Thread: Website ready!!

Hello Everyone!

Well at last we have something to show - still needs tweaking and "filled out" in some pages but the essence is there & miraculously not too many probs - I think!

Still can't get the booking form to work but I'll try to sort that through the forum. Most if not all the links work from here but it would be useful to know if it's the same out in the wider world.

Any problems, suggestions & constructive criticism would be much appreciated!!

Thanks !
Crouquet 99222398
www.lescrouquets.net

Hi, nice looking site & like the warm colors (Feels cottage’y)
Sorry have got a list for you.
1.
http://www.lescrouquets.net/what_to_do.html
http://www.lescrouquets.net/les_crouquets.html
http://www.lescrouquets.net/tariffs.html
http://www.lescrouquets.net/contact_us.html
all need centering
2. Links link not working on main menu
3. The booking form area could maybe do with some sort of calendar to say when the cottages are booked so they can see if the dates wanted are available. It may drive visitors mad if they have to keep emailing you & find they are already booked? Maybe a bonus to think about some booking software for this or get navaldesign to make one.
4. Your images look great but would help the page loading times if the KB was a bit smaller. Try this & see if it helps. http://tools.dynamicdrive.com/imageoptimizer/
Will also help with the SE’s if you give your images good names like French-cottage with some other related text in the alternate field. I often search by Google images & would if I was looking for a cottage.
5. You have some links to other sites like Salignac It would be nice to have these open as _blank to save visitors leaving your site.
6. Maybe an extra bit of cash for you but I found this easy to install affiliates program that may be good for your site. ??? Here’s the link on my site
http://www.collectors-info.com/cottage-rental.php You just paste the code into an html box & you have a cottage booking part for the UK side. I am only experimenting at the moment.

Sorry about the list, but it all helps.

aye i agree with collector on the centering like the feel of it.

I third the motion on centering, Crouquet. Your site is wonderful! Very nicely laid out and tons of great information but not busy.

Count me in as the 4th on centering, I do love your site.

Great looking site. Very soothing, and suitable for the subject.

Great looking holiday cottages as well!

Thanks for all the comments everyone!

Chris,
Thanks for the detailed feedback!
Re centering - I was baffled as I'd ticked the centre in browser box. Then I noticed that some of the page widths weren't at the 800 I'd set them at. I changed & republished them all and they all work fine now. I hope so anyway!

Re availablilty chart - I'm a bit mixed on this one. I know as a customer it's easier to see what's available without having to ask, but we're starting off late and it's our 1st season so not sure how it will go. I'm concerned that if a cottage's is not well booked it will be seen as negative. Also if the whole place doesn't book well it may be taken it's not a good place to go.(I'm always impressed by places that seem heavily booked!) Plus, having run an hotel for 10 years I've learned that any chance to communicate with a customer is an opportunity to give a good impression - even if you don't have the dates they want if they like the sound of you they do remember you for the next time. I'll consider it!

Re opening links as _blank : I'd noticed that some links shut down the site. How do I get them as _blank. Can't see anywhere when linking to do this?

THanks for all the helpful input!!

Crouquet 99232298
www.lescrouquets.net

Hi, to get a page to open in a new window (_blank) select target to _blank in the same area as you would put the url link to this item.
I can see your point with the showing if cottages are available (catch 22). Plus it is a good thing `to talk. So many business hide behind emails these days. (A pet hate of mine)
It may also be worth having your email address as
amar@www.lescrouquets.net & Elena@www.lescrouquets.net or admin, set up with auto responders, so if someone makes any email enquiry they will have a record sent to them of all yours & their details that where sent in the email. Not sure if you also use this facility on the booking form?
On your booking area, it maybe also worth putting a link to your contact page.
Where its says
Booking your cottage is easy! Simply complete the enquiry
form and we will confirm availability by e-mail (or just call us)

PS.
On the centring part, you only have to drag an image or text over the 800 line & all has gone to pot again. I try to remember to set the 800 just before I publish. But if you have somthing on the page that is over 800, BV will auto ajust to this size.

Hi Chris!
Thanks for all the enlightening info!!
Have changed all my links to _blank and all is working now.
Only on my how to get here page I have an advanced button to check the weather in Jayac - I can't find how to set that up the same and it shuts down the site. How do I do that?

Were in the process of getting an easier email address but hadn't thought of your suggestion so we'll use that .Thanks!

Also if I can impose a bit more I'd like to eventually make the photos clickable to enlarge them (when I get some better ones) How do I do that?

Thanks again for the valuable input!

Crouquet 99232298
www.lescrouquets.net

Hi, your weather page opens fine for me & no crashing ? Could be worth selecting on click, open in new window & put the weather site url in (on click value) leave the top 2 fields blank. Or if you want, just place an image there & link the image to the weather site.
On the enlarge image side of things.
The images in a pop up window you can do via BV’s Gallery (3rd icon up on left-hand tool bar) If you use this its best to get all your images the same size (Just looks a little better when they pop up. IE 600x400. It wont look that great if you have wide then long images.
When you get a few more images, it maybe better to have an area & a proper viewer for all your images. There are a few free ones about on the forum, but you wouldn’t have to pay much more than £25.00 for some nice photo album software.
This ones not a freebie, but easy to use & there are other free skins. http://www.collectors-info.com/album.html Click on the France image.
It may be nice to encourage your visitors to send you some images & you could post them on the site.

Very nice site, congratulations and good luck with it.

Your site is really nice and clean. It's really exciting to see your finished product after you have labored so many hours to make it just right. Good luck with your undertaking!

WONDERFUL JOB! I want to visit!!! I really read carefully and I couldn't even find any typing errors. Your attention to detail is evident in your beautiful website. I agree with the booking page. I would hold off, until you are so booked, there's few spaces available. I have bookmarked your page for any clients that may be visiting your area!

Thank you everyone for all your encouraging comments! I can't wait to get all the little finishing touches ironed out & have it working up to speed!But so much to learn & so little time..... just too busy to get stuck in now - I only learned to do this under pressure because our web designer let us down at the last minute. How glad I am that he did!! I've been so impressed with Blue Voda and everyone who gives their time to help and comment. Would never have done it without you all! Hopefully I'll be able to return the favour one day!!

Chris, I'll definitely use the picture gallery idea.
Thank you all once again!

Crouquet 99232298
www.lescrouquets.net

Not sure if this will come in handy?
This is just a link http://www.aardvarkmap.net/mape/23S78ME1
If you want it on a web page at just the map size. Paste this into an html box & pull it out to about 580x370


<!-- iFrame code for AardvarkMap.net Start -->
<iframe src="http://www.aardvarkmap.net/mapitrans/23S78ME1" width="582" height="435" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe>
<!-- iFrame code for AardvarkMap.net End -->


Good luck with the venture.

Cheers.

very nice, keep up the good work..will enjoy watching it improve