Please Review!!

SeanPreston · 05-25-2007, 08:35 AM

Hi, Please can you review the design of my new site. The site is aimed at holiday property owners who want to advertise thier property on there very own website.

Link: www.holidayletdesign.com

P.S If you find any spelling or grammer error please tell me.

Mike · 05-25-2007, 10:07 AM

The site is somewhat "bland", there's not much action going on. You should lead with an example of a page that immediately "wow's" the viewer. Never start your sales off with the price and payment BEFORE one can actually build their page. Let users submit their vision first, which builds and indicates commitment before you actually ask for money. 69.95 is not a small amount to buy almost blindfolded.
Your argument may be that you have sample pages. Frankly, that's not an argument, especially not with the way you present the samples. Pictures sell properties or rentals, in this case. Even though you attach pictures, each picture opens in another page. That's the fist mistake on this platform, you should build a div layer that magnifies the picture without causing the user to have 15 windows open. Also, since we're talking the fancy "Web 2.0" looks already, you NEED video walk through options! Max of 30 seconds, .flv file that actually lets the user "inhale" the atmosphere. Just being static is not enough anymore.
The text fonts that you use for the descriptions, with the small image on to the right hand side looks too cheap. As a consumer that pays 69.95 (almost $100 dollars), i'd expect more than that. Especially since i can buy flash templates and customize them to my exact use for less than that!
Since your best shot is the network of sites that you're trying to establish, you should give users that either looked at properties, or maybe even visited them, the option to rank them and comment on them.

Overall, you started with a good concept, but there's LOTS more to do to satisfy the price point you're asking. You might want to review your business concept and re-evaluate your strategy and approach. Not that you're doing anything wrong, but it appears that you just slapped something together in the hope that someone buys into standard templates.

As always, 'tis just

lee101 · 05-25-2007, 10:40 AM

I don't think the design looks bad, although it looks like you followed a tutorial to get to it, as i have created something similar before following a tutorial.

2 things that pop out to me are:

The use of gif's as the banner image, since there isn't enough colours the picture looks very blotchy in areas.

Also the fact that you haven't resized the picture on the homepage (http://www.holidayletdesign.com/images/villa-dora12.jpg) so it is taking up unnecessary bandwidth, and doesn't look as smooth/sharp as it could be.

These are just points which I have picked up from looking at the homepage.

-NC- · 05-28-2007, 11:37 AM

I think you are offering a decent package with:

10 full page website
Online web gallery
Online booking form
Availability calendar
Photo enhancements on up to 20 photos
FREE domain name
Auto response on all emails
Submission to Google, MSN and Yahoo
Free online support
1 year web hosting

You could attract some customers in the UK (where everything is expensive!).
If you are charging in GBP, and targeting the UK, you may also want to get a .co.uk name.

The site definitely needs some work though, here are my suggestions, in addition to everyone elses' suggestions:

Design / HTML:
Pick one, maybe 2 fonts - I can see at least four on your homepage.
Put some styling on your text (the default times new roman is not so nice)
Look into using XHTML
Make sure your page validates: http://validator.w3.org/

Content:
Get your story straight! the order page says to send details first, then pay, the homepage says the exact opposite. I also agree strongly with IntelBanks' point that you should not ask for blind payment.

Your example availability check takes the visitor to another site, they may not find this reassuring.

You ask the customer to send "Your rental rates per week", this may be overly simplistic. What about different seasons? Day rates? Different rates for week days / weekends?

05-25-2007, 08:35 AM	#1 (permalink)
SeanPreston Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Staffordshire, UK Posts: 1,054 50.00 NP$ (Donate)	Please Review!! Hi, Please can you review the design of my new site. The site is aimed at holiday property owners who want to advertise thier property on there very own website. Link: www.holidayletdesign.com P.S If you find any spelling or grammer error please tell me.

05-25-2007, 10:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
Mike NamePros Expert Join Date: May 2005 Location: www.chrome.us Posts: 5,245 46.20 NP$ (Donate)	The site is somewhat "bland", there's not much action going on. You should lead with an example of a page that immediately "wow's" the viewer. Never start your sales off with the price and payment BEFORE one can actually build their page. Let users submit their vision first, which builds and indicates commitment before you actually ask for money. 69.95 is not a small amount to buy almost blindfolded. Your argument may be that you have sample pages. Frankly, that's not an argument, especially not with the way you present the samples. Pictures sell properties or rentals, in this case. Even though you attach pictures, each picture opens in another page. That's the fist mistake on this platform, you should build a div layer that magnifies the picture without causing the user to have 15 windows open. Also, since we're talking the fancy "Web 2.0" looks already, you NEED video walk through options! Max of 30 seconds, .flv file that actually lets the user "inhale" the atmosphere. Just being static is not enough anymore. The text fonts that you use for the descriptions, with the small image on to the right hand side looks too cheap. As a consumer that pays 69.95 (almost $100 dollars), i'd expect more than that. Especially since i can buy flash templates and customize them to my exact use for less than that! Since your best shot is the network of sites that you're trying to establish, you should give users that either looked at properties, or maybe even visited them, the option to rank them and comment on them. Overall, you started with a good concept, but there's LOTS more to do to satisfy the price point you're asking. You might want to review your business concept and re-evaluate your strategy and approach. Not that you're doing anything wrong, but it appears that you just slapped something together in the hope that someone buys into standard templates. As always, 'tis just __________________ Do you Chrome? [\|] Noomle No fees & More Revenue IntelBank.com<<Your Business & Your Money>>CreditHelp.TV American Pilot Center <- Learn to Fly -> PilotCenter

05-25-2007, 10:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
lee101 NamePros Regular Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 344 482.75 NP$ (Donate)	I don't think the design looks bad, although it looks like you followed a tutorial to get to it, as i have created something similar before following a tutorial. 2 things that pop out to me are: The use of gif's as the banner image, since there isn't enough colours the picture looks very blotchy in areas. Also the fact that you haven't resized the picture on the homepage (http://www.holidayletdesign.com/images/villa-dora12.jpg) so it is taking up unnecessary bandwidth, and doesn't look as smooth/sharp as it could be. These are just points which I have picked up from looking at the homepage. __________________ http://bypasstopsite.com - Submit your proxy! http://biggertwitter.com - Make twitter a bit bigger! Currently Developing - Linux Screenshots

05-28-2007, 11:37 AM	#4 (permalink)
-NC- Traveller Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Yet another city Posts: 1,392 614.57 NP$ (Donate)	I think you are offering a decent package with: 10 full page website Online web gallery Online booking form Availability calendar Photo enhancements on up to 20 photos FREE domain name Auto response on all emails Submission to Google, MSN and Yahoo Free online support 1 year web hosting You could attract some customers in the UK (where everything is expensive!). If you are charging in GBP, and targeting the UK, you may also want to get a .co.uk name. The site definitely needs some work though, here are my suggestions, in addition to everyone elses' suggestions: Design / HTML: Pick one, maybe 2 fonts - I can see at least four on your homepage. Put some styling on your text (the default times new roman is not so nice) Look into using XHTML Make sure your page validates: http://validator.w3.org/ Content: Get your story straight! the order page says to send details first, then pay, the homepage says the exact opposite. I also agree strongly with IntelBanks' point that you should not ask for blind payment. Your example availability check takes the visitor to another site, they may not find this reassuring. You ask the customer to send "Your rental rates per week", this may be overly simplistic. What about different seasons? Day rates? Different rates for week days / weekends? __________________ Internet.geek.nz NameCooler.com Unlimited Domain Name Web Hosting Travel Money Rates

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