We have just finished (at least for now) on a customers site. I wanted to see what you guys thought of it. EdB Properties - Selling San Diego... One Home at a Time! yes the site uses iframes. but only in a small area. We are waiting for ERA to get their stuff together for this area. So check it out and let me know what you guys think. Thanks

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Looks fairly nice, although I would consider having the video ad start out as a screenshot with a play button that triggers playing of the ad. The intro is nice, but users may leave before the ad starts playing but after the file begins to download. Also, users could potentially encounter problems resulting from software incompatibilities, different operating systems, older computers, etc. Using a interstatial image after the we advertise on would save bandwidth for you and for your users, and can also prevent loss of customers with lower bandwidth or older computers, etc.

Also, I noticed that you have the description duplicated on at least the home page, with a blank name field. Also, the San Diego Ranch Homes url contains a space, which may cause crawl errors.

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thanks. I'll fix the space on that. But for customers with slower speed computers... they are just out of luck. Its 2007 for crying out loud.

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Hey, this is a really nice, clean design. Good job!

Just one thing, that you may not be welcome to share with the client. But I really dislike their motto: "Selling San Diego...one home at a time!"

I'm not sure who thought that one up, but it rubs me the wrong way. In this day and age of environmentally conscious folks, it just conjures up the idea of urban and suburban sprawl.

I know your job isn't giving marketing advice to your client. But I don't care for that motto.

The sight is really nice though! Great job.

yeah that's his whole idea. I never thought of it from that angle though. Thanks

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As are the blind, users of portable browsing devices, users who are accessing the web via a metropolitan area network, and those of us that don't want sound blasting out of our speakers when visiting a real estate web site while working in a quiet but crowded office, apparently.

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dually noted. but taken with a grain of sand. I have accessed the site from my mobile phone and from a city wide Wireless network and it seems to load just fine. As for looking at it from work I can see where that would pose a problem, however I thought workplaces limited online access.

But you think this will help the site if I have it to where it doesn't auto play?

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To me, it comes down to a risk/benefit ratio. On the risk side, I think you may lose visitors who are startled by the sound/video or encounter technical issues, and you have additional bandwidth for all the incoming users. Also, some recent usability studies have shown that users will completely ignore anything that looks like an ad - banners, many types of images, flash animations and now even videos. (Note, an interstitial that reminds users of those used by youtube and metacafe et al might draw the eye that skips over the video, especially with younger demographics used to social media.)

What are the benefits? This is something that you would probably have a better idea of than I. All I am saying is make sure you are getting some benefit from the video playing. Do those benefits justify even the cost of the bandwidth? I mean, if you sit five people down in front of the site and watch them go through a few pages, do they look at the video? Do they get anything from it? Or do users watch the video more out of curiosity? In that case, the interstitial lets you deliver the content only to those users, without the cost of delivering it to everyone.

Again, it is something you have to test with your target demographics. I personally get turned off by media that autoplays, and my programmer/hacker mind goes for the "what can go wrong". I can be completely off base compared to your target demo. All I am saying is test it and see what you get.

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thanks for the input. I appreciate it

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anyone else?

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Emmaus Designs | Emmaus Domains | My SEO Planet