Hi all,

my site is only about 3 weeks old, and I am still adding pages etc. to it. Could you guys please have a good look at it and let me know where I can improve? Especially the About Us, Sitemap and Resources Pages - I am not sure about them.
My Beach Decor
Greatly appreciated!

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Affiliate Marketing SOS
Petra's Internet Marketing Blog

I don't understand Australia on the About Us page.

I don't understand the link to Urgent Care.

I have no idea what this is about. Are you selling something?

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Dave Barnes
+1.303.744.9024
http://www.marketingtactics.com
sitting in my basement with my iMac

I would suggest you offer beach theme home decor. Not put up a page that talks about it. You need to stop thinking about HTML construction and start thinking about visual merchandising design.

Like writing that "paws the ground," getting ready to announce the possibility that the next paragraph might actually get to the point, you need to just get to the point. Want to explain you offer beach theme decor items for sale? Put 'em up -- for sale.

Navigation to where you actually have a page with stuff to sell is more of the same -- if you can find the navigation. It's more pawing the ground. This makes the user more confused than a dog named "Stay." ....Here "Stay." ....Fetch "Stay."

....I have something to sell "or do I?"

Dump the animated GIFs. Dump the irrelevant copy. Dump the quotes. Dump the invisible navigation.

Add real selling headlines. Add big, bold pictures about product you have to sell. Study successful merchandisers. Start talking about what the customer came to the site for -- use product copy. If your product line isn't appealing to be the central focus of the site, you're in trouble. If talking about the Hawaiian themed product doesn't put you into a Hawaii frame of mind, get new product.

Related:


Visual Merchandising And Web Site Catalog Copy Not knowing this is like taking a car out on the highway without knowing how to drive. Either way, the situation is going to quickly self-correct -- you'll either learn quick or else.

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Design Crux - infographic design,
content strategy Visual Merchandising online

Hi Dave,

I think I might have to modify the "about us" page, it might just confuse the visitor. Basically, I am in Australia, but my site targets US Customers as I am selling as an affiliate of Amazon US, and different US Stores.
I am selling Beach Themed Home decor, and there are plenty of links on my pages, aren't you seeing them? What browser are you using?
The link to urgent care was a necessity to get a link back from another site.
Thanks for the input, Dave,

Petra

__________________
Affiliate Marketing SOS
Petra's Internet Marketing Blog

Hi Dcrux,
Beach theme home decor is exactly what I am offering! BUt I had to put up a page with content (300-600 words with the keyword appearing 10-15 times) for the search engines! I found it very hard to talk that long about tropical or hawaiian home decor....
I didn't know it was hard to see that I am selling something. I have got plenty of links to specific categories on each page - didn't you see them? Do I have to make them bigger?
I am only an affiliate for all the products, do you think I should try and put a photo of all the products on the front page?
I am honestly a bit confused, I thought I had done pretty well. But I guess I will have to do a bit of hard thinking and redesigning...
Thanks.

Petra

__________________
Affiliate Marketing SOS
Petra's Internet Marketing Blog

If you are a store selling home beach decor, why are you providing me with links to other stores that also sell home beach decor? If you want to keep customers in your store, don't give them links to the competition! No, it's not obvious that you are selling anything. It looks like you are a link page to everyone else who is selling something. Yes, I see the flashing arrow to enter your store, but it's not what grabs the eye when the page opens.

Was the hideous rotating magenta arrow there before?

You need contact info: physical, postal, phone, fax. No info and I won't trust you.

No. Don't do it.
Links in/out should be from/to RELEVANT/RELATED sites.

Don't do this Link Directory | submit link for free | LinkDirectory either. Google does not like this type of link farm.

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Dave Barnes
+1.303.744.9024
http://www.marketingtactics.com
sitting in my basement with my iMac

Hi Dave,
no, that arrow wasn't there before. Before I had subtle links to my store, but as I was told off (you guys couldn't find my store) I thought I will add something stronger.
I had contact info there as well, and you said you don't understand the Australia bit (I actually had a friend telling me the same), so I dumped it.
I cannot provide all that info as I am only selling products as an affiliate - I have NO physical store, I am PHYSICALLY in Australia and sell products from Amazon. Any suggestions on how to fix this problem? Or would you just put up every information about me even if I cannot help any customers with any of the products?
Thanks for all your input.
Petra

__________________
Affiliate Marketing SOS
Petra's Internet Marketing Blog

It IS an Affiliate site after all, so I have to have all these links to other sites to actually make some money! As for the rotating arrow - if that doesn't grab your eye when the page opens, what does? That arrow points to my amazon store. What would I have to do to make it more obvious that I am selling something?

__________________
Affiliate Marketing SOS
Petra's Internet Marketing Blog