>>>> Website Design Site Showcase

Locked
hb7of10
Joomla! Intern
Joomla! Intern
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:17 am
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Contact:

>>>> Website Design Site Showcase

Post by hb7of10 » Sun Nov 15, 2009 8:21 am

Hi Guys

my site is: www.[spam].co.za

:-[

This is one of my newest creations, I have been playing around in Joomla for the last year, and finally decided to do a site for myself about a month ago.

I have tried to keep the design clean and focused, thereby hopefully increasing the conversation rate.

The site has been search engine optmized based on keyword research.

Tweetboard and a follow me module has been added to the front HOME PAGE.

I'm adding new content to the site on a weekly basis, and will also look at implementing other social media optimization elements. Any idea's on these ?

I'm in the process of setting up a links page, and will most likely use Sobi. Also working on a Blog which I will enable comments on... Any suggestions for a good comment component ?

Most importantly though is that I need feedback on the HOME PAGE OF THE SITE. IE I would like to get this page as focused as possible on converting clients. Something is missing though ? :'(

Thanks in advance for your feedback
<< Do what you must do so that you can do what you want to do. >>
http://www.[spam].co.za/
Duplicate links are not allowed. Please, see forum rules: http://forum.joomla.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=65

tuber1981
Joomla! Explorer
Joomla! Explorer
Posts: 282
Joined: Tue Jan 09, 2007 8:40 am
Contact:

Re: >>>> Website Design Site Showcase

Post by tuber1981 » Mon Nov 16, 2009 12:09 pm

I'm pretty sure I have seen some of the images in your slideshow in google image searches on other websites. Maybe I am wrong though.

User avatar
SFGolfer
Joomla! Ace
Joomla! Ace
Posts: 1216
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:27 am
Location: Bunker or a Hazard
Contact:

Re: >>>> Website Design Site Showcase

Post by SFGolfer » Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:02 pm

The images in your slideshow doesn't look that good with their jagged edges. You should also omit the keywords from being listed at the bottom of the page.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while.

hb7of10
Joomla! Intern
Joomla! Intern
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:17 am
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Contact:

Re: >>>> Website Design Site Showcase

Post by hb7of10 » Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:24 am

Thanks, I'm working on the image scroller, looking for a new module at the moment.
<< Do what you must do so that you can do what you want to do. >>
http://www.[spam].co.za/
Duplicate links are not allowed. Please, see forum rules: http://forum.joomla.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=65

User avatar
tecwzrd
Joomla! Enthusiast
Joomla! Enthusiast
Posts: 204
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:00 pm
Location: Virginia
Contact:

Re: >>>> Website Design Site Showcase

Post by tecwzrd » Tue Nov 17, 2009 2:35 pm

Top RokStories module is empty (and still shows the title). The "Validates to XHTML 1.0 and CSS 2.1" still links the YOO Theme template.

"99% of small business websites are CRAP" This is very negative and wrong IMO. Sure a lot of sites do look like crap but nowhere near 99%. You don't attract clients by being negative.

Lack of a portfolio with at least 6+ sites already completed doesn't give clients any idea of what they are getting.

On all the "Package" pages listing your different options at the bottom where it shows "For a free consultation or more information click here" is goes to a 404 page.

You talk about your extensive knowledge on how to optimize a site yet the js/css and images are not optimized. i.e. you haven't GZIPPED your html/js/css and you use large file size PNG images against a white background when JPG would have been fine. Your front page is over 1MB to download.

Good SEO score
, still room for improvement. You can use this extension to fix the Canonicalisation issue easily. SEO Canonicalisation Plugin

Is the 995 you charge based on "South African Rand" = 134.697 US Dollar

Overall it's a decent site, I'd just work on the above issues.
If you haven't figured it out yet I like to BOLD all my links.

hb7of10
Joomla! Intern
Joomla! Intern
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:17 am
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Contact:

Re: >>>> Website Design Site Showcase

Post by hb7of10 » Thu Dec 10, 2009 4:19 pm

Hi tecwzrd

Thanks for the comprehensive feedback.

I have fixed the Canonicalization using RS-SEO, which is awesome, Don't you if you have it but please do check it out!

I setup permanent 301 directs using RS-SEO.
Also removed the XHTML and CSS validation links.
All prices have been removed until I have more time to focus on the content, PS the price was wrong and was missing a number - should be closer to R9 995.00

SEO wise there is still plenty to fix, lots of duplicate title and meta tags.

I did not realize that the HP was that big, will Smush the images. and convert to JPG. I have manged to scape about 300Kb just off the image sizes.

There are still some other optimizations that I will perform, as per your suggestions.

Will setup a custom 404 page and have sorted out all the dead links.

Thanks again for your feedback.

HB
<< Do what you must do so that you can do what you want to do. >>
http://www.[spam].co.za/
Duplicate links are not allowed. Please, see forum rules: http://forum.joomla.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=65

hb7of10
Joomla! Intern
Joomla! Intern
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:17 am
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Contact:

Re: >>>> Website Design Site Showcase

Post by hb7of10 » Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:16 am

Thanks again for your response tecwzrd

I have manged to update the front page, and reduce its size. from 850KB to 450KB.

The images have been optimized and their sizes reduced.

Tweetboad which is a very cool extension, was actually the main problem as it added about 400Kb to the home page of the website.

:-[
<< Do what you must do so that you can do what you want to do. >>
http://www.[spam].co.za/
Duplicate links are not allowed. Please, see forum rules: http://forum.joomla.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=65

User avatar
tecwzrd
Joomla! Enthusiast
Joomla! Enthusiast
Posts: 204
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:00 pm
Location: Virginia
Contact:

Re: >>>> Website Design Site Showcase

Post by tecwzrd » Fri Dec 11, 2009 2:24 pm

NP, glad to help.

Still have these issues to resolve for further optimization.

Your js/css isn't GZIPPED compressed which cuts loading time by 60+% and is supported by all major browsers. You can compress your CSS/JS using CssJsCompress

You can view your file sizes quickly for each image and js/css and see the compressed states of your js/css using FireFox along with Firebug and YSlow

You still have the Canonicalization issue i.e.
http://[spam].co.za
http://www.[spam].co.za

Are two different sites to search engines. Entering it either way should point to the same address for SEO purposes.

On the Accommodation website you have text at the bottom "(Click on the name for more details)" but nothing is click-able.

On all the "Package" pages listing your different options at the bottom where it shows "For a free consultation or more information click here" is goes to a 404 page.
Still have a ton of 404 links on your different contact pages.

The majority of your blog posts are empty, I'd remove them until you get content posted.

Images can still be optimized more, convert png files to 70-80% jpg files when you can (same color background) like the ones in your showcase module. When you can't use www.punypng.com to make your png as small as possible.

Turn GZIP on and cache on in your Joomla backend.

Overall it's looks good but just needs some more TLC.
If you haven't figured it out yet I like to BOLD all my links.


Locked

Return to “1.5 Site Showcase - Archived”