but it is really called "Ano's blog on how to make money online." It is a standard blogger template in basic web-happy colors of blue, yellow and green. Ano's profile page shows nine other blogs, most of which are money-making blogs as well. There are only two entries on this blog's front page, a July 2007 and November 2007 entry. To find other blog entries in the archives (those date back to April 2007) you have to scroll all the way to the bottom of the page. Archives and profile information should really be more accessible, and neither were listed towards the top of the page. The MoneyOnline widget crashed my Firefox browser and forced a restart of my computer. Thanks. I love visiting blogs that crash my system. After logging back in with Internet Explorer, I found there is really no substance to this blog at all. Because the blog only shows two entries of the possible 40 for the year, the right side panel banner ads are all that there is to look at. They're smooshed over into the more narrow side panel, and to see them all, you have to scroll down the page until your finger hurts from spinning the mouse wheel. There are ads for everything from chocolate to how to get bigger boobies by wearing the right bra, to gay and lesbian fashion and "whale friends." A lot of the ads are too large/horizontally designed and don't fit in the side panel. They end up chopped in half or cropped off, due to being bigger in pixel width than the navigation area allows. Look specifically at the horizontally designed banner ad for "Steganos Internet Anon" and realize that about half of that ad is lost because it isn't designed for that space. Horizontal Vs. Vertical. It's key to know what to do with graphics, where to put them, and how they work best on the web. Just slapping up banner ads and not really caring what they look like on a blog, or what they do to the layout of a page, shows a real lack of caring about the blog itself. Let's join as many affiliate programs as possible and hope we get a buck or two out of it. Horray! It's a blog! Best part of this blog is when I scrolled all the way down, alllll the way down to the bottom, there is a giant glittery graphic of a fairy sitting on the moon. Incredibly random. I've said it before. Everyone wants to make it big, make it rich and I can't fault Ano for trying. A few bucks here, a few bucks there -- and pretty soon you've got a lot of money coming in. The more advertisements, the more revenue... right? That's the philosophy here. But without interesting, informed, entertaining content, there is no reason on earth to visit Ano's blog. I give this blog a 1.0 rating. Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EthEST http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3455/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWeblogReview/~3/5Q5JgfHyvMg/http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3455/ This is a list of cars. It isn't really a blog, because it is simply page after page after page of cars and a list of their components and their stats. There is no real "about us" page so we have no idea as readers who is behind the blog, from where it originates. The blog itself is easy on the eyes... but huge pictures of cars with a list of their cylinders and horsepower is virtually useless. There is no review about the cars, no reviews, nothing. Because there is absolutely no substance here, but the pictures are nice, I give this "blog" a 1.0 rating. Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EthEST http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3451/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWeblogReview/~3/H24BYzQml9w/http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3451/ Oh dear. Weddings. I've been married nearly 17 years, so I kind of cringed when realizing I'd have to review a wedding blog. I swear if I ever have to get married again, I'm just getting my pastor to come to my backyard to do the ceremony, and I'll have a pot-luck and I'll spring for the wine. While I loved my own wedding, I've just watched three people (my sister included) go through hell in planning their weddings. So I was a little reluctant to revisit some of the topics I knew would be presented herein. My attitude changed rather quickly, and this was a very nice blog to visit. I realized quickly that this was not a personal blog, but a business blog supporting the Truly Wedding Favors company. As far as blogs done by businesses go, this one is a great read. The writers provide a great deal of information to brides-to-be on all aspects of planning their wedding, not just what favors to pick. And it's not all "buffet or sit down, which do you choose?" kinds of topics. Our blog contributors also celebrate anniversaries of couples who are in it "for the long haul." There are entries about celebrities and weddings too, like how Shakira has too much to do to plan her wedding, and how jeesh, she's like every other bride out there in the end, isn't she? And if you are a famous RandB starlet, don't forget your panties and bra under your dress when you go to your conservative family's weddings! Yikes! This is a beautifully laid out blog, with gorgeous complimentary colors. Very bridal in look and feel. The site navigation is easy to read and resides the left column and a wide, white readable area on the right. A link back to the corporate site store is at the top of the page, so if you're visiting and