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ok...i don't mean to be super critical here, but i'm gonna state it. WHY is it that so many MT's sites are visually appauling?????? i am a graphic designer and have been working in marketing for years. as an MT i have searched and searched the web for various massage sites. sites by an individual MT to small practices, from spas to corporate america massage sites. i have come across only a handful that visually keep me on the page.
might i make a suggestion? less is more.
one of the biggest issues i see on sites is that they are crammed with content expecting the visitor to read through. some sites have one page that just scrolls on indefinitely. other sites have poor navigation/organization. and then some just throw anything and everything on the home page. once you do this you risk losing your visitor's attention.
i'm not advocating having only pretty pictures. but a well thought out photo with minimal content which motivates the visitor to take action by either going to another page, calling you or emailing you will do far better than putting everything on your site and hoping your visitor finds what he/she is looking for.
i'd love nothing more than to see our profession become a powerhouse in the medical industry. and as such we need to make the most of the web. but to do so we need to present ourselves professionally and that means polished and organized.
do a search for yourself. compare some medical websites to your own and then decide...is your website really presenting you in the best way possible.
(sorry if this offends any...it is not directed at any one)
let's use our safe haven here to share our sites (i'm working on getting mine up and running) and brainstorm with constructive feedback.
might i make a suggestion? less is more.
one of the biggest issues i see on sites is that they are crammed with content expecting the visitor to read through. some sites have one page that just scrolls on indefinitely. other sites have poor navigation/organization. and then some just throw anything and everything on the home page. once you do this you risk losing your visitor's attention.
i'm not advocating having only pretty pictures. but a well thought out photo with minimal content which motivates the visitor to take action by either going to another page, calling you or emailing you will do far better than putting everything on your site and hoping your visitor finds what he/she is looking for.
i'd love nothing more than to see our profession become a powerhouse in the medical industry. and as such we need to make the most of the web. but to do so we need to present ourselves professionally and that means polished and organized.
do a search for yourself. compare some medical websites to your own and then decide...is your website really presenting you in the best way possible.
(sorry if this offends any...it is not directed at any one)
let's use our safe haven here to share our sites (i'm working on getting mine up and running) and brainstorm with constructive feedback.
Views: 1393
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Angela Lind on
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Hi Lisa, sorry.. I delete it because my website is under "reconstruction" right now... fixing the menu bar and updating some things.. but you can check it out here: http://www.therapeutic-hands.com
Any feedback would be tremendously valuable! thank you!! I'm already fan of you :0)
Lisa said:Hey Angela...i don't see your post on here anymore.
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What do you think about the ocean waves on the home page?
I'm fixing to put my logo on the top, on the right to the title. That's one thing I'm fixing. I'm adding a new button for the video on the menu bar. I'm thinking on putting 2 pictures of me on the FAQ's page, 1 giving a massage, 2 of my beside my massage table smiling. :0)
Would love to know any other ideas! thanks!
Angela.
Lisa said:Hey Angela...i don't see your post on here anymore.
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Permalink Reply by Lisa on
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Hey Angela...
Here are some suggestions:
Let's start with the basic background. The white area up top feels off. it's not needed and just adds "clutter". you already have your nav bar listed so it doesn't need to be listed again up there. your logo, which i found only on the contact page, should definitely be on the home page and i see it working best in the area that you currently have your Name and info in that pink box to the left.
the photos are nice but i would NOT animate them. honestly...animation only works really well as a beginning intro. when it's in the body of the pages it just becomes distracting.
as for the ocean waves...i would opt to have something on your page that allows the user to turn it on or off so that you don't force it upon your visitor. some will like it some won't. i particularly don't like it seeing that if i'm surfing the web i probably will have some other noise distraction going on so the wave will become competitive to what i am listening to as i'm visiting the site.
i would suggest getting rid of the sunset image. that section is for content and as such it should give the content clearly. right now the picture is competing with the content.
also...check how many fonts you are using and stick to only 2...one for main info and one for highlighted info. and remember...on all your pages...you should have the content info in black and the highlighted info in a color.
i definitely liked your video that you posted on your profile here...you should include that on your web. one thing...if possible...the couple of times in the video that you are being filmed....you should look directly into the camera so the visitor can connect with you. by capturing you from your profile it keeps the visitor from really seeing you.
also...when you click to your contact page...a link to the home page disappears.
hope this helps!!
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Hi Lisa, thank you very much!
-The menu that is on the white top part, I know.. it looks "clutter". But according to my SEO's, this helps to search engines get faster all the information of each page. So that's why its there. I'm going to talk to her again so I can take it out because honestly I don't like it either. But for me its very important my website be well optimized to for search engines.
-The logo I put it on the right, beside the title. What do you think there? But I will try to put it where you told me, beside my name and info.
-The animated photos on the top... can't change them. The thing is this: the website is done by a template I bought. So the top of the website can't be changed unfortunately. That's how the template has been designed. So that top of the website, its static. It's the same on all the pages. :-(
-About the ocean waves. I understand what you mean. But there is a button above my name, where it says "massage Therapist". That button is for muting the music of the ocean waves.
-About the sunset picture. I put it because I think that gives some kind of relaxation visually.(That's why I put the ocean waves so that gives some relaxation too). Soon I will be taking some pictures of myself giving massage on the beach. Do you think that would be good to put it on the home page? or do you think its better not putting any picture there at all?
-About the fonts, you are right. That's one of the things I'm fixing. ;-)
-About the video, that's other thing I'm updating in my website. According to the editor and director of my video, he recommended not to talk directly to the camera, he said its better like I'm talking to somebody else beside the camera.
-Oh the contact page, yes.. that "home" button.. other thing I have to fix. I have to fix other buttons on the Spanish version as well.
Thank you Lisa!! my website looks a little better now, but still need to fix other things.. ;0)
I let you know when I make all this changes! thanks again!
Angela.
Lisa said:Hey Angela...
Here are some suggestions:
Let's start with the basic background. The white area up top feels off. it's not needed and just adds "clutter". you already have your nav bar listed so it doesn't need to be listed again up there. your logo, which i found only on the contact page, should definitely be on the home page and i see it working best in the area that you currently have your Name and info in that pink box to the left.
the photos are nice but i would NOT animate them. honestly...animation only works really well as a beginning intro. when it's in the body of the pages it just becomes distracting.
as for the ocean waves...i would opt to have something on your page that allows the user to turn it on or off so that you don't force it upon your visitor. some will like it some won't. i particularly don't like it seeing that if i'm surfing the web i probably will have some other noise distraction going on so the wave will become competitive to what i am listening to as i'm visiting the site.
i would suggest getting rid of the sunset image. that section is for content and as such it should give the content clearly. right now the picture is competing with the content.
also...check how many fonts you are using and stick to only 2...one for main info and one for highlighted info. and remember...on all your pages...you should have the content info in black and the highlighted info in a color.
i definitely liked your video that you posted on your profile here...you should include that on your web. one thing...if possible...the couple of times in the video that you are being filmed....you should look directly into the camera so the visitor can connect with you. by capturing you from your profile it keeps the visitor from really seeing you.
also...when you click to your contact page...a link to the home page disappears.
hope this helps!!
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Hey Angela...
with the parameters you've given me let's make a few different changes then...
if the top nav bar is good for SEO than can you just make it the MAIN nav bar and not have it again off to the side?
i would put your logo where your name is BUT then put your name and info in the main body of the page. i think you have it there anyhow so just make the one listing stand out. Let the logo stand alone in that pink box and let your name stand alone in the body of the page.
i understand what you're saying about the photos. and i think the photos work. i'm surprised that they don't allow you to turn off the animation though, so that the photos are static and not constantly changing.
i didn't realize you could turn off the sound of the ocean...so you'll want to make that a little clearer.
i do think a photo of you giving a massage on the beach would be better than the sunset...but don't make the photo be in the background with text over it. just make it on the page...next to your name and contact info. you don't want your message trying to compete with an image.
i have to say i disagree with the director of the video clip. it was the one thing that struck me ODD. if there was someone else in the room and in the video clip you could see that you were talking to someone...i think that would have been better than just having you talk off to the side. maybe try and get some other feedback on that. i'm a firm believe that as therapists, there is an instant connection you want your client to get from you. and i don't think you can get that if you can't even see the person's eyes. :)
i'll be happy to look at it again when you've made changes. just give me a hollar.
L
Angela Lind said:Hi Lisa, thank you very much!
