Site Pal character - Love it or hate it?

legaleagle1 · #1 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 12:08 AM

We are trying to increase the stick and conversion on our home page and have put up the best choice of SitePal character we could with text to speech. Would appreciate any input regarding
this along with any suggestions for improvement within the established setup which admittedly is somewhat archaic. See: Criminal Record Background Check Public Record People Finder

davebarnes · #2 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 12:30 AM

I HATE websites that make noise when I land on them.

And, yes it is terribly dated.

legaleagle1 · #3 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 02:49 AM

My father in law hates going to modern shows because they’re noisy. I love him to death but he’s also dated at 89. It’s difficult to know if new things work unless you test them. How about some constructive criticism Dave?

sands · #4 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 05:57 AM

The SitePal character is the least of your concerns. The text spoken could just as easily be put as text.

In terms of aesthetics, its not very professional. To be honest, it looks home-made. There is repeat content on the page. Would be a good idea to demarcate the left, center and right panels.

The yellow highlight looks gaudy. Testimonials could be put on a separate page. There are too many different font colors, one of the reasons for the unprofessional look.

The menu on top, below the logo, is a mess. It is difficult to say where the links begin and end. The code is shocking. It has got the MS stamp all over it. Was it done using Word or FrontPage? You could easily half the code thus making the page load faster and make things easy for the SEs as well.

Sorry but there is nothing good to say about the design though the service provided seems to be good. A professional look with better coding could do wonders.

**incrediblehelp** · #5 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 09:35 AM

Consider a redesign before worrying about SitePal.

Dubbya · #6 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 10:22 AM

If it's just a narrative that you're after, you'd be MUCH better off to create a video and post it on YouTube, then embed it in your page.

You won't annoy Dave or your Father-in-law with the SitePal narrative.
A well made and useful video will attract links.
You can add your URL in the video to boost traffic to your site.
Google LOVES YouTube video.
You'll be linking to your own content instead of SitePal's site.
Users LOVE the ability to choose what they watch.
You'll save money by not having to pay SitePal monthly fees.

.02

shyflower · #7 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 11:07 AM

I'm 100% with Dave. The easiest way to get me to back out of a site is to have the thing talk to me while I'm trying to browse. This particular site pal seems to have a speech impediment as well. Her "ch's" (ie. Search) are just a bit too well enunciated.

**mjtaylor** · #8 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 02:26 PM

I have to chime in here ... I *hate* noise when I land on a site, whether it's Site Pal or ambient music. And I am not 89 nor your dad ... dated, perhaps, but only by tall, dark and handsome men ... your site, on the other hand, looks so unprofessional that I would leave it even without SitePal ... listen to Inc'help and redesign your site first ... and to Dubbya and Dave ... while Dubbya might be more constructive, Dave is almost always spot on in his criticism even if a little blunt. The truth is tough to hear sometimes ... and you asked.

**incrediblehelp** · #9 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 02:40 PM

The only time sound should happen on a website is when the user opts for it. Never auto-start sound.

**mjtaylor** · #10 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by incrediblehelp

The only time sound should happen on a website is when the user opts for it. Never auto-start sound.

Hear, hear!

legaleagle1 · #11 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 03:25 PM

First, thanks to all of you for your frank and constructive critique. I'll try to rebut point by point to each.

Hello Shyflower, I agree with you about the possibility of being distracted, but only if its on an endless loop, loud and irritating. This briefly tells it's story and ends. Most people seem to land at a site for a matter of seconds before leaving unless something interests them. They only view what is shown in the opening window. A small "window" of opportunity so to speak. Very little reading and no scrolling unless interest is captured. Since they're too lazy to read or scroll, I'm hoping they can at least hear! That way, some of the story is forced across along with the chance of creating interest. You're also right about the speech impediment. I'll try to correct it. You should have heard and seen her when we started. She had intermitent facial shakes together with the slurring. We corrected things, changed the background and I think she's kind of cute now. Check out our Investigate Your Date page and advise your thoughts: Dating, Background Check, Dating Services, Online Dating

Hello Dubbya, Your idea is great on all points and I'll seriously look into it. I took the course of least resistance. Now if I could get Speilberg to direct....

