Redesigning website to enter a Corporate Image Competition- Please critique current design

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Redesigning website to enter a Corporate Image Competition- Please critique current design

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Jewelwillow

posts: 3

Dec 28, 2008 8:06 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Website: www.balloonique.com.au

My current website was completely redone 6-18 months ago (yes it took that long to get it up), by a web design student as I had very limited funds. A graphic designer associate gave us a general guideline for style, then the web design student put it online for me. Initially the site didn`t operate in all browsers, but I found someone to repair that functionality. I have since discovered that frames aren`t friendly to search engines, so I`m looking to have it remade without the frames.The site fix it guy will redo the same design without the frames, but since this is going to cost me money anyway, I`d like to have the site redesigned to fix as many flaws as possible, so I don`t need to worry about it again for a while.

I`d appreciate any feedback on the site that springs to mind, but primarily the design, layout and content. I`m looking to enter a Corporate Image competition in a couple of months, and the website will form part of the judging, so I`d really like to get it looking fantastic.

It`s primary purpose is as an online portfolio/sales tool. Our customers can see what we offer, and we can guide telephone customers to particular designs when they call to make enquiries. We are primarily a balloon decorator, and secondary a party supply store. Our corporate colours are blue, purple and silver. We are aiming to distinguish ourselves as talented balloon decorators, with a unique design capability and offering great service. We are not after the lowest price shoppers.

I`d appreciate any feedback or comments (good or bad - I have very thick skin) on the website. Also, if you know of any website designers that have done several florist or event planning sites that may be suitable for meeting my needs in redesigning the site, I`d love to hear from you.

Thanks in advance!!!

Beth.

Balloonique Designs

Email: enquiry@balloonique.com.au

Website: www.balloonique.com.au

vwebworld

posts: 1237

Dec 28, 2008 9:25 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Beth,

It is a rather plain design especially considering what your business provides.

A few things:

Watch the file size of a few of the graphics on your site, they are too large. Forexample the background image on the left is over 80K... that is large for an image with limited colors.
The menu buttons... while ok, are not the best. AND the black text is not easy to read becuase o the background.
The header image - with your phone number. Plain. plus why use a graphic to display your phone #? You can have a back ground image and text overlay instead.

Each page is also rather plain... very little on it.......... just some centered text.

I would include some sample images with the text.

Gallery - You might do better by including a "gallery" of all your images by category. That wahy people do not have to go to each page to view images relating to a function. Are ALL those images pictures of your work?

As for Search engine design - there is essentially nothing done to address search engine optimization. First, each page should have a title that includes a targeted keyword. Also, a description relevant to that page`s content.

I`d suggest also adding a DOCTYPE. Unfortunately, I think your site needs a bunch of work on the coding site too. The styles should be in a CSS.

I saw on your contact us page - "envoronmentally friendly" Maybe that should be on your home page??

~Roland

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Web Design | Best Beef Jerky | ecommerce articles | Follow vwebworld on Twitter

Webline

posts: 687

Dec 28, 2008 9:54 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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I agree with Roland.

You`re going to have to rework all of your site to get a "corporate" look, although the color scheme and some images could be retained ..... SEO is pretty much nonexistent .... and the coding is not effective.

The navigation is bad ..... not just the hard to read buttons, but you have to go to a secondary menu to get to the "goal" of what you want, i.e., showing your galleries and images.

What you do is very visual, and there is very little to help visualize what you do on the main page .... so just a few words on the main page is not going to generate interest or get across that visual to your users .... what should come off as colorful and creative and happy is just pretty much boring .... show off your products and services and what you do right away .... make your visitors think "Whoa, that`s cool!" as soon as they get to the site .....

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M Hall
Website Critique Community
International Society of Curmudgeons

patentandtrademark

posts: 1332

Dec 28, 2008 12:35 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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have you protected the trademark with federal registration?

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

James Lindon, Ph.D. Patent Attorney
Lindon & Lindon, LLC
Cleveland, Ohio
Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Pharmacy Law, Litigation
[this is not legal advice - provided for discussion only]
Intellectual Property for the Individual and Small Business: Identify, Protect, Enforce, Defend.
"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."
http://www.LindonLaw.com

Jewelwillow

posts: 3

Dec 28, 2008 4:59 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Hi Roland,

Thanks for your feedback. Yes, every single image is my own work. Thats why we redid the site so we could update all the photos from where we started 5 years ago. I`d like to be able to stop people (copmpetitors) from copying the images, but none of the web designers I`ve spoken to have been able to do this for some reason.

