I reached out to an expert I respect and asked for some input or coaching on how to improve CaddyInfo.
His first response was a question: “Are you sure you want a frank response?”
I could tell that the news was not good, but certainly I wanted to have his input on what to change to improve. (And I filed away in my head this was a good way to start an intervention).
Caddyinfo has developed over the last (almost) 12 years from a single html page to multiple pages with a forum to a forum and blog and gallery and content system and website pages. I have done a couple of makeovers and redesigns along the way, but each time coherency of vision and appearance has been more complex. As I try different content management systems, different forums, different website approaches, the result has unfortunately been a patchwork of ideas executed with varying success.
So the bottom line on the new input was: Start over with a new design from top to bottom. Add color. Get a new professional logo. Get a professional design.
Immediately I ditched our logo across the 3 main sites — blog, website, forum — and went with a cleaner look. I also changed to the current theme here on the blog. Meanwhile I have posted to solicit Designer inputs for a new Caddyinfo Logo, and I have contracted with a Skin design house to redesign the Caddyinfo Forum. We have also recently moved the forum to a new faster server.
My goal is to get an overall clean, colorful, eye-catching look on a responsive, inviting site and bring more Cadillac readers to Caddyinfo to stay.
Please bear with me if you see sawdust or hear hammering during our transition.