Hello Incrediblehelp, I admitted the site was archaic in my opening statement asking for input short of redesign. There are many reasons I wish to avoid it beyond the cost of doing so, not the least of which are the many substancial Google first page keyword listings we have along with the ageing factor. It may come as a surprise to you, but there are customers who are more comfortable ordering on sites with less bells and whistles. That said, it does need clean up and you are right to suggest it.

Hello Sands, Yes, the spoken text could be just written as most others are, and also ignored as all but the first few lines are. As I've said in prior answers, I'm trying to find a way to get heard and stand out upon a subject's arrival at the site. You can have a beautiful perfect site that is a template copy of your competition that people hit and leave, or you can try to stand out in some way. Our prices are honest and fair, the service is great, but it has to be sold. This Sitepal may not work and Dubbya's YouTube SEO idea is certainly valid, but bottom line, one needs to take
the blinders off and try new things. Keep what works and discard what doesn't.

The site was professionally made, but long ago, and they used FrontPage. I'm wondering if the coding you're concerned about is all the special added code that allows for easy self editing.
Your comment to demarcate the left, right and center panels is right on the mark. However, lined boxing makes it look more template. We could use background shading. What color would you suggest keeping in mind our red, white and blue theme? Light blue with black font,
Blue with white reverse font? Another choice? What do you prefer with the current layout?

The repeat content is true and there for the sales pitch and SEO, but that together with the highlight and font colors could and should be improved. I've seen others use a small area with moving scroll to show some of their testimonials. That way they at least they get seen and not lost on a hidden page. People do need reassurances along with a sense of safety to order.

Thank you all again for the courtesy of your replies.

Martinscholes · #12 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 09:02 PM

To my way of thinking the SitPal does not work. When she ends, she stares into space and is really a distraction. The You Tube idea is really the way forward, I feel.

shyflower · #13 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 02:10 AM

No matter how cute you think she looks, your visitors aren't coming to your site looking for cute. They want information, and from what others have said here, without distraction. Your Site Pal is distracting and intrusive. It's the exact kind of thing that makes me immediately back out of a site.

It's a pity you look at your visitors as too lazy to read or scroll, but then maybe you just haven't found the way to fire up their interest.

legaleagle1 · #14 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 04:51 AM

Hello Martin and welcome to the dissertation. She does stare off into space at the end and that is annoying. The original one I saw had the eyes and slight movement following the cursor which gave it some form of response. I have to find out what's going on with this one.
Also note we can change the words and the voice to repeat multiple messages, special offers etc. I will be looking into Dubbya's YouTube suggestion though.

Shyflower, it's nice to hear from you again. But why no comment on the Dating Page I asked you to look at (and hear)?? Please note that the reference I made to cute was only being facetious. I don't just see my visitors as too lazy to read and scroll, I see most being as such and believe that if you study most site stats you too will find that to be the case. Most are lookyloos unless they are studying for a test. Otherwise, you really have to entertain them in some way to encourage them to consider what charms you have to offer over your competition. It's called selling a product. Price is not everything believe me. However, unfortunately, that's what the general public responds to. In our business, the most serious battle we fight is to simplify a complex process to people unfamiliar with it's workings. It's easy to give too much information. Our competition for the most part work with bait and switch tactics that start out dirt cheap and people get sucked in. I refuse to do this and it's hard to fight cheap within the search engine results.

The Sitepal character or something like it was my hope, as you say, to fire up more interest once you are lucky enough to get visitors to your site with their limited attention spans. If you have other ideas to replace her other than just saying she's no good, I would love to hear of them.

All input as always much appreciated.

Feydakin · #15 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by legaleagle1

I agree with you about the possibility of being distracted, but only if its on an endless loop, loud and irritating. This briefly tells it's story and ends. Most people seem to land at a site for a matter of seconds before leaving unless something interests them. They only view what is shown in the opening window. A small "window" of opportunity so to speak. Very little reading and no scrolling unless interest is captured. Since they're too lazy to read or scroll, I'm hoping they can at least hear! That way, some of the story is forced across along with the chance of creating interest.

............

It may come as a surprise to you, but there are customers who are more comfortable ordering on sites with less bells and whistles.

Don't these two things conflict with each other?? In one instance you want to add video and audio to your site and in another you want to keep it plain and simple because so many people hate bells and whistles.. It seems to me like you are trying to have it both ways and doing neither very well..

If you must have a video, use real video with real people.. It's not very expensive and is far more successful than the sitepal junk.. And in my opinion sitepal is junk.. I think it looks cheap and unprofessional..

**mjtaylor** · #16 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shyflower

No matter how cute you think she looks, your visitors aren't coming to your site looking for cute. They want information, and from what others have said here, without distraction. Your Site Pal is distracting and intrusive. It's the exact kind of thing that makes me immediately back out of a site.

It's a pity you look at your visitors as too lazy to read or scroll, but then maybe you just haven't found the way to fire up their interest.

I personally believe that you have to capture their attention immediately ... they must be sold on your site in the first half of the first screen, and your prime real estate is the upper left corner. Have a look at this article on how people scan/read web pages and you will see why I say that.

Once you have their attention, they may well be willing to scroll, but I would rather they take an action - click through to a more targeted pitch, for example ... or better yet, to an order page. Generally, IMO, the content that is 'below the fold' is spider food.

On the 'bells and whistles' issue, Site Pal is certainly a noisy version of that. But I have no idea whether your market is more or less comfortable buying on a site with or without bells and whistles. I do know that most markets are more comfortable buying from a site that *looks* professionally designed, and while the site owner may have paid someone who called themselves a pro to create that site, it looks like an amateur did it and there is not a bell or a whistle that can fix that. You don't need a hi tech site, you need one that looks like it was designed in this century.

Two Cents Plus, MJ

shyflower · #17 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 12:05 PM

I find it odd that you feel the need to "rebut" each point of the advice you asked for in posting your site for review. One would think that if you are looking for honest critiques, you would embrace the advice you have received from the majority here.

I didn't go look at your dating page because I saw and heard enough on your home page. As I said before, intrusive applications like Site Pal give me great motivation to back out of a site.

Using cutesy tricks on a website are only poor excuses for writing the compelling content that encourages your visitors to both scroll vertically down the page to read your sales message, click to more detailed areas of your site (such as product pages), and on to your conversion page.

Apps like Site Pal are counter productive. If you have a viable sales message, they only detract from your visitor's focus on your message and impede their ability to read it.

The web is not TV and thank god for that! You can't click on a TV commercial to buy. You have to get off your duff and go out to search for a product. On the web, we have the opportunity to take advantage of the "laziness" of our visitors. The flick of a wrist, the click of a button enables them to become our customers.

However, your visitors don't care what you have, what you know, or what you have done except in how it benefits them. If you're not willing to tell your visitors that your product or service benefits them and how it does so, you are going to not only lose their attention, but their dollar as well.

Finally, no matter how well a computer animation is done, both visual and audio, it's still impersonal. If you want to sell on the web, you have to build trust in your visitors and you do it by making your content personal; by giving your visitor the perception that there is a real person on the other end of their keyboard (or mouse) who cares about fulfilling their needs.

imsickofwebpro · #18 (**permalink**) 01-05-2008, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shyflower

The web is not TV and thank god for that! You can't click on a TV commercial to buy. You have to get off your duff and go out to search for a product. On the web, we have the opportunity to take advantage of the "laziness" of our visitors. The flick of a wrist, the click of a button enables them to become our customers.

Grandma... grandma is that you posting again? ...lol...

I would rather watch TV than read any day! Sitepal is a bit lame, but I'm bias since I used to hear those annoying voices on flashkit.com all the time. Your customers may like it, ask them.

Coudos to you for adding customer interaction to your website.

legaleagle1 · #19 (**permalink**) 01-05-2008, 11:23 PM

Hello everyone. These will be my final comments on this particular topic at this time.

To: Feydakin: You are misunderstanding me. I have no intention of using both the Sitepal and video. I merely stated that I appreciated the input regarding YouTube and would look into it. I repeat, if I could only get
Speilberg to direct...
Meanwhile, I'm just running a test with the SitePal character. Your advice makes sense. But suggest you lighten up. With my thanks.

Hello MJTaylor, Thanks for the eyes on a page info. It is of course quite right and I've seen another version of it via the Google or old Overture PPC site help data. We used to have all the navigation links on the left as many do and as we still do on most of our other pages as it was originally set up. Click on any of the other search site pages to see what I mean. We moved them to the top only on the Home page to create room and used to have some Linkshare advertising buttons there instead thinking that was a good place where they would be seen and used. I