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Hi everyone, I have taken a new position with a comapny that produces graphics. I am really excited about that.

It is a new company, with great equipment and capabilities.

The first thing I want to do is make the online presence more effective. I have my own opinions already, but would love the feedback from my friends here at SUN.

My opinion:
Pros:
-I like that the site shows actual samples of work
-I like the logo

Cons:
-The site is in flash, so not search engine friendly
-Content is basic, which may be fine...
-No photos of the inside of the shop during production or employees in action (is that important???) Since I am in the industry I enjoy seeing those types of shots
-The site seems too dark I suppose, maybe not enough contrast

Now, changes I plan to integrate with the designer
-is a log in section for large account holders like Wendy`s Fast Food. A section individual franchises can login see the corporate graphics available and then place an order for posters etc...)
-A better presence for the uploading of graphics to our servers.
-Possibly a quote area online, some type of form.

Thanks for those who give feedback, This is a great opportunity and I know you all can help!

site is www.shockwavesign.com

Mike

Personally, I like dark sites with lighter colors for the text, but I seem to be in the minority.

Overall, I like the site except that it`s all flash and all images.  You are correct that the search engines won`t find you without text and links.

Is this a live site?  You have some links that don`t work.  For example, I can`t see samples in the "Indoor Specialty Products page" , and the "About Us" doesn`t work from there.

The 54 sample images took a while to load.  I like seeing a lot of samples, but maybe a cover page of samples with a link to "more samples" would load faster.

In "Contact Us" the map needs to be zoomable.  The street names are awfully tiny for these old eyes.




-------------------------

Steve Mann
Internet Videographer
MannMade Digital Video
My Email

Thank you for the reply.  Thanks for pointing out the problems. Yes the site is live.

I think the link to "Indoor Specialty Products page" samples doesn`t work, because there are no samples loaded for that area.  So it would be best to take off the link to show samples for that product.

Thanks again,
Mike

Hi Mike, long time no see :-) Good fortune on the new job.

I took a look at the site, and almost didn`t see the "grafix" under Shockwave. It gets lost. What really bothered me, though, is that the 5 main navigation points have no indication (visually) that they`re  links. I went all over the place trying to figure out how to get beyone what "appeared" to be a splash page.

It wasn`t until I accidentally moved the  mouse pointer over the middle that I caught a flicker of something, and learned they were the links.

I`ve got a DSL line and an AMD 300-something processor, with about 256MB of memory. First, every page cascaded down my screen--annoying--as the pieces of each page loaded. Secondly, by having your site open in another window, it put a noticeable lag in this window. So something is continually hitting either the download line or the processor, and I hate when that happens.

I`m not a graphics designer, don`t know the market, so I`m not literate to whether or not the site sells the product well. I do know, though, that it`s not all that user-friendly.

Speaking with another grpahics friend of mine, it seems customers judge your image skills on whether or not you also have animation, movies, Flash!, and other such stuff on a Web site. I think that`s a shame, but I guess if it`s true there`s not a lot you can do about it. Is that true?

Craig, overall I agree with what you wrote. Let me respond this way.
The target market will typically be advertising agencies. They do most of the design, and we produce the products. I do know that they are heavily into visuals, and want samples, and capabilities (like how fast, what machines we have, etc...). Those are the first questions I am always asked. With that said I think focus should shift to making sure that aspect is well covered, with fast loading messages/graphics, and easy navigating.

Thanks for the feedback.

Ah...then I`d add the following to my own observations: There`s very little in the current site to highlight that your company "makes it happen" in the way you`re saying. The impression the site gives is that you guys also do the designing. Y`know?

Funny enough, we do the design also.

When working with advertising agencies, we are not designers, they are., However for everyone else we will design.

Thanks again...

:-) Well, my above confusion would likely be fairly typical, I`m supposing. So that in itself is feedback.

As someone who does actually hire graphic artists in my business ...

"Graphix" drives me crazy.

Why do you think this site is in Flash? It looks like HTML and Javascript to me. And lots of tables.

"Pictures of employees working" is something you care about. Since I`m Ms Whatsinit Forme customer, I only care about your USP and your finished results.

The font is "cool" .. but hard to read.

I don`t know why, but the site seems unfocused. I see the words but I am asking myself what you do. Are you a printing company? An advertising company? A design company? Artists?

These links are just weird. "Indoor Speciality Products"? What does that even mean?

Why is it not ...
Design Services
Large-Scale Printing
Custom Printing

And why do you have samples in each one, and then a separate "Examples" link? (I would not say examples by the way. Samples? Portfolio?)

The website is kind of slow-loading. The picture display function is even more so.

I think the samples/pictures are good, and the signs seem like good work, but you are doing nothing to clarify for me why I should go with your company and what your offer is to me. You`re not selling me - you`re just throwing everything up there and making me sort through it, and that`s not a real strong selling tactic. What is needs is a specific offer, selling point, and action. You have good work ... showcase it!

"SIGN & GRAPHIC COMPANY" also seems weird, but I wouldn`t know what to replace it with right now.

Hi everyone, I have completey redone the site. It doesn`t resemble the old one one bit. So, I don`t know if you all will know what to compare this new one to.

All I can ask is for feedback again. I am looking to find out

-if within 10 seconds you can tell what we do.
-if the nav system is straight forward enough
-overall does the site install a sense that we are professionals at what we do.
-and of course any other comment.

Since I am doing the site myself, (which I HATE, but can`t afford to hire who I want) I am very uncomfortable with the copy on the site. So, thanks for the detailed feedback.

Site is still   www.shockwavesign.com