Website Review

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.
youngydriver
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Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:37 am
Location: Larnaca, Cyprus.
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Website Review

Post by youngydriver »

Hi everyone and thanks in advance for helping me out.

My wife and i have an apartment in Larnaca, Cyprus which we try and rent out, without much luck (at all...).

I've tried a couple of letting agent websites with little success so i had a go at creating my own website using the free Google website builder scheme which i've put on various letting agents websites to give more information.

The problem is that we're getting little to nothing in the way of interest.

Statistics show that people are looking at the site but we're not really getting anyone enquiring.

Any help/feedback would be massively appreciated.

The website is-
www.sunshine-cyprus.co.uk

I'm still working on the availability page)

Thanks again,

Chris.
The only thing that goes with the flow is a dead fish...
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pete
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Location: Near Sancerre, Loire Valley
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Post by pete »

At a first glance I would suggest you swapped the first and second paragraph, its difficult to see that you are letting an apartment before you get bored with reading.

Also 'small luxury holiday letting' does not sound right, 'our comfortable and affordable apartment ' perhaps, but small and luxury are contrary.

The first picture needs to be bigger - and perhaps of the apartment rather than the pool.

And I assume that eventually you will remove the adds ?

The font also changes as you go down the page,

hope this helps
GoDot
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Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:23 pm
Location: Normandy / Dublin
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Post by GoDot »

Hi, I get the following on your availability page:
Events from one or more calendars could not be shown here because you do not have the permission to view them.
Statistics show that people are looking at the site but we're not really getting anyone enquiring.

How are you tracking visitors to your site? You should be able to see how people are finding your site (the search terms they enter into Google, referrals from links on other sites) rather than just an abstract number which could be measuring bot views or page views rather than unique ips.

If people are looking for luxury accommadation in Cyprus, I doubt that they are typing 'Sunshine-Cyprus' into Google (which seems to be the phrase your site is optimised for).

SEO Tips starting from the top:

Title Tag: is currently 'sunshine-cyprus'. It should be changed to something which contains keys words like 'Luxury holiday accommodation Cyprus'. It's one of the most important onsite SEO areas so you should use it properly and make it unique for every page.

Meta Description: is currently 'Sunshine-Cyprus is a website that has been created to give you a little taste of our apartment in the wonderful country of Cyprus. '.

Again,this should be changed to something more relevant which contains key words - something like Luxury holiday apartments in Oroklini Village Cyprus. You should make the description on every page unique (currently they are all the same)

You should be measuring impressions (the number of times somebody sees your listing in a search results page) and click through rates (the percentage of people who click on you site when they see your site listed in Google). You can do this with Google Webmaster Tools.

Alt Tags: You should add keyword rich alt tags to all your images.

Semantic Headings: Like a book, sites should use headings with <H1> being the most important, <H2> the second most important etc. Your site does not use h1s.

You are currently using bold and an increased font size for headings, this is the incorrect way to do it. As an example WELCOME TO SUNSHINE-CYPRUS on your homepage is currently

Code: Select all

<b><span><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">WELCOME TO SUNSHINE-CYPRUS.</font></font></span></b>
It should be

Code: Select all

<h1>WELCOME TO SUNSHINE-CYPRUS.</h1> 
Although 'Sunshine-Cyprus' should be replaced with some relevant key words. You can change the size of headings in your .css file rather than doing it inline.

Other headings such as 'ABOUT OROKLINI' should be wrapped in <h2></h2>

Text:

Some of the text on the front page is a different style size to the rest. Look at the line "bedroom open on to the spacious balcony where a further table and chairs and two sun loungers are provided for your use" as an example.
youngydriver
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:37 am
Location: Larnaca, Cyprus.
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Post by youngydriver »

Hi both and thanks for the really quick responses.

Pete, i'll definitely make the alterations you suggest, but the Google ads were going to stay. Do you think they're detrimental to the site?

GoDot,the stats come from letting agents who advise you how often your property site has been viewed.

I can see that i'll have to have a look at meta tags etc which is top advice but massively daunting!

Thanks to both of you for your advice and any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Chris.
The only thing that goes with the flow is a dead fish...
GoDot
Posts: 57
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:23 pm
Location: Normandy / Dublin
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Post by GoDot »

youngydriver wrote: I've tried a couple of letting agent websites with little success so i had a go at creating my own website using the free Google website builder scheme which i've put on various letting agents websites to give more information.

GoDot,the stats come from letting agents who advise you how often your property site has been viewed.
I'm not sure what you mean. If you have built your own site, you should add a stats account to it and monitor the visits

Are you talking about 'letting agents' giving you stats on the number of pageviews your rental ad has on their site (like ownersdirect stats?)

Or did a letting agent set up the site for you? If this is the case, I wouldn't believe any figure they give you, unless you can verify it. Typical scenario:
Client: we aren't getting bookings through our site, are people even visiting it?

Company: Yeah loads, not a problem with anything we've done, now leave us alone
The only way to know if people are visiting your site is if you can see and verify the stats.

Most people use Google Analytics because it doesn't simply give you a number - it states how people found your site, what words they typed into a search engine to find your site, and what sites people have been referred from (ownersdirect etc).

This is the info you need - and can then act on to improve your site, what works and what doesn't.
youngydriver
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:37 am
Location: Larnaca, Cyprus.
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Post by youngydriver »

Yes, that's what i've been relying on.
I think i've been a little naive with regards to statistics from letting agents, so Google Analytics here we go.

More good advice, thanks.
The only thing that goes with the flow is a dead fish...
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wallypott
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Post by wallypott »

The fourth photo or so is at a bit of funny angle, you might want to straighten it up a bit, plus the photos don't seem relavant to the headings.


bedroom open on to the spacious balcony where a further table and chairs and two sun loungers are provided for your use.
is in a different font.

Got to be honest, the font puts me off reading it. Lots of words, too many for anyone in a hurry. Remember people are comparing you to others. I'm no pro, and I didn't do my own site, so congratulations all the same.

Wally
youngydriver
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:37 am
Location: Larnaca, Cyprus.
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Post by youngydriver »

Fair points Wallypot.

I think that was the reason for putting the photos on the main page as there might be a lot of word info to take in.

Thanks though, i might have a re-jig of the layout.

I've got to ask though folks, is there anything that we should leave as it is?
The only thing that goes with the flow is a dead fish...
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pete
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Location: Near Sancerre, Loire Valley
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Post by pete »

When I did our site I was tempted at first to start all over (actually many times) but you just end up in the same position.

If I were you I would take each point everyone has made and if you feel they are valid make the change. Then review the page again and see if it looks better.

For the ads, I think you should remove them if you want people to book your apartment from your website, each ad is for other places in your area and they will take you away from your site.

I expect you have to pay to have them removed, I do, so when you are happy with your site then go for it, if you want.
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