interested in shopping, you're right there in a matter of seconds. It was also exciting to read about how the fires in Southern California were having a direct impact on this particular business... and I was horrified to read about the truck being looted. Having that kind of a glimpse into a business blog is really an interesting and fascinating aspect for a reader. I have only two criticisms. First, there are several contributors to the blog, but they offer no "about us" page. A nice "about us" page would be a great addition to the site. It would let readers know who Melissa, Mercedes, Courtney, Kori Ellis, Wendy, Eric and Amber et al are and upon what authority they speak to proffering advice on weddings. The first entry by Melissa talks about why they started the blog... but it really doesn't give us an idea who everyone is. I really like that in a blog, to get to know the thinker behind the thoughts. Secondly, and this is a huge issue for me online, there are several instances where the blog authors do not include proper citation of resources. Entries are accentuated with lovely photographs, but no copyright is cited on them. On some entries which are obviously culled from web stories or researched from news or magazine articles, no citation is given at all. A link to the original news story online, or proper citation of source should appear at the end of the entry. There are some entries that do point to an online story, and I'd like to see that done across the board if possible. The information is all interesting, and it was fun to read. I'm just a real proponent of proper citation and would love to see that started here before the blog grows further. I will change the category to "Business" from "Personal" because "Personal" indicates a blog written from a personal perspective on one's life and observances. There is some of that in here, but with several links-back to the webstore of Truly Wedding Favors, it isn't the right category. Be sure that when I do know someone who is getting married I'll point them in the direction of this blog for a helpful and informative (and sometimes very funny) online guide as they plug away at their plans. I give the Truly Wedding Blog a 4.0 rating. Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EthEST http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3452/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWeblogReview/~3/PqvpiShsCw0/http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3452/ The title of this blog gives away the contents. I knew that this would be a blog about weddings, and I really didn't have my hopes up for something that great. After all I have been married for 5 years and never really saw the need to have an extravagant wedding like some of my friends have had. But this blog surprised me. It wasn't about having the best of the best. Instead it was about all the little things that you either forget or remember last second and how to plan them correctly. This blog covers it all from wedding planning software to how to pick out shoes to the men's ring. And it does it in a way that is entertaining and captivating. I half expected to see advertisements all over the place so this guy could make some money. But there weren't any. Then I checked the outbound links in each post and again, they were direct links, no referral bonuses coming his way. With such great content I am very surprised that he isn't making money off of this blog. The design of the site is simple and elegant, just like you would expect a wedding to be. I am not sure if it is a default template that has been modified or not, but whatever it is, it works great. A standard two-column layout with the main content on the right and taking up most of the screen. The navigation column is clean and clutter free. It really is a great design. Overall I cannot find a fault in this website. I went in thinking I wasn't going to gain much, but I did enjoy it. I have this bookmarked as a site to give to my friends who are all about to get engaged (it is the holiday season after all) and I am sure they will find it to be a great resource. Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EthEST http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3452/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWeblogReview/~3/PqvpiShsCw0/http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3452/ ToyTalk is a product/review style website written by freelance journalist David Smith. He started the blog in 2006 when two young children arrived in his life and he thought it would be a good idea to study, review and share information on toys that his boys (and your kids) may want to get their hands on. The blog is published by UK-based Huckleberry Media, which is also supports a sister blog about children's books. Unlike most product/review style blogs, this blog is a bit different because it isn't just a list of item after item and the relevant stats for consumers to consider. There are interviews with toy manufacturers, editorial opinion pieces, and a toy tracker for those who cannot wait for the next American Girl or British Child release. The content is so well rounded that the site is interesting even if you aren't an industry insider. I suppose that is because it is done up by an actual writer who sees a toy not just as a toy but a slice in a much larger environment. It is incredibly informative and well done. The blog is very colorful