Share the traffic

[Leigh]

Would you girls be interested in putting our banners in a rotation together, that we could all display on our blogs.

We could use something smallish, like a 120x60 etc. I could put them into a rotation, you just pop a small bit of code in your blog. Then one banner would display at a time, changing on every page load.

What do you think?

[katef]

sounds good to me... though it means I will have to get my act together and make a new banner!

[Supa]

sounds good...........ummm how do u make them??:blush:

[Riayn]

Sounds like a fantastic idea.
The hard part for me will be creating a banner for my site. I am really bad at graphics.

[Megan]

Yes Leigh, a great idea.

[Stormy]

Sounds fantastic....I will have a fiddle :D

[Barbara]

Sounds great :)

[tianakaesha]

I was just about to do something like this for my blog... but I was going to use the 50 x 150 mini web banner format...

I s'pose it does not worry me too much though which size... other than I have old banner links I am about to put back on my blog...

[Leigh]

I don't mind what size we go, was just the first size that came to mine. If you guys want to go smaller..that's fine.

I could probably help you out making them (after Xmas) if you had an idea of what you wanted.

[katef]

square would appeal to my sense of aesthetic LO design LOL But since I probably won't have one designed (or my new blog ready to put them in) for a while don't take my thoughts into account too much!

[tianakaesha]

That was my next thing... maybe square... ? 150 x 150 is a nice size.. but is it too big for others?

[Leigh]

I think 150x150 is too big. Maybe 125x125..if you guys want to go bigger. It's best to stick to industry standard sizes.

[katef]

I have no idea about size.. I just like squares ROFL....

[tianakaesha]

Not sure what the industry standards are haha. they seem to change depending on where you go. the 150 x 50 banner is what image ready defaults for the mini banner. at least, it used to LOL.

am happy with 125 :)

[Leigh]

Just for future reference :) Standard banner sizes (http://iab.net/iab_products_and_industry_services/1421/1443/1452)

[Miscmum]

I would consider it. I would also need help doing one up....

[Barbara]

Well I obviously got ahead of myself - I did one last night at 120x60 :hehe:

I'm happy for it to be any size. Just let me know what you all end up deciding and I'll resize it LOL :)

[imported_Lightening]

I'm possibly interested but the logistics of it all are a bit beyond me. :dk: If someone's able to help me and I can figure out how to install it on my blog, I would be. :)

[Leigh]

Ok, so we have decided on the 125x125 then?

Anyone got any banners made already?

Let me know if you need some help, and what you want..and I'll see what I can put together. The creative juices seem to have already gone on holidays tho :P

[DeborahR]

Fantastic idea Leigh. I look forward to receiving all the details.

[imported_jeanieinparadise]

So how would it work - we all have our own banners (whatever by whatever) - I am assuming that would be a graphic representation of us or the banner we use on our own blogs?

Then someone will give us a nice little code thing that we have everyones banner in rotation on our own blogs?

Given that I have just done something with my blog (as you may know from the discussions here) where some code crashed all IE users who attended, I may need some SERIOUS hand holding while considering that.

Do you want JPEG format? Any size or dimensions decided on, and what will it have to squeeze down to or in to?

[Leigh]

Yes Jeanie, will give you some code to paste into your blog, just a short snippet. It will rotate everyone banner on each page load, one banner at a time.

Your would just have perhaps your logo image that you use, with your blogs name, maybe what you blog about or a tagline.

For graphics and text, it is best to use .gif. Only photos should be saved as .jpg

[Stormy]

Leigh I just did one with my header....using 120x60 pixels....it looks so tiny! So I'm not sure I have done the right thing or not..

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/4893/mmbannerfu3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Leigh]

that is 120x54, so a little smaller. But I think the girls have decided to go with 125x125 squares..sorry :hehe:

[Stormy]

That's ok, will have another fiddle at some stage and see what I come up with :)

[imported_jeanieinparadise]

How do you upload photos from Flickr again? (I am having a ditzy day here...)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2154/2125246403_d3c4002d3d.jpg?v=0

[DeborahR]

I would be interested in being involved in this Leigh. Just let me know where to send the graphic.

