It all starts with a MySpace editor. What is a MySpace editor? It is a program to help you edit your MySpace page. There are many MySpace editors online and while they all have more or less the same basic format, they differ in terms of ease-of-use and number of features. Before you start editing your page, you should take a look at a few MySpace editors to see which one feels most user-friendly to you. Our MySpaceMix.com editor has several features that you might not see on other MySpace editors – all of which are designed to make it as easy to use as possible, even for MySpace newbies.
But no matter which of the MySpace editors you decide to use, there are a few simple guidelines to follow to make your page look terrific.
First, let’s go through the features that are common to all MySpace editors. They include:
Mode, Background Color, Background Image, Background Music, Font, Main Text, Link Text, Image Borders and Image Effects.
You choose what to enter into each section, generate a MySpace code, and then copy and paste to your MySpace page.
Sounds simple, right?
Then why, do my friends ask, does my page so often come out differently than I imagined it?
Well, there are a few reasons. One is that it is hard to imagine how your page will look when you are clicking on a bunch of little color squares. The other is that lots of people aren’t aware of some basic web design rules that can help you avoid all those clashes on your page.
The first rule is color. Make a list of the different elements on your page, and decide what kind of color scheme you want. For example, do you want matching or contrasting colors? Do you want your page to look preppy, cute or bold? Do you like pastels or brights? Once you've made a decision, you can look at the color squares and decide which colors will fit best with the look you want for your page.
The next step is the font. There are too many choices of beautiful fonts out there that would look gorgeous on a party invitation or a billboard but horrible on a MySpace page. You want to choose a font that has character to it, but is very clear on-screen. A good example is Comic Sans Serif. It’s easy to read, and since it imitates the handwriting used for comics, it has an informal, friendly character to it. While you wouldn’t use it on a business or professional site, it’s perfect for your web page. Another good choice is Verdana, which is also very screen-friendly. If you prefer fonts with serifs (those are the fine cross-lines at the edges of the letters), then Georgia is the way to go. It’s pretty, and is much easier to read on-screen than Times New Roman.
Now you have to decide if you want a background image or music. If you want an image, keep this in mind: When there’s a single picture stuck in the middle of a MySpace page that doesn’t go away, it can be very annoying to read the text, especially if the picture is in full color. Try using a black and white or sepia image that stretches across the entire background and is faint enough that it doesn’t interfere with the text. Background music is fine, just make sure that it doesn’t extend the download time of your page by too long, or nobody will have the patience to wait around.
Finally, the borders. These can be very useful in setting apart the different sections of your page, and giving the whole thing a very neat, organized look. You should select colors that are darker or bolder than the other colors you chose, because that’s what will give the borders the contrast you need to make them stand out.
Now that you have these pointers in mind, choose your layout and make your page stand out!