and interesting, easy to navigate and filled with information. The bright pink header contains site navigation tabs, and the three columns below are chock full of stuff. Far right is kind of the Advertising House -- lots of big colorful graphics that take you to places to shop for the toys. Far left is the site categories and navigation information. And the middle is where you find the entries. Another point that I'd like to raise about this blog is that I do not get the feeling that it is a pay-per-review blog. I think the "advertising" section of the site speaks volumes when it outlines that graphics of a certain size and links and rates are all that there is to the back-end angle of money making on this site. A lot of blogs like this are not real honest review sites because the writers are getting paid for their opinion, so they'll write a favorable review of a cruddy product. The "Special Coverage" portion of the advertising page is as close to pay-per-review as I think the site gets. I honestly get the feeling in my reading through of this blog that Huckleberry Media isn't being paid for positive reviews and their opinions. And that is refreshing in a blog for cash kind of universe. If I'm wrong, they sure hide it well. The only thing missing is a calendar to jump back to previous entries. When I review a site like this, I don't like to read through the categories... I like a linear walk through from beginning to today's date. Instead I went through the tabs at the top of the screen for news/reviews/features/interviews, focusing on those topics independent from one another. A walk through from the new High School Musical product to an editorial on whether or not we should pay more for toys if they're made safer for our kids would be interesting. Overall, this is a great industry blog. If I were a buyer for a toy store, I'd be in here all the time. As a parent, my kids are older, but I do have younger nieces, nephews and children of dear friends who may be looking for something as a gift, and this site is helpful in the category breakdown. I rate it a 4.0 and hail it as probably the best product-review style business site I've seen yet during my tenure here at The Weblog Review. Mon, 12 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EthEST http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3449/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWeblogReview/~3/sgeO3PHE2Mo/http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3449/ Tempyra is a beautifully simple blog maintained by New Zealander Sasha who is currently living in Australia. As I write this, she has no computer access due to her moving house, but it is a good time to sit and read and reflect on her life. Done in a classic two column Wordpress template, she has chosen a design scheme that reminds me somewhat of an old, comfortable, cloth book cover, gentle on the eyes in my favorite shade of green. Navigation runs down the left column, accentuated gently by some design at the top corner. The good stuff (archives/recent posts/her MeVu profile) are right at the top, so there isn't any need to dig to get to the backstory and the content. There are some fun weblog widgets lower down, like blogrush and google reader. My only critique to the sidebar navigation is the Ads by Google box background color clashes with the overall look and feel of the site. The content of the blog is interesting, as Sasha writes a lot about her desire to live a greener life. Hailing from a very VERY green country, she is very proud of what New Zealanders do with their environment and the measures they put into place. She examines her own life and goals, and shares her thoughts and feelings around environmental issues without being at all finger-pointy and critical towards others. It is refreshing when one really makes an examination of themselves and puts thoughts into works instead of telling the rest of the planet how they should live. Another great element of the site is she isn't just examining her household item purchases, but all other consumer avenues... especially clothing. Some of the products and entries she highlights are very interesting. My favorite feature of the site is her Monday Droolfest, where she spotlights a favorite vegetarian dish, and gives the recipe and why she loves it. Must try the pumpkin soup when I get a chance. All told, this is a lovely blog, very interesting. I would like to know more about Sasha personally and not just the spotlights on Tigers and Worlds Most Environmentally Polluted Places. But I feel over time she will reveal just enough of herself that she is comfortable with (aside from why she is a vegetarian) and she'll grow into the blog and it will grow around her, and both will be comfortable as a well-loved cloth covered book. This is the kind of blog I enjoy the most... personal and open. I give Tempyra a 4 and wish Sasha and her boyfriend best of luck with the move. Sun, 11 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EthEST http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3446/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWeblogReview/~3/C2mfoQkNFVg/http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3446/ I feel incredibly fat, old and tired just looking at the pictures and reading about the lives lived here on Driven By Boredom. I'm so not a club scene kind of gal. Being almost 41, I kind of cringed thinking about reviewing this