Site review

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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enid
Posts: 5599
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 4:47 pm
Location: Labretonie France
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Site review

Post by enid »

I would welcome comments on my site for our holiday cottages in the South of France. Hoping to extend the season a little.
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Hanorah
Posts: 322
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2004 2:50 pm
Location: Turkey

Post by Hanorah »

Hi

I have had a brief look at your site and think overall it is clear and well done. The pictures especially are really nice.

The positive critisims I have relate to the Gite page. You have to scroll down to notice you have more than one gite and some people may not do this especially if browsing. If it was on my site I would list all the gites at the top of the page with a graphic image of each of them and a brief description. This way people would click onto to the one that interested them most and on the separate pages you could also show the pictures rather than link to them in the existing page.

I would also show the gites in the top of the list in the navigation and the area of Peyrenègre underneath as you are selling the accomodation first and foremost. On the home page you describe the area as a department. I would describe it as a region or area instead, as even though the French might use this terminology guests might not relate to it.

As you do have such lovely images I would also create a photoalbum page where people could look directly at the images rather than searching through the different areas to find them. Images sell holidays and a lot of people just browse on the off chance and then if they like what they see will start dreaming about a holiday and then with a bit of luck book.

I would also put the travel info on a page of its own and expand information on airlines with links that travel there. You could include car hire info too and get paid for referrals at the same time.

If you create a section of recommended reading via Amazon as an associate which is free you can also generate some income from people who buy books directly off any links from your site. It might not be much but every penny counts if you can offset it against advertising costs.

I recently had my site reviewed and promised to return the favour and I received such good feedback from this site that I am in the process of creating a new look and feel as well as updating the content.

However I am no expert myself and am sure other people will also offer more positive feedback. I do think the overall look and feel of the site would already entice future guests. Well done.
Always Learning
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HolidayWebs
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2004 11:12 am
Location: Puerto Pollensa, Mallorca
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Post by HolidayWebs »

This may be my set-up but I am having to scroll to the right to see the whole screen on this web site. My display is set at 1024 x 768 using IE which is pretty standard.
Visit http://www.puertopollensa.com ... you'll love it!
The most beautiful resort in Mallorca.
DominicanR
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Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2005 4:16 pm
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review

Post by DominicanR »

Hi Enid & Kevin

Seems a nice homely site.

I too had a bit of 'screen size' difficulty.

I liked the photos touring round the gite though.

Was it not possible to get a '.com' name? Net is 'ok' I understand but .com much better if you can get it as many people tend to 'remember'/try '.com' and if they don't have the site name written down theres a chance they might not find you on memory alone.

You might also (at risk of sounding like a broken record as I have suggested similar just now to someone else) consider getting a more 'specific' site name, that is more search engine friendly...well that is I guess more people search for 'gites', or even 'lot et garonne' more than than 'peyrenegre', so 'best-gites-in-lotetgaronne.com' or 'peyrenegre-holiday-gites.com' may be better choices for little expense.

I noticed one or two 'scenery' photos on the 'region' page seemed a bit blurred or smudged. Maybe it's my eyesight at 1 in the morning!!! But crisper replacements when available might be better when available?

All the best

Ruth et Alan
visit now...because 'manana' never comes!
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paolo
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Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2004 1:18 pm
Location: Provence, France
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Post by paolo »

Hi Enid,

Positives:

Warm, friendly, personal feel and a pleasant design.

Some good thinking behind it. I enjoy the idea of showing the approach to the gites. I am not sure if it actually works - i.e. gets people following the thread all the way down the page. But I like the idea.


Slight Negatives:

Some of the pics are oddly cropped/composed. The top pic on the Peyrenegre page; the internal pics; the one of the pool with what looks like a red warehouse next to it.

I think where your pics work best is on the virtual tour and the 'through the seasons' gallery. But you have to spot the link in the main text to see them. I would have these in the main navigation menu. The seasons one especially is worth showing as it may plant the idea of an off-season visit.

The homepage shows a map of the region instead of a picture of the gites. The other images on the page are generic regional ones. So there is nothing that shows the accommodation - I think there should be.

On the homepage is a Stop Press about walking holidays - I'd like to see a little more detail here - guided walks? to where? - something that states the benefit and convinces people to email about it.

Is the fact that the gite housed cows three years ago a selling point? Not to me! Especially not with the picture of the cow in the stall. A bit too recent for me. I wouldn't mind if it just said it used to be a dairy farm, and some features are incorporated into the design of the building - that would be a positive.
Paolo
Lay My Hat
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enid
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Location: Labretonie France
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Post by enid »

Thank you for the responses to our web site review appeal - very gratfully recieved - I am working on the redraft!!!
Christine Kenyon
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Location: Glenridding, Ullswater Valley, Lake District, UK
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Post by Christine Kenyon »

Hello Enid. I've just finished a glass of wine so I thought I would return the favour and give my thoughts on your website - which largely reinforces what has already been said.

Firstly, your website has a nice friendly feel to it. Your gites and the region look lovely, but I had to explore your site in detail to be convinced of this. Everything is there on your site somewhere, but I feel your homepage should be more hard-hitting.

As others have said, there needs to be pictures of your property on the home page and ideally you need a good picture of outside of the property. Also use "you" more frequently on all pages. On one page, you talk about the "shopper", etc. Howabout, "If shopping is your passion or vice, you'll love .....".

I am also struggling to remember the property name so an easier domain name would definitely help.

I would move the availability links to the "how to book" page. I was still absorbing info about the gites and at that stage found it a bit off-putting to find so many weeks were still available.

Hope the above is useful and that you have a superb season.

Cheers

Christine
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enid
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Location: Labretonie France
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Post by enid »

Thanks Christine - it's actually very helpful that all the reviews are saying similar things as now I have a clear list of things to concentrate on. The gites are very new and the web site was created before we really had a complete product hence the non specific images. I agree about a good outside shot - it's just that I don't have one!!! - it's top of the list for new photos when we have a sunny day.

Perhaps you'll come back for another look when I post a request for a review of the redraft.

P.S. The region is lovely here - and so is the wine!
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Alan Knighting
Posts: 4120
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:26 am
Location: Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France

Post by Alan Knighting »

Enid,
The region is lovely here - and so is the wine!
As someone who lives in the same general area, in the most northerly part of the Lot-et-Garonne in my case, I can endorse that without reservation.

Alan
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