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The Green-n-Brown website is a top-notch example of how an online retailer should organize and present a virtual business, and the products featured on the site, eco-friendly items, are ones in which everyone interested in doing his or her part for our environment should have an interest.

The Green-n-Brown Company combines ethical product sourcing with environmental stewardship and community involvement to actually blur the lines between a company operating for profit and one that has as a primary objective to benefit society at large. The idea behind the name of the site is that the products featured on it are either green, being eco-friendly, or brown, meaning organic.

As I perused the site I was struck by wide range of products on offer. There is an incredibly large selection of apparel, bags, jewelry, swimwear and gifts for men, women and juniors. There are also products for the home and even food items available for sale on the site.

While the Green-n-Brown website is not strictly in the form of a blog, it’s still an example of how original website design not necessarily tied to WordPress can work well when it comes to creating a compelling virtual storefront. The pros at Green-n-Brown have clearly put a lot of thought into the design of the site and it’s extremely user-friendly.

One small suggestion I’d have is to add a blog to the site, perhaps to review new organic and eco-friendly products as they are released, as there are new ones every week. Many companies do this as a way of better engaging their readership, and a constant flow of new content also helps get the attention of search engines. Still, Green-n-Brown gets extremely high marks from me for its first-rate execution and straightforward design.

Whether you are a specialty retailer looking for ideas on how to upgrade your website and make it more usable and aesthetically pleasing, or a shopper with an interest in purchasing more environmentally friendly products, the Green-n-Brown site is absolutely worth visiting and bookmarking.

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The What Am I here For (WAIHF) blog has as its tagline ‘daily reflections on meaning and purpose in life’. This site is an excellent example of the power of blogging technology in 2011 to allow individuals anywhere to publish thoughtful musings online for the entire world to read.

Arik Dondi, the owner and writer for WAIHF, is a sensitive and thoughtful person who is daring to tackle big questions such as what it means for someone to make a good choice, and what it means to live life with purpose.

I imagine that Dondi’s idea for this site is to connect with people on a deeper level than do sites concerned simply with what one thinks of a movie he saw recently or favorite recipes. It is a lofty goal but clearly Dondi isn’t concerned if some people won’t share his sense of introspection because I think he realizes that among readers that do “get it”, he could very well be creating a small community of like-minded people.

WAIHF was created with Blogspot.com, which is a terrific tool that allows people who have no interest in spending too much time on blogging technology to create perfectly functional and attractive websites so that they can simply get started writing about the subjects in which they are interested.

What Am I Here For is the sort of site we could visit on a regular basis, in moments when we have some downtime and perhaps are more attuned to the ‘Big Picture’. As I read over several articles on the site I thought that a new reader might be inspired and less reluctant to create a similar site himself.

If you are interested in philosophical musings not too far removed from everyday life, I’d recommend taking a look at the What Am I Here For blog to connect with a kindred spirit and maybe even get a little clarity on your own life.

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The Handy Goddess is one of the best concepts for a website that we’ve had submitted for review at TheWeblogReview in a long time. Barbara, the site’s creator and the pink-helmeted head of handy-ness is to be complimented on its stellar execution as well.

One of the site’s taglines is “DIY at it’s most entertaining”, but this is a website that requires two tags to do it justice, and the second is “Campy, Playful, Funny & Constructive”. If you can’t imagine how all these qualities could be contained in one blog then read on.

Apparently Barbara is a mistress of all trades, with a background in fine art and a talent for humor and just about anything one would need done in the way of home improvement, up to and including bathroom renovations, advanced plumbing techniques, finishing furniture, and creating household crafts of every kind.

The site is in a blog format built on WordPress, but by including YouTube-hosted videos on virtually every post, Barbara has turned the site into a real multimedia gem, with very solid production values. Her presentation style in her videos is equal parts campy flirt and solid tips for anyone interested in DIY improvements around the home. Ever heard of that mix before? Neither have I!

I can’t imagine anyone pulling it off better than Barbara does. Lines like: “I guess we’ve got a stripped screw, it gone and lost all of its threads” become double entendre that somehow works in Barbara’s capable hands, but don’t laugh too hard or you’ll miss her instructions on disconnecting plumbing for a sink remodel!

When you have Barbara’s onscreen presence and you’re featuring subject matter that lends itself so well to video presentation, it’s a no-brainer. Site owners are recognizing the value of video not only for improving SEO and the usability of their websites but because video can serve as an additional funnel to your site, letting visitors discover a blogger’s YouTube channel even before they find their blog. For The Handy Goddess, video and pink tools are clearly a recipe for success!

The Handy Goddess works as both entertainment and DIY education, but in addition to that it should serve as encouragement to anyone who thinks they can’t create a website that will attract thousands of viewers by communicating their unique expertise and personality. Barbara has a lot more of these qualities than most though, and I’d highly recommend The Handy Goddess for home improvement tips and campy, playful entertainment.

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Chances are that most people don’t wonder too much about the business of packaging fulfillment, packaging solutions and designs, even though our lives are touched by these basic business functions every single day. The Heritage Pioneer Corporate Group’s blog and website is an absolutely outstanding example of how business-to-business websites can have attractive web presences that avoid feeling “corporate” and boring.

Instead this site does a great job in getting people excited about sustainable packaging for instance, incorporating biodegradable and recycled packaging for almost anything you would need to have shipped anywhere.

The website features an engaging, informative Flash presentation on the home page that immediately makes a visitor aware of the different services or solutions offered by hpcorporategroup.com, and then efficiently directs the site user to one of four categories of information as to the company’s brand, as well as ways to immediately get in touch with a specialist who can help with moving and storage, order fulfillment or packaging solutions.

One element of this attractive site that is example of a feature we’re seeing more and more on business websites is the link from the front page to a blog area where customers and potential customers alike can be notified as to updates either in the company’s business or new developments in packaging fulfillment and solutions and design.

This blogging element has become a fixture in websites that require a dynamic, constantly changing area that can be easily updated. For both the quality of their site and the apparent professionalism of their packaging business, Heritage Pioneer corporate group gets high marks from me.
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The business website for the Quality Glass Block company is an amazingly well executed example of a low-key sales approach and an enormous resource for both professional class block installers and do-it-yourself homeowners who are interested in adding this interesting and attractive home-improvement feature to their residences. I will wager that there are very few glass block suppliers in the United States who have websites as attractive and functional as what visitors see when they visit qualityglassblock.com.

You wouldn’t have to be in the business of selling glass blocks for residential windows systems to be convinced by this site that using Drupal as a content management system is an excellent method for constructing all of the elements that you’ll need for a site that projects a coherent brand message as well as imparting a professional feel and confidence in the ability of a company to get the job done.

One element that impressed me with the site was that from the front page visitors are clearly guided to either a homeowner section where the company will help them plan their project, or an area for professionals who don’t need that sort of education.

If you are trying to decide whether to move forward with your business website by making use of either WordPress or Drupal I would suggest you visit the quality glass block website to get a good look at the state-of-the-art in what can be constructed for you to more effectively sell whatever it is you’re offering. And if you are in the market for loose glass block, windows or venting systems go take a look at this well-done website.
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