[Stormy]

What do you think?? I'm trying to get the text to show up a little clearer but it is hard in a small size. :headh:

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/5919/mmbanner2pd7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The other thing I was thinking of doing was running the text on the image like this....

M O G G I E
A
D
N
E
S
S

So that it frames the photo but I couldn't get it to look right somehow....it just looked wrong. :blink:

[Leigh]

Looks good jeanie :) I dont have html enabled in the forums, so just a link to your flickr pics is fine :)

I like that kay :) What are you using to make it. Could you try putting like a 1px border/stoke on your text in a white, or light blue to help make it more visible.

Deborah, just put it up in here will be fine :)

[katef]

Yeah a stroke around your letters would help them to stand out more.. but apart from that, that looks awesome!

If you are working in photoshop and need help with how to 'stroke' things let me know and I can talk you through it :)

[Stormy]

I'm using a program called PhotoStudio 2000 - it came as a freebie with my scanner software and is pretty good for layering stuff together as a merged image. I'll see if it does text outline - thanks for the suggestion! :)

[Barbara]

I've done one - but everytime I upload it - it comes out fuzzy :uhno:

Leigh, I might end up emailing you mine (just in case you want to get it done while I'm away).

Before I do that though, I'll try and get one done tomorrow.

Don't know what I am doing wrong - but it's too late to try and figure it out now.

[imported_jeanieinparadise]

The way I made my text stand out more was to copy the layer of text and paste it - change the further back colour to black (although you could use a different one) and offset it slightly.

[Barbara]

Does this look okay?

I know it's not very clear but that's because my camera sucks x(

But I have only got today to do it .......

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3390/bannerqo7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Stormy]

Not too bad Barbara.....I wonder if you could gradient fill the letters across the abdo so they stand out more??? I've been tinkering and just realised I could do that so now I'm obsessed with gradient filling everything LMAO

Here's the latest reincarnation....

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/2838/mmbannerno4eg7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I think I like this one the best because the letters stand out and the colours of them tie in with the background nicely :D

[Barbara]

Oh I really LIKE that :)

Will play around with mine and have a look at the gradient fill (once I find it :hehe:) thanks Stormy :)

[katef]

these are all looking great!

DO we have a deadline to work towards?

[Riayn]

Wow... everyone is producing such wonderful work and meanwhile I got no idea where to even start. I guess the first step is to come up with a pictorial representation of my blog. Does anyone have any ideas?

[Stormy]

Your blog is called Dancing About Architecture right??? So maybe a pair of ballet shoes?? Or perhaps a famous architectural landmark like the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe or Tower of London etc. Just an idea anyway :)

[katef]

I am in love with your avatar image Riayn.... you should use that as your icon... and in your blog header too I reckon! :)

[Barbara]

Okay - I have played around with mine a little (well, the best I can do anyway LOL)

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6237/banner4it6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Riayn]

Barmus, your banner looks fantastic.
Kate - I will try and play around with my icon and see what I come up with.

[ModernGoddess]

Ohhhh can I play??

[Leigh]

Great banners everyone :) Keep them coming. Will give you all till the end of next week to get them in and will put them together.

Sure Nicole :)

[ModernGoddess]

Leigh, should I send it to you or post it here as an image?

[karooch]

I'd love to be a part of this too ladies. Am I able to join in or is it too late?

http://karoochtest.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/scraps-of-mind-banner125x12.gif

Here is mine. I couldn't get it to work on Flickr Liegh.

[Leigh]

Thanks Karen...not too late :)

Nicole, just post it here :)

[ModernGoddess]

Ok. Thanks Leigh. Here is my banner.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c155/N-NGraham/TheModernGoddess-125x125.gif

[katef]

these all look awesome... I am having PC problems so I won't make the deadline for this but as soon as I have my PC and new blog sorted I'll definitely put this up!

Kate