Another new website up...

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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Blue Shutters
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Another new website up...

Post by Blue Shutters »

Well the first version is live, with awful pics, they will be improved a lot after Easter once the majority of the clearing out/painting/refreshing/finishing off/"dressing for photos" and planting up of pots is done. Our OD ad goes up this week, so we wanted the website up at the same time. We then have another week in May to finally have it ready for guests from June on (very hopefully, we know how tough it is out there.)

Lots to improve and add, and disagreements between me and OH mean it will be interesting to see what you very expert LMHers think.

White Shutters

(I am really scared of what you may all think :shock: , I hasten to add web design is OHs not mine, and many many thanks to GG, she knows why!)
Yes I know the shutters are not blue!
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TTP mk2
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Post by TTP mk2 »

Lovely house & nice clean site but please loose the marquee.
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Post by A-two »

Please tell OH he's doing a good job, but to review in different browsers. You have a problem with the drop down menus in Firefox. They appear offset, so menu for "House" appears under "Booking" and menu for "Booking" appears in the margin. It's not possible to get to those pages until you fix it because as soon as you take mouse of the parent page, the child pages disappear, but homepage looks attractive.
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Giddy Goat
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Post by Giddy Goat »

Congrats BS, what a lot of work has been going on behind the scenes! Looking good!

Back to give proper feedback when there's time, but meanwhile, why the link to Owners Direct on your home page? It's not even to your ad? :?
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Blue Shutters
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Post by Blue Shutters »

Thanks about the Firefox, he hadn't got as far as different browser testing, yet :shock:

I had pointed out the OD needed to be buried somewhere else, One and One were playing up last night and I think he forgot to move it.

We are seriously compromised by the fact the house/pics etc are nowhere near the standard we will have in a few weeks, but have gone for the earlier online presence rather than holding out for the elusive perfection.
TTP mk2 wrote:Lovely house & nice clean site but please loose the marquee.
Showing my ignorance, do you mean the name of the site, the fact we are planning on having a gazebo (marquee?!) or the OD link that's on the wrong page? :?

edited again, or do you mean the trailing red "we will be better" ....I wanted to emphasise that refurbishment is in the works so it will be so much better and fresher for the first guests......how should I go about that?
Last edited by Blue Shutters on Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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The Olive Grove
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Post by The Olive Grove »

Haven't lloked at it in detail yet, but the one thing I have noticed - outside photos are easier to look at with a slight gap between them than inside ones, which appear in one long strip.
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Blue Shutters
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Post by Blue Shutters »

The Olive Grove wrote:Haven't lloked at it in detail yet, but the one thing I have noticed - outside photos are easier to look at with a slight gap between them than inside ones, which appear in one long strip.
The gaps between the photos are appearing on both outside and inside for me, are the inside ones adjacent for you with no gap? Do you mean the pics need to be more widely spaced than they are?
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pete
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Post by pete »

The photos look all the same spacing for me too,

mk2 is right about the red banner thing though, you dont need to say that, the photos are fine, the house looks 'french' and the interior shots are all exactly as you have described in other posts, its sells a good rental, the photos and house do not need an apology.

Personally I dont like the white on black writting on the front, I always find it hard to read and it distracts from the rest of the page, the rest of the colour layout is a soft blue and restful.

looks good though

pete
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Blue Shutters
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Post by Blue Shutters »

Thanks Pete, I did make OH take out "apologise for photos" that was on the red banner......is it worth emphasising refurbishment or just leave it unmentioned.

I have been pushing for very light blue/pale grey background, OH prefers stark black on white, I wanted a more interesting font (not script/fancy, just a bit more individual) You highlighted one of our differences of opinion!

Thank you to everyone.
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pete
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Post by pete »

When we re did our a few weeks ago I did find it quite hard to loose the 'its mine and I like it' mindset that I had got into.

You need to sell your rental slots, sell the dream, the soft french blue, the large rooms, the flowers will grow and soften the edges.

I dont think the first sentence flows either, but I dont do 'prose' so cant offer a better one.

Good luck

pete
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Blue Shutters
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Post by Blue Shutters »

The prose is so hard, we are no good at it at all, I have re written it to then find OH has taken great chunks out again......I put in things like "sympathetic conversion" and he takes out the "sympathetic" as being a waste of space (but then OH is an engineer and we both write in quite a staccato manner.) Eldest daughter was home from uni at the weekend, she's reading English, and when I asked her for help she threw up her hands in horor at the thought of being involved in our disputes and refused...looking at everyone else's it all seems so effortless, little do the customers know of the blood sweat and tears
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Post by Martha »

I think it looks lovely, and I think you're very wise to get moving. It takes a while for Google to pick up on a site.

The marquee (the moving text) is driving me bananas though! It's really distracting. I don't think you need to apologise for anything - just mention that new photos are will be added soon as the finishing touches are completed.

I love the font of the header, very French. I adore those typefaces and keep toying with using them myself.

in the inside bit:
NOTE: although there are more than 12 beds in the house, there is a strict maximum occupancy of 12 (and up to two extra under twos in cots which can be situated in any bedroom.)

I think this is a rather forbidding note to end on, you can mention this later if you need to

Maybe a link to the 'area' pages from "location'?

When you have the pictures, are you going to make them bigger?

I agree that a little colour and softness on the page would be good. Maybe white on blue for the header text?

The house looks really lovely! :) I see it's close to Gourvillette where we stayed in a lovely Manoir with all the family.
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Post by TTP mk2 »

Blue Shutters wrote:edited again, or do you mean the trailing red "we will be better" ....I wanted to emphasise that refurbishment is in the works so it will be so much better and fresher for the first guests
That's the bit, to me it emphasises it so much it takes me away from the text & pictures on the page.
......how should I go about that?
I don't like Marquees but possibly tone down the colour
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Blue Shutters
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Post by Blue Shutters »

It is a bit red rag to a bull isn't it (marquee colour). :shock:

Martha, you are right the "thou shalt nots" are a bit too much at present, same in the T&Cs that were kindly offered and accepted. We try to cover ourselves against every eventuality but then come across as dragon owners which is totally wrong when all a customer wants is a peaceful holiday away from terms and conditions, hassle and jargon of everyday life.

Yes the pictures will "go large" when we have better ones, and we will add a gallery. The out and about bit needs a lot more work yet too. The floorplans will have "room view" pics added later, and need furniture moving around as they don't match the text at present ie two sofas that are upstairs just now are coming down, and the much talked about table for 12 needs adding, when we have decided on a kitchen or dining room location.
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The Olive Grove
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Post by The Olive Grove »

Blue Shutters wrote:
The Olive Grove wrote:Haven't lloked at it in detail yet, but the one thing I have noticed - outside photos are easier to look at with a slight gap between them than inside ones, which appear in one long strip.
The gaps between the photos are appearing on both outside and inside for me, are the inside ones adjacent for you with no gap? Do you mean the pics need to be more widely spaced than they are?
I am using Firefox, and the photos inside do not have any gaps at all on the ones I am looking at here http://www.white-shutters.co.uk/inside.html

Maybe it is something to do with my browser?
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