My "not so new" annoying thing that I will be doing

[Brian R]

Whenever someone has a website in their profile and I am in that thread, I am going to critique it.

Hope I don't pisss anyone off too much. Remember, I do it out of love.

I'll try not to hijack the thread. Mostly I will do it as an extra on any thread I am posting in.

If you don't want me to, just let me know. I'll try to remember....no promises.

I was going to just start doing all of them in one thread but that's a PITA. So little by little, everyone should hear about their site.

Don't give me hell, I just enjoy it.

 

[Askal]

Me first. No need to be nice. I'm a big boy. But, first a question: How do I find out how many visits each individual page of my site has been visited? How do I find out how many times on a particular search engine (Google for example) a search has been made such as: carpet cleaning Grants Pass . OK that's two questions.
Al

 

[Askal]

OOHH! Let me start first. Your link to Dallas is not working. Hey, you are right, this is fun!
Al

 

[Noidios]

Sounds like a great idea. I pretty sure that most of us can take constructive criticism.

 

[Brian R]

Me first. No need to be nice. I'm a big boy. But, first a question: How do I find out how many visits each individual page of my site has been visited? How do I find out how many times on a particular search engine (Google for example) a search has been made such as: carpet cleaning Grants Pass . OK that's two questions.
Al

Answer.
http://visistat.com/
Or you can call my buddy Alex who can track, analyze and tell you what you are need to and what you are doing wrong on the SEO side of things.

I checked your website. You're on the right track but first things first.
Center your website. It's all to the left.
I like that it stays consistent but it's a little boring. The kids and dog are good but everything is a little un organized.
I would take your 4 or 5 most important links and showcase them a little Make them photo's with links or something like that. The rest can be text links. I think there is too high of a text to photo ratio.

You can have all the text links still just have the photo links as well. Won't hurt to have the same link twice just in a different way. I would use a different banner pic at the top. Anything other than an empty living room. your colors aren't bad but I would have a background then "placemat" on top of that instead of just having the content right on the background. That adds depth and helps with organization.
Shit, my Dallas link doesn't work? I'll have to fix that.

 

[Brian R]

Sounds like a great idea. I pretty sure that most of us can take constructive criticism.

Where's your website?

 

[rhino1]

OK, if you have the time, take a look.

 

[Noidios]

Where's your website?

Sorry about that - my profile has been updated.

http://www.carpet-max.com

 

[Ben Had]

Now THAT is wonderful advice!

 

[cleanimagemarketing]

Next you'll be asking web designers to come in and critique your carpet cleaning.

 

[rhino1]

come on guys, Brian has - for whatever reason- offered to take a look at and give out some advice.

Whether it is good advice is up to the recipient of said advice.

Now, if Brian tells everyone to call his web guy or use some program, then it can be taken as a self-serving promotion, but I'm sure he's just trying to help out.

I have gotten good advice from stranger places.

 

[idreadnought]

I think it is a great idea to have another cleaner give input. Brian is the real deal for marketing on the internet in a bigger city. You don't have to take his suggestions but sometimes its the little things your designer didn't notice that could make a big difference on a customer staying and finding out more about your company.

 

[Brian R]

This could be the biggest most imprtant (sic) tip of all...


Don't ask other Carpet Cleaners to critique your website and for God's sake don't listen to them and change it to they way they think it should be. 8) They are not your customer.

You're welcome.




whether or not they have decided they are now website gurus

I was wondering how long it would take you. I'm no Guru, Just having fun.
Come on, where's your website Freddy?

 

[Brian R]

OK, if you have the time, take a look.

Not a bad site. I would get a different color background and then have white on top of that. I like that you have a family type pic on your home page but she has a little too much cleavage :shock: for your average client.
It doesn't say "Carpet Cleaning" to me right away. It does because I know, but it wouldn't to someone who didn't know.
The testimonials on the side area perfect...great job on that.
Your phone number and call to action area good but I would move them to the top right corner and make them stick out a bit more. Maybe make a little larger?
You need your email address on the front page near your phone number. Not just at the bottom.
The photo of you with the van is good...usually I say no...but you didn't make it the main focal point although it's there to be seen if they want to see it.
I would, however make those three small pics into thumbnails so they can click on them to see it larger...or make them links to relevant pages.
The one with you and the van would be perfect for a link to a carpet cleaning page or about us page.
Your color scheme is good. I would take one of those colors and creat a background of some sort.
If you are lucky or good, maybe you could create or find a background of something from that color that isn't just a solid color.
I like the questions but I would center those. It's not good to have some text centered and some not unless they are in a separate box or area.
I would bring the size of the font down just a little and compartmentalize some of what you are saying. Maybe small sections of text accompanied by a matching pic?
All and all it's pretty good...I will find something wrong with any site.
Good job.
Here's the cleavage pic you perv.

