feedback on our website 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.
HoneypotCottages
Posts: 157
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Location: Chipping Campden, Cotswolds

feedback on our website please

Post by HoneypotCottages »

If anybody has a few minutes to take a look at our website, we would appreciate all constructive criticism so that we can feed back to the chap who did it for us. There are a few things we are not happy about but want to be sure that it's not just us being picky!

www.honeypotcottages.co.uk

Thanks,

Andy
Andy Smith
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

At a quick glance, the photos are too dark.
Circé
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Post by Circé »

A really nit-picky comment, but you did ask!
I think it looks totally unprofessional to have, on your contacts page, 'Sarah & Andy' without a surname(s)

Secondly, you could be making a rod for your own backs with your strong emphasis on cleaning. If anyone finds a speck of dust or a spider's web they might think they could get some money off.
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donafe
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Post by donafe »

Hi Andy,

The front page:

1. when zooming in/out (you can try by pressing "ctrl shift +/-" simultaneously) - you will notice that there is a white line appears/disappears on the right hand side. This is avoidable. (I'm using Google Chrome 13.0.782.215 m on Windows XP)

2. The logo in the right top has some "noise" around the writing "Honeypot Cottages" - this could be tidied up in Photoshop.

3. Padding for the elements containing text: at the moment it looks like there is none. This includes the text:

"Honeypot Cottages
Honeypot Cottages ~ offering a fine selection of idyllic self catering holiday cottages in and around the Cotswold town of Chipping Campden.
Set in an area of outstanding natural beauty, Chipping Campden, with it's famous historic High Street is the perfect place to escape to the country."

as well as the text in all 5 small boxes.

I would also suggest to experiment with the text color/font to make it more readable.

4. The margins around the images of the cottages are different. The one in the bottom left is completely out of place.

5. There is some gap at the very bottom of the page - I don't think it looks nice. You should consider adding a little footer and putting your contact info there.

6. Add a "contact us" form rather than just email link. You can still keep the email link but in some cases people won't be able to use it. For example if they don't have access to an email client on their computer.

7. The menu (Home, Cottages, etc) - it probably requires more work than anything else. I can give more comments if you want.

8. "Book now" is the main Call to Action and it appears to be exactly the same as "What's nearby". I would make more noticeable than the rest or put in a different place that it would be found more easily.

9. it’s very difficult to find the availability information: you have to click on the cottage first and then click once more on the availability button.

10. The rates could be displayed in one table

I hope this helps.

In my opinion some work still needs to be done on the website. I know for a fact that you have beautiful pictures but they are not shown properly. You have to show them in the much higher resolution. Add a light box.

I think if other LMH users could put together a list of things that need to be improved/changed - we could go through it again and discuss. After that you should have enough feedback to go back to your designer and keep him/her busy for a couple of days.

-ivan
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Harborfields
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Post by Harborfields »

You need photos of the exteriors of the cottages on each "about this cottage" page -- the photo montage in the header doesn't do it for me. You might also consider photos of the view(?) _from_ each cottage -- would help give the prospective visitor a better sense of the context of each cottage.

Some of the interior photos are dark -- you need better lighting and better exposure control -- but I also wonder whether the way in which they are set off with dark backgrounds exacerbates the darkness of the photos? Of course, the general color scheme makes the whole site seem dark overall. I think the photos could be larger, too.

Your pages need to have titles! (<title> tags in the page headers) This helps the search engines understand the pages better, and helps the viewers with their navigation of the site.

They look like really quaint cottages, though -- there is a lot of appeal!
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Coding: Some errors found in the HTML on the first page:
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http: ... ages.co.uk
The server is located in Denmark this could affect some SEO work.
I find it rather hard to read the small red letters on the dark orange background. I can see that the bottom of your main area is coloured white and is far too long it should be the same as the text area. Like on this page http://www.honeypotcottages.co.uk/aroun ... ampden.htm this one is smuch shorter but still shows.
http://www.honeypotcottages.co.uk/contact.htm
I think that is something that Ivan has picked up on in his excellent comments too.

I cannot find any CCS is there any?

Presentation: At the bottom of the cottage pages you have seasons and prices. However there is only a basic description of what is high season. If some one from outside the UL is looking to book your cottages they need to know more about when is half term and Easter or even when the bank holidays are.


Mmmmm in your list of things to see in Chipping Camden, maybe add Jeremy Clarkson?? (just a joke)
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
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donafe
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Post by donafe »

Andy,
Just an idea. It won’t require much work but might change the look dramatically (hopefully for the better)

You have two rows of cottages on the front page. 3 in the upper one and 2 at the lower. What doesn’t look nice is the empty space in the right bottom corner.
What do you think if you had 2 cottages in the upper row and 3 in the lower?

