Black Celebrity Websites Rated part 3
This is a fun, feature of this blog. Five random celebrity websites will be selected and rated and the results will be listed. We will try this whenever and see how it goes. The website must be an official website and not a MySpace type page. This is a review of the website only.
Scorecard max points= 65
Scale from 0-5 with 0=worst & 5=outstanding
Celebrity websites rated: R & B Singer Monica, boxing champ Laila Ali, rapper/activist KRS-One, author Zora Neale Hurston, Soca music Artist Machel Montano
RESULTS
1. www.machelmontanohd.com 60
2. www.lailaali.com 59
3. www.monica.com 53
4. www.zoranealehurston.com 53
5. www.templeofhiphop.org 52
Get a full breakdown of each site's score.
The sites are rated based on the following criteria:
1. Presentation: color scheme, graphics, design
2. Photo gallery: many candid and press photos
3. Interviews: are there any present
4. Store: can products be purchased or should they not be selling
5. Community: message forum or guest book present
6. Usability: is it easy to read, and not cluttered
7. Videos/Music: easy access to videos
8. Speed: does the site take forever to load
9. Updated: is it updated routinely
10. Celebrity Involvement: do they leave notes or interact in the forums
11. Dead or Under Construction Links: links, which lead to nowhere
12. Contact Information: are they easy to contact
13. Technology: makes good use of technology
www.monica.com 53
1. Presentation: 5 gorgeous website with a sophisticated brown/black color scheme
2. Photo gallery: 5, fan oriented and fans can upload photos
3. Interviews & News: 3 news & blog section, but very little news
4. Store: 5 links to Sony music store
5. Community: 5 blog and forum available
6. Usability: 5
7. Videos/Music: 5
8. Speed: 5
9. Updated: 4
10. Celebrity Involvement: 3 not interaction noted from her on the blog
11. Dead or Under Construction Links: 3 events section is under construction
12. Contact Information: 0 unable to locate
13. Technology: 5
www.lailaali.com 59
1. Presentation: 5 Professional purple and black color scheme, lovely layout
2. Photo gallery: 5 loaded with wedding photos, family, and professional photos 2 thumbs up
3. Interviews & News: 5 updated with all media appearances and schedules listed
4. Store: 5 book and workout videos available
5. Community: 2 mailing list, but no message forums
6. Usability: 4
7. Videos/Music: 5 workout videos and footage from appearances
8. Speed: 5
9. Updated: 5
10. Celebrity Involvement: 4 shares some of her personal life and charitable involvement
11. Dead or Under Construction Links: 5 none located
12. Contact Information: 5 all contact info avail
13. Technology: 4
www.templeofhiphop.org (KRS-One) 52
1. Presentation: 4, Layout, color school great and the positive messages viewed throughout the site
2. Photo gallery: 5 loaded with concert footage
3. Interviews & News: 1
4. Store: 4 No store for music, but Krs-one.com has concert dvd which links the the official website. Can pay to join the Temple of Hip Hop Studies
5. Community: 4 visitors must register
6. Usability: 4 Clean uncluttered website
7. Videos/Music: 3 for not overdoing the site can go to Krs-one.com, but no link on the site.
8. Speed: 5
9. Updated: 4
10. Celebrity Involvement: 5 Artist is involved in several hip hop based social movements
11. Dead or Under Construction Links: 5 none found
12. Contact Information: 4 Online forms to address specific issues/inquiries
13. Technology: 4 Polls, visitors can change to design template of pages
www.zoranealehurston.com 53
1. Presentation: 4, Homepage starts with Ruby Dee reading from Their Eyes Were Watching God
2. Photo gallery: 2 few photos, the Zora Neale Hurston Trust runs this site, and more personal photos would be nice to see
3. Interviews & News: 3, Zora’s niece, Lucy Anne Hurston, created two documentaries on her aunt and a production of Mule Bone.
4. Store: 5, Easy access to her books & audio
5. Community: 0 None present, not even a guest book, would be nice, but probably more maintenance responsibilities the Trust managers would want to assume
6. Usability: 5 Clean uncluttered website
7. Videos/Music: 5 Audio excerpts of her books are on main page. Nice
8. Speed: 5
9. Updated: 5
10. Celebrity Involvement: 5 Her niece is involved in keeping her memory alive, and is available for speaking engagements.
11. Dead or Under Construction Links: 5, None found
12. Contact Information: 5
13. Technology: 4 Site could be a bit more interactive, but again, there is that site maintenance issue which is understandable
www.machelmontanohd.com 60
1. Presentation: 4 Not a fan of the burnt red-orange color. The layout is fine. Immediately the user knows where to look for things.
2. Photo gallery: 5, Mostly tour photos and photos of the young Machel
3. Interviews & News: 5 News is up to date
4. Store: 5
5. Community: 5 forum available and active
6. Usability: 5
7. Videos/Music: 5 Users can preview Machel’s current album on main page, enough videos.
8. Speed: 5
9. Updated: 5
10. Celebrity Involvement: 3 There is so much of him on this site, but a periodic note from the man himself would complement the site well.
11. Dead or Under Construction Links: 3 events section is under construction
12. Contact Information: 5
13. Technology: 5, makes maximum use of technology available for a musical artist site. It has all of the features and artist’s website should have. What a fine job. Soca fans should be proud.
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