Site Check?

[johnmak]

Hi there i have just updated a site for a client.

http://www.houseofmulben.com

I know some of the text looks ugly but it is designed for search engines.

What do you think overall though?

How much could i charge for a site like this?

 

[YNOTU]

[tt]I can't give you much feedback on design but on the server-side scripting I would suggest validating your form. I just pressed the submit button and a blank record was sent.

[tt]

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[GUJUm0deL]

johnmak, MY EYES, MY EYES!! That bright green had me running to close your site fast. I'd love to see the rest, but as soon my eyes focuses on that bright. neon, green my brain shutsdown.


____________________________________
Just Imagine.

http://www.imajinarts.com

 

[coldfused]

And why redirect back to the splash screen when you submit your form?

Send them to the welcome page or something...



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http://www.orlandomediasolutions.com

http://www.mlstaffing.com

http://www.mwll.com

 

[J1mbo]

I'd replace the bright green with the green that you are using for your text links. Otherwise it looks fine.

-jim

 

[ChrisHirst]

You are right the text looks ugly. What is the point of designing for search engines? when the visitors arrive they are more likely to think WTF and quickly head off somewhere else. SEs spiders don't take holidays and don't have credit cards.

Design and write your copy site for visitors. the SEs will also prefer it that way. It will read better, hook the visitors better and offer a far better conversion ratio.

SEO forum forum828

Your copy is also very focused to Us and We (the site owner). to sell well it need to be focused on You (the visitor).

for example
"We can set this activity up either outside or in an inside environment depending on the "changeable" Scottish weather. "

could become,

"Allowing for the changeable Scottish weather, Indoor archery ranges are available, so your opportunities to enjoy this ancient skill will not be reduced."

Flash Site. BIG NO NO. SE spiders do not read flash so any text in a Flash site is utterly wasted, and don't forget there are many people still on dial-up who won't be waiting for a flash site to load no matter how interesting it may be.



Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?

 

[ChrisHunt]

Agree with the guys about that green - tone it down a bit.

Get rid of the jagged edges on the graphic text across the top - either by typing in into your graphic program with "anti-alias" switched on, or by making the images much bigger than you want them and then shrinking them to size with your graphic program.

Tighten up on your grammar - only use capital letters at the start of sentences or for proper nouns, so instead of

"The area is very famous for its Malt Whiskey and Salmon fishing in the Spey river The river and the industry are very closely linked with the Spey providing a lot of the distilleries with the water they use."

say

"The area is very famous for its malt whiskey and salmon fishing in the Spey river. The river and the industry are very closely linked, with the Spey providing a lot of the distilleries with the water they use."

It may seem petty, but sloppy writing implies a lack of attention to detail that could be reflected in other aspects of your service. Oh, and isn't it "whisky" in Scotland?

I'm not keen on centred body text, I'm sure I read somewhere that it is more difficult to read than left-aligned or justified text. I don't see the point of the splash screen either - why make visitors make that extra click?

Finally, on the contact form, make the text areas for entering address (why label it "Brochure:"?) and questions bigger - it's so awkward typing through a letter box!

-- Chris Hunt

http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk

http://www.napitalia.org.uk

http://www.leicesteryha.org.uk

 

[zcole]

I don't like the green either. Maybe replace it with the green in the logo in the upper left hand corner.

I like the graph deal over the picture. How did you do that?

 

[hotfusion]

Loose the flash intro, I hate them, and all it does is involve yet another click and wait to get where you want to be.
You have no 'Home' link at the top of the page where it's needed.
As mentioned earlier, use normal text without making possible keywords <strong>. I don't think search engines are really going to take much notice of that - just ensure they're there and in the right context. Make link text the same size also.
The background to the text is a little....white. I find it easier to read if the brightness is toned down a little - maybe a delicate seamlessly tiled background more in keeping with the Scottish Highlands? Maybe a very faint, almost transparent image of pine forest? (NOT tartan!)

Your map. Gives the impression you could click on several different areas to zoom into those specific regions, which isnt so. I'd use the mulben.gif as the main map - although make it larger and more detailed, as it meant little to me as it was. Nice graphics, though.

Again, as already mentioned, check grammar, punctuation and spaces.

Regards, Andy.
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My primitive attempts at designing a private web site can be laughed at here:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch