First year, first website

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.
peyre blanque
Posts: 127
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2011 2:39 pm
Location: Winslow, Bucks UK & Near Carcassonne
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First year, first website

Post by peyre blanque »

First - what a wealth of useful knowlege there is assembled here: I've been trawling for months and found very useful advice so thanks to the active members.
Can you give me some feedback on our site please?
I'm aware that some of the photographs could be improved - but most have been taken in the winter before the landscaping was complete. We should improve in them next week if the sun shines!
Our target market is two family holidaymakers and we have listings on HR and OD.
All comments welcome
Thanks

Ross
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elena
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Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2006 2:48 pm
Location: PERIGORD NOIR
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Post by elena »

Hi Ross!

The site looks good!

Just a couple of points which stand out for me -

It's not very obvious where Villa Toto is at first glance. I had to scroll quite far down the page to find out it was in the Aude region of France. Would be helpful to have that at the beginning.

Also the navigation bar at the bottom of the page has more on it than the one at the top even although you still have a lot of empty space on the top one. I think it would be better to move some of the links on the More Information box on to the Nav Bar & that would free up more room for bigger photos on the home page - again I had to scroll down to see the photo of the villa which comes after all the writing about what's in it. I always think that a good leading photo grabs attention more than lots of writing - maybe you could run the photo & contents side by side?

Just my personal opinion but hope it helps!

Good luck with the new venture!

Elena
Dordogne holiday cottages
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Windwhistle
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu May 10, 2012 4:18 pm
Location: Cornwall
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Post by Windwhistle »

hi Ross,

I think the site looks good, there are a few bits and pieces I would change. Title font, possibly a bit bigger and bolder. Move the picture up to grab the viewers attention and have the bullet points and description below it.

Good Luck.
Just starting out!
Circé
Posts: 428
Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2010 2:13 pm

Post by Circé »

I agree with Elena that it's hard to find out excatly where the place is.
I find the home page 'bitty' with all the boxes on the right
Some basic info seems to be lacking - or else I missed it - such as are bedlinen and towels included, what heating is there, is there a BBQ, can I bring my dog...
Picture quality is poor and more needs to be shown of pool and garden
On a practical note, for you, I'd whip that rotisserie attachement out asap! We never leave them in any of the houses we manage, simply because if they get used very few people clean them properly and they take a disproportionate amount of time on changeover days to get them all sparkly clean with no grease in the crevices.
katz
Posts: 172
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 12:20 pm
Location: Finistere, France
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Post by katz »

First impressions, some of it already covered above:

- need to be clearer about where you are
- I don't like the bullet point list at the top of the page - looks to clinical, needs a warmer feel to start with, the text under your large photo would be better placed at the top
- like the photo slideshow
- I find the page a bit busy with the picture of the vinyards in the background (though it's a lovely pic!)
- I would probably put more of the links in the bar at the top, i.e. pricing, travel, map, etc - you have the room for them
- maybe some pics on your Local Info page to show the places you describe?
- You availability calendar - is there anyway to show only from the current month onwards?
- Contacts - who are you - I think your potential guests would like to know!

Overall I like the website, easy to navigate and everything I need to know to make a decision about staying (I think!)

Well done!
8)
Dotty
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Joined: Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:25 pm
Location: Pyrenees Orientales, France
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Post by Dotty »

For info in regard to some of the comments above:

Its an IOwnners site (mine is too!), so it uses a template that you can't change very much and many of the design things that others have commented on are in that category.
So what goes in the navigation bar is fixed (I'd never noticed that there is more in the bottom bar than the top bar. :oops: )
Font sizes, colours & typestyles fixed. (I tried forcing some html code in to change things on mine and it didn't work)
Size & position of photos fixed
The background picture can only be chosen from a limited selection they provide
etc etc
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964kevin
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Location: Kissimmee, Orlando, Florida
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Post by 964kevin »

I quite like the look, the background picture makes the whole thing look very fresh.

p.s. also liked.


Kevin
http://www.encantada-vacation.com

Our little piece of Florida, never get tired of being there. Love it and the people to bits.
peyre blanque
Posts: 127
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2011 2:39 pm
Location: Winslow, Bucks UK & Near Carcassonne
Contact:

First year, first website

Post by peyre blanque »

As Elena points out the basic format of the site (IOwners) has some limitations but I attemted Moonfruit and others and gave up.
Elena - I've added Carcassone to the headline - thanks.

Katz - I'll try to find a decent phot of ourselves (difficult!) and add a few words about how nice we are.

We've just returned from Villa Toto after a week in the sun and as a result have much better photos to upload.

Thanks all for the comments

Ross
Margaret
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Post by Margaret »

I would price in Euros - most of your costs must be in Euros and it would make you more 'friendly' to non-Brits. UK is not a very good market this year - I would not want to be totally dependent on it.
bayesp
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Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 11:40 am
Location: Cornwall
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Post by bayesp »

Hi

A few points, some already covered. I am actually looking for a villa in your area for next year, unfortunately only for 2 adults and 2 small children so maybe yours is a little big.
I would swap the list and the description at the bottom. people like lists but they also like a friendly introduction.
I'm not sure about the gallery/slide show on the right, all I got to see were some railings and a sink!
I think splitting the information into a few more pages would help people find what they need more quickly.
Otherwise it looks good.

Paul
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