Nearly ready, I think

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.
User avatar
kevsboredagain
Posts: 3207
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:32 am
Location: France
Contact:

Nearly ready, I think

Post by kevsboredagain »

Hi
I've been lurking here for months now while buying and then preparing a house in Spain for rental. I'm totally new to renting and have spent a small fortune trying to get everything just right. Finally I have the basics of a website put together and now I'm working on some paid advertising.
I have a bit of a problem because I have no pictures of the pool which is being renovated as I speak. A couple of other pics on my website are not mine either but I'll replace those on my next trip to Spain later this week.
Hopefully once I get started I can at least contribute a little here as so far it's all been information flowing my direction.
Any comments on what I've done so far would be greatly appreciated.

Kevin
KathyG
Posts: 3274
Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2006 9:31 am
Location: Le Faou, Brittany
Contact:

Post by KathyG »

Well Kevin, this has got to be a first - I can't fault it!

Very well done! :D
Kathy
Waterfront location in Le Faou
"My goal in life is to become as wonderful as my dog thinks I am."
e-richard
Posts: 5008
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 11:33 am
Location: Algarve, Portugal
Contact:

Post by e-richard »

Hi Kevin and welcome.

I just gotta agree with Kathy. Great website and very hard to find fault. But you did ask for review, so here's a thought:

Your website visitor clicked on a picture or perhaps the menu "Gallery".
Then they browsed maybe a dozen or so pictures. Maybe even more.
Now how does one get back to your website for more information or perhaps to make an enquiry ??
There is no link back and its a lot of browser back clicks.

I acknowledge you've used some potted software, but its worth hunting a solution to this problem.

Also, I did like your simple "CATCHPA" in the enquiry form. I wonder if you would be prepared to share that code with us ?
** Richard
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
User avatar
kevsboredagain
Posts: 3207
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:32 am
Location: France
Contact:

Post by kevsboredagain »

Thanks for the thoughts so far.
I know what you mean about the photo allbum as the link to go back to the home page is a bit small but is actually there at all times. Where it say Home:Photoalbum:Photos the home takes you home. I'll look at the source and see if I can add something which is more obvious.

The security thingy is callled MathGaurd which I found online after trying a few options. If you want to know how to use it let me know and I can help.
User avatar
Big Sis..
Posts: 8059
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:31 pm
Location: Torrevieja and Norfolk
Contact:

Post by Big Sis.. »

Hi Kevin,
Welcome to the Forum!!
As the others have said your Websites great.I love the colours seem to give a feeling of warmth and class.
Your property looks lovely too, and very well equipped, you seem to have thought of everything.

One little comment.
When I looked at your prices, I thought they were initially in Pounds, until I saw the euro bit underneath.
I would make this really clear, or put the prices in pounds as well.
I think your market will be mostly Brits and they might think its in pounds so a lot dearer than it is..
If theyre looking at lots of other sites and their prices are in pounds, they might think yours is more expensive.
[its very reasonable BTW]
Good Luck with your site and future bookings!!

Take Care
User avatar
kevsboredagain
Posts: 3207
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:32 am
Location: France
Contact:

Post by kevsboredagain »

That's a good point about the Euros. I've lived outside the UK for so many years now I don't even think in pounds anymore. Perhaps I could just change the header to Rate in Euros or add another column.
User avatar
enid
Posts: 5599
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 4:47 pm
Location: Labretonie France
Contact:

Post by enid »

I love thi ssite and the villa!

Just 2 small points from me - the babel fish translator on the home page seems to clash with the harmonious feel of the page - I haven't an answer as it's a good idea to have it but it just jarred a little for me.
I would like to be able to see more photos on the page and enlarge them from there - the gallery is great but there are a lot of phoyos and when I click on a photo on a page it takes me to the gallery.

A great website - well done you :)
User avatar
kevsboredagain
Posts: 3207
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:32 am
Location: France
Contact:

Post by kevsboredagain »

Yep, the translation graphic is a bit tacky and just doesn't fit. What I plan to do is make a French and German version once I'm happy with the layout and the text. Then I can get rid of the translation tool. I speak both these languages a bit so should be able to handle inquiries at least in email in these languages.

I considered making pop-ups for the small pictures but then changed my mind. I figured that rather than let people make a snap decision on just a few pictures, none of which are all that appealing on their own, I would lure them straight into the photo album to get the whole picture (no pun intended). Maybe once the pool is finished I can get some nicer pictures that I could present earlier in a larger format.

I just viewed one site above this post that had a short animation of the pool water moving. What a cool idea! It really worked well as the header on the site.
User avatar
Chianti
Posts: 2826
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:51 pm

Post by Chianti »

Kevin

I think your website is super, it's layout is slightly different than others and much nicer.

Yours is the perfect example of the difference between using warm colours and using blue on a website. You have used an apricot colour to great effect which is so welcoming and easy on the eye.

