Views on house in Devon website

[Gettingthere]

Hi
I'm new to this site and to holiday letting, but thinking about marketing our house in Devon. I'd be very interested in any views you might have about the website:
http://www.hartwelldevon.co.uk

I plan to advertise on a couple of relevant websites, but this is the link I will provide there. Obviously availability and pricing details will follow. Any general comments or marketing advice welcomed.

Thanks
Angus

[J&J]

We are honorary Devonians, 17 years just outside Exeter, so your place sits very well with us. Just a thought, maybe a table with a Devon cream tea laid out or some Devon wayside flowers, wellies by the door etc. might add to the picture of what "Devon living" is about.
I think it might be the ideal property to advertise in The Lady or a country magazine.
Judith

[Ju]

First point to note is that it isn't imediately clear what you are selling. You have 2 seconds to grab someone so it needs to be clear up front.

So Where you have Hartwell, I would like to see just underneath Holiday Cottage - 4 bedrooms, sleeps 8. (or similar)

I would also like to see a map somewhere on the site so that I could see where you are relative to the main sites / access routes.

It looks like you have a lovely property.

Ju

[Blue Shutters]

From a gite renter of 15 years.......this is what I look for (and we are about to start on our website for the house we are just purchasing in France so I am taking notes and looking for inspiration)

You have great pictures, most important!! I prefer bullet points, so extend what Ju has said and have a list of facilities etc and not too much prose. As you have said you must have prices and availability, sites that have neither or leave availability obviously not filled in I don't bother with. We have to go in school holidays so I could be having to send dozens of emails to find out if 2nd and 3rd week in August (whatever!) are available.

I love knowing more about the area so up to date wide appealing tourist info (not the jazz festival last year!) on general places and then an activities list too (perhaps listed as families, sports, gourmets etc) so a family with under 5s can pick out the indoor swimming complex close by, or the farm park for example!

Simple and concise terms and conditions and payment requirements!

It looks gorgeous!!

[Gite Guru]

Hey Angus,

Had a look at your web site, so here's a few pointers on ensuring you get your site found in search engines such as Google, MSN, Yahoo etc:

1. have a think about search phrases you want to be found against in search engines ("rent farmhouse in Devon" etc)
2. optimise each page within your web site for one of those terms by including the search phrase in the page title, meta description, page name, page heading and body content (your website designer can do this for you)

I've done a quick grab and highlighted some changes you might make and uploaded it here:
http://giteguru.com/wp-content/uploads/ ... imised.jpg

There's lots more you could do in terms of SEO, for example you might also consider adding a 'news' section to the website which would allow you to publish regularly, thus improving your search ranking (google likes fresh regularly updated websites) and the range of search terms you're found against.

Hope this helps and good luck with it.

kind regards,

Dave

[Ellery]

Hi Angus, As a fellow iweb user I am so impressed with your site, especially it's simplicity. I love it when the site design reflects the aesthetic of a property, like you can already feel what it's like to be there.

Your photographs are beautiful. Do you take them? As a potential renter, I would want to see more outdoor sitting areas. For example, the table and chairs on the patio are hard to see. Consider dressing the table and taking a charming photo of the sitting area. Also, stone seat doesn't quite come off yet. Could you place an end table with coffee on it? Or focus on that wonderful wooden bench in background.

I do agree with the above suggestions regarding bullet points. Try to avoid putting basic amenities in prose form, or paragraphs, on the first page. However, I would include a page for Amenities, where fuller descriptions can be added. If someone has bothered to click on that page, it means they are ready for a little further reading. On the Amenities page let us know about cooking facilities, television, stereo, linens etc.

I'm designing my site on iweb as well, doesn't it drive you crazy that our photos can only be enlarged on the album page?

Anyway, great job and keep us updated please!

[CSE]

A quick comment as it seems that most has already been covered...Gite Guru has done some some good work!

There are no prices

[Gettingthere]

Thank you all for your excellent comments. I will act on them shortly. Any more thoughts welcome in the meantime.

regards
Angus