Can You Please Criticise My New Website

[charles cawley]

I bang on about web sites to our owners all the time but found yours useful. Compared to many first efforts, it is well ahead.

Pictures are number 1 important. If you can make them enlarge, even better.

I would not bother with flags etc:. However rightly or justly proud, they can turn people off. The Turkish one is appropriate as you are right there.

In the early 1980s, I went to the area. In those days, you could go from b&b to b&b using the buses; we went Ephesus (Kursadasi area) right down Anatolia and across to Konya. It has utterly changed but it was good so see some pics.

[bjp11scot]

Thanks for the advice Charles (I need it)
I do realise that the members on board are extremely critical which is what I am looking for and I will be guided by the great majority of comments

I am presently revamping the pictures as suggested earlier but am having difficulty in trying to get the 'google map' to return to my site after expanding the map and then closing it

Within my other external links I added the relevant code that was advised by the members and it works fine but cannot see where I need to add it to the google map link

Can you or any of the good members help me with this one?

PS
You are perfectly correct when you say that the area has changed - we have had the privilege of going to this particular part of Turkey for over six years and changes have indeed been immense (whether for the better or otherwise is of course debatable

Regards
Bob

I bang on about web sites to our owners all the time but found yours useful. Compared to many first efforts, it is well ahead.

Pictures are number 1 important. If you can make them enlarge, even better.

I would not bother with flags etc:. However rightly or justly proud, they can turn people off. The Turkish one is appropriate as you are right there.

In the early 1980s, I went to the area. In those days, you could go from b&b to b&b using the buses; we went Ephesus (Kursadasi area) right down Anatolia and across to Konya. It has utterly changed but it was good so see some pics.

[Windy]

What could be the difference between "Personal Websites" and "Website Reviews" do you think?

[greenbarn]

What could be the difference between "Personal Websites" and "Website Reviews" do you think?

Easy.

"Personal websites" section:

Everything to do with using your own website to advertise your rental property. Design, usability, hosting, getting listed on the search engines, optimising your site, pay-per-click, etc, etc

So stuff like how to put a Google map on a website, optimising for mobiles, thoughts on SEO, discussions on HTML and alternative approaches to create a website - the list of general information goes on. (Example of the usefulness of the section - it's where I found out about Lightbox.)

"Website reviews" section:

Get some feedback on your site or ad from other rental owners and techies. Also a library of online resources so you can make DIY improvements to your web presence.

As it says really - a section for feedback on the presentation and content of your own website.

[bjp11scot]

casasantoestevo
Thank you for your help - please find changes (well some changes) that you have suggested (some I don't understand and have still to get my head around)

Going on the last time we reviewed your website this is an improvement.
viewtopic.php?p=188206&highlight=#188206
However I still feel that there are things that could or would put be off booking.

On the first page you state; My wife (June) and I take great pleasure in providing you with our typical Scottish welcome within our beautiful Fethiye 3 Bedroom Aegean Apartment Sunset Beach Club Apartment
On another page you say We employ an approved Property Management Company who will arrange to meet you on your arrival at the Sunset Apartment, provide any optional services that you may require and be available for you during your stay
I feel that these two clash, it is either you providing the welcome or the management company...if the later are they Scottish?
To be honest I have my doubts about selling the Sottish welcome is a “bonus”. That hopefully does not come across as being anti Scottish, it is more about the welcome that you or the management company provide. You could be from anywhere and still provide a great welcome. I have replaced and revamped page completely and added an ‘About Page’
Check Availabilities should read Check Availability. - I have changed to 'Availability'On your page with prices the bit that says “We offer special prices dependent on number of guests with discounts being offered for a ‘two-guest’ rental” is linked to an email, but it is not the one you have used elsewhere on your website. I.E. the one just above this statement. - I have removed the email link

Sorry I have to talk about some of your coding;
As far as the code presentation goes you are doing just fine. I can only see that you are perhaps missing some Headings - <h> Tags. This is no real big deal, but they do help search engines find you, they are more useful than the Meta Keywords tag used of old. <h1> and <h2> Tags added
Things like CCS and any javascripts should be linked to one source rather than have the same code on each page. This helps with loading times of your page. - I am lost here
The same with linking to the background. Link to it in one place and every page will load a lot quicker. - lost here also
You have no less than 3 google-site-verification codes. You should think about only using one. - this was a result of me trying to understand what these verifiation codes were all about and where to placce them - I had three attemps before Google verified me - still not sure about it all - Is it absolutely neccessary to have only one code??
PS one final thing...PLEASE remove the sliding photo on this page. - Have done so http://www.fethiye-sunsetbeachrental.co ... beach.html

The link does not show up when it has finally landed either - should work now? .

