Assignment 7

Background:
The web site I am choosing to critique is my World of Warcraft Guild’s web site: www.s2kguild.info. The reason I am choosing the site is because I frequent this site a lot and it is a typical bland site this in desperate need for improving. Our guild is currently going through a tough time, our server has a low population and we are having a lot of guild mates quitting the guild and going to other guilds or just transferring off the server all together. This has become a major problem when it comes to raiding. Raiding in the World of Warcraft consists of a group of 10 or 25 people who get together to go into an instance to defeat monsters. With people leaving so much we are having more and more trouble filling our raid spots. We use our website as a major role in recruiting. Not only do we use this website as a way to promote ourselves as a guild but we use it as a tool for the recruitment process. Potential guild mates have to put in an application on the forum section of our website. So it is very important that we have a website that reflects a profession feeling so we can recruit people how good quality to fill our raids.
Critique:
As you log onto the s2kguild.info for the first time you will notice that it is very bland looking. The goal of our website is to look profession so we attract recruits that will act in a professional way. Towards the top you notice the navigation bar. It is hard to see, it is located under the Spec to Kill banner. The main problem with the home page is there is no welcome message or description for new comers to register or direction on how to apply to the guild. Assuming that you guess you have to proceed to the forum section of the site you will be at the heart and soul of the website. As a regular member and visitor to the site, this is where I spend most of my time on this site. Again you will notice no direction for new comers to follow as how to apply to the website. The method of with you apply is by registering to the website then going to the Guild Recruiting, Rules, and Pending Applications section of the forums. If you click this link you will notice a few other applications and a application template for new applications to use. This site is not user friendly at all, and is in need a dire need of revamping.
The email to the Webmaster:
Dear webmaster.
As you already know recruitment is more important than ever, and our website is an essential tool in our ever growing quest to increase our numbers. I would like to recommend some improvements that can be done to the website to make it more user friendly in hopes that it will increase the number of applicants that we will receive.
The home page is in need of a welcome message; a short little paragraph describing our guild and direction for registering on the website as well as direction on how to apply to the guild. Also, is it possible for the navigation bar at the top to be a little bigger so that it is easier to notice? And could you also put a message describing the forum page of the website, this is the most important part of our website and it needs direction to it. It will help navigate new applicants to the proper sub-forum that they need to post the application to.
Thank you for your time, I feel that these changes will help our guild become greater that it already is. If there is anyway I can assist you in this process feel free to email me or contact me in game.

Thanks again

Will, aka Madadory