Related Article

[Ancient Dragon]

I just noticed the text in the Related Article link now includes a lot of information that could be useful to prevent prople from resurrecting old threads. Is that something new you have added receitly? Whether its new or not I like it. :)

[Dani]

I changed it over the weekend, so it's fairly new. I also made a change where if you visit an old thread, instead of the notice that the thread is dead, there is now a link encouraging you to start a new thread instead.

[deceptikon]

Haha, the new format reads like a Casey Kasem letter. :D

[Dani]

Yeah, I need to change it asap. Right now there's too much similarity between all the blurbs and that can cause duplicate content issues with Google.

[WaltP]

And why is the related article imbedded in the first post? That just seems wrong since it wasn't posted by the OP. At least put it after the post.

[Dani]

And why is the related article imbedded in the first post? That just seems wrong since it wasn't posted by the OP. At least put it after the post.

That position was recommended to us by a Google employee as part of a new initiative where they offer consulting to "sites with potential".

[WaltP]

Ewwww. Did you get any second opinions?

[Dani]

Ewwww. Did you get any second opinions?

I got thousands of opinions ;) EVERYONE has their suggestions about how this should be this way, and that should be that way, etc. I've gotten suggestions that the related articles should be right above the quick reply. I've gotten suggestions saying that it doesn't make sense for it to be near the quick reply. I've gotten suggestions that it should be at the top. I've gotten suggestions that it should be to the side. I've gotten suggestions that there should be 5 related articles instead of just one. Everyone has an opinion about everything. All that I can do is weigh the pros and cons and average everything out, and at the end of the day run various tests to see which placements perform the best in terms of satisfying our revenue and traffic goals.

[LastMitch]

@Dani

I changed it over the weekend, so it's fairly new. I also made a change where if you visit an old thread, instead of the notice that the thread is dead, there is now a link encouraging you to start a new thread instead.

I don't think this person read what you wrote:

This question has already been solved: Start a new discussion instead

He's/She's a new member, this is his/her first post:

http://www.daniweb.com/web-development/php/threads/374161/get-div-or-h3-contents-from-external-page

It's solve a year ago and he/she post a similiar example in the solve thread. I mean I think noone will help him/her if the thread is already solve.

There are some threads that are not solve for quite while (years) but keep popping up which is more likely to try be solved. I'm not quite sure what to do? PM him/her, I don't know the person, to let him/her know to start a new thread.

[WaltP]

Just checking. Sounds just like all the expert resume writers. No expert has the same advice, so listening to them causes you to continually rewrite your resume and rip your hair out. Sounds like your experts are the same. All you can do is try all the suggestions and see...

[geannabell]

I understand. You can share your opinion on related articles.

[Dani]

Sounds like your experts are the same.

I'm not just saying "experts". I'm saying I go everywhere for advice ... from asking other people in the industry for their opinions to hearing all of the suggestions given by members in the DaniWeb feedback forum. Everyone has an opinion and there are lots of good ideas out there for different reasons, when it comes to every little thing.

In the past I used to get a lot of ultimatums from DaniWeb members. Things like, "If you don't get rid of the toolbar, I'm leaving the site forever! It's too annoying to deal with!" and "If you don't put Favorite Forums back into the toolbar, I'm leaving the site forever! It's too annoying not having it!" Over the years, I started showing a little more indifference to every little comment and suggestion that was posted in the feedback forum, just because I got burned so many times from members complaining and giving me ultimatums. But I do listen to every little bit of advice, and I take as much of it as I possibly can. It's just that no two peole have the same advice. For example, the Related Articles feature was moved from the bottom of the page at the suggestion of a couple of members who said that they didn't like it above the reply box, and it was moved into the first post at the suggestion of a Google employee. Now you're complaining that you don't like either :) I can never win, so all I can do is try all different things and see what works best!

[pritaeas]

I can never win

That's one sure fact ;) Personally, I think it makes perfect sense at it's current position.

[Ancient Dragon]

Yes, I like it where it is now too, thought it was a bit confusing when it appeared after the last post and above the reply box.

[WaltP]

Now you're complaining that you don't like either :)

When did I say I didn't like it at the bottom? I didn't mind it there.

