Lay My Hat Forum

snoozeboy · Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Posts: 51 Location: Chatel

Please criticise my website, www.chatelaccommodation.com

It's pretty new (3 weeks) and I need to add a lot of stuff to it. That said, it's Google PR is N/A, which may be because it's new, or it could be because it's not very good.

Please be as polite or as offensive as you please. I will treat all comments as constructive.

Thanks in advance.

SB

HelenB · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 8:56 am Post subject:

it takes quite a while to get a Google page rank. Have you submitted it to the Google sandbox yet?

gam · Joined: 04 Aug 2011 Posts: 292

snoozeboy · Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Posts: 51 Location: Chatel

er... no. Is it the same as verifying the site in Google Webmaster Tools?

snoozeboy · Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Posts: 51 Location: Chatel

Thanks Gam

I'm trying to get the site verified in Google Webmaster Tools, but I don't know how to upload the HTML file into PMP.

I've contacted PMP to ask them how to do this.

SB

gam · Joined: 04 Aug 2011 Posts: 292

I would understand "verifying" as placing a specific file or code on your site which Google can then use to link your site with your webmaster account i.e. to allow only the site owner to be able to access detailed Google data for the site (e.g. analytics).

If you have done that then you now have a linked site/webmaster account. Log into that and you'll see various interesting things you can do including submitting your sitemap.xml file. Google would/will eventually find this on its own, provided its where its supposed to be, but using webmaster tools speeds things up and can be used to ask Google to reindex if content has changed.

Edit: posts crossed

Google offers several methods to verify - I'm sure Promotemyplace will support one or more of them.

Edit 2

I've just had a quick look at your site and think you've made a good start. I'm sure you'll tune it a bit over the coming weeks and make a few small needed improvements but the one thing that stands out for me is your main page photo: you really need something which shows it to its best not on a dull gloomy day (and an SEO tip: give the image a better name e.g. ski chalet in Chatel France).

HelenB · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:34 am Post subject:

You can add Google Analytics code to PMP, there's a link at the top of the admin page.

Martha · Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 1840 Location: Chamonix

Maybe edit the text a bit, "Block" is a bit of an unappealing word, do we really need to know about the strict building regs? Smile

The Multipass is a great deal which you should promo on the home page (though I'm not clear how you're taking bookings if it's being renovated?)

Deposit feels a bit high to me though it's your call. Two deposits may be offputting

Blog is always a good idea, but maybe keep it a bit more relevant and positive?

Why not include the bed linen?

Map - crop off the left hand column, it's a bit confusing

The views are really lovely - I would maybe replace the main photo on the home page (which does look a bit dark) with one of those.

Some better interior pics would be good too.

Hope this helps!
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Chamonix Chalet : La Foret, Les Praz

HelenB · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 11:23 am Post subject:

I think that damage deposit of 450€ is perhaps a little high too.

snoozeboy · Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Posts: 51 Location: Chatel

Thanks HelenB - I'd already dropped it to 300e, but forgot it was there on that page at 450.

FelicityA · Joined: 05 Nov 2010 Posts: 586 Location: Cotswolds

snoozeboy - I think you are very brave to ask everyone to shred your site. I haven't ever dared to ask for comments on my relatively new one (also PMP).

On the photos, as someone already said, try and take the outside ones on a sunny day.

I think your highlights box is a bit crowded and there are too many points listed. I would leave out all those distances as you list them off elsewhere anyway. Just to say it is a central position would be enough for starters. I would put how many it sleeps in how many bedrooms first as I think that is the main first 'box ticker' (no good reading further if you are too many people).

snoozeboy · Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Posts: 51 Location: Chatel

Thanks Felicity

People have been very kind (and constructive) so far! I think you should put your site up for review - the points people make are incredibly helpful and, apart from the obvious fact that my photos are dire (nicked from the estate agent's listing when I bought the place a few months ago), they're often not the sort of thing you'd have thought of yourself.

In fact, it saves thinking for yourself. Begin your site, post it for review on here and then do what you're told. Brilliant.

kevsboredagain · Joined: 20 Jan 2007 Posts: 170 Location: France