Please critique my site

elisepegasus · #1 03-06-2007, 10:12 PM

I have been working very hard on www.opendooryogacenter.com , reading all the stuff on how to make Google happy, but they don't even recogonize me??? Help.

larazovich · #2 03-06-2007, 10:49 PM

There are lots of people here who can help you optimize your site, from an SEO perspective, and I am sure they will. In the meantime, do a forum search on SEO's and read Beth's posts, she is aces.
Here are a few thoughts from me,
When I opened your site I thought immediately of what a lovely site it is, love the background pic.. Then I saw all the things at the bottom that you evidently offer, and started clicking to read more about each of them .. but.. they aren't links. Bummer for me. I believe that some nice informative articles regarding each of these things would be helpful, here. Certainly would make it more interesting, interesting, but also would add wieght and interest to your site, and get folks to hang around to learn more. I am talking about stuff like shiatsu, Shamanic ritual, Feldenkrais..etc. These are fascinating topics, to me, and I don't figure I am alone in this.. Content is a big part of getting noticed..
Your header is not the same on all your pages, except on a couple it is, and on those it is abit large. Or, maybe it is just that the page is wide. Optimum width to serve the most possible viewers is 800; that will avoid side scrolling which turns people off quickly.
A uniform header throughout will help give your site continuity, too and help the site flow.
Although I like the font you use on your class schedule page, something alittle less informal, like maybe arial (?) would give a more professional feel to the site. Also on that page the text is smack up against the color of the template on the side, and that looks accidental..
Overall I like the site, and with a few tweaks it will be really nice.. if you were near San Francisco I would come and take classes..
Good Luck.

Mook25 · #3 03-06-2007, 11:45 PM

ditto above. Anice consistant feel will make for a proffesional looking site. I don't personally like effects like you have on your pages but i know some people quite like them. You could do with a bit more text on the homepage as from a search engine spiders view there is not much here for it to index. Take a look at my SEO section in my free resource directory for more information on optimising your site for the search engines. Looks like your site could be a nice one, it has nice colours and is nicely layed out and pleasing to the eye which is a really good start

Bethers · #4 03-07-2007, 02:43 AM

You need to do quite a bit of SEO work - my basic e-book is a good place to start to understand it: SEO E-book - or read others- but get the basics - ask questions as you need to - then realize - it takes TIME for Google to pay attention to you - there are millions of sites out there - what do you have to catch their attention over others?

Now, don't take that to mean doing things goofy - but you need to be the absolutely best you can be - for the target audience you want on your site - and I agree with the above - those words on the bottom should be links to pages about those topics - I wanted them to be links also. Give people the information you have. And optimize each page.

motoxxx · #5 03-07-2007, 07:52 AM

Your site layout seems very unconventional to me. the header image looks like it is a nice place but it loads a bit slowly. Your website structure being improved can help you dramatically with the search engines.

elisepegasus · #6 03-11-2007, 09:38 PM

Thank you all so much for your feedback! I had no idea there was so much involved in making a website great and attractive to SE's.....I will have a better site now and will post it when I have made my updates.....If you are ever in Camden, Maine come take one of my classes.

davidundalicia · #7 03-11-2007, 09:52 PM

If you go to the Showcase of BlueVoda websites around the World and Join up (its free), your site should be picked up by google within a few days..............

have fun

davidundalicia · #8 03-12-2007, 01:01 PM

You ARE listed with Google within the 5 pages being displayed for:
Showcase of BlueVoda websites around the World.

Dori · #9 03-12-2007, 03:22 PM

Hi Elise,
To me, a yoga site should be very calming, your's isn't. You have a lot of good ideas and information, you just need to place it properly.
My suggestions:
Reduce your image width down to 800 to 1000 pixels wide and get rid of the horizontal scroll.
Even out your links at the bottom of your image to make two even or almost even lines of links.
Add a link to your calendar on these lines and give it a page of it's own.
Reduce the height of your page in page properties.
You really have a lot of great content... just make it as fluid as the yoga you teach. Good luck

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