New to this and new 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.
funkymonkey
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2012 7:34 am
Location: Kalkan, Turkey
Contact:

New to this and new website

Post by funkymonkey »

Hi,

We are new to letting out our lovely holiday home in Turkey as we have only had family and friends stay in it before and they were as freebies.

I have worked on a PromotemyPlace website and would really appreciate any comments on it - good, bad or indifferent! I have also got PIMS but not got my head around it yet so the rates, availability and enquiry pages aren't yet completed but I will get them done as soon as I can.

Thanks in advance for your advice.
Last edited by funkymonkey on Wed Jul 18, 2012 5:53 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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barbersdrove
Posts: 985
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 7:48 pm
Location: crowland south lincolnshire

Post by barbersdrove »

I don't see a link to your site, can you put it on please.
A cream cake a day keeps the wrinkles at bay:)
funkymonkey
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2012 7:34 am
Location: Kalkan, Turkey
Contact:

Post by funkymonkey »

What a dope. It's done now!
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barbersdrove
Posts: 985
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 7:48 pm
Location: crowland south lincolnshire

Post by barbersdrove »

I am not someone who can talk about the technical aspects of the site but I just wanted to say WOW, WOW, WOW. It is so enticing. The area and the accommodation. Beautiful!
A cream cake a day keeps the wrinkles at bay:)
funkymonkey
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2012 7:34 am
Location: Kalkan, Turkey
Contact:

Post by funkymonkey »

Thank you very much. We really love the apartment and Kalkan - it is a very special place.

We are back over there in a couple of weeks to buy new sunbed cushions and to take more pictures and to have 360 degree pics taken and they will be added to the site while we are there.
funkymonkey
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2012 7:34 am
Location: Kalkan, Turkey
Contact:

Post by funkymonkey »

It's still work in progress but I have made quite a few changes especially to the text.

www.apartmentskalkan.co.uk

One of the things in particular I am interested in opinions on is whether there is too much text - would it be better being written as bullet points?

Thank You
tavi
Posts: 2578
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 9:07 pm
Location: Algarve

Post by tavi »

looks great and a fabulous place,

since you wondered about too much text...I have one tiny comment:

on the details page, I would lose the first three paragraphs as these relate to stuff about you/about the setting/ - this can go elsewhere.

As a potential renter, your home page has already made me want to know more, so, on the details page, I think you should do that...go straight into the details from the opening of the front door.

Others may not agree - just my thoughts. Good luck with the letting!
bayesp
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 11:40 am
Location: Cornwall
Contact:

Post by bayesp »

Hi

It's a really nice looking site, clean with just the right amount of text.
One thing I would change, and it is a little thing, is the speed of the transitions on the slideshow. I think they are too fast and don't give a relaxing mood that I'm sure people are looking for in a holiday.
Otherwise I really like it.

Paul
funkymonkey
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2012 7:34 am
Location: Kalkan, Turkey
Contact:

Post by funkymonkey »

Thanks for your comments, I really appreciate them.

The slideshow has been changed slightly, but let me know if it needs to go slower again and am going to add an extra page to move some of the 'details' text to as well.
BlueSkyBlueSea
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:36 am
Location: Portland, Dorset
Contact:

Post by BlueSkyBlueSea »

Hi,

Just a small observation as I quite like the site overall. Your image slider appears on every page so I think it would work better if it displayed the images in a random order. If I click through to new pages quite quickly I always seem to see the same image. By making it random someone could see that one image they might otherwise miss that makes them book. People buy with their eyes - especially true for a cottage/villa website.
Jammy
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:41 pm
Location: Picardie and Essex
Contact:

Post by Jammy »

Hi Funkymonkey,

I like the site and use Promote My Place myself.

Their layout is easy on the eye and easy to navigate.

You asked whether there was too much text. For me, I would say no.

You already have the Highlight bullet points down the left side which any potential browsing guests can access with ease for a quick look-see at what you've got.

Once they are hooked, and it's hard not be, they will enjoy reading the text as you have written a guided tour which is an easy and interesting read. I'm guessing that was your response to Tavi's suggestion above and it works really well.

If I had booked with you I can see myself returning to your website again and again in the build up to the holiday to re-read your lovely descriptions and whet my appetite for my forthcoming stay.

Your love of 'Papatya' really comes over and reassures guests they will be going to a home from home, it speaks of a high level of customer service where everything has been thought of for guests' convenience and comfort.

Does the name 'Papatya' have a meaning at all in the local language? If so that may enhance your one liner at the top of each page - although it wouldn't add much to your search engine optimisation I don't think.

Well done and wishing you much success.
When you know better, you do better.
HoneypotCottages
Posts: 157
Joined: Thu May 05, 2011 10:29 pm
Location: Chipping Campden, Cotswolds

Post by HoneypotCottages »

I think the website looks great with lots of lovely photographs & text and it's easy to navigate. Well done :D

Andy
Andy Smith
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