[bjp11scot]

Lora
Thank you for your comments - they are appreciated - please find my responses to you in red typo

Just a few first thoughts

At first look I have no idea here your property is (never heard of Fethiye). The first sentence implies Scotland ( ) then you go on to mention the Agean so I´m guessing Greece. No there´s what looks like a Turkish flag. Scroll down the page...no mention of Turkey. Click on the Fethiye link, yes it´s in Turkey but no mention of where in Turkey or how I might get there. - I have changed all wording to ensure that you do not end up in Scotland (although I would suggest you try)

OK - the home page has a lot of stuff about you - all sounds very nice. But very little if any info about the apartment itself. And then you´re apologising for not being able to accommodate people? Why? I don´t understand. - we were fully booked and had to refuse the potential guests

I´m sure you are great hosts, but this isn´t what I want to know right now (this belongs in an "about us" page). I want to know what your apartment looks like and exactly where it is. I´m afraid you would have lost me ages ago - I do wish not to lose you therefore I have added an 'About Us' page - do hope this keeps you with me .

[bjp11scot]

Tai
Many thanks for your input - please find my alterations below in red typo

quote="tavi"]Website comes across as friendly and welcoming...

but there's a few things I'm not sure about...

on the apartment page I'm getting a bloody great google 3d maps download invitation, which covers some of your text! - I have moved the Google map - hope this is better
I think you're laying it on a little too thick re the Scottish welcome....nothing against the Scots (I am one) but possibly your advertisement should be more about the potential guest and less about you - unless of course, what you're marketing is the apartment along with lots of personal interaction/hospitality/entertainment from yourselves. - OK you have convinced me to reluctantly take out the references to Scotland - hope this improves the site

"services" section should maybe come last not first...as I don't know what services I will want until I know if your apartment will suit me. - I have put 'Services' after 'Prices'
Hope that helps.[/quote]

[bjp11scot]

Jimbo
After I found out what 'pacuity' meant - I have made the alterations to suit your suggestions in red typo - many thanks for your time

I’m often disappointed by the paucity of good quality photographs on many rental websites that don’t live up to the promise of the information. This website is the opposite – a positive deluge of images, many informative and pleasing. I particularly like the aerial shots sprinkled around the site.

What I don’t like is the plonky ‘family album’ layout of the pictures and their ragged dovetailing with the text. I don’t like the heavy frames around the images (although I can see this might be intended to echo the frame around the site links). - I have removed the frames from all picctures - I can’t see the point of mundane pictures like the air conditioning units, hand jangling keys or the sat nav dish that merely illustrate what’s in the text. - these photos are now gone - back into Google Some of the ‘people pictures’ are awkward (and stand out because of the excellence of the others). - I have removed a number of the people pictures And, if you’re going to boast of ‘sunsets like you’ve never seen’, you need to produce more compelling photographic evidence than what’s currently on display. - hope the additional photos now illustrate these highlights
On the credit side, however, you obviously have a cracking property in an equally cracking location and a wealth of high quality images to provide evidence of this fact. I’d suggest an immediate cull of the less successful pictures. I’d vary the sizes of the survivors and force them to integrate more pleasingly with the text - not sure if I have successfully achieved this ??? . I’d work harder on the sunset and people shots when feasible. And I’d make it possible to enlarge the images for closer inspection. - hope changes are to the benefit of the site - if not please continue to suggest what to remove or change

Bob, it’s all there. As my sergeant-major father use to say of his raw recruits – just needs knocking into shape.

[bjp11scot]

Elena
Thank you for comments and support - I hope the changes that I have made suit your suggestions - your observations were similar to the previous members therefore you should now see them

I don't think I'd mention the Scottish welcome either ....I'm Scottish & know exactly what you mean;) but it won't mean much to those who don't know our culture! Maybe it would mean more if the apartment were in Scotland.

I agree with Jim re the photos - less is definitely more. I'm on my 4th version of our website & when I look back at the early versions I had lots of little photos in frames & boxes & it just looks so cluttered now compared to our current site. If there's too much on a page as Jim says the good stuff just gets overlooked.

Also I'm not a fan of the stock photos - to me it takes away from the personal welcome and gives more of a corporate feel.

Have to say though your place looks gorgeous - I'd get some lovely big photos on there asap & show it off!!

Elena
Dordogne holiday cottages
Tales from our Dordogne gites
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[bjp11scot]

pia-salsa
I thank you for your responses
Please note my comments below in red typo

I know I am repeating some of the comments above, but the following are my first impressions:
-nice welcoming photos on the first page, shows me what I am going to get.
-can't see anywhere on the first page, that the apartment is in Turkey (apart from the flag) - front page totally revamped-Scottish welcome is meaningless to me.. I am not planning to go to Scotland... - pity but you will be welcome should you ever change your mind :
-second page (services) I don't like all those photos taken off the internet. I would put in my own pictures of welcoming basket of fruit, pictures of your cups and teapot etc. - I have now removed all the pictures
-facilities. "the beach pool only a few steps...etc) is it the beach? or the pool? or the beach AND the pool a few steps away? -I hope the changes that I have made now make it clear that you an enjoy BOTH pool and beach
-facilities - again the bottom section has lots of pictures taken off the internet (rather than your own)
-great pictures in the "lower level" and "upper level" sections - I have removed some of the pictures and added a 'Gallery' page for the apartment interior

hope this helps

[bjp11scot]

Wallpott
Thank you for your response - I appreciate what you have noted

The main reason that the curtains were closed is that - to be perfetly honest my camera was not that good at the time and because of the light coming through - it took horrible photos

Why are all the lower level curtains shut? What are you hiding? And sorry but all the stock photos should go.

