Review Please- am I being too greedy?

[la vache!]

Hi Moondog,
I think your site is nice, but if I were looking for somewhere to stay I would prefer to see at least one photo of the accommodation on the homepage. I think the text is very nice and welcoming, but more photos would entice me to look further.
Another (personal) thing, I don't like sofabeds being included in the number people the property is for maybe it is just me, but I prefer everyone to have a bed!
What is your market? Is it couples or a family? Would 2 singles rather than a second double be better if it is families you want to attract?
I did a search on Abritel and your prices seem to be fine for the area
http://www.abritel.fr/fr/cvliste.php?wv ... =vpx&km=20

[Partridge]

Hi Luke

I'm another vote for 'lose the yellow' I'm afraid. I also agree with TC in that I think I would prefer to see crisp photos without fuzzy edges. To my eyes the sight seems a bit sparse and I'm not sure I can put my finger on it but it may have something to do with seeing lots of white background, possibly because of wrap around text (in grey and not black) and the yellow writing.
The content is excellent but I feel the design/layout lets it down.

[Musetta]

ok...me too...can't read the yellow at all.

[Fraise]

Nice site ! I think everything's been said that I was going to say but I have to add yet again, ditch the yellow ,it's much too hard to read. I like your fuzzy bits but that's such a personal thing,I think it softens the page. Good luck, sounds a lovely area,yet another to put on the list

[Big Sis..]

Hi Luke ..

I agree the yellow is really difficult to cope with the rest looks fine though well done

[Ju]

Given that you have 2 seconds to attract attention before people go else where I don't think it is obvious enough WHAT you are selling.

I peronally don't like having to read through text to find out how many a property sleeps for example, or where it is located. It needs to be up front. Your title on the home page "La Vie Traquile" is a) spelt wrong (tranquille with a double l) and b) does not say anything about your product - especially if you don't speak French.

I also find the yellow menu hard to read.

In terms of pricing I do think the £550 is a bit steep for a two bed property in a village, but not completely over the top so it may well sell. Your pricing page has an error, if you click on August then the first two weeks are showing at £250 but if you click on July the August weeks are at £550. It would be clearer to see the prices without having to click on a specific month.

HTH

Ju

[Moon Dog]

Hi Guys,

Many, many thanks to all of you that have given me your time and thoughts on the website. I'm quite amazed to find a second page of posts after working all the hours the past couple of days- much appreciated.

I will be getting down to re-organising the site next week... wish me luck!

Here's wishing you all a happy and successful summer,

Luke.

[Giddy Goat]

Hi Moon Dog - I have had a quick peek at your site and agree with what has been said, though the site already has the makings of being excellent with those adjustments. It's an intriguing spot you've chosen and a nice property. Do you have views from there as this would be an added selling point of course?

I'm wondering whether either of you have had a marketing background, as you have come up with some good ideas! I also think the text is great (and would be happy to do your spell check for you, ) I have a problem making mine list 'benefits' rather than just 'features', so should re-visit it I think.

One tip - you may have missed reading the sticky which asks new members requesting a website review to post a few comments on other peoples' website review requests first. So when you're ready for us to give you more feedback, ie the website's construction is complete, (and probably before the baby is born!!!), it's not too late to do that; it's a sort of quid pro quo system Paolo put in place.

[Moon Dog]

Hallo Goat,

Thank you for your kind words. Sadly we don't have a view of anything but our neighbours walls across the street! Isolated houses are rare in Catalonia on both sides of the modern border so most tend to be on top of one another in the villages. We struggled to find one in good condition with a decent roof terrace- lots of people live indoors and have no private outside space at all.

I was a little cheeky in requesting a review as my first post but did stay on-line for the feed back and review others whilst people were kindly pondering on mine. since then I've developed a bit of an obsession with the site!

Thanks again,
Luke

[Giddy Goat]

Sorry MoonDog, I missed those posts. Yes, you slip into forum addiction easily here! See the twelve-point plan for a cure in the cafe some time! http://tinyurl.com/39h5am

If you get through to the last page, it's serious!

[fibi]

Sorry, moondog my site is www.antoninewallcottages.co.uk We get all our bookings through the website and its far from perfect (too busy, too chatty,too much info etc) but I like it and as we fully booked pretty much I'll change it when we have too!

The reason I took it off my profile was that one of my previous guests read all about himself and his dogs when I rather rashly posted about one of his dogs biting my little girl and was not very pleased. Learned my lesson and am now much more circumspect when posting!!

[Moon Dog]

He wasn't pleased...?!

Fibi, thank you for the link- very swish site, you must have put hours into it. I thought that personal sites would be a point of contact to follow up from other sdvertising but by the sound of it you have managed to get yourself up those search engine rankings?

Cheers,

Luke.

[la vache!]

Moon Dog, I think it is really nice that you a) appreciate the feedback you have got and have done something about it and
b) have stuck around on the forum, two things that new LMH members who ask for reviews of their websites rarely do.

Fibi - do you know how your guest found your comments on here??? That worries me (as probably one of the more less discreet posters about previous guest experiences..)

[fibi]

Yes moondog how unhappy I was is a whole other thread....

For specific searches I do very well, those featuring falkirk wheel, falkirk, antonine wall, swimming pool, hot tub etc. I do spend a fair bit of time on my site, its a hobby !

I have thought about redoing it to be much more snappy however feedback from guests is that they like it and revisit it often before coming to stay so until bookings drop off it can stay as it is.

[fibi]

Yes I was a bit worried too, I think the way forward is never to say something on here that you would not say to the guests face! I have certainly leant my lesson

The guest found it just by typing in antoninewallcottages into the search engine and lo and behold a whole thread about his dogs!