Like this:

[ text text text ]
[vertical menu] – [cottage 1] – [cottage 2]
[cottage 3] - [cottage 4] - [cottage 5]

Basically, you can get rid of the horizontal menu completely and use the empty slot for the menu.

As a variation you can leave the menu where it is but move the text above the cottages into that empty slot:

[ horizontal menu ]
[ text text text] – [cottage 1] – [cottage 2]
[cottage 3] - [cottage 4] - [cottage 5]

The page will look much more balanced.

There are more options – like putting a picture of Jeremy Clarkson into the empty slot:

Image

Harborfields, casasantoestevo – what do you reckon?

Casasantoestevo - You are absolutely right – there is no css which appears to be strange but it could be tidied up later.

-ivan
HoneypotCottages
Posts: 157
Joined: Thu May 05, 2011 10:29 pm
Location: Chipping Campden, Cotswolds

Post by HoneypotCottages »

Thanks everyone for your comments......they are much appreciated and extremely valuable! :D

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately!?!) Jeremy Clarkson lives some 15 miles away in Chipping Norton!
Andy Smith
HoneypotCottages
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Location: Chipping Campden, Cotswolds

Post by HoneypotCottages »

Circé wrote:A really nit-picky comment, but you did ask!
I think it looks totally unprofessional to have, on your contacts page, 'Sarah & Andy' without a surname(s)

Secondly, you could be making a rod for your own backs with your strong emphasis on cleaning. If anyone finds a speck of dust or a spider's web they might think they could get some money off.
I was going to pm you a reply but thought it useful for anyone who's new to lettings or interested in comparing services offered, to know why we have such an emphasis on cleaning.

We say this because we really do clean cottages thoroughly. It's how we sell ourselves when meeting owners of holiday cottages, second homes and for general spring cleans.
In our experience of taking on the cleaning of other people's cottages, we have to spring clean a cottage first in order to get it up to our standard. From then on, each changeover is easier and owners as well as anyone working for us, knows how the cottage should look for guests (whilst accepting things start to deteriorate / look tired, there is no excuse for shower runners not being cleaned for every booking or glass not to be sparkling).
We feel the emphasis on the clean cottages is attractive to potential guests as well as potential owners thinking of coming on board with us.
All of our cottage owners except Slatters Cottage, leave all cleaning to us. The owners of Slatters spend a huge amount of time on their cottage. They are always cleaning & they paint regularly which means we have never had to do more than the usual comprehensive clean.
I wanted to answer your valid point ~ I hope that explains & doesn't come across as patronising.

We agree that having a sir name is important and more professional.

Cheers,

Andy
Andy Smith
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Sorry I got it wrong, :oops: but imaging the unique selling point...drive to see JC in a RED Ferrari.
!5miles should not cost much in Juice it will only be the speeding fines you have to cover.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
Circé
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Post by Circé »

Andy, I'm SO tempted to turn up & find dust! I know where to look, been in the biz for 20 years :wink:
HoneypotCottages
Posts: 157
Joined: Thu May 05, 2011 10:29 pm
Location: Chipping Campden, Cotswolds

Post by HoneypotCottages »

Circé wrote:Andy, I'm SO tempted to turn up & find dust! I know where to look, been in the biz for 20 years :wink:
:lol: 8)

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I have passed on the comments to him :P
Andy Smith
HoneypotCottages
Posts: 157
Joined: Thu May 05, 2011 10:29 pm
Location: Chipping Campden, Cotswolds

Post by HoneypotCottages »

We would appreciate your feedback on our latest website. Our (new) web designer has a few more cottages to add and there are going to be a few alterations taking place over the next few weeks.

Previous comments have been taken into account (even if the changes are not there yet!)......things like Sarah & Andy Smith and less emphasis on our attention to detail with the cleaning (I was having nightmares that any of our guests might be Circe checking for dust ~ and you were quite right of course!) :lol:

Our last website just wasn't doing it for us and the chap who was supposed to be doing it, just wasn't :x

Any time taken is very much appreciated 8)

Thanks,

Andy

www.honeypotcottages.co.uk
Andy Smith
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donafe
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Post by donafe »

Andy,

that's not bad but could be more attractive. At least you should make "read more..." (which is very passive) sound like "Book Now". More call for action - otherwise visitors may never click on any of the links. The follow up pages look better though.
HoneypotCottages
Posts: 157
Joined: Thu May 05, 2011 10:29 pm
Location: Chipping Campden, Cotswolds

Post by HoneypotCottages »

Thanks Ivan :)
Andy Smith
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