For the past week a lot of you pro’s helped me come along way. I had never developed a website up until this past week. I think I have covered all the basics and I am waiting for Google/Yahoo to index my site.
I have yet to ask one more favor - I would really appreciate if some of you could please review my site and let me know if you see any issues? Let me know if I should be doing something better.
What a great looking site! Well done - especially as it’s your first
with the software. The only thing I would change if you get a chance
is to swap some of the image based text for HTML text. “Fine custom
cabinetry”, the section headings and most importantly the company
address both on the contact us page and in the page footer. The search
engines will like you a lot more if they can ‘read’ this content and
users are more likely to find the site if they search on ‘cabinetry
Calgary’ for example.
Regards,
Tim.
On 19 May 2009, at 21:17, Fuzzy Z wrote:
I have yet to ask one more favor - I would really appreciate if some
of you could please review my site and let me know if you see any
issues? Let me know if I should be doing something better.
Nice looking first site. Very professional. Looks modern without too much ‘wiz-bang’ features that would not be appropriate.
I second Tim’s suggestion with one caveat, as I made the same mistake in the past. If you don’t care about being found by the search engines then use graphic text if it improves the appearance. Otherwise you must use HTML.
Also, there is a lot more involved than simply waiting for Google to index the site. Look through the many SEO discussions here for some good advice.
An excellent first attempt. The previous comments tell you what can be
improved - and if you think about it, that’s not much! Tim’s comments
are very important though.
What you should be particularly proud of, is the way you have kept the
website clean, clear and easy to read and navigate. From a marketing
standpoint, you present a very clear message of quality built
cabinetry, supported by a sympathetic design and sensible use of
library photos (I recognise some of those shots!) amongst the bespoke
ones.
Make sure that you send it to the Gallery on the Softpress website -
it will be an inspiration to others.
I have yet to ask one more favor - I would really appreciate if some
of you could please review my site and let me know if you see any
issues? Let me know if I should be doing something better.
A very nice looking site, and a marvel for a first site,
congratulations! I wish my first site had looked as good as that.
You said you wanted to know about any ‘issues’, and the only issue for
me is that when you enlarge the text in the browser, it flows over
other parts of the site. Some browsers will enlarge your text without
user intervention, and I always like to make sure that anything that
gets bigger pushes any content below it down with it.
Agree that it’s a very attractive site. Would like it even better if
it referred to your staff as Craftsmen instead of Craftsman’s on the
home, About Us, page.
Respectfully, Dave
On May 20, 2009, at 4:08 AM, Colin Alcock wrote:
An excellent first attempt. The previous comments tell you what can
be improved - and if you think about it, that’s not much! Tim’s
comments are very important though.
What you should be particularly proud of, is the way you have kept
the website clean, clear and easy to read and navigate. From a
marketing standpoint, you present a very clear message of quality
built cabinetry, supported by a sympathetic design and sensible use
of library photos (I recognise some of those shots!) amongst the
bespoke ones.
Make sure that you send it to the Gallery on the Softpress website -
it will be an inspiration to others.
The best way is to learn the limitations and foibles of HTML text and
layout, and design accordingly.
It’s not easy, for sure. I’ve been trying to learn it for over a
decade now, and I’m only slowly coming to an amicable solution.
Where once I used lots of graphic text because it’s “what I wanted and
what I was used to from a print background”, I now try to use
exclusively HTML text whenever I can.
It can be quite liberating - it’s just learning how the type behaves
in different browsers and on different platforms. It’s always an
adventure!
As an interim measure try Walter’s Image Replacement action at; http://www.freewaypro.com/actions/imagereplacement/
It will give you the SEO goodness of HTML text while retaining the
existing rock solid layout of image based text.
Regards,
Tim.
On 21 May 2009, at 02:03, Fuzzy Z wrote:
Thank-you all for the positive feedback… I have made most of the
changes suggested.
I totally agree about changing some of the graphics to HTML but when
I do - things go all out of proportion…
I am always batteling with HTML and not knowing what its going to
do… especially when other people open it.
Any suggestions on how to win the war?
I use more graphics so I know the site will look the way I want
it… Thanks again!
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I have yet to ask one more favor - I would really appreciate if
some of you could please review my site and let me know if you see
any issues? Let me know if I should be doing something better.
Your part of the job was done very well.
You would be wise to add more photos. Intersperse the ones you have
with close-ups and more dynamic shots. Show details. Especially
details that people would naturally see when using the cabinets.
This will give the visitor a more intimate, more attached view. They
will see them as they see them when they use them and be more likely
to become attached to them.
The way it is now, there is a great deal of distance between the
viewer and the product. You want to bring them in close. Much of
the appeal of cabinets is how they feel. You want the viewer to
experience them like they’re touching them.
