Website Review and Suggestions

**tonya** · 11:03 AM

The site is not live yet - while we tweak & finish text & pictures !!!

http://www.bitsmail.co.uk/Treherne/home.html

Comments appreciated

btw - firefox shunts the footer down slightly I am posting a query in CSS help to try & sort that out !! I am also aware that I have cheated on the pages & reverted back to tables to layout the photos etc - this was mostly for speed because right now the client wants the site up & running - I intend to go back when I have time & sort this out into CSS !

**OSWebMaster** · 12-07-2007, 01:19 PM

Hello -
The criteria I use to review websites is one I use in College Courses on web design (you can see it at: http://webhelpermagazine.com/siterank.html).

In general, I score your site highly on design, with some things needed for eCommerce! Some minor design details...

On the Rooms page, I didn't at first notice that you could click photos to make them larger. Make that more apparent -- different colored type for the statement "[Click any picture to see a larger image]", etc.
You should style your links so they are more obvious, and you don't have to say "click here" to bring awareness of these key navigation elements.
None of your pages have titles in them (the text that appears at the top of the browser). This actually helps with SEO.
I like the AJAX treatment of the larger pics, but when they appear larger, there is no obvious way to click them closed (other implementations use either a "close" link, or a simple "X")

eCommerce...

Make it easier to make your sale -- install a booking system, and reservations manager. At the very least facilitate the sale by automatically accepting credit cards.
A map would help people understand the location of your property

You're well on your way. Best of luck and success!

Scott

**fastreplies** · 12-07-2007, 01:43 PM

Scott took words from my mouth

Design wise, I like it. Everything looks in the place.

I definitely would add Google Map instead or in addition to directions you provided
Other than that, I wouldn't change a bit

fastreplies

**itscooper** · 12-07-2007, 03:45 PM

Hiya,

The site looks really good. Nothing vital I don't think. However, I always like to go through and pick holes in things... get's me through the day!

Here are a couple of things I might have considered changing...

The grey back holding the main content... could it have a border? Just a single px of black down each side perhaps. It kinda blends in with the grey background slightly.
Generally I think the titles on each page are okay (although I think a nicer font might be in order... perhaps even just removing the boldness). Could the homepage title be shorter so it only takes up one line? Perhaps just "Welcome" or "A Warm Welcome..." or something.
Wherever you have text beside a picture in a table (e.g. Food & Drink), I would suggest you consider valigning it to the top rather than the middle. May not look any better but maybe you could try it and see.
Make the site's title a link to the homepage? Some people (not many I admit ) go straight to the site's title/header in order to get to the homepage. It's a little thing that makes very little difference mind you.
On your images, it might be wise to use "alt" tags for accessibility purposes (not for tooltips but simply as an alternative to the visual content).

But generally I love it... especially the headers and the use of the wide pictures underneath. A really good, well thought-out design.

Good luck.

**reyres** · 12-07-2007, 10:05 PM

you may want to change the information background color so it doesn't match the site background so it will contrast.

also put a title on you pages or google and yahoo won't like you.

**tonya** · 12-11-2007, 10:36 AM

Hi & thanks for remarks

I have not done any site optimization yet - thats my last stage - titles- keywords & checking content etc - but thanks for the heads up

Grey background - yes it does blend a little doesn't it - I had hoped the shadow on the right would help it stand out.

I have just been working on the styling & changed header so text is slightly smaller & fits page. Links colors I agree - needs to stand out more am playing with what color right now - maybe gray maybe blue or something else.

no alt tags yet - all comes when I check page optimization & run it through a tool I have that checks for errors & keyword matches - alt tags etc. What I do need to do is make the click to enlarge images stand out a bit more & perhaps an alt message on the larger image that says click to close - thought had added that but will check again !!

Thanks - keep comments rolling - b4 site goes live have much work to do & ecommerce aspect is part of that !

Tonya

**davemies** · 12-11-2007, 11:04 AM

"What I do need to do is make the click to enlarge images stand out a bit more & perhaps an alt message on the larger image that says click to close - thought had added that but will check again !!"

you do have that but it's your global link colour i.e. white on a pale backround. edit the lightbox.css - adding in your link styles there.

your footer is a bit short in firefox in windows - is that intentional?

oh yeah - otherwise it looks really good!

**tonya** · 12-11-2007, 11:49 AM

davemies - great minds think alike - when I checked i could see the problem - added the alt tag in for good measure but also changed the global style for a tag & added some style classes to get local tag formatting as required.

Thanks !

No firefox problem being worked on - another post in the css forum !!