New multi-language site, feedback 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.
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Normandy Cow
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New multi-language site, feedback please

Post by Normandy Cow »

I've nearly finished my new website, using weebly.

I like the fact that once your site is complete you can make as many copies as you want and then you can translate the copies while keeping all your original links, photos and layouts.

Having more or less completed my English site, I've now added 3 small flags to the top of the home page and linked them to 3 different sites:
www.Normandygite.weebly.com
www.frNormandygite.weebly.com
www.nlNormandygite.weebly.com

I then copied the original site to the two new ones (they took about 30 seconds each). So I now have three identical websites, I just(!) need to translate them! (Will only have minimum text on the french and dutch one, will let the pictures do the talking).

But before I spend too long on the translations, I could do with some feedback from my fellow professionals (because that is what we all are now, we are professional rental owners! :D) about the layout and content.

Thanks for your help...

(PS I've noticed that when I look at the sites on my iphone the 3 little flags are now giant and take up the whole display. Will try to fix).
e-richard
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Post by e-richard »

DAMMMM !!
This was a website that I found incredibly hard to find fault with.

I really like your writing style. It flows nicely, its welcoming and describes what you have. OK- sometimes it could be a bit long winded (a fault of mine that I recognise too well), and some phrases could be tightened up, but hardly noticeable.

Navigation and finding info was easy, and any questions that I, as a guest may have were easily found.

Hint: You may want to choose a colour scheme for your calendar that is more in keeping with your design.

And if I really have to find something specific, then on the home page, the headline "bullets" include the item "Plenty of space for children to roam in garden". Do children on holiday want to roam? I'd have thought they may want to play or play games or something more boisterous :wink:
** Richard
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
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Normandie
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Post by Normandie »

I am very impressed, NC... 8)

I'm now off to contemplate doing something similar...
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Normandy Cow
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Post by Normandy Cow »

Thanks guys, it feels good to get such positive feedback after all the work I've put in to it!

I've now started to translate the French version, have used google translate but will then get one of my nice French friends to fine-tune the text. For example, I've translated "Welcome to your home from home" as "Bienvenue a votre second chez-soi", which is probably correct literally, but do people actually use that expression? :?

Oh well, not too much of a problem because I know loads of native French speakers, but Dutch....?!!! yikes! :o :shock: help!
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Nemo
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Post by Nemo »

Fab NC......I really must get myself sorted and do likewise...or pay someone to do it for me seems increasingly likely.

Flows really well on the brief look I had and just spotted one typo immediately - in your included in our prices section you have "traveling" as in American spelling (?) rather than "travelling".

I can think of at least two dutch speakers here - perhaps if you ask nicely they may help you.......? :D
january
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Post by january »

it is very good.

But if I have to find one thing on what is a very pleasing site.

I have never liked or understood the phrase "please do not hesitate to call us "

Hesitate is such a little used verb, and if you think about it why would they hesitate ?


Anyway i'm off to hesitate over what to have for lunch.
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French Cricket
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Post by French Cricket »

Lovely job, NC.

My only comment would be about domain names - not sure whether you're planning on using the weebly domains on a permanent basis or just temporarily while you finish tweaking things (if it's the latter just ignore me here!).

It's just that I think using weebly domain names always looks - um (ducks behind the sofa) - a bit unprofessional and cheap, and doesn't mettre en valeur either your posh new sites or your lovely house ...

Sorry ... x
Circé
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Post by Circé »

I'm the party pooper here.
I wouldn't use google translation for a public document.
Your headline 'Bienvenue a votre second chez-soi!' in French doesn't make any sense at all, and then you use the verb JOUIR. Not a good idea, look it up in any decent dictionary and you'll see that not only does it include having a good time, but used in a slightly different way you'll be talking about having an orgasm. Best to choose a different verb! I'm afraid I gave up on your French site after a few lines.
On the UK pages, you talk about your rates being all inclusive, but then I see I have to bring towels. Throw them in for goodness sake!
I may have missed these, but are tea towels and cleaning materials supplied? Can I bring my dog(s)?
On the photos, there are too many, what's the point of the pic of the stable door latch? Or the owl? THREE pics of cows in a field? (Makes me wonder about flies in the house?)
Will anyone ever read beyond the first review, or struggle with the photos of guests book entries? I doubt it.
Yes, I do like the website style as a whole!
january
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Post by january »

Must agree with Circé on the towel point. Its not a 1960,s Blackpool B&B, you are marketing Le Gaillon as comfortable and furnished to a high standard, and really cannot ask / expect people to bring their own towels.
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Normandie
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Post by Normandie »

Normandy Cow wrote:I've now started to translate the French version, have used google translate but will then get one of my nice French friends to fine-tune the text.
With all the translations, you need (I think) native speakers who will write the marketing spiel (because that's what it is) in a style that X nationality expects to see the information presented. What are key phrases in English aren't necessarily phrases that are either easily translated (as Circé points out) or even have meaning or relevance to another nationality.

