Hi - would really appreciate any comments if you have time. 2012 was our first year and we were more or less full from May to September - all very late bookings though. Nothing so far this year.
www.ruralbliss.iowners.net
Appreciate a review if poss?
Just had a quick look, sorry not much time. The OD and HL links don't work for me either.
One quick comment:
The Rose Barn sleeps 2 people in the spacious mezzanine double bedroom but there is also a comfortable John Lewis Sofabed in the downstairs living area.
I would replace this BUT with and.....the but makes you sound apologetic - the And is more positive. IMHO.
Very pretty place you have there
One quick comment:
The Rose Barn sleeps 2 people in the spacious mezzanine double bedroom but there is also a comfortable John Lewis Sofabed in the downstairs living area.
I would replace this BUT with and.....the but makes you sound apologetic - the And is more positive. IMHO.
Very pretty place you have there
Appreciate a review if poss?
I really like the site, the only thing I would say is that to me it is not exactly clear where you are, wondered if it possible to have a pin point map on the first page.
I say this because we have a static mobile home in La Palmyre which we have sold and need to empty, so I was looking as a potential guest, somewhere to stay for few nights while we do this, but the towns named meant nothing to me, and so I was none the wiser as to whether you are close enough for us. Most guests may not want to go to google maps to find out exactly where you are ( I didn`t).
But your place looks fab!
I say this because we have a static mobile home in La Palmyre which we have sold and need to empty, so I was looking as a potential guest, somewhere to stay for few nights while we do this, but the towns named meant nothing to me, and so I was none the wiser as to whether you are close enough for us. Most guests may not want to go to google maps to find out exactly where you are ( I didn`t).
But your place looks fab!
The 'free website' advert and the lurid pink background dominate, not your cottage. The 'look' is cluttered.
I agree with FelicityA, the flashing photos are distracting and make the site hard on the eyes.
Print too small in your main sections on the right.
The links don't work for me
The pricing set-out isn't 'right', I get a line reading £220 (nothing else) between low & Easter lines.
Definition of each season should be with the prices, I had to go to availability to find it.
Phrasing re use of owners pool is unwelcoming, I wouldn't want to ask to use it the way it's put - but maybe that's what you want?
Should you be warning of low ceiling heights in the 'bedroom'? The right-hand side looks awfully low.
A plan showing juxtaposition of cottage and your place would be helpful, from the pool photo the properties seem to be on top of each other.
Pets?
Onsite parking?
I agree with FelicityA, the flashing photos are distracting and make the site hard on the eyes.
Print too small in your main sections on the right.
The links don't work for me
The pricing set-out isn't 'right', I get a line reading £220 (nothing else) between low & Easter lines.
Definition of each season should be with the prices, I had to go to availability to find it.
Phrasing re use of owners pool is unwelcoming, I wouldn't want to ask to use it the way it's put - but maybe that's what you want?
Should you be warning of low ceiling heights in the 'bedroom'? The right-hand side looks awfully low.
A plan showing juxtaposition of cottage and your place would be helpful, from the pool photo the properties seem to be on top of each other.
Pets?
Onsite parking?
For me the background is distracting,
You have an availability tab at the top, and then a click here for latest availability lower down? why??
Don't like the additional info on the left, should be in the header to keep it neat tidy and consistent, IMHO.
The mixture of fonts and colours is off putting, and inconsistent, I would chose the black, if you are keeping the flower background as the blue gets lost in the mix.
HTH
Kevin
You have an availability tab at the top, and then a click here for latest availability lower down? why??
Don't like the additional info on the left, should be in the header to keep it neat tidy and consistent, IMHO.
The mixture of fonts and colours is off putting, and inconsistent, I would chose the black, if you are keeping the flower background as the blue gets lost in the mix.
HTH
Kevin
http://www.encantada-vacation.com
Our little piece of Florida, never get tired of being there. Love it and the people to bits.
Our little piece of Florida, never get tired of being there. Love it and the people to bits.
Website
Thanks to everyone who has commented so far - I've been in the UK for a few days so apologies for not replying earlier. Incidentally we had 3 weeks high season bookings (not just enquiries) during my absence!
I am stymied in some ways as this website uses an independentowners template and many of the changes like the white between photos are unchangeable. I could change the background for something a little calmer like sunflowers? After I've looked at it and made any possible changes I'll report back!
I am stymied in some ways as this website uses an independentowners template and many of the changes like the white between photos are unchangeable. I could change the background for something a little calmer like sunflowers? After I've looked at it and made any possible changes I'll report back!