-The menu that is on the white top part, I know.. it looks "clutter". But according to my SEO's, this helps to search engines get faster all the information of each page. So that's why its there. I'm going to talk to her again so I can take it out because honestly I don't like it either. But for me its very important my website be well optimized to for search engines.
-The logo I put it on the right, beside the title. What do you think there? But I will try to put it where you told me, beside my name and info.
-The animated photos on the top... can't change them. The thing is this: the website is done by a template I bought. So the top of the website can't be changed unfortunately. That's how the template has been designed. So that top of the website, its static. It's the same on all the pages. :-(
-About the ocean waves. I understand what you mean. But there is a button above my name, where it says "massage Therapist". That button is for muting the music of the ocean waves.
-About the sunset picture. I put it because I think that gives some kind of relaxation visually.(That's why I put the ocean waves so that gives some relaxation too). Soon I will be taking some pictures of myself giving massage on the beach. Do you think that would be good to put it on the home page? or do you think its better not putting any picture there at all?
-About the fonts, you are right. That's one of the things I'm fixing. ;-)
-About the video, that's other thing I'm updating in my website. According to the editor and director of my video, he recommended not to talk directly to the camera, he said its better like I'm talking to somebody else beside the camera.
-Oh the contact page, yes.. that "home" button.. other thing I have to fix. I have to fix other buttons on the Spanish version as well.
Thank you Lisa!! my website looks a little better now, but still need to fix other things.. ;0)
I let you know when I make all this changes! thanks again!
Angela.
Lisa said:Hey Angela...
Here are some suggestions:
Let's start with the basic background. The white area up top feels off. it's not needed and just adds "clutter". you already have your nav bar listed so it doesn't need to be listed again up there. your logo, which i found only on the contact page, should definitely be on the home page and i see it working best in the area that you currently have your Name and info in that pink box to the left.
the photos are nice but i would NOT animate them. honestly...animation only works really well as a beginning intro. when it's in the body of the pages it just becomes distracting.
as for the ocean waves...i would opt to have something on your page that allows the user to turn it on or off so that you don't force it upon your visitor. some will like it some won't. i particularly don't like it seeing that if i'm surfing the web i probably will have some other noise distraction going on so the wave will become competitive to what i am listening to as i'm visiting the site.
i would suggest getting rid of the sunset image. that section is for content and as such it should give the content clearly. right now the picture is competing with the content.
also...check how many fonts you are using and stick to only 2...one for main info and one for highlighted info. and remember...on all your pages...you should have the content info in black and the highlighted info in a color.
i definitely liked your video that you posted on your profile here...you should include that on your web. one thing...if possible...the couple of times in the video that you are being filmed....you should look directly into the camera so the visitor can connect with you. by capturing you from your profile it keeps the visitor from really seeing you.
also...when you click to your contact page...a link to the home page disappears.
hope this helps!!
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Permalink Reply by Jorge Arnaldo Pabón Acevedo on
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Hi! I'm not a webmaster but here post one of my pages.
http://sagessedumassage.blogspot.com/
Take care everyone!
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Hey J.
I will take a look tonight...haven't forgotten. :)
J. Arnaldo Pabon said:Hi! I'm not a webmaster but here post one of my pages.
http://sagessedumassage.blogspot.com/
Take care everyone!
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also found this site from a member's profile. this is a really good one in my opinion.
http://www.movefreemassage.com
(hope you don't mind Geoff) :)
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Wow... that's a very nice website!
Lisa said:also found this site from a member's profile. this is a really good one in my opinion.
http://www.movefreemassage.com
(hope you don't mind Geoff) :)
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Permalink Reply by Geoff Pritchard on
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Not a problem. Glad you like my site...It's important to hire a good designer. After I gave her my ideas and vision, she came up with my logo and website. I couldn't have asked for anything better - clean, crisp, and professional looking.
also found this site from a member's profile. this is a really good one in my opinion.
http://www.movefreemassage.com
(hope you don't mind Geoff) :)
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Permalink Reply by Ruth M. Schopper-Hughes on
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Your site looks great. How do you put the gift certificate link on the site? www.floridareflexology.com
Joanne Cole said:Hi Everyone
http://web.me.com/jmcole5 is my new website that I designed myself. I have no experience designing websites and some feedback would be helpful. I designed it using an Apple and that's the address they gave me. Anybody know of a good site to get a domain name? Also anybody have experience with online gift certificates?
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