I only said I don't like it embedded inside a post. Immediately after the post makes more sense to me.

[Dani]

Ancient Dragon: thought it was a bit confusing when it appeared after the last post and above the reply box.

WaltP: When did I say I didn't like it at the bottom? I didn't mind it there.

pritaeas: Personally, I think it makes perfect sense at it's current position.

WaltP: Immediately after the post makes more sense to me.

I'm telling ya, I can never win :) So all I can do is try it in different places and see what performs the best. This current location has been suggested to me by a Google employee based on experience they have with other sites, so let's see how it does for our site.

[LastMitch]

@Dani

I'm telling ya, I can never win :) So all I can do is try it in different places and see what performs the best. This current location has been suggested to me by a Google employee based on experience they have with other sites, so let's see how it does for our site.

You been doing this for 10 years now!

You been very patience over the years and I bit surprise that you can tolerance this long.

Seems to me you have a lot of virtue in you.

[Dani]

Haha yup, ten years! It's a very delicate balancing act trying to make everyone as happy as I can. Not only do I have to design the site to appease the majority of members, but to appease advertisers and marketers just as well, as well as guests who need encouragement to join and make up the vast majority of our audience. Just a very delicate balancing act :)

[Reverend Jim]

My two cents is that it belongs at the bottom. When I go to a thread, the most important thing is that thread. The first thing I want to read is the thread I just opened. Related threads are what I might consider reading once I am done reading the current thread.

[Dani]

Meanwhile the other side of the argument is that of members who feel like, when it is near the quick reply, it looks like it's supposed to be of interest to those who are replying to the thread, which it's not. They feel like it's more of use to the OP to see a potentially answered similar question.

Meanwhile, the vast majority of our traffic are people who are coming in from a Google search. They might read the initial question, and if it isn't a perfect fit for what they're looking for, I'd rather present them with an alternative right then and there, then make their only alternative to hit back and return to the google results. Keep in mind that this is the MAJORITY of our audience, so in many ways we have to cater to them first.

Plus, there are also reasons why we have it within the actual post area instead of immediately below. The first reason is, at the suggestion of the Google guy, it significantly increases the click rate as opposed to being in its own box immediately below the post. Secondly, most short posts end up having white space immediately below the message because of the medium rectangle ad to the right. By putting this whitespace to use, we are able to reduce scrolling required on nearly all pages. If you look at this thread with ads enabled, for example, you'll see that by having the related article where it is, instead of immediately below the post, we're saving about six lines of scrolling.

[Reverend Jim]

In that case I am in favour of whatever generates the most traffic.

[WaltP]

Plus, there are also reasons why we have it within the actual post area instead of immediately below. The first reason is, at the suggestion of the Google guy, it significantly increases the click rate as opposed to being in its own box immediately below the post. Secondly, most short posts end up having white space immediately below the message because of the medium rectangle ad to the right. By putting this whitespace to use, we are able to reduce scrolling required on nearly all pages. If you look at this thread with ads enabled, for example, you'll see that by having the related article where it is, instead of immediately below the post, we're saving about six lines of scrolling.

Now that all makes sense. I withdraw my objection now that I understand the reasoning.

[Dani]

Yay! :)

[happygeek]

I actually like the 'in your face' aspect of the related article positioning. It ensures that I see it and take notice, and often click to take a look. Not being advertising per se (well, kind of, I guess) it sits OK with me. Certainly it has created some new interest in older threads, some of which have been quite interesting as it is new blood doing the discussing so bringing a new angle to things.

[gerbil]

Well, I don't care at all about its positioning. Is that an opinion? If it is, showing indifference to it won't matter.
I as a rule don't read the related article suggestion, I've learnt that computers may pick words reliably but suck greatly at contextual relationship.
Of course I read the one above... the preamble is wordy, no punch at all, and the wee snippet of the post is insufficient to attract interest (in this case, and probably a lot of others). I doubt if a computer could pick the guts out of a post, running with the first line is likely to get you Hi, I'm new here, I have a Dell and a I have a problem.
Anyway, I did say I rarely glance at them, so I probably should not have an opinion about their content either.
No advice to offer at all, then.