I would echo what the others have said. The background is a little distracting and clashes with the text colour. There is an advert at the prime location on the page. Some of the photos look a bit fuzzy. Other than that it seems to have all the right stuff and is easy to navigate. It may be worth doing an independent website though if you want complete freedom.
Thanks
Hi all those kind people who gave me some input. I have made as many changes as I could and would be grateful for a review to see if there's any improvement. Can't do anything about the white round the edges of the photos in the slideshow though.
Thanks Robin
Thanks Robin
-
Speyside Steve
- Posts: 136
- Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 10:18 am
Personally, I would not link to OD or HL - don't take potential guests away from your website. Keep them there as long as possible until they just HAVE to get in touch with you
Try to avoid repetition of 'to see this ... click here'. Incorporate more natural text and use hyperlinks from within the sentences.
Put a link or call to arms 'to make an enquiry, get in touch via our contact form' on the home page as close as possible to the top. Large font, different colour or separate box top right on every page? Make it easy for them!!
Put the availability button as close to the home button as possible. Our availability page is the most viewed after the home page. The thought process is something like: 'I like the look of this ... is it available (& how much is it) ... let's get in touch'.
On the contact form, I am slightly put off by the negative note about unsolicited contact. I would assume that all enquiries are lovely potential guests just waiting to book with you. I don't think I have ever received an unsolicited promotion via our contact form.
I guess the disclaimer at the bottom is something you can't do anything about, but again it is a negative for me (and the writing is awfully small which makes me think there is a trap somewhere and I am signing my life away if I tick the box). All they are doing is getting in touch with you!
I hate spam captchas as I can never read them - just a personal thing.
Can you add a tick box on your contact form for them to indicate if they want you to send them a booking form - we have added one and conversions from these types of enquiry are much higher than other 'simple' enquiries. They are already indicating that they are serious about staying and I have a different template set up to reply to them.
Also on the contact form there is nowhere for them to enter the dates they are interested in! Worth adding?
One final thought: do you have your T&Cs anywhere?
Try to avoid repetition of 'to see this ... click here'. Incorporate more natural text and use hyperlinks from within the sentences.
Put a link or call to arms 'to make an enquiry, get in touch via our contact form' on the home page as close as possible to the top. Large font, different colour or separate box top right on every page? Make it easy for them!!
Put the availability button as close to the home button as possible. Our availability page is the most viewed after the home page. The thought process is something like: 'I like the look of this ... is it available (& how much is it) ... let's get in touch'.
On the contact form, I am slightly put off by the negative note about unsolicited contact. I would assume that all enquiries are lovely potential guests just waiting to book with you. I don't think I have ever received an unsolicited promotion via our contact form.
I guess the disclaimer at the bottom is something you can't do anything about, but again it is a negative for me (and the writing is awfully small which makes me think there is a trap somewhere and I am signing my life away if I tick the box). All they are doing is getting in touch with you!
I hate spam captchas as I can never read them - just a personal thing.
Can you add a tick box on your contact form for them to indicate if they want you to send them a booking form - we have added one and conversions from these types of enquiry are much higher than other 'simple' enquiries. They are already indicating that they are serious about staying and I have a different template set up to reply to them.
Also on the contact form there is nowhere for them to enter the dates they are interested in! Worth adding?
One final thought: do you have your T&Cs anywhere?
Changes
Hi and thanks for such a detailed critique. I am unable to implement most of your ideas because I'm using an ""independent owners" template. I can't make any physical changes including positioning, text sizes, extra bits and pieces because iowners are the only ones who can do that - and they say they can't do this just for one client. They also don't at the moment (although they say it may be in the pipeline) do 301 redirects or I could start from scratch and develop a new website and a new shorter domain name. However without the redirects from my existing domaine name I would lose my position in the search engines, and all the efforts of the past 18 months to get me higher up the rankings would be lost. I'm just going to have to be patient and wait for iowners to start doing 301s.
Can you not put a direct link to your own website? It would not take so long with your own site to get your google rating back up I would have thought. There is lots of software out there for people of every skill level to make an independent website and you are likely to get further this way in the end, although it may take some time.
Every journey starts with the first step.
P.S. Much improved on last time
Every journey starts with the first step.
P.S. Much improved on last time
Pmagowan wrote:Can you not put a direct link to your own website? It would not take so long with your own site to get your google rating back up I would have thought. There is lots of software out there for people of every skill level to make an independent website and you are likely to get further this way in the end, although it may take some time.
Every journey starts with the first step.
P.S. Much improved on last time
Thanks for that. I could put a link on my existing home page once a new website was up and running - which it isn't at the moment. Trouble is I can't make it any more visible than the rest of the text but I will consider doing that once I've developed a new site- which of course is the big frightener!