Hi All,
Have just finished totally re-building the Bodrum Bay.com website taking on-board all your previous comments (which were gratefully recieved!) Please take the time to have a look and leave your comments.
Thanks in anticipation.
ck
Still trying to get it right!
Site in second evolution - Your thoughts please
Well, there's no shortage of pictures 
I like the overall feel of the site. However, I think you've put too much detail on the home page and - dare I say it - too many pictures of the interior, so that when you go to the apartment page there are none. I would shift all the detailed information about the accommodation to the apartment page, together with the interior views. On the home page I'd have some general information about the apartment and the location and some really inviting pictures - I don't think the ones you've majored on are really saying "Rent Me"!
I like the overall feel of the site. However, I think you've put too much detail on the home page and - dare I say it - too many pictures of the interior, so that when you go to the apartment page there are none. I would shift all the detailed information about the accommodation to the apartment page, together with the interior views. On the home page I'd have some general information about the apartment and the location and some really inviting pictures - I don't think the ones you've majored on are really saying "Rent Me"!
Chalky
Website review
I took a quick look. I'm no expert, having just created my own site for a total investment of £52+ 3hours including domain name and hosting. (grateful for any comments, I know its cr**, but has to do for now)
My thoughts are that overall it is very informative, visually pleasing, lots of nice photos.
There is way too much text for me, particularly on the home page, which I think should just focus on the USPs and creating an initial impact, enticing the user to find out more.
The text is very thorough and brings out the best of everything but to me it reads a bit too much like estate agents blurb and could do with toning down here and there.
Also the formal bits read a little too much like they've been written by an accountant (I should know I am one!) and could do with lightening up a little - for example telling the reader how grateful they should be to have the use of an Oven with a grill seems a bit patronising. You could word that paragraph more humbly.
Soem pictures of the activities / local beaches etc rather than just the inside of the appartment might clinch the booking. The photo page takes a while to load first time
My thoughts are that overall it is very informative, visually pleasing, lots of nice photos.
There is way too much text for me, particularly on the home page, which I think should just focus on the USPs and creating an initial impact, enticing the user to find out more.
The text is very thorough and brings out the best of everything but to me it reads a bit too much like estate agents blurb and could do with toning down here and there.
Also the formal bits read a little too much like they've been written by an accountant (I should know I am one!) and could do with lightening up a little - for example telling the reader how grateful they should be to have the use of an Oven with a grill seems a bit patronising. You could word that paragraph more humbly.
Soem pictures of the activities / local beaches etc rather than just the inside of the appartment might clinch the booking. The photo page takes a while to load first time
Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you'll land among the stars
Hi ck,
Great site, watching your progress with interest. One simple comment about photos. The quality of the photos is great, and I notice you read the blurb about not having any white fluffy clouds in the photos and took it on board; wow, those skies are blue!
It was only a very quick look, and maybe I missed I them, but where are the pool shots? There was one where it is hardly visible from the low angle, but I wanted to see more of the water, a huge beautiful blue pool in the foreground, to imagine myself jumping into it. I think it's all about putting yourself in the place of your guest - looking through the camera as if you have just arrived at the place and never seen it before. What's the first thing you would do? Go out to the pool and stand over it, ready to dip your toe in the water. That's the shot.
Good Luck with your bookings!
Great site, watching your progress with interest. One simple comment about photos. The quality of the photos is great, and I notice you read the blurb about not having any white fluffy clouds in the photos and took it on board; wow, those skies are blue!
It was only a very quick look, and maybe I missed I them, but where are the pool shots? There was one where it is hardly visible from the low angle, but I wanted to see more of the water, a huge beautiful blue pool in the foreground, to imagine myself jumping into it. I think it's all about putting yourself in the place of your guest - looking through the camera as if you have just arrived at the place and never seen it before. What's the first thing you would do? Go out to the pool and stand over it, ready to dip your toe in the water. That's the shot.
Good Luck with your bookings!
Your comments
Thank you to all that have taken the time to review the site and thank you to Joanna for her very positive comments. I agree that the text may be a bit formal but not being a pro copywriter I accept full resposability for this and will try to "tone it down" in the near future!
To clear up the low angle shot of the pool question; When we were there last in March the pool had not been filled for the season (its filled in April) so I figured by taking the water out of the equation was my only option. This will be rectified when we visit again in May. The super blue skies are courtesy of a polarising filter fitted to the Canon 300d digital SLR camera we use (apparently a trick that all the pro's use for pukkatravel brochure shots!) Consquentley the shots did'nt need any doctoring in Photoshop. This is not to detract from the blueness of the skies in Bodrum they really are that clour some days!
I may decide to take some of the photographic content out of the front page in the near future if only to make the page faster to load.
Thanks again for your comments and keep them coming!
ck
Still trying to get it right!
To clear up the low angle shot of the pool question; When we were there last in March the pool had not been filled for the season (its filled in April) so I figured by taking the water out of the equation was my only option. This will be rectified when we visit again in May. The super blue skies are courtesy of a polarising filter fitted to the Canon 300d digital SLR camera we use (apparently a trick that all the pro's use for pukkatravel brochure shots!) Consquentley the shots did'nt need any doctoring in Photoshop. This is not to detract from the blueness of the skies in Bodrum they really are that clour some days!
I may decide to take some of the photographic content out of the front page in the near future if only to make the page faster to load.
Thanks again for your comments and keep them coming!
ck
Still trying to get it right!
-
MadDogWoman
- Posts: 63
- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 2:39 pm
Just a couple of comments to add - I think you may have spelt accommodation wrong. On you flash bit it's spelt "accomodation". 
The use of the purply coloured drop shadow for me really detracts from the lovely photos as it's not a colour used anywhere else on the site nor is part of a colour theme. I'd also prefer a darker text but again that's just me. I also find the way your navigation changes around on each page a bit disconcerting too.
Lovely looking place though.
The use of the purply coloured drop shadow for me really detracts from the lovely photos as it's not a colour used anywhere else on the site nor is part of a colour theme. I'd also prefer a darker text but again that's just me. I also find the way your navigation changes around on each page a bit disconcerting too.
Lovely looking place though.
In Reply
It would appear that a minor faux-pas was made with regard to the spelling of accommodation, oops! Has now been rectified by binning flash banner!
Colour of drop-shadows now changed to same colour as text. Better or not?
Keep them comments coming!
Regards
ck
Still trying to get it right (and listening to comments!)
Colour of drop-shadows now changed to same colour as text. Better or not?
Keep them comments coming!
Regards
ck
Still trying to get it right (and listening to comments!)
Re: Your comments
Well you completely fooled me because I'm convinced there is water in the pool in the shot you have of it. Well done!ck wrote:When we were there last in March the pool had not been filled for the season (its filled in April) so I figured by taking the water out of the equation was my only option.
Good tip, thanks.The super blue skies are courtesy of a polarising filter fitted to the Canon 300d digital SLR camera we use (apparently a trick that all the pro's use for pukkatravel brochure shots!)
P.S. Suggestion to rephrase your *SPECIAL OFFER*: "Book 2 weeks in July or August and receive £50 off! Offer ends April 30th."