If you're looking to attract visitors to your MySpace profile, a layout that stands out from the crowd can go a long way. The usual MySpace aesthetic tends to be a busy page with overbearing backgrounds, loud music tracks, distracting animations and a general free-for-all that gives little thought to the elements of design.



Try going against the grain by working towards a layout that's clean, fresh, and still stylish. While you want your MySpace profile to be 'pimped out,' you still want it to be readable and understandable. To capture that clean, but cool look - go for solid, complimentary colors or tiny patterns that add to your design, rather than detract from it. Be selective about the comments that you allow on the page and say goodbye to the dancing bologna of animated spam comments that just take away from your message. Finally, above all else, check the readability. After each layout change, double check that visitors are still able to clearly read and navigate your profile.

When it comes to selecting a color scheme, pick one that relates to you. If you, your company, or your band is all about teddy bears, then a goth-themed page of blood reds and dark blacks may not be the way to go. Just as a professional motocross racer might not want a profile page filled with pastel pinks and rose patterns. This also applies to font selection, so pick a font that represents you.

When it comes to the actual layout editing, the MySpace site offers an easy-to-use profile editor (currently in Beta) that allows users to quickly change their profile settings, including background images, color schemes, fonts, and links. The site's profile support page also offers great instructions on how to tweak your profile manually, including tips on basic HTML and CSS coding specific to MySpace layouts.

However, if you're uncomfortable tinkering with your own profile, there are a number of premade MySpace layouts available online that are either free or sold for a small cost. These are usually easy to install and require minimal effort.

And remember, sometimes less is more. You don't have to be over-the-top to be pimpin.