A couple of points:

You have too many photos, for instance your cactus won't sell your property, nor will the photos of your terraces without all of the lovely seating or flowers. Just a couple of those patio photos is enough. If anyone wants more then you can email them.

I think 1 bathroom photo is enough, I don't like looking at bidets and loos if I don't have to. They will get an idea from just the one photo.

Visitors will see the quality of your website and photos straight away, so you don't have to go overboard.

In your list of what is included I would do the internal bits 1st then the external, as opposed to mixing them up and wouldn't use the description beautifully decorated unless it's in a sentance describing the ambience, because 1 can see it from your photos. I also wouldn't word the BBQ as fabulous or what ever term you used. It's plain and simply a BBQ or built in BBQ or large BBQ, again people can see the quality straight away, especially from that beautiful photo of it lit at night.

In your list do you mention heating and linens?

I found the home button in the gallery but did have to look for it. Can you just change the colour to make it more noticeable or move the other buttons over a bit.

I too didn't like the flags at the top.

One other point, I noticed that you have 2 queen size beds, are you going to lose out by not having one large double or 2 for that mattter? My Tourist Agency told me mine had to be a large double, queen size wasn't good enough.

Well done for such a super and very attractive website.

Chianti
User avatar
kevsboredagain
Posts: 3207
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:32 am
Location: France
Contact:

Post by kevsboredagain »

Thanks for taking the time to have a look. It's given me some things to think about now.

Interesting how you view the photos. The feedback I've had from friends so far say that they would prefer to book a place that showed everything and not just selected good photos. They also want to see some of the bad bits too. eg. If you have 2 bathrooms they want to see both or may be left wondering if the other one is some disgusting hole. I did avoid taking pictures of the loo :-) I do agree though that I need some better pics so I can cut out some of the boring ones.

What is a large double? There is twin/full/queen/king, the names of which vary between the UK and other countries. The sizes are also slightly different but a queen is the second biggest size in most countries.

I would have preferred 2 singles in one room than 1 queen but the 2 queen beds and all the linen were left in the house when I bought it and as they were new I figured I'd stay with that for now.
User avatar
kevsboredagain
Posts: 3207
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:32 am
Location: France
Contact:

Post by kevsboredagain »

but yeah I do have too many of the same thing now I look at them again.
User avatar
Rocket Rab
Posts: 2248
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:37 pm
Contact:

Post by Rocket Rab »

Hi Kev,

I really like your website - it's crisp and clean looking, and the information is all there and very easy to find.....quickly!

I agree with Chianti about the photos - maybe a few too many?

You're obviously going to have a lovely new pool next season: in your description, how about making it quite clear that it is a private pool, so there are no doubts - I looked, but couldn't find that clarification (or did I miss it?).

EDIT: Yes, I obviously did miss it! Thanks, Ros, for pointing me in the right direction....

I'd deffo take out the Babel Fish translator - or have you checked the results? Sometimes they can be a bit wanting..(to put it mildly :roll: )

Great work!
RR
Last edited by Rocket Rab on Tue Dec 11, 2007 7:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Chianti
Posts: 2826
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:51 pm

Post by Chianti »

Kevin

My guess is that a king size bed is the same or a tiny bit smaller than an Italian matrimonial size, translated that's bloody big :!:

If no one else knows the exact measurements I can measure ours tomorrow for you.

I don't agree with your friends about the photos. Your website is a sales tool on which you show enough of your best photos, of all the rooms, garden and pool and give details of what is included. If visitors to your website wish further detail, that is when you send them further photos. I haven't seen 1 website yet which shows every nuck and cranny. Your photos should make them dream of using the BBQ, sitting on your lovely terrace with a glass of wine and sunning themselves by the pool (when the photos are ready.) They are not going to dream of using your bidet or walking over a dull bit of terrace with no plants. That's why photos are dressed. Come to think of it, that's why women are too, you don't want to see everything from the start, you want to guess what's under the dressing.

When they use the property, those bits which are not perhaps as beautiful as the rest won't matter a bit and in fact ,there is nothing wrong with them, they just aren't photographic.

I don't think you are going to have any problems your property and its garden are lovely.

Chianti
User avatar
kevsboredagain
Posts: 3207
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:32 am
Location: France
Contact:

Post by kevsboredagain »

No, I think all women should come with a comprehensive portfolio so you know exactly what you're getting and don't waste your hard earned cash lol

I guess it's because I've been tricked myself in renting places only to find they were not nearly as nice as they looked in the advert. I'm scared of doing the same to anyone booking.

I haven't managed to change the php code behind the photo album to make home more obvious as it's a bit of a nightmare to follow. For now I've just added some text to the logo.

A queen is 60" wide and a king 76" wide so a king wouldn't fit well in those rooms. I should know all the sizes as my girlfriend owns a bed store! I just don't pay much attention to stuff like that.
Post Reply