Could you please clarify what you mean by "You might do better by including a "gallery" of all your images by category" I found it difficult to differentiate between function decorations and Decor categories in any other format.

The CSS style is what the second guy was supposed to do in order to make it work on all browsers. Is this not done correctly?

From your feedback, I tend to presume I`d be better to start from scratch rather than repair whats there. What would you recommend?

Thanks very much, Beth.

vwebworld

posts: 1237

Dec 28, 2008 6:36 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Hi Beth,

Preventing people from copying images is virtually impossible. Basically, if someone can see it they can copy it. You competition will be able to see your work on your site and get ideas from those images even if you could stop them from making copies.

My gallery thought was to have one page where samples of your work could be viewed. There are a number of ways to put a gallery of images on your site..even by category. Also, I`m not sure you need ALL those images...while it show s you have done a lot of work... it is overwhelming to the viewer. I`d suggest only a few photos for each category.

An example of an image display: sample websites - click on the thumbnail image.

Another display method: student activities - mouseover images

CSS - well the styles on your site are not all in a CSS, but are defined throughout each page.

I`d suggest starting over - I know, not what you`d like to hear.

My thought would be a site that uses color and balloon images in a bold manner. After all that`s what you`re selling. You might be able to use images of your own work.

Here`s a site that uses their own work: fabric flowers It`s one I did a few years ago... just to give you an idea of using more images.

Yours would be brighter and maybe a larger base/background (balloons) image.

~Roland

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

Web Design | Best Beef Jerky | ecommerce articles | Follow vwebworld on Twitter

vwebworld

posts: 1237

Dec 28, 2008 8:38 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Here`s a simple layout idea: balloon site

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Web Design | Best Beef Jerky | ecommerce articles | Follow vwebworld on Twitter

Jewelwillow

posts: 3

Dec 29, 2008 4:52 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Thanks Roland. Anyone else feel free to jump in with feedback also!

I`m going to get it redone from scratch. However, I need to ascertain what to do with the gallery. When people call up and say I want balloons for the table, how much are they?...... There are about a dozen different basic designs, with a large variance in pricing, and so we have a picture of each on the website. We then direct them to the website - look at the decor page, go to table centrepeices, look at picture, A, C, F etc. Which do you like best, explain the features of each.

Before the website was up, I spent half an hour to an hour on each enquiry, collating the pictures that may be relevant to them and emailing them through, and was spending a LOT of time on that kind of stuff. The whole aim of the website is to have the options laid out there to save us getting generic phonecalls which caused a lot of work, and not always generate sales. The website is to prequalify the customers, so they have an idea of what they like by the time they call.

Do you have any suggestions of how many pictures would be an appropriate number for people to select from. At present, I have just got one of each design, and that was trying to cut them down as best as possible.

I don`t mind if competitors use the design concept and make their own version of it, but I do get upset when they try to pass off my photos as their work.

Also, how do I source a web designer? There are so many out there, how do I find one that I can afford? Do I look for a web designer, or a web programmer? I haven`t found any websites that I just love, otherwise, I`d find that designer and go to them. Most web designers body of works bore me. Also, is it better to have one local, or does it not matter at all?

I appreciate all your input. Beth.

Webline

posts: 687

Dec 29, 2008 5:13 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

Points: 0 Vote

You could have a gallery which is dynamic, meaning that you could create different categories as you have now, then upload images into those categories, and add basic information and pricing for each. For the viewer, each category can be viewed individually with the associated images and information. This gives your viewers the info they need on each item, without using their time as well as yours on the phone.

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

M Hall
Website Critique Community
International Society of Curmudgeons

vwebworld

posts: 1237

Dec 29, 2008 6:40 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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As noted above you can have a gallery with different categories and description for each category and image. You might include prices with each image, but my guess is your prices may be different depending upon the size of the job (# of arrangements).

The number of pictures - enough to represent what you think is appropriate to answer customer questions/interest.

Web designer? That`s a good question. One that has been talked about on SUN a few times. Factors - Ability to do the job, of course. How the designer works - does it fit with your work style? Certainly check references. Local - Not a big factor unless it is important to you.

One constraint may be your budget. You usually get what you pay for. But be up front when talking to any designer about your budget range. Also, have a good idea about what your site to do and your goals for the site - short term and long term.

Where to find a web designer - SUN members?

~Roland

I appreciate all your input. Beth.

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

Web Design | Best Beef Jerky | ecommerce articles | Follow vwebworld on Twitter

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