 

[Brian R]

Where's your website?

Sorry about that - my profile has been updated.

http://www.carpet-max.com

Nice looking site. I think the pic is overpowering but at least it says "Carpet Cleaner" to me.
You have way too much of the same color going on. No contrast.
I would put (again) a pic of a family on that carpet or another small pic with the family on it.
(I can hear Lisa now telling me to shut the hell up about the family on the carpet. lol)

You took up your whole front page with that pic and didn't leave much room for else...but at least it doesn't look cluttered.
Your fonts should be a different color or their background needs to be a different color...it all fads together.
The color scheme is good but a little too dark in my opinion.
That big pic is empty, just windows walls and carpet. Good for move in move outs but where is the one that the home owner can relate too?
I would take that same space, cut it into 2 or 4 photos. Each a little different and have them linked to other pages....and keep the text links on the left side as well.
Maybe one for Tile, Carpet, Upolstery etc.
I keep coming back to that big pic because it looks out of place, thrown up there.
I quickly went through your other pages...I like the consistency but
It's really boring with all text and no pics.
It's a pro site with not enough creativity.

 

[Brian R]

I think it is a great idea to have another cleaner give input. Brian is the real deal for marketing on the internet in a bigger city. You don't have to take his suggestions but sometimes its the little things your designer didn't notice that could make a big difference on a customer staying and finding out more about your company.

Thanks Richard.

 

[Brian R]

I was wondering how long it would take you. I'm no Guru, Just having fun.
Come on, where's your website Freddy?

I don't have one................


and I'm still 1st on Google in my city and others.

You may be first but what reason does someone have to click the link?
It's like leading someone to a vacant lot to try to earn their business.

I know you got a site or 10 somewhere Mr. Frederico. Perfection will never be obtained.
Let's see it.
OK, you can email it to me and I won't tell anyone else how to get to it.
I'll just critique a little. I'll be gentle.

Or not

 

[Eric Valentine]

Bring it corky...

 

[Brian R]

Bring it corky...

I've seen your site before Eric.
I don't care if you ARE in Las Vegas...take off the black background.
It's just not pretty for the happy housewife. Looks like you are marketing to the drunk slot guy.
You should really ad some photos to your front page.
each of your links should display a page active link so the user knows where they are. If you're on the home page, the home page link should be lite up or something.
I didn't see any keywords in your meta tags...maybe I missed them.
Your site is consistent so that is good...it's also organized pretty good.
I heard that too many drop down menus is not good for SEO...but I'm not sure about that.
Put your phone number away from your logo and put your email address near it.
As big as your number is, it's gets lost because of the black background and because your logo overpowers it.
Put a pic of you somewhere on the side of the page.
Remember, "Pretty" in the middle and "info" on th sides. Depending on the layout.
Some small changes will make it work well.

 

[Eric Valentine]

I don't think you have been to the new site then. Permanent redirect is in place to the new site.

[iframe:32vzrwjc]http://www.valentinescarpetcare.com[/iframe:32vzrwjc]

 

[dgargan]

I'll let you take a whack at mine.

www.knoxclean.com

 

[Brian R]

Eric, that's the one I was just looking at. I did see your other one and I think that one was all black background right?
This one is way better...but I would still lose the black.

 

[Brian R]

I'll let you take a whack at mine.

http://www.knoxclean.com

I've done your site before. You may have missed it.
I really like it...probably one of the better ones.
You do need your Phone number and email displayed a little better. At least it's on the front page.
Very clean and your logo fits in great.
I've heard that too many drop down menus mess up the SEO but I'm really not sure of it.
Everything is clear and appealing and it will appeal to the housewife.
Great job.

 

[roro]

"UN- repairable" or did you mean "irreparable"

 

[Brian R]

"UN- repairable" or did you mean "irreparable"

Whichever is correct I guess. :?

 

[roro]

At least the latter is in the dictionary.

UN=United Nations so I guess it could be politically correct. somewhat amus