Critique my website?

[Fuamami]

S'il vous plait?

It's not very good, I hate SiteDelux! But it's what I've got for now and I'm open to any criticism!

www.anaturalsparkle.com

TIA!

[weliveintheforest]

If you are able to change it, the thought bubble cuts into the word 'cleaning' in 'is cleaning your house making you sick', and the phone number and email are partly on the pink, and partly on the white. I'm using safari.

looks pretty good! another thing I noticed, is at first glance it sounds like you are selling products, not a service, so I don't know if you'd want to change the first paragraph or two to include something like "other companies use products that can cause headaches, sneezing...."

eta: nm my first comment, it looks like it's already been changed!

one more thing, I am using a small screen and have to scroll quite a bit to read everything, a slightly smaller font might make it a little more easy on the eyes.

I hope that is helpful!

[dogmom327]

I'd tone down the pink just a tad. The first thing I saw was pink and it's a bit distracting. I agree with the PP's products vs. services comment.

Overall, it looks pretty good

[zinemama]

Those garish colors are extremely painful on my eyes and the font in the first section is so big and bold that it looks geared toward children and very amateurish/cartoony.

[Fuamami]

Originally Posted by weliveintheforest

If you are able to change it, the thought bubble cuts into the word 'cleaning' in 'is cleaning your house making you sick', and the phone number and email are partly on the pink, and partly on the white. I'm using safari.

looks pretty good! another thing I noticed, is at first glance it sounds like you are selling products, not a service, so I don't know if you'd want to change the first paragraph or two to include something like "other companies use products that can cause headaches, sneezing...."

eta: nm my first comment, it looks like it's already been changed!

one more thing, I am using a small screen and have to scroll quite a bit to read everything, a slightly smaller font might make it a little more easy on the eyes.

I hope that is helpful!

Thanks! Very helpful, I'll make it more obvious what I'm offering.

Originally Posted by zinemama

Those garish colors are extremely painful on my eyes and the font in the first section is so big and bold that it looks geared toward children and very amateurish/cartoony.

Oooh, harsh! JK, keep it coming, that's what I want to hear.

It was supposed to be retro, but too bright eh? I thought it would be easy to throw something together with SiteDelux, but it's turning out to take much longer. I may have to go professional, but I'll see what I can do for now. I will need more clients for that, and first I have to get enough to pay for the good preschool.

[Fuamami]

OK, I changed my palette and layout, hopefully it's a little less offensive!

Anyone understand META tags and ALT tags? I fear I'm out of my league here!

[lilyka]

under the "about us" tab where it lists your cleaning products that box seems awkward. There is a margin on the left but not the right. and the products listed need to either be all in one line or bullet pointed or something to indicate this is one product, and this is the next. i was able to make it out because I am familiar with all of those products but not everyone is.

Also this may be just my deal but I like to see a price. even if it is just a starting point. I hate having to call and negotiate a price. Perhaps list 3 or 4 prices for standard service but let them know you can structure anything that works for them. but I am kinda weird that way. I won't even go to a Dr. without a price quote first, won't buy a car when they don't list prices (regardless of if it is a better deal), anyway, i like to see prices listed. even if it is just a starting point.

[Fuamami]

Originally Posted by lilyka

under the "about us" tab where it lists your cleaning products that box seems awkward. There is a margin on the left but not the right. and the products listed need to either be all in one line or bullet pointed or something to indicate this is one product, and this is the next. i was able to make it out because I am familiar with all of those products but not everyone is.

Also this may be just my deal but I like to see a price. even if it is just a starting point. I hate having to call and negotiate a price. Perhaps list 3 or 4 prices for standard service but let them know you can structure anything that works for them. but I am kinda weird that way. I won't even go to a Dr. without a price quote first, won't buy a car when they don't list prices (regardless of if it is a better deal), anyway, i like to see prices listed. even if it is just a starting point.

Thanks! I am going to clean up the products list and put more info about each one in, working on that.

My sister also suggested a starting price. My problem is that it's hard to price a house without seeing it, you know? There's a big difference between a 1500 sq ft home owned by DINKs who travel a lot and have no pets, and a family of five with two dogs and three cats. But I guess I could put a disclaimer in there, that would at least give people a ball-park estimate.

[prone_to_wander]

Your usability is good. Keeping it simple is the best way to make a website IMO.

The one thing I would consider changing is the words are a bit awkward around the picture on your homepage. I'd play around with your pic there and possibly move it to the right side. It seems a little out of place.

Also, be careful with bold font. It is harder to read and can give you the sense that the author is yelling. I might even choose a different, easier to read font.

Your list of products you use is difficult to read.

As well, your About Us section has several grammatical mistakes including run-on sentences. I'd edit it.

Looks good.

[Night Owl]

I think it could use a real picture on the home page.

Perhaps a picture of a sparkling clean house? Or a picture of someone happily cleaning?

You can find inexpensive stock photos at www.istockphoto.com (My favorite place!)

[zinemama]

The colors are way, way better now! But I agree with the pp about the picture. That ironic 50's clip art thing doesn't do much for you.

[spunk]

I know you made a lot of edits to this already, and I apologize if this sounds harsh, but to me, and in my opinion, this site looks amateurish ... I would suggest you install wordpress, and find a free theme (go to wordpress.org and look at the themes section, there are TONs to choose from) and recreate your site by creating pages in Wordpress and setting on of your pages to be the index of the site. That will hike up the professionalism like 100 times on this site because right now, you look very 1999. (Sorry!!)

The above steps should take you maybe half a day, or if you hire someone who knows what they are doing and you choose a theme, it is like a hour's work. You can feel free to PM me if you get stuck in any stage of the process and I can do my best to offer some direction ...

BUT, let me also say that it takes a LOT to sit down and make a site if it is your first time and you are new to how to build it so considering that, this is a great effort, but on the same note, I would not have my first shot represent my business to the world.

[Fuamami]

Originally Posted by spunk

I know you made a lot of edits to this already, and I apologize if this sounds harsh, but to me, and in my opinion, this site looks amateurish ... I would suggest you install wordpress, and find a free theme (go to wordpress.org and look at the themes section, there are TONs to choose from) and recreate your site by creating pages in Wordpress and setting on of your pages to be the index of the site. That will hike up the professionalism like 100 times on this site because right now, you look very 1999. (Sorry!!)

The above steps should take you maybe half a day, or if you hire someone who knows what they are doing and you choose a theme, it is like a hour's work. You can feel free to PM me if you get stuck in any stage of the process and I can do my best to offer some direction ...

BUT, let me also say that it takes a LOT to sit down and make a site if it is your first time and you are new to how to build it so considering that, this is a great effort, but on the same note, I would not have my first shot represent my business to the world.

It's not harsh, and I actually agree! It just wasn't looking the way I wanted. I think that my website is not my main form of advertising, but I did need to have something up because I just did some advertising in a publication that was coming out.

Maybe I should take this to PM, but maybe not because other people might benefit from it, too. How is Wordpress going to be better than the Sitedelux software? I looked over Wordpress, but couldn't really figure out how it was better, and I was so far in with the Sitedelux stuff at that point I didn't want to redo it. Is it really that much easier to use? Or should I spend some money on the Microsoft software? I actually have done a fair amount of graphic design in my life, but it's all been on Illustrator and InDesign, and it's all been for print. TIA!

[spunk]

It is very easy to manage and customize, and the reason I recommended it is that there are sooooo many great free themes to choose from online - here is a great guide I found online on setting up Wordpress - anyone can do it based on these instructions:

http://www.caroline-middlebrook.com/...cheSitesWP.pdf

You will have to fit the instruction to what you are trying to do ... here is a theme I found that you may like:

http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/blossom

(I just did a search for "pink") ...

When hiring freelancers and people to work on your site, nearly all developers are familiar with working in WP and you will likely get better rates for future work you want on your site ... I realize you have a lot of hours put into the site, but I still think you can switch and do it in a days or so of work ...

[lilyka]

For a starting price, how about a one room special (kitchen or bathroom) at a set price. Or a starting hourly rate.

[lilyka]

wow, I really like some of the changes you made!

I noticed you had $99 for move in or move out. as someone who has done both I would charge more for moving out. I am constrantly shocked by how crapped out my tennants leave their place. It takes days to clean.

also I wouldn't make any promises about getting their deposit back (or anything that could be understood as a promise.) there may be stains and damage beyond your control and beyond what a basic cleaning can handle.

[Fuamami]

Originally Posted by lilyka

wow, I really like some of the changes you made!

I noticed you had $99 for move in or move out. as someone who has done both I would charge more for moving out. I am constrantly shocked by how crapped out my tennants leave their place. It takes days to clean.

also I wouldn't make any promises about getting their deposit back (or anything that could be understood as a promise.) there may be stains and damage beyond your control and beyond what a basic cleaning can handle.

yes, that's a good point. I could say something like "Increase the likelihood you will get your deposit back!"

Thanks so much for the other input - I really appreciate it!

[Fuamami]

Originally Posted by spunk

It is very easy to manage and customize, and the reason I recommended it is that there are sooooo many great free themes to choose from online - here is a great guide I found online on setting up Wordpress - anyone can do it based on these instructions:

http://www.caroline-middlebrook.com/...cheSitesWP.pdf

You will have to fit the instruction to what you are trying to do ... here is a theme I found that you may like:

http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/blossom

(I just did a search for "pink") ...

When hiring freelancers and people to work on your site, nearly all developers are familiar with working in WP and you will likely get better rates for future work you want on your site ... I realize you have a lot of hours put into the site, but I still think you can switch and do it in a days or so of work ...

Awesome, thanks so much! I'm going to start on this tonight.

[spunk]

Great! Look forward to seeing your finished site - please feel free to post or PM if any problems or specific questions - I can point you in the right direction for pretty much anything - good luck!!

[lilyka]

gees, for $100 I would totally hire you to come clean after my tennants moved out....that would make my day.