Looking for feedback on our new website

bigmountain · #1 (**permalink**) 04-03-2006, 11:05 PM

Hey guys.. we just recently launched our new website and I wanted everyone's opinion. Also, I wouldn't mind comments on our logo as well since it is also fairly new. I really appreciate it!

Jon

www.bigmountaindesign.com

sgliggett · #2 (**permalink**) 04-04-2006, 04:41 AM

I like the pics. Very clean and easy to follow.
The logo is good too.

MarcieZoob · #3 (**permalink**) 04-04-2006, 08:30 AM

The layout seems to be missing something, almost like it's "unfinished". Your menu bar graphic looks like it needs to be closed - adding a border on the left and right might do the trick. Graphically, the design seems to lacking something overall, especially for a web DESIGN company.

The graphic on the Web Design page is a little large and hard to read, plus the diamond pattern seems out of place with your site overall. Reduce all of your page headers to bring your content above the page fold.

Careful with your tag formatting, it seems a little "spammy". You should check your site for validation and accessibility and correct any errors you find before launching.

RegDCP · #4 (**permalink**) 04-04-2006, 08:13 PM

How much are you selling the grass for?

You are selling grass aren't you?

If not, why have a picture of it that takes up 50% of the main page's information area?

Reg

bigmountain · #5 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 02:16 AM

I guess what we are looking for is to be a little different than every other web host and design company out there. Most of those sites I see tend to have too much information and all use the same graphics (servers, data centers, www, etc.) making the site look like it came from a cookie cutter template. We thought that by having a pleasing graphic (the grass) that is easy on the eye and different, might entice people to keep looking through our site. Also, our area is green, lots of grass and mountains. Since the majority of our clients are small local businesses, this might help them identify us with their own business. What do you think? Am I way off or does locality and the grass picture have any merit?

By the way, I really appreciate the input.

sands · #6 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 03:07 AM

Firstly I see a JS error on line 120 when the home page loads. No time to figure it out. I liked the menu, no complaints from me of it looking open ;-)

As Reg says the image of the grass is indeed too big. I would have preferred to make the home page look like any of the other pages. The inner pages do look better.

On all the pages do make sure the links of the loaded pages are deactivated in the menu. Logo also is pretty good and neat. Could think about taking the menu up to the logos right side to save space below. This would help in the appearence of the page for those using a low res. monitor.

Lastly, in the contact page it would be better if you could make the background of the bottle image a bit darker.

sdrury · #7 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 05:01 AM

The message of the site and your business is creatively subtle - I mean that in a nice european way (we hate hard sell over here!)

Content too is great. There has been much debate recently over the amount of content on websites.
I believe the site is very well balanced. Some sites are close to needing a full scale DMS to host the volumes of marketing speak "papers" they publish - and there is a lot of repetitive stuff out there. Clients come to us for our services - this site nicely presents the info they need.

Steve.

MarcieZoob · #8 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RegDCP

How much are you selling the grass for? You are selling grass aren't you?

I'd really take this post into account since your identity will be based on first impression and the majority of new visitors will not know what you do. You won't have the opportunity to explain to each visitor (as you did here on the forum) why you are using grass as your main graphic. It just looks like stock photography to me - do you have anything that shows your area instead?

I'd recommend slowing down your testimonial script, you don't leave a frame on there long enough to read each comment.

OneMoreBite · #9 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 10:45 AM

I think you waste your most valuable space (above the fold) with giant graphics. Perhaps you are viewing the site with a high resolution monitor? As a web designer I'm sure you know that many people use 800 X 600, thus your design would be much different. When I clicked through to Web Design I expected to see a portfolio of your prior work (that would be a nice place for small thumbnails of other sites you've done for instance).

I'd scale way back on the size of the graphics, make the site consistent, so if you click a link you still know you're in the same site, and find a front-page graphic that conveys meaning. Grass is good if you are a landscaping service but I don't see any connection between grass and web design.

Kathryn

William Satterwhite · #10 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 04:41 PM

I actually like the grass image and what you're trying to accomplish with it but I think it would be best to overlay some slogan (like a witty catchpress that has to do with grass- "The grass is greener on our side" or something less lame than that) or other kind of text to make sure your audience understands you aren't really trying to sell them grass. The image by itself doesn't quite make this clear.

Paul B · #11 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 05:53 PM

There's a kind of 'nearly there' feel about the site. The top (to the right of the logo) is so empty and the footer doesn't hardly exist. Even the menu bar has no ends. IMO it feels 90% complete.

The pages are a little inconsistent:
some have images with backgrounds (online solutions) some without (contact us). Some have blue backgrounds and line drawings (client login) and 'web design' has a textual image and no photos on a green background.

I'm not sure the sub-menus within a page like 'web design' > 'seo' really work outside the menu bar. It is not particularly obvious.

Nor is there enough content to rank well with SEs. It's hard designing a designers site - especially your own. It will be harder convincing your customers to add content for SEs, when if don't do it yourself on your site.

Basically it's a good site, just waiting to be finished and made great...

bigmountain · #12 (**permalink**) 04-05-2006, 07:26 PM

I thought there was a great suggestion there about moving the nav bar just to the right of the logo in order to preserve space. Also, we are going to sharpen the logo a bit. Lastly, I do like the idea of trying to capture a local photo of mountains, city, etc.??? However, if we keep the grass, then the comment about placing some sort of tag line might also help out. We have discussed the overall photos being used in the site and agree that we need to replace the photo on the main web design page. We haven't discussed other photos yet, so it's possible we can make the site look much different with similar layout and it only take us a few minutes. Stay tuned.... and thanks!