site. Nate, aka Igor (and you had BEST not pronounce it Eye-gor a la "Young Frankenstein" or he'll get bloody pissed at you) photographs the nightlife in clubs in New York City. The pictures speak for themselves. Igor points out the locations and events (ie: goodbye parties, halloween parties or just plain party parties), bemoans the fact that he keeps leaving his memory card at home, and periodically complains about the lack of boobie shots in a lot of his galleries. Igor does an amazing job capturing a scene, sharing the faces and places, and really diving in to what looks like a hell of a lot of fun. Visiting his photo journal over the past few weeks, through the halloweeny (one of my favorite words too, Igor) season is the perfect time to immerse your mind and psyche into his scenes. The weblog itself is simple: a black background with white text and really huge, crisp photos with a little narrative about the party or the club. The archives are easy to navigate and date back to March 2007. The About page is informative, and Igor has a link to his DBB (or dbb for the lowercase, closer to his logo look) version 1.0 which I am looking forward to going back and reading after I finish this review. Just about every entry links to his photo galleries where they're hosted and the links open in a new window, one of my favorite things in the world. That way, I can walk through 30 or 40 pictures and not have to click back or find my way to the source of the initial launch out of the site. I love when bloggers/web designers use target equals blank or any other such code to let people parouse another page. Thank you Igor. My favorite series of all of his shots was the recently photographed (October 29, 2007) Get Close at M. In looking through this gallery, there are a lot of faces shot very close up, and a lot of them are people seen in full body shot throughout the rest of the journal. I found the closeness of the photos very interesting and don't really think people are that scary, that close up. A lot of Igor's photos are Not Safe For Work (NSFW) unless you work at Suicide Girls or an alt-porn website fueled office. And if you've got little kids around they may wonder what the heck is going on in some of the shots. So it is best viewed without prying eyes and cyber nannies about. I found Igor's photos intriguing, and really enjoyed my stay here. I subscribed to the RSS feed. My only complaint is that I actually like his writing, and wish there was a little more of it. I give Driven By Boredom a 4.5 and will my fat, old, lazy self will be back to visit again and live vicariously through his lens. Just try and remember your memory card more often, Igor. Sat, 10 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EthEST http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3444/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWeblogReview/~3/ayOqUoVL05Q/http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3444/ A book review blog is kind of a hard weblog to review when you’re failing miserably at reading even just two books a month – like me. I like reviewing this type of site, though, because it gives me some more ideas of books to add to the ol’ Amazon Wish List, and for a not-so-avid reader, that’s definitely a plus. I loved that when this site loaded, it was a very simple layout and very easy for me to find my way around. The archives were sorted by date or by category, including type of book. There are two side columns surrounding the main content, with both columns listing a plethora of information. One of my favorite additions is the bit on the sidebar that shows the book that’s currently in process. EB is the author of the weblog and has one of the best and straight forward about sections I’ve ever read: “I’m not here (on the internet) to bore you with my personal life, or to give you my full life story. I am doing this, because I love literature and (to read) books and write about books and it is nice to give recommendations and/or reviews for other booklovers to read. I don’t pretend to be objective or only write a blurb (I don’t write for a publisher or paper etc.), but what I will give you is my humble but honest opinion.” Perfect! The first thing I noticed with each post were the added extras to the post. For instance, the latest review done on October 16th, has lists the number of words in the post, the number of images (if any), and the estimated reading time. It’s all listed very unobtrusively, and is something I haven’t seen before. The reviews are done in a short, but informative manner. They don’t spoil the endings of any books, but still manage to give potential readers enough knowledge to know whether or not it’s something they might enjoy. Inside each review is a link to the Amazon page where you can buy the book, and there’s also a link the author’s created suggesting if you like the review, to consider buying EB a coffee. It’s a subtle way of asking for donations, and it’s probably one of the least tacky ones I’ve ever seen. Overall, I’m a fan of this book review blog. If I were a more diehard reader, I’d absolutely be apt to check back now and again for new recommendations. Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EthEST http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3442/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWeblogReview/~3/TZzBI9Yxst0/http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3442/