Thread: Website Review

I am ready for my first review.

Here is the web address...

http://www.toddpianoworks.com

Thanks in advance!

Todd,
Here's what your page looks like on my computer using FireFox 3.6

Checking your page load time results in 56 seconds with a 56K modem and 19 seconds on cable/dsl.
Ideally under 20 secs @56K and 5sec with cable/dsl.
Your photos have not been optimised for the web.

Thanks, I will read those links regarding optimizing my pics for load time.

I am not sure what to do about my header screwed up in FF. It looks fine in IE.

For my header, I am using a font that isn't a basic one, so maybe that is making this issue. Also, would it help if, instead of making my header a text box in BV, I make it a .png or .jpg image instead?

It's not working for me in IE8 either.
Make the header slightly smaller and use a web friendly font.
Alternately you can use the logo maker in BV.

What is the page width of your pages?

Where did you find this follow me on face book icon? there so many you can use. Pick a better one please.

In firefox everything looks good at my end. Same in IE

ooooh i like your visitor counter to your website, i think i need that to, will have to look up how to do that. very nice pretty site too btw, i am stuck in slow mode(64kbps) as i gone over my cap(by one day), took me about 40 secs to get the piano pic to show, normally but guess it would be 13 times faster, havent been doing this for a while, basically a newbie myself but i like to look at what others are doing and commenting if i like the look, and i like. hope you dont mind me commenting.

www.*******.com

Okay, can you please check out the header once again, at the main page only. I want to be sure it works for everyone before I transfer it to all my other pages. I made the header a .jpg file.

Also, I have been playing with making my file sizes smaller so they load faster, however, when I make the size smaller I am sacrificing image quality and looks. Right now, if I make the size of the piano keys any smaller, it would start to look pixely.

I'll look and see if there's a program out there for fixing this.

Anyway, please let me know how the header looks this time, thanks!

Here's an optimized version of the keys. It's one-15th the size that you are currently using.
Also, here's your header at one half the size you are using.

You've got your page load time down to 65 seconds. Use the photos that I linked to and you will be much faster.
The keys photo might be a tad dark. Lighten it with the image tools in BV.

Tools photo @ 50% reduction.
I notice that you are using the "handles" on the photos to resize. It may effect the physical size but the electronic size remains the same.
I also degrades the image quality.
Piano photo @ 60% reduction.
Sanding Photo @ 75% reduction.
Tuning @ 65% reduction.
Clamp @ 75% reduction

Tension @ 75% reduction.

And...."Bob's your Uncle".......

Okay, hopefully for the final time, could you please check out my index page?

Great...page load time 12 seconds !!!!! woohooo !!!
I notice that there is not link to the home page in your navigation.
How will I get to the home page from another page? (hint: don't say "use the back button")
You should be able to get to all pages from any page in one click.
The page title "Houston Piano Tuning and Repair"
For SEO purposes "Piano Tuning & Repair in Houston" would be better.
Using a keyword as the first word.
You need text on the page explaining the purpose of the site. That's how SE's will send customers to you.
If someone in Houston need piano repair they will search for "piano repair in Houston"
Go to Page Properties and complete "Page Description"
Get rid of the visitor counter and enter some text about how good your service is.
You can check stats in CPanel.

What the heck. Here's the other 2 images reduced.
Facebook and the brown bar.
It's important that you understand that if you reduce image size using the "handles" the electronic size does not reduce.

I have a "home" link on all the other pages, just not on my home page. I figured, why have that link on the main page when they are already home.

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll work through them.

Also, when I enter keywords, does that help with the SE results?

Be careful when using the bullet lists as they can look odd in some browsers.
IE: Fire fox looks like below. Notice the "W" instead of the bullet. Usually find the insert image in the bullet list best way.


Repair

Minor repairs and adjustments can usually be made at your tuning appointment. Remember, regular maintenance can help prevent expensive repairs in the future.
Minor repairs and adjustments may include:

wLoose or missing keytops

wBroken or sticking keys

wBroken strings

wBroken hammer shanks

IF you enter keywords they MUST also appear in text on the page. A maximum of 20 keywords/keyword phrases.
My mistake on the navigation. you haven't edited the other pages and I cannot see the top of the navigation bar.
The only other reason to have "home" in your nav bar is to prevent the menu from appearing to "jump" when you go from the home page to another page.

The only other issue I seem to be having is this:

I made my header into a .png file which eliminated having it appear differently on different browsers/computers. You will notice I have a link "Send Me an E-mail" under my contact number, however, I couldn't create it as part of the .png file because it is a link. But now, when the page loads, you see a white box for a moment before the link appears. It is kind of annoying me. I made the background color the same as the header background, but it still seems to be a little off.

Any suggestions here?

Konrad,

Can you suggest a better facebook badge?

On 'services offered' the FB badge briefly appears when loading and then is hidden behind the background shape. Don't have a FB badge to suggest but agree that this one is not very attractive.

Great site, very clean and precise and I would definetely hire you to tune my piano, if I had one! Really, the site is professional and looks like it is owned by someone that knows what they are doing.

Thank you Marcie!

If you had a piano, you should hire me! I want to go to Greece. I'd even pay my own travel expense

Vivian,
This is SPAM
Your signature is against TOS

Thanks, I will read those links regarding optimizing my pics for load time.

It looks fine in IE.