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The titles just aren't getting better are they? :D
This is a site done a few weeks back, not complete yet as some parts to add and some to take away. The little talking man (third party add on) is set to only play manually (thank God!), the client is using this as a test as to whether to get a fully personalised person on there. Again as usual any comments are most welcome.
http://saselectrics.com/index.htm
thank you.
The site looks good and I like that the little man does not play automatically I hate sites that force you to listen to talking animations/mascots/ little people etc.
How much more can the little guy be customized? might be interesting if he could be made to look more like an electrician.
The colours look good and everything else seems clear, easy to read etc.
nice site design
the talking man needs to be hung, drawn, quartered, shot, flayed alive or dead, and dismembered
the rest is good, bright, clear, easy on th eyes, a nice little touch would be for the mouse to hover over teh light bulb and it to light up and onclick take you to a page of "bright ideas", otherwise the light bulb performs no function, most electricians dont even sell light bulbs
one thing though, if you put your site up here for critique, keep your personal thoughts (ie "a shocking site" or "thank god!") out of it in case your man does a search for his url, this site is very highly spidered by google, people are very senstive about their own sites and yes, clients have nothing beter to do than search for their own site by putting the url into google
edit: i just checked and this page's already on page 1 of google, your call
Re: "A Shocking site" - I got the pun ;))
The site design is first class. The only thing that let's it down for me is the Enquiry form which takes much longer to display than every thing else.
What talking man ?
I'm always the guy that comes forward with the things he doesn't like, so here it's no differrent.
The talking man is a complete waste and a mismatch to the business. Not only does he not say anything of value, he's not what I expect an electrician to look like - a man in a suit and tie talking in a posh way verging on the patronising. He looks like a butler. Get rid.
The layout has a lot of space, so things that are important "above the fold" are getting cut off - it could be more focussed on what the visitor sees on that first encounter to the site. I think it should be tightened up ( I don't mean make it cramped either ).
I had a quick play but I think it could be compressed a little more. It's still a bit of an assault on the senses.
The copy is pretty wordy and I think could be more focussed and punchy.
I'd also like to make a usability suggestion. Where there is a button to click for "more", make the whole panel clickable, not just that tiny button.
I am the bad guy critic here on TG. Compared to many I've seen in this kind of area, the site is definitely better than most.
+1 for usability but could be -1 for seo. If the panel has juicy text it might not be a good idea to make it all a clickable image. The button doesn't look tiny to me but I think maybe you didn't realise the More text is part of the button? Might look better if the more text highlighted with the button.Quote:
I'd also like to make a usability suggestion. Where there is a button to click for "more", make the whole panel clickable, not just that tiny button.
I think it's fine and dandy, but I didn't click on the guy cos I know he'll just be annoying.
I wasn't suggesting making the text an image.Quote:
Originally Posted by xtom
You can extend the button area over the text using a panel with a very low opacity so it won't be seen.
My suggestion is just to make that navigation as easy as possible without having to go to the smaller area - it's not essential.
Well seo wise I'm not sure covering important text with images is a good idea, even if they are transparent. It might not make a difference but I'd play it safe. I think if you're going to do that you may aswell make it an image and alt tag it etc.
So much input - and before I comment I would like to say that every single one is appreciated and I may not always implement suggestions I do always take them on board.
Firstly - Big frank, in reply to your suggestion, yes you are right about not putting personal comments about a clients website, luckily in this case he is my cousin and knows my feelings on the subject of the 'man'. And as for the light bulb, obviously electricians don't sell light bulbs, but it is a perfectly internationally recognised symbol for electrics.
Pauland - yes it is a waste of time in my opinion and I have said so to the client, but he still likes it and as I pointed out in my initial post it is a trial before full customisation - He himself will film it with his own script so it will eventually be right for the type of business. And as far as the above the fold thing is concerned, folds are really not that important any more, I recently spoke to a couple of friends in the web design industry and due to ipads and what not people don't mind scrolling down as it has become so easy, major websites have started having important stuff above and below the fold and from a design perspective 'white space' is good.
I don't really understand making the whole area clickable, it's not as if the more>> button is tiny or people wouldn't understand what to do.
I will mention the 'wordy' text to the client.
thanks
The one you won't [thankfully] see if yaoti.org does not have scripting pemission in your browser ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by sledger
so true:)Quote:
Originally Posted by handrawn
Thumbs up here also! like you and most of the others the man is ermmmmm well nuff said but as its all a bit fluid at the mo be good to see it go, like the slideshow - is that one of the widgets in WD7? - like the bold colours, kinda draws you in.
Nice job
Ray
Maybe if I paint a target on the man we can turn it into a game. Thank you for the comments, the slideshow is done using snacktools.com and the best thing is that even though it is flash when I update it (once I finish the site) it will be viewable on iphones etc because snacktools sets up a script which auto detects mobile browsers and replaces the flash with html5 so that the slideshow is still viewable.
thanks for that i will have a wander over and have a look and see what they have to offer, not knocking the xara ones but they seem a tad smoother in operation.
Ray
Quote:
Originally Posted by handrawn
LOL, no I saw the man, but he wasn't talking because I didn't click the play button - my point ;)
I think this is a very professional looking site, especially the overall 'theme' of the rounded text boxes, slideshow, pictures and even the navigation panel. The 'more' buttons are more than adequate imho and obvious to any site visitor. I agree with the others about the 'web-out wannabe' man, just glad we dont have to race to find the 'off' button before it starts. A jolly good job sir.
Thank you Andy, some very appreciated comments there.
You Aussies are very quick on the uptake. :rolleyes:Quote:
Re: "A Shocking site" - I got the pun ;))
I did not get to the talking person, but personally, I will leave a site soooo fast if some uninvited video starts blasting a message (and the volume is usually set to max which doubles my irritation). I prefer the option to watch a video if there is something a video needs to tell me about.
All in all I like the site. I like the slide show, it creates some visual interest and gives the site, which is well designed, a professional touch.
I'm not much of a judge of webbery but I can recognize bad use of English:
Your title says: Bradford’s Leading Family
Run Electricians and
Electrical Contractors
I read this as SAS(?) being Bradford's leading family followed by the command to RUN. I know what is meant but that is definitely not what I read. Even adding the required hyphen doesn't solve the problem completely as I think this family runs the COMPANY not the electricians and contractors.
The site designers may needsa proofreader or editor.
DaveC OK!?
Dude read my original post, this is an uncompleted site, of course there are bound to be mistakes, I am the designer and just to put your worries at rest I will be checking the site before it is finished, or maybe you can do it for me, I'll post you a voucher for a pint of good cool canadian beer? for your troubles. Having said that I don't see any punctuation so I will assume that 'Bradford's leading family run electricians and contractors' is perfectly fine.
Didn't mean to offend and probably wasn't clear but it should read family-run. Being on three lines also complicates the reading as well but without the hyphen it just doesn't make sense. With the hyphen it is definitely an adjective not a noun and another noun (race) or a verb. I also stand behind my idea that the family runs a company not the men (and women?) who work for it. Spacing and line creation can have a great effect on meaning.
I remember a store with the sign: MEN'SWEAR. That was the spacing (due to lack of space!). While everybody knew what it meant nobody read it that way.
It's obviously your design/site so you can as you feel. No need for a beer but thanks for the offer.
PS: I do tech-proofread books on occasion. A thankless job.
The problem with any form of text based communication such as a forum is that offence can be taken when it simply was not meant - No offence taken.