Recycling Bin

If you are one of those women who prides herself on aging gloriously, you will want to have a look at Aging Outside the Box. Here is another blog based on a radio program called just that – Aging Outside the Box – Fabulous Women over 50. The host of the show and author of this blog is Shirley W. Mitchell, mom to 3 and grandmom to 8, who hails from Guntersville, Alabama and is a national author, columnist, and speaker. The blog is exactly what it sounds like, and glorifies all of the things she writes about in her weekly column as well as discusses on her Radio Show. You can see specifics to that extent by checking out any of her recent posts: ‘Aging outside the Box’ Internet Radio Show, Accents of Reflections, An Embracing Search, Living Outside the Box Package, Artist First World Radio Network, Special Gift Baskets for all Occasions, Aging Outside the Box Upcoming Shows, Artist First Interviews ‘The Golden Egg of Aging’, Listen in to the Show, and the Aging Younger Schedule.

I would like to say navigation on this site is simple, but the site is extremely busy with colors and advertising that I just found it quite difficult. Posts are left marginalized with a right navigation bar. In the right navigation bar you will find a lot of information with a lot of advertising smattered in between so you will really have to dig. But here you will find the about page, recent posts menu, archives linked by the week, news sites menus, magazines menu, healthy living menu, authors and writers menu, among so much more. I didn’t see a categories menu, and this is definitely something that is lacking from the blog. The posts themselves are very colored with specific colors leading to specific links, but otherwise standard black text on a white background.

I have to say 2.2 on this one, though I love the concept and I think this is an excellent niche, the blog itself needs some design work and alot more activity. The advertising is far too busy for my tastes, and the colors within posts and tag clouds I find extremely distracting from the blog content. The content however is excellently written by this established author so if you can get beyond the distractions, you will definitely enjoy the read. The blog has a readership of 4 at this point, perhaps with some format changes it would see that grow. I think this blog has a lot of potential, again, the niche is a good one to tap into marketing wise, but design is distracting from its overall purpose – the serving of the content.

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– Chrissie

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Take a minute to check out a little bit of the glamorous side of life and tour the famous South Beach. This blog will give you all that you need to know about the beauty that is South Beach including news, reviews, events, places to see, and things to do. The blogger loves and lives in South Beach and gives you both an insider’s and tourist’s point of view about this town. This blog is intended to provide something for everyone whether you are a tourist, frequent visitor, or seasoned local of South Beach. Check out some of the events and activities that are blogged in recent posts: Corona Light EVP Beach Volleyball Tour Hits South Beach; Art Basel Miami Beach December 7-10 2006; What moves you Miami?; Versace Mansion – Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask; Best of Miami 2006 – Miami New Times; and South Beach Dining Guide.

Navigation on this blog is fairly straightforward and that is probably because at this point there isn’t much left to it. Posts are left marginalized with standard blog features contained in the right navigation bar. These include blog stats (over 40,000 visitors), recent posts menu, recent comments menu, blog calendar, blog roll, and top posts. I really liked the comments menu, it keeps the author in touch with her readers and it gives them a personal ownership on the blog. Also, this blog does have (or did have) a fairly large following, with many local businesses seeking notoriety or mention through the blog. I also thought that with over 40K visitors, the site must be doing pretty good. However, with a years worth of posts on the main page, it is hard to say too much more than that that is positive about the blog. Further, I did not see a categories menu, and with a blog like this, I think it could really use one. Categories can include dining, attractions, history, shopping, beaches, and so much more. This specific niche is perfectly set up for a categories menu. The same thing could be said for an archives menu, which is nonexistent on this blog.

I am going with a 2 for this one. I love the niche and concept behind this blog, but a severe lack of updating has pretty much put this one in the dusty pile for me. Local business has obviously signed on to support this blog, and this is a marketing tool the blog is not taking advantage of, and one that could give it serious notoriety in the community. Again, having a years worth of posts on the main page is probably doing the score the most damage here, even a weekly post with some activity, highlighted attraction, or restaurant review would do this blog a world of good. Throw in a few pictures and this would be a fantastic South Beach blog. If the author decides to keep this one going, with these suggestions this could be a very successful blog.

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– Chrissie

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