Feedback for new site

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.
theoharis
Posts: 60
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2010 1:39 pm
Location: Santa Maria, Paros, Greece
Contact:

Feedback for new site

Post by theoharis »

Hello there,
I have been following this site and the information in this forum while developing my own site/business.
I tried to follow as many as possible of the useful suggestions I have read here.
Please have a look at my site at tell me if I have been a good student ;-)
www.kallisti.gr

Since this is the first full season that the villas will operate, I can only guess as to the potential clients: families, older people who want to relax (especially off season) and windsurfers due to the excellent surfing in the nearby beaches.
Since I know that I will have no problem renting them out in the 40 days of the peak season (20/7-15/8), I am really keen to rent in June and September which is a great time to visit Paros.
As far as the selling points of the particular properties:
- Walking distance from one of the best beaches of Paros
- Tranquility since there is no traffic passing by (mopeds etc)
- Large seaview terraces
- Good design
- Fully equipped

Your feedback is greatly appreciated!
Theoharis
User avatar
CSE
Posts: 4414
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:34 pm
Location: Galicia

Post by CSE »

First off I must say congratulations in not going for one of those Independent owner website ready made packages.
I once read in a magazine that Wordpress was going to kill of the art of web design. I feel the same could be said of Independent Owners too- Now I have got that bit off my chest, I will move on.
Personally I cannot see what the photos are on your first page. The heading one could be of the balcony or something. The night shot just does not work.
I also do not see the need to have 3 links to Homelidays.
There is no enquiry and/or booking form.
I cannot find any problems with the code, well done.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
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Jimbo
Posts: 3582
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:41 am
Location: Charente Maritime

Post by Jimbo »

... tell me if I have been a good student ...
Sorry Theoharis, but bottom of the class for photography. For example, the lead picture on your home page should instantly and memorably create your dream (or at least give valuable information) but it falls well short of this ideal. Photography is the most potent tool at your disposal to sell your gites, Greece and Paros (I've been) are terrific but these pix really aren't doing the business for you and rental competition is hot, hot, hot. Great properties and a great location, just needs a bit of urgent photographic polishing. Perhaps consider hiring a local pro ... ?

Good luck with your enterprise.

Jim
theoharis
Posts: 60
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2010 1:39 pm
Location: Santa Maria, Paros, Greece
Contact:

thanx

Post by theoharis »

The site was made with iWeb, the default (and free) web design package that come with every Mac. It is a breeze to use and I cannot recommend it enough for novice users. It comes with a number of excellent templates to help you get started.
Homelidays asked me to put these links in my site, in order to give a free listing for a couple of months...if it does not work out I will remove them.
Now as far as the photos are concerned...is it that bad?
Is the content bad or the way it was shot? You think that laid tables with glasses of wine watching the sea will do the trick?
The truth is that the photo shooting sessions always took place after all the other tasks were done (assembling furniture etc), so by that time we were exhausted and short of time.
Next week we travel down to Paro again with sole purpose to take some decent photos...so watch this space
GoDot
Posts: 57
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:23 pm
Location: Normandy / Dublin
Contact:

Post by GoDot »

http://websitegrader.com/site/www.kallisti.gr

Are you on linux / apache hosting? The redirect seems a bit messed up. Check your .htaccess file in your root. It's not really a problem, Google is still indexing your site and can see your titles and meta tags. It'd be nice to clean it up though.

The result for /Home.html - http://websitegrader.com/site/www.kallisti.gr/Home.html

http://www.seositecheckup.com/result-ur ... e.html.htm

Generally you shouldn't use capital letters in urls.

http://www.kallisti.gr/Home.html works while
http://www.kallisti.gr/home.html doesn't.
Is the content bad or the way it was shot? You think that laid tables with glasses of wine watching the sea will do the trick?
Content. Your main picture contains a bit of a window, a bit of a wall, and a bit of a bush. After looking at your homepage, a potential client still has no idea what your property looks like.
Last edited by GoDot on Thu Apr 29, 2010 11:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Jimbo
Posts: 3582
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:41 am
Location: Charente Maritime

Post by Jimbo »

Now as far as the photos are concerned...is it that bad? Is the content bad or the way it was shot?
Bad is an emotive word and not really appropriate in this context. Rather, when you do your re-shoot, try to imagine yourself as Mr Potential Guest rather than Mr Theoharis the Owner. What would excite Mr PG about your properties and the surrounding area that would make him reach for the phone to book with you. Become Mr PG and get inside his head - just for one day.

