Old Timer looking for review of new website...

[Normandy Cow]

I find myself in the embarrassing situation, after 9 years of letting and reviewing many other rental websites, of needing feedback on my own new website.

My old site was on wordpress.com, and I haven't updated it at all for the past two years (still has 2010 prices!!! ). In fact it's been so long that I can't even remember how to log in So spurred on by another thread I discovered Weebly and found it so easy to use that I have had a go and I do like the result so far.

I'd appreciate some feedback before I spend any further time on it.
Basically, the groundwork is there, I just need to enter loads of information about the area, and I am thinking of rebuilding my blog onto there.

I am so rusty at all this that I haven't paid much attention to SEO, and I do worry that I may lose some SEO "points" by bulding a completely new website, but as most of my bookings come from listing sites anyway (OD,GNL and AS), and I don't have a clue where I currently stand in the searches, I'm willing to risk it unless someone tells me that it is a very very stupid thing to do.

So, deep breath, here goes....

http://legaillon.weebly.com

If anyone has the time, I'd appreciate it if you could experiment with my Booking Enquiry and Confirmation forms because I'd like to test that a) they are easy to use, and b) they actually work!

Thanks!

[e-richard]

I'm very short of time, but will come back with more.

First comment is that I do like the way the website is aimed at YOU the guest, and YOUR holiday, and not about US and OUR home. Funny how that little thing is so warming.

Tiny issue with "Old Blog". No easy way back to new site. I guess this is just temporary ?

The footer stuff: Email is half in and half out of the white frame. Appears in both Chrome and FF. Didn't test further.

I will try out your enquiry/booking forms in due course, but my only comment is that the whole page is a bit confusing. While I clearly understand the different forms, I suspect guests may struggle a bit more. Probably be better to break it all out into separate pages for each bit of functionality.

"Things to do ... within 45 minutes drive":
For some reason the whole paragraph under Gerberoy is a link that does not go anywhere.

Also on this page, sub headings would make it all clearer. Suspect its all part of the same glitch.

My internet connection is painfully slow, so apologies for not seeking more.

[arkvilla]

I'm no expert and my website isn't perfect but I would say that the photo's are quite small and all bunched together, could you possible do a gallery type thing ( sorry I'm not technical at all and it shows )

Maybe have a look at my gallery on our Property page which I just had updated and see what you think

Also, your guest comments are quite old, could you get some recent ones?

Apart fom that from a user point of view I thought it was nice and fresh looking and easy to navigate

[Normandy Cow]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

Firstly, the old blog is going to be completely removed and replaced with the new one, once I've transferred the stuff across.

I need to do loads of work on the Things to Do and places to go sections, so please don't worry too much about reviewing these as they will be completely overhauled.

I see what you mean about the photos - I put them on there like that so that you could get a quick overview of all the photos, and then if you click on any of them you can scroll through all the large images. But I guess my note at the top does not make that sufficiently clear!

slapped hand about old guest comments. I guess I just lost a bit of enthusiasm for updating them
I do have plenty of more recent ones and will update them.

[e-richard]

slapped hand about old guest comments. I guess I just lost a bit of enthusiasm for updating them
I do have plenty of more recent ones and will update them.

At serious risk of going OT, what's wrong with just removing the dates from guest comments ? Something I have seriously considered in my more lazy moments.

[Normandy Cow]

Good point richard!

I suppose though, the fact that our comments date back to 2004 show that we've been around a bit! But then again, how can people know that the dates are genuine, until they get there and see the guestbook that is? (I've just had to order my third one off amazon because the first two are now completely full!).

[Nemo]

Looking good NC, I'd say! No need to be embarrassed about asking for feedback, you're never too old too improve and change things! (I won't ever ask for feedback on my current site, but I'm sure I will with a new one )

I agree about the photos - it's too busy and your eye doesn't know where to look. They just need a strip of white around them and I'm sure there are many different ways to do that.

Ditto the forms. Just one per page please. Can you "hide" the confirmation of booking page until the initial enquiry has been completed? There is a technical way to do this isn't there, I'm just not the person to ask!

Wish I could come over and take advantage of your late May deal - looks very relaxing and comfortable.

[Normandy Cow]

OK, I tried putting some white borders around the interior photos but think it looks messy, I still prefer the picture tiles like the ones of the exterior.

So I've tried plan B - having a slideshow of images.

I do like them both, and I see the point that you get to see larger images.

Right then, off to sort out the enquiry and booking forms....

EDIT: Done!

[katz]

Hello

Glad that you like Weebly - I, as a complete novice, have found it really easy to use.

My initial thoughts:

- the clickable pics at the top - I click on them and I can't tell what has happened as a result - not really sure of their purpose

- some of the pictures on the slide show don't seem as sharp as they might be - I like the music though!

- under the Please Contact Us section at the bottom of the home page perhaps link to your availability page? Also a link to your booking enquiry form?

- When I clicked on the link to "The House" I expected to see a description of the house and its facilities - it seems a bit bare!

- The Area page - I know it has links but a little descriptive text wouldn't go amiss

Overall I like the look and feel but I would use some bigger pictures of your "best bits" so to speak.

Hope this helps!

[Normandy Cow]

Thanks all!

Katz - the clickable images at the top are part of the "logo" and it takes you back to the homepage. I see what you mean about it being a bit confusing but I can't work out how to change it as it is part of the weebly functionality.