I think your 'primary' site looks professionally presented - which, imo, gets over the 'weebly' issue that FC highlighted - but the language style has to be right too.
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French Cricket
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Post by French Cricket »

Completely agree about the French (though I've not looked at your French site yet NC) and about language style. I wrote the copy for my French site completely separately from my English site - they both convey roughly the same info but expressed totally differently, using idiomatic expressions in both languages.

I'm not a native French speaker but I'm a long-time speaker of it as a second language, and I read a lot and listen to radio and TV in French. What I found important when I was writing my French site was to think the whole concept in French, if that makes any sense. If I'd 'thought' it in English and then tried to translate it - or translated my English site come to that - it would have sounded stilted and often meaningless to a French reader. So yes, if your French isn't up to that NC it would be good to find someone who could write your French copy.
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Normandy Cow
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Post by Normandy Cow »

Hmmm, lots of food for thought...!

1. Hesitate.
I frequently use that phrase whenever I am signing off a letter or an email to someone, and I'd never given it a second thought - but you are right, and I will change it.

2. Domain names.
Yes, FC, you are right, I am just "parking" the websites on weebly for the time being while I'm working on them.
I will soon redirect www.normandy-holiday-cottage.com, www.normandiegite.eu and www.LeGaillon.com to the English, French and Dutch websites respectively.

3. French Translation :oops: :oops: :oops:
How embarrassing! I should have said that I am just using google translation as a quick way of translating what I already have, and that I know a lot of it doesn't sound right but I am planning to sit with my friend Beatrice at the weekend to tweak it.
If I used the verb jouir then that would have been a typo because yes I do know what it means! But I've looked through the text and can't find it, where did I use it?

4. Towels
We don't provide towels because our cleaner does not have enough time to wash and dry all the sheets and towels at changeover time, and as 95% of our customers come by car no-one has ever commented about this on our feedback forms. We do offer towels to guests who come by air, and this seems to happen about once a year.

5. Thanks for pointing out that I didn't mention about tea towels (and lots of other things) that are included at the house, and the policy about dogs. I had this on our old site but obviously I must have forgotten to put it on the new one.

6. The point of the stable door latch is that it is nice sometimes to show little details of things. I love that latch - it must be over a hundred years old! And the owl - we've named it Hedwig and it can occasionally be spotted flying over the house, indeed that photo was taken by one of our guests from the living room window. I don't expect anyone to read the reviews, but I do want to show that we have many of them, even though we are not on TripAdvisor.

7. Using idiomatic expressions.
I so agree with you. A couple of years ago I translated a whole book from French to English, and one of the phrases translated to "I'm not making any plans for the comet". The (Corsican) author had written his biography and he does speak English, but I could not persuade him not to use that phrase, he was adamant it should stay but I still think it sounds a little strange.

Thanks again everyone for all your constructive comments!

EDIT
I've just checked "second chez-soi" again and it is a valid phrase, but maybe not used as often as home from home is. In fact a holiday home mortgage is called a "Hypothèque Second chez-soi"! But I still think I'll change the phrase as it is a bit clunky :lol:
Circé
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Post by Circé »

"If I used the verb jouir then that would have been a typo because yes I do know what it means! But I've looked through the text and can't find it, where did I use it? "

Here, 2nd para of general text : Il est totalement privé, avec des vues exceptionnelles sur la belle campagne et est très paisible, vous serez en mesure d'oublier l'agitation de la vie et de jouir en étant totalement par vous-mêmes avec personne d'autre autour.

On towels and sheets, surely you have enough sheets to have at least one complete second set? None of our owners expect us to remake all the beds with the same freshly laundered sheets, it's impossible on a changeover day - especially if it's raining.
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Bassman
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Post by Bassman »

Hi NC ust a couple of comments:
the top line of 4 photos seem a bit fuzzy & you also repeat the main photo in the 4.
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Jimbo
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Post by Jimbo »

Normandy Cow wrote:The point of the stable door latch is that it is nice sometimes to show little details of things. I love that latch - it must be over a hundred years old! And the owl - we've named it Hedwig and it can occasionally be spotted flying over the house
I’ve always used the structure of the ‘three-picture story’ concept, when I’ve been shooting locations. The long-distance ‘establishing shots’, which set the scene, the middle-distance photos that move you closer to the action and provide descriptive information. And the close-up pictures that isolate significant and intriguing detail. None of these ‘three-pictures’ should be neglected when you’re telling the story of your property to prospective guests.

The close-up shots are often the most difficult, but are a vital component of publicity photo coverage that shouldn’t be overlooked. Some might argue that close-ups of a hundred year door latch and an impressive owl that can be glimpsed around the property says stuff about the property, the property’s owner and the experience that a guest may enjoy that is hard to express only with words.
Jim
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