There's no easy formula to publicity photography. Just try to capture what's unique, different and exciting about your property. Look at other owners' sites on LMH and see how they've tackled the same problems that you have - but in their own way. Don't copy - rather be inspired by others' solutions to help find your own solution.

Looking forward to the new pix!

Jim
theoharis
Posts: 60
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2010 1:39 pm
Location: Santa Maria, Paros, Greece
Contact:

New photos up and running!

Post by theoharis »

Hi again
after a frantic 5 day restyling of all 4 villas, which included a photo shoot of all rooms, the new photos are up and running on the site.
Please let me know what you think!

Theoharis
User avatar
CSE
Posts: 4414
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:34 pm
Location: Galicia

Re: New photos up and running!

Post by CSE »

theoharis wrote:Hi again
after a frantic 5 day restyling of all 4 villas, which included a photo shoot of all rooms, the new photos are up and running on the site.
Please let me know what you think!

Theoharis
!00% improvement...that should sell the rental periods.
Just one question what does it say in the sand?
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
lorca
Posts: 2358
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 3:34 pm
Location: The Axarquia, Spain

Post by lorca »

My first chance to have a look and I think overall it looks great. Your properties are lovely, the very best of luck!
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Maurmc
Posts: 605
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2009 7:12 pm
Location: Costa Blanca, Spain
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Post by Maurmc »

Great improvement, well done! Good luck with rental :wink:
If you always do what you've always done then you'll always get what you've always got.

Apartment Mil Palmeras
Margaret
Posts: 3574
Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:46 am
Location: Bavaria and Mid Wales
Contact:

Post by Margaret »

For me, way too few photos and they don't show enough of the rooms. I may be jaded by seeing too many inaccurate photos of places I have rented but I want to see a full photo of every room.

Also, no call to action/enquiry/booking form and no availability.

Sorry, but I would not enquire if I was looking for a place in that area.
e-richard
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Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 11:33 am
Location: Algarve, Portugal
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Post by e-richard »

Margaret wrote:For me, way too few photos and they don't show enough of the rooms.
On each Villa page I eventually found loads and loads of photos of each room from various angles etc etc.

But Margaret's point is still valid, but for possibly a different reason.

The link to the photos is really lost.
Its hanging out there in white space.
Its just one word underlined. There are other words underlined in the same font, style and colour, but these are used as headings, so its not obvious that one can click there.

Very important that you try to find a better way to link to the photos. Make the link more prominent, graphic and enticing.
** Richard
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
theoharis
Posts: 60
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2010 1:39 pm
Location: Santa Maria, Paros, Greece
Contact:

Website and booking forms

Post by theoharis »

Thank you all for your feedback.
You are right that I need to make the Photo page link clearer because it gets confused as a heading...

My next task is the booking form, any suggestions?

Richard is there something that integrates with PIMS;

Theoharis
Margaret
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Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:46 am
Location: Bavaria and Mid Wales
Contact:

Post by Margaret »

As for a booking form, I guess we each have a version which works for us, you have to work out which works for you.
theoharis
Posts: 60
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2010 1:39 pm
Location: Santa Maria, Paros, Greece
Contact:

booking form

Post by theoharis »

Margret, sorry I did not clarify, I am more concerned on the technical aspects of it.
I like the way you have done yours, it is made with PHP, but how do you collect the data afterwards? does it integrate with your management system?

Is this is all Greek to you, does it show I am a geek (and a Greek)?

Theoharis
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