How to Quickly and Easily Find the Information You’re Looking For

Posted by Latif Thomas



 

I’ll be the first to admit there are some things about how this site is designed that I don’t like. Fundamentally, it’s not easy to find the articles and videos you’re looking for.

I sent out a survey recently asking for ideas on how I could improve the site and many of you made the same observation.

We’re busy people. And you shouldn’t have to be able to see the Matrix just to find the articles and videos on block starts. That’s a waste of time and my general philosophy is to try and create the most efficient systems possible.

So now that I’ve made a short story long (inefficient…), I’ve made some preliminary changes to every page on the site (except the home page) that should make finding good content much easier.

So when you look over to the right, after my obligatory attempts to get you to follow me in various social media outlets (which I command you to do immediately!) I’ve added/changed/modified the following sections which I think you will consider improvements:

1. Popular Posts 1

I’ve listed the Top 5 most popular posts on CTF based on the total number of comments made about the post. It also shows how many comments were made and who the author of the post is.

If you want to see which articles/videos struck a nerve, pissed people off, made them laugh and/or otherwise compelled them to say something, this should keep you entertained.

2. Popular Posts 2

I’ve listed the Top 5 most popular posts, all time, based on total number of views. (All time actually only counts since the ‘new’ site went up in late May since that’s when I started tracking the info.) It also shows how many views the post had as well as the author of the article/video.

If you want to see which articles/videos people searched for, shared and otherwise found interesting and/or informative, this should help you improve your coaching game.

3. Categories

There’s actually a drop down box at the very top of the page, but I think this will be more efficient. If you want to search for information in a specific event group, just click on the topic and you’ll be taken to a list of articles/videos covering that specific area.

4. Archives

This is a drop down box that shows each month (going back to January of 2011). If you want to search for, say, what was posted during the spring season, you click on that month and get a list of every post for, say, April 2013.

5. CTF Coaches

This is the same as before, just lower on the page. If you want to learn more about a specific coach whose style you enjoy, click on their face to see their bio, free articles/videos and paid products they have available to you.

6. Recent Posts

This displays the 10 most recent posts on the site, including the date it was posted. Nothing fancy here, but if you don’t come to the site every day (32% visit ‘a couple times per week’, 18% visit once a week, 35% ‘a couple times a month’) this is a quick and easy way to catch up on all the most recent updates and additions.

7. Visit the Store

This is the same I just really don’t like this graphic because we don’t have equipment and we’re not going to so this shouldn’t be there and I’m not a programmer so I don’t know how to change it yet. It bothers me so I put it at the bottom so at least there would be another place you could click should you be in the market for a new product or if you want to check out what we have.

Clicking there will take you to the store.

So, those are the updates for this week. Feel free to post your questions, comments and suggestions below. I want to see the percent of people coming to the site every day go up!

– Latif



Latif Thomas - Latif Thomas owns and operates Complete Track and Field and serves as the Co-Director of the Complete Track and Field Clinic at Harvard University, the largest track and field clinic in the United States. A popular speaker and presenter at some of the largest coaching clinics across the country, Latif has true passion for the sport and it definitely shows. Over the past 19 years, he has coached more combined League, Division, All-State, and New England Champions in sprints, hurdles, and jumps than he can count. Follow @latif_thomas on Twitter.

Related Posts

What We Learned Shadowing Boo Schexnayder and the LSU Track & Field Program

Long Sprints Training with NCAA D1 Northeast Region Coach of the Year Marc Mangiacotti

Max Velocity is more important than Acceleration

How to ‘Reverse Engineer’ the College Schedule to fit HS Season Length

Unicorns, Show Ponies, & The Mythical Straight Leg Bound Progression

%d bloggers like this: