Website Review and Suggestions

**Vizcom** · 11:43 AM

I've been a graphic designer for some time and this is the fifth generation of my website. I have tried to make it look unusual, not business-like (this could be a mistake), easy to use and informative. I'm not that interested in reviews of the graphic style used. I'm more interested in how you think the site reads, functions, SEO aspects and the coding.

www.vizcomdesign.co.uk

**Ethan718** · 08-14-2008, 10:34 PM

Yes, you succeeded in making it look unusual. I think this could have failed miserably, but it didn't.

Now, I think it looks good, and for the style I don't think anything should be changed, but I think it would make a better impression to have a more complex, regular theme.

Although this catches attention, one may not take it seriously, I believe.

**The-Pixel** · 08-15-2008, 01:11 AM

No offense. But your websites "kiddish" and I don't think anyone would take you seriously.

**Vizcom** · 08-19-2008, 11:55 AM

Could anyone give my site a review after reading my post? I'm not that interested in reviews of the graphic style used. I'm more interested in how you think the site reads, functions, SEO aspects and the coding.

**Mr. B** · 08-19-2008, 12:26 PM

Your request a quote form should not have address fields... totally unnecessary. The referrer field should be limited to a single optional text field. The text fields could use some spacing from the description titles.

Also, I think I'm right in saying a website for a paid service such as yours should not have ads for other businesses like Amazon. That's doing no favors for your credibility.

**jeremy lpm** · 08-20-2008, 12:24 PM

Everything worked good for me, I was able to go to each part of the site with out a problem and didn’t see any overlapping or out of place graphics.

**theguru** · 08-20-2008, 06:36 PM

If you want to get people to take you seriously and purchase your services, you will need to seriously shape up your website. The graphics look like copied and pasted clip art, look at other design web sites and see how they give it a professional edge while maintaining their uniqueness.

**Vizcom** · 08-22-2008, 08:09 AM

Thanks for your comments Jim. I've been in business since 1996 and many people take me seriously and I have many clients, many new ones have chosen me because they like my website. I receive at least five enquiries a week and I think this is due to the fact that people are tired of the trendy looking design sites which all look the same. It's not the graphics I want comments on as I've said twice now (if you read the thread) but how you think the site fuctions, ways it could be improved, the coding used and how it is optimised.

**LadynRed** · 11:12 AM

I know you don't want comments on the graphics, but since you've been dissed for them already, I'm just going to say that I LIKE your graphic style and I don't think it looks 'kiddish' at all. I've seen so-called 'professional' sites that go to great lengths for that 'professional' look and feel - and fail miserably on everything else ! Since you are a graphic artist, I would EXPECT something graphically creative

Now.. I'll get to what you really asked for.

1 - Navigation - the text on your buttons is a bit too small at my resolution of 1280x1024. You're using px for font sizing and that will prevent anyone using IE from resizing the text to something larger to suit their visual needs. Your fonts should be defined using percentages or em's to make them scalable. I boosted your font sizing on your nav to 1em, and everything fits and is perfectly readable.

2 - The black text on the hot pink rollover button is hard to read, the contrast is difficult. I'd go with white text or something light for better readability.

3 - Links - I understand the aesthetic of removing the underlining from links (except for the nav that's ok), but doing so makes it really difficult for people to see that the words actually ARE links. While you've changed the color, it's still not a good practice to remove the underlining from links for accessibility reasons - someone who's colorblind wouldn't know there's a link there unless they rolled over the text and their cursor changed.

4) In Firefox, on the 'request a quote' page, the ad block is off to the right and not where it belongs. Did you forget to clear a float ?

5) You should not be using the horrid, deprecated <font> tag - you've got CSS, use it as it was meant to be used - style your text and your headings with it - it's a LOT cleaner and will leave you with much cleaner code. Move all that styling into the external stylesheet.

You really should include your business name in the <title> tag, not just stuff it with keywords. That title tag is what search engines are going to display - so it needs to identify who you are right off the bat.

Overall I think it's really good

**Vizcom** · 08-29-2008, 06:54 AM

Thanks Lady in Red that's exactly what I'm after. I'm not a web developer and needed to know what needed improving regards the technical aspects of the website.

**johnlloyd** · 08-29-2008, 07:50 AM

as far as my observation is concern it looks like it's not a graphic design website, the site looks more tutorial site for kids, I think that you choose the proper design and color scheme for the site so it looks more professional and match to services that your offering for!

**Deunan** · 08-31-2008, 10:17 PM

You definitly succeeded in standing out, lol. Good job. I'm so tired of seeing those,hm, standard adverty sites. Hard to describe, but they always have the same sort of style, and such. It was nice to see something a little diffrent. Gives it a sense of humor.

**vahhho** · 09-01-2008, 02:10 AM

Desing 10/10
Creativity 9/10
Colors 10/10
Everything else i would give 8/10

**Vizcom** · 09-01-2008, 04:27 AM

Thanks for the comments can I mention that I'm not interested in comments on the graphic style but please comment on functionality, coding and any other techincal aspects.

**Angelosanto** · 05:41 AM

I've always been a fan of this sites design - have you posted it here before? Because I've definitely come across it before

edit: I've just noticed a couple of the other comments on this thread and I'd just like to say that I think your website looks quite fun and most importantly, it stands out from the others in a way that I immediately recognised it when I just went on it, despite the fact I think I've only ever seen it once before quite a while ago. Childish? Maybe a little, but not necessarily a bad thing, I think it works.

**Vizcom** · 09-01-2008, 07:01 AM

Hi Danny

The site has been in my signature for a while but I have only recently asked for reviews. There are a few people who think it is a little childish so I may consider updating it a little. It seems that women really like it and men not as much it's generating more enquires and more business than the previous design.

thanks
Dan

**timothynblake** · 09-01-2008, 12:32 PM

I love it you've done a nice job its simply but still looks professional and also a great choice of colours. An overall great job which looks different from most websites out there keep the good work up.

**BDevil15** · 09-01-2008, 02:07 PM

Nice site, I know you dont want graphical comments but this goes to the usability. The links in your content that Lady said were a different color look the same to me, I had no idea they were links until I started moving my mouse around, I would suggest a bigger contrast or underlining. Also in your web design section, that blue is nice everywhere except in the main content. The blue on light green is REALLY hard on my eyes, maybe its just me, maybe you just dont care, but it is really harsh on my old eyes. I feel like im going to have a seizure on that page.

The menu bar seems a little slow to react but thats nothing major, just annoying. Saying your not a web developer and offering web design service is annoying, and your general... i dont want a review of my site I want a review of how it works only, attitude is annoying.

Nice site.

**PureDezigner** · 09-01-2008, 03:34 PM

I really like the fun aspect of your site. It's very unique and eye catching. As far as the SEO for your website, I've noticed a lot of your keywords as well as other aspects of the layout are presented using tables, this could have a negative effect on your SEO efforts. I would look into re laying these elements out in a full css implementation. Then the next thing to do would be to make sure your pages validate, this will help with SEO and make sure your website is viewed the same cross all browsers. Over all I really your theme! I'd give it a 80-85% rating, knowing there is some work to be done on the layout side of things.

**Vizcom** · 09-02-2008, 09:30 AM

Thanks for all your comments. Looks like I've got a bit more work to do!

thanks
Dan