Ysyhia critique please

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.
Tivoli
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Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 2:31 pm
Location: Glossa, Skopelos, Greece
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Ysyhia critique please

Post by Tivoli »

Because this is all about peace and quiet, I have chosen to avoid widgets as I don't think they are in keeping with the atmospere. I am currently trying to establish WaveApps credit card booking but so far they do not cover Greece. I am prepared to take time and add items as they become available in preference to rushing in and selecting the wrong provider.
http://www.ysyhia.com/
Feedback gratefully received, thanks
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Casscat
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Post by Casscat »

Please can I come and stay there Tivoli. Now as a preference :)
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Casscat
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Post by Casscat »

First comment - photos. The display on my Mac is not flattering. One photo is wide and lovely and inviting but the others look like the view you'd get if someone was showing you a shot on their mobile - narrowed down. Also certain photos look like they've been taken while squatting on the floor so the angle is peculiar. Still want to stay there though :D
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French Cricket
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Post by French Cricket »

I want to stay too, please :lol:

The photos display okay on my laptop, but I do think you're missing a trick, Tivoli, in that quite a number of them are portrait rather than landscape so they're much smaller than they need or should be, and don't quite give the 'wow' effect that they could.

It's a lovely place. In your shoes I'd add just a couple of things to the site: an 'in a nutshell' bullet list with just the bare details, and an 'about us' page: we find that potential guests are always interested in how we came to be living halfway up a Pyrenee, and I'm sure yours would love to know your story too.
COYS
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Post by COYS »

As I don't publish my personal/web details I probably shouldn't critique other websites or I'll be sent to the naughty step!
But as a Grecophile & to quote Ronald McDonald "I'm lovin' it"
Per FC, widen out the wow shots.
This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires.
Tivoli
Posts: 140
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 2:31 pm
Location: Glossa, Skopelos, Greece
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Post by Tivoli »

Thanks everyone for your kind words and input. Arty-farty professional photographer friend and neighbour who shoots what he wants for no charge, I may ask him to have another go or I may try myself since I have invested in quite a sweet little camera which did the bathroom bottle close-up. Yes, I will add an 'About us' page, thanks!
Casscat - Yes of course you can come and stay, we'd like to see a few more bookings in our 2017 calendar
French Cricket - What in your opinion would be the important highlights to list?
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French Cricket
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Post by French Cricket »

Tivoli, I would just pick out the essential selling points and combine them into a list. I'm a bit like you - don't like widgets or gadgets or anything much that upsets the flow of my website, but just as an example, this is my bullet point list:
  • IN A NUTSHELL
    stunning barn conversion for one couple
    just for grown ups
    spacious open plan sitting room with well equipped kitchen and dining area
    bedroom with king size bed and second sitting area
    large bathroom with XXL shower
    second bedroom, shower room and extra sitting room can be added for two couples
    lots of extras
    green and environment friendly
    private terraces and garden, managed organically
    non smoking (including outside)
    open April to October, minimum booking 7 nights
    totally flexible arrival days throughout season
    simple, transparent and inclusive price - the same all year
I have it close to the top of the detailed page for the accommodation, next to a large photo. Then below those are the detailed narrative paragraphs and photos. That way, if the nutshell version puts someone off, they don't need to scroll down and read any more.
Tivoli
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Post by Tivoli »

Thanks so much French Cricket. Your site was one of the very first I looked at and it's really impressive! I guess that since you are 'just for grown-ups' as we are, you can keep your rate flat all season because there is no need to take account of school holidays. We really wanted to do this and our pricing structure is way less complex than many who take advantage of every half term and bank holiday :roll: but we simply cannot get away with a flat across the board rate, much as we'd love to.

Have you been to Greece? Would you include 'toilet paper down the toilet' as part of the highlights list? I know it seems strange but a lot of people get very excited about that aspect.
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Casscat
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Post by Casscat »

Your home page doesn't say where it is! I know Skopelos (not stayed there but stayed on Skiathos many times - always meant to try Skopelos and Alonissos) but the home page just gives the name of the property and mentions Glossa. The word 'Greek' hints at a vague atlas point, but perhaps internet search traffic can be more readily directed via several references to Skopelos?
Tivoli
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Post by Tivoli »

Thanks for the tip Casscat :-) I will amend that right away
Tivoli
Posts: 140
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 2:31 pm
Location: Glossa, Skopelos, Greece
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Post by Tivoli »

Hi again all :-) I have been doing a spot of tweaking, adding a couple of pages and generally taking on board your recommendations. Just this minute there is nothing I can do about the gallery shots of the cottage itself because it's full of guests! So I will address that later on and make sure we have some sexy landscape shots in place of the portrait ones, but meanwhile, any comments on my tweaks would be gratefully received - always!

Thanks all
Tivoli
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