Any further comments on my website for my Villa in Puglia?

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.
jdabney
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Any further comments on my website for my Villa in Puglia?

Post by jdabney »

In May 2005 I got some very useful comments on my website which had only just gone live and was pretty raw. I took notice of some, but probably not enough! There are some broken internal links, I know!

We are doing really well and I can only thank you all for your ideas. We are now doing something of an overhaul, so any more suggestions for making the site "fit for purpose" to use a John Read-ism, would be gratefully received.

I would also love to hear from anyone else with a property in Puglia.

Thanks everyone

www.villapuglia.com

[edited by admin to include web address]
Chambo
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Review

Post by Chambo »

Hello,
I've only just started posting on here and probably don't have a lot of experience but I loved your place! The website was very classy and although my only criticism perhaps would be the time it took to scroll through all the photos of the place, you have really showed what a stunning place it is. And the bathrooms..!
I like the simple colours and 'black on white text', it's very easy to read. Just goes to show the power of photos,
Good luck,
Anna
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Giddy Goat
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Post by Giddy Goat »

Hullo JDabney! I thought I was experiencing déjà vu when I clicked onto your site, as we stayed in a friend's trullo last summer which is smaller than yours, but so similar it's uncanny and I'm wondering whether the same architects were involved. We loved his property, so it goes without saying that I love the look of yours too!! Absolutely stunning, and so stylish.

We had a wonderful week there and I have emailed your URL to our friend, to see if he knows you already, and if not, to suggest that he gets in touch. By all means PM me for his email address. He is there with his family for half term right now but I expect will be de-camping tomorrow!

The website is everything I'd expect to do justice to such a cool property. I wish I had time to feed back in more depth, but you have reason to feel proud.
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be
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Gloria - Casina di Rosa
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Post by Gloria - Casina di Rosa »

I'll have to change my opinion of Puglia! Your property is AMAZING! Congratulations!

The only recommendation I might give you, but I guess that your webmasters have already done a terrific job, is to insert some richer title in the title bar. Not too obviously filled with keywords, but not even so empty.

The website is nice and clean, easy to navigate. I would maybe add a links page, in case in the future you wish to swap links to increase the website popularity.

We use our special offers page a lot too. It has helped us immensely in the beginning. But I am ready to bet that you property will need no help!
jdabney
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Post by jdabney »

Thanks for all those very relevant thoughts and also the nice comments.

I wonder Gloria, if you have suffered from "mezzogiorno" prejudice in the past. If I have done one thing and made a northern/central Italian to see the error of their beliefs I am delighted!


Puglia is, like a lot of Southern Italy, somewhat poorer generally, though it applies far less to Puglia than Calabria, Basilicata, etc. Everything is made up for by the unique landscapes, wonderful food and wine and genuinely nice people. I'm not trying to do a sell on the place, it's simply the way I feel after 3 years working on and renting the villa.

Hope you have a chance to go and see for yourself

Ciao
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Gloria - Casina di Rosa
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Post by Gloria - Casina di Rosa »

Oh no, no prejudice. I used to go to Puglia at least twice a year until a few years back because my boyfriend then was from Taranto.
I liked some areas but some other areas really drove me mad. Seeing all those treasures thrown to the weeds, left to fall to pieces, was too much! But of course coming from Tuscany where everything is generally well preserved, with some bad exceptions, I was a bit spoilt.

I am not a big fan of the genuinely nice people of Puglia that I had the chance to meet, but I do not want to generalize, because I might have been unlicky in this case. I am sure the area is full of nice people, like everywhere else in Italy and abroad. It is partly cultural differences, partly personal experience. But a place like yours would make me forget everything!!! :D

I was showing your website to my present fiancé (...who is Canadian... :wink: ) and I noticed a "bad" link.
On the homepage, where it says
"Now Villa Santoro is available for you to rent and enjoy now. Click HERE for the Full Tour", if you click it reloads the page instead of taking you to the tour page.

The same where it says "The large (17m x 12 m) lake style swimming pool sits just below this external living room in 2 acres of garden. Tour of the house ", the link takes to the page of the prices.

I hope this helps.

Hugs from Pisa,

Gloria
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Big Sis..
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Post by Big Sis.. »

Hi...


I think your place looks absolutely lovely and so well furnished...etc....
The tour links didnt work[but you did say there were some link problems]
Also I got a bit confused as one link said the tour and then another the full tour...The photos were great and i wondered if there was a way of making them more visble initially on the home page[some of them] rather than having to find and click them...
But probably when the tour link is working they will be shown there...You have 2 samish photos on the home page of the pool[which is lovely of course] but maybe one of the other photos instead......
The site and the house is amazing though well done :!:

[cream sofas look stunning but does make me feel a bit uneasy :shock: but as your place looks so beautiful hopefully everyone will treat it with the respect it deserves]
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Giddy Goat
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Post by Giddy Goat »

Ros wrote:[cream sofas look stunning but does make me feel a bit uneasy :shock:]
I zeroed in on Ros's comment as we also have cream (fabric) sofas.... yes, they're a bit of a pain, but we have spare covers and some cream throws. Fortunately most of the guests spend their time outside. John, are the sofas upholstered in leather?
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Big Sis..
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Post by Big Sis.. »

John, are the sofas upholstered in leather?
They did say leather Gascy :wink:
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Giddy Goat
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Post by Giddy Goat »

Goat moment - but why still uneasy Ros?
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Big Sis..
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Post by Big Sis.. »

Goat moment - but why still uneasy Ros?
It must just be me then Gasc...we have leather sofas at home but brown ones.......Maybe cream leather is OK......I spose cos I deal with kiddywinks a lot and know what can happen........
But I must admit they look absolutely stunning.....
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Giddy Goat
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Post by Giddy Goat »

I only asked as we've never owned a leather sofa, as they were always beyond our reach; I just imagined they were heaps more practical? Fortunately the prices seem to be coming down now, so maybe next time...
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jdabney
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Post by jdabney »

Comments regarding broken links taken on board and also those about the photos. Thanks Ros for that.

Ikea for leather sofas....cheap as chips, remarkably good quality and after 2 full years of letting as good as new. I don't think they get nmuch use as 90% of time guests are outside. I actually believe you could get away with just beds inside from May to October, but try selling it!
jdabney
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Post by jdabney »

Gloria, I just realised you brought up the broken links and I thank you too! As far as the experience of anywere is concerned, of course you re quite right, it's personal and depends on so many things. We've been lucky. I hope you have a chance soon to try Puglia again.
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Gloria - Casina di Rosa
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Post by Gloria - Casina di Rosa »

I am actually going to Bari in September for a conference! Time to give it a second shot!
Good luck with your beautiful property!
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