Can't do much about the soft images on the slideshow, I created it in Animoto a few years back and can't change it, but I like it so much that I'm going to live with it. (Music is by my good friend Henry, so if you like his song take a look at some of his other stuff, such as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JctJZrHMbE )

I hadn't thought about the fact that people would click on "The House" without going directly to the Interior and Exterior pages, so I have added a bit more info on the main page now.

So, I am now going to crack on with adding lots of "rich" text and descriptions, particularly to all the area pages...

[Wonkeye]

I think the new website is very very clear and hugely appealing to the eye! I love the text colour and the font. (Which one is it, by the way?).

I loved the slideshow idea, though I have to say I found it a trifle long. I didn't want to miss anything so went on, though did actually give up before the end. I'd have preferred just a few shots of the main features.

I sent off the Initial Enquiry Form, which worked well and was clear. I liked the tone you struck in the reply - cautious, personal, welcoming! One thing puzzled me - apologies as you weren't asking for a review of this. You said in your email ".... and pay a deposit of €200/£200 as per the details on the form. The final payment would be due two months before arrival." At first, I thought that "final payment" meant the balance and got very confused working it all out. Until I happened to come across another thread where you explained your new system, where you said, "The full cost of the rental to be paid 2 calendar months in advance of the arrival date. " Then it was clear.

I know I'm the world's worst idiot where pluses and minuses are concerned, but maybe there's a second worst around somewhere who won't have had the benefit of working out this kind of things as an owner!!

Hopefully more people will try this out too and prove me a fool!! If you've never had anyone querying the procedure, then I guess I am, indeed, the fool!

[Windy]

LOL Old timer

I think most of it's been said but nice site.

Whilst I appreciate your sentiments and share them I think the new blog first post is more LMH than guest fodder though

[CSE]

The video at the first (say we say still) you see before clicking the play button does not do it any justice. All I see is a broken up picture. BTW who is that singing and the song name?..I like it.

Can you space the menu buttons to fit the whole of the green band?

When you have links to external websites it is said it is better to have them open a new tab rather than loosing your website, (as you have at the moment).

I found the photos to be of good quality however there is a lot of jumping around, as the photo sizes are not a consistent size.
I feel that maybe you could hide some of the small images for the photo gallery- This will make the description higher up the page and more to the viewers attention. At first I only thought you had photos on that page.
http://legaillon.weebly.com/interior.html
The same comments for this page too.
http://legaillon.weebly.com/exterior.html
How did you get that photo of the owl? We have a number around here but never been able to take a nice photo of one.

Here is a small report on some of the technical details.
http://www.seorch.eu/seo-check/legaillo ... 05-45.html

[Normandy Cow]

I think the new website is very very clear and hugely appealing to the eye! I love the text colour and the font. (Which one is it, by the way?).

The font is Georgia, and the theme is a standard weebly one (but I can't work out how to find out the name of the theme).

I loved the slideshow idea, though I have to say I found it a trifle long. I didn't want to miss anything so went on, though did actually give up before the end. I'd have preferred just a few shots of the main features.

The video at the first (say we say still) you see before clicking the play button does not do it any justice. All I see is a broken up picture. BTW who is that singing and the song name?..I like it.

I created this about 3 years ago and can't change it now. Realise it's a bit long, but you aren't obliged to watch to the end... The song is called "Tu reviendras" and it's by an old friend of mine, he's been to Le Gaillon many times and there are no worries about copyright, in fact my ex-otherhalf was playing bass. If you like his singing, here's another: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JctJZrHMbE

Whilst I appreciate your sentiments and share them I think the new blog first post is more LMH than guest fodder though

Absolutely Windy! It is only there temporarily (no-one knows about this website apart from LMHers!)

Can you space the menu buttons to fit the whole of the green band?

No, this is part of the standard theme (but if I had the time to fiddle, and knew how to, I could probably do it in the CSS sheet, but is it important?

Will try to resize all the photos so that they are of the same dimensions, this should make it less jerky.

I didn't take the photo of the owl, it was one of our regular guests. The owl was just sitting in a bush in the back garden and he photographed it through the window!

Thanks for the SEO report. I will examine it and see if I can impriove it...

[Jimbo]

OK, I tried putting some white borders around the interior photos but think it looks messy, I still prefer the picture tiles like the ones of the exterior.

So I've tried plan B - having a slideshow of images.

I always warm to a whole page of evenly-sized photographs – ‘exteriors’ and ‘interiors’ here. Bit like opening a sumptuous box of chocolates and seeing all the contenders glinting colourfully and enticing in front of you, jostling for your attention. But, just like the chocolates in their compartments with their little paper cases, I think that a ‘block’ of photos looks more exciting with just a tiny separation – and the borders between them can be very thin. Works as a block but delineates the individual pictures too. I’m not so keen on slideshows (although I’ve used them on my sites) because I like to ‘select and go’ at my own pace.

Good luck NC, the new website/blog is a great idea and being able to update and tweak it regularly is vital. Old sites – however competent – tend to ossify after a while and new sites give a huge injection of ideas and energy. Unfortunately, my in-house blog on our original rental site petered out because I ran out of enthusiasm for posting. When I hived off the blog to become a stand-alone site, I made a commitment to update it regularly - few things are sadder than a stale blog! But it’s a BIG job!

Mae West said:
"An ounce of performance is worth pounds of promises!"