- all gone !!!!

[CSE]

Great to see you back taking on board the points raised by everyone.


Here is how you link Javascript/CCS using headers.
http://www.javascriptkit.com/javatutors ... tcss.shtml
This page explains why you should link to items placed on several pages into your headers. This includes CCS; Javascript and background image. It only has some simple ideas but that is good.
http://www.netmechanic.com/news/vol4/javascript_no9.htm
I am not sure if the three codes are harmful. Are they linking to the same information? Every time you update the website you will have to update the information on the three codes.
http://support.google.com/webmasters/bi ... swer=35179
I would confirm with Google what is the best way to approach this.
https://productforums.google.com/forum/ ... webmasters

[bjp11scot]

Nemo
Appreciate your return to me
Most of the changes I have now made but please see additional comments towards your own below (red typo)

A few suggestions, many of which have already been said:
Apartment - the sliding photo and map obliterate some text. I have changed the position of the Google map
Lose the sliding feature on all pages - it's a gimmick. You don't need gimmicks! - I have removed all gimmiks
Stock photos - lose them all. You have some lovely photos of your own, so don't bother with those stock ones. They give the site an amateurish feel. -
I have done so
Reviews - slightly off putting first review at present including "you cheeky b****r"? I would lose that one. Maybe it means something different to you in Scotland..... Any reason why they're not in date order? if you are including a date I would always put the newest first. 2009 reviews are a bit old now. Nemo - I have modified the offending review in question and removed all associated dates - I do prefer to keep what reiews I have
Availability not availabilities. Follow the facebook link - where is it? - I have not got to grips with facebook as yet so removed all reference to it
Curtains - I assume you shut them to cut out the light (have done that myself!) but they would look better if curtains were drawn back. - yes that was the reason - I do have a couple of photos with curtains open and have now included those
The welcome is a bit offputting on the first page - it's appropriate for an about us page. For me the feel of the site is a wee bit too personal. I'd be concerned that I need to become your best mate to holiday there! Give me as much relevant info as possible on the home page about the apartment and the area please. - I hope the changes to the 'Welome' page, the 'About Us' page and the 'Gallary' page all help this situation

Contact details and booking procedures. These are scattered around the site, so I don't know where to find them by looking at the tabs. - booking procedure is now only the 'Prices' page - 'Aailablity' an be found on any page
No phone contact? - I do presently prefer first contat to be via email but as time goes by I may change this thinking

Overall - it's well on its way, I just want a bit more polish. However you could ask the question, if you are doing well with bookings and getting the sort of guests you want, maybe the very personal feel works for you?

- our season is short in Turkey but we do manage to achieve at least 90% occupancy

[bjp11scot]

Charles
Hope the site looks a litte better now - a wonderful bunch of members to take their own time out for me
Maybe I can find a few more pitures for you but after reading through the previous reviews I am not too sure if you can have too many ????

I bang on about web sites to our owners all the time but found yours useful. Compared to many first efforts, it is well ahead.

Pictures are number 1 important. If you can make them enlarge, even better.

I would not bother with flags etc:. However rightly or justly proud, they can turn people off. The Turkish one is appropriate as you are right there. - I have removed all flags (well almost all)
In the early 1980s, I went to the area. In those days, you could go from b&b to b&b using the buses; we went Ephesus (Kursadasi area) right down Anatolia and across to Konya. It has utterly changed but it was good so see some pics.

[bjp11scot]

Ian and Irene
I will try to get back as soon to work as I can - but presently out of the country for two months so may be a while
Many thanks
Bob

Great to see you back taking on board the points raised by everyone.


Here is how you link Javascript/CCS using headers.
http://www.javascriptkit.com/javatutors ... tcss.shtml
This page explains why you should link to items placed on several pages into your headers. This includes CCS; Javascript and background image. It only has some simple ideas but that is good.
http://www.netmechanic.com/news/vol4/javascript_no9.htm
I am not sure if the three codes are harmful. Are they linking to the same information? Every time you update the website you will have to update the information on the three codes.
http://support.google.com/webmasters/bi ... swer=35179
I would confirm with Google what is the best way to approach this.
https://productforums.google.com/forum/ ... webmasters