Thread: Website Design

Okay, so my site's been up for a year now. I met my goal of over 1000 visitors (I know, not a big goal, but I was excited). I update with photos and stuff regularly, but now I'm wondering if it needs a real overhaul. I love Michelle's site, etc... It has to be something I can easily do on my own...the budget will not allow for paying a designer. I currently use Iweb in my Mac, and I don't plan to change.

So... any suggestions...what you like, don't like, hard to navigate, etc? www.tnbellydance.com

Thanks for the input...

• Apropos of nothing, but I'm glad you're bringing down Yousry and I wish my job would allow me to come -- I have to do techie work stuff that weekend. *pout*
• This is all stuff I'd change, so please don't feel like I'm dissing the whole site -- it's mostly your intro page that I'd change:
• I'd say pare down the picture. I know "big" images are all the rage on some dancer sites now, and they can be great openings. But keep in mind that the average screen far too small for that image; you're making people scroll on the front page to see the cool stuff -- like the workshops! -- and that's not a way to sell your site. For one example, see Michelle Joyce's site that you've already referenced.
• Also: The image is lovely, and your smile is luminous...yet the pose doesn't really, in my experience, help "invite" the viewer in. That pose is traditionally a "coy" one, and blocking your face also isn't helping the uninitiated viewer feel welcome.
• Fonts. Smaller works better; big fonts are good, but too big gets you also into the "important info stuffed down the page" situation. Fewer font types also work better; studies show that people get confused with too many fonts, believe it or not. Also, I'd recommend making the links standard, so that the cues most people know to look for (blue text, etc) work -- with the underlining, it's still a little too subtle. Try, for example, a differently-colored text for links, doesn't have to be blue.
• Along those same lines, with the "Enter Here" in an italic font, it's actually harder to read, esp. at that size. I'd actually recommend bringing the menu page up into the front page, and ditching all the "splash page" business -- unless its done well, it's just a distraction to folks trying to get with you for gigs and the like. It's also hard to click on my PC; the above text lays over the top 1/5th of the "Enter Here" text. If you bring your menus into the front page, this won't be an issue.
• Two quick things on the menus -- the big thing is, again, italics can be hard to read at large sizes. The second is that the images might be a bit like overkill; unless the image really ties into the link (and what kind of image says "gallery"?), it's possibly a lot. Best to focus on clear, easy-to-read text.

I hope I didn't sound too mean. :(

I agree with everything Asim said.

BTW, you are so beautiful!

No, this is exactly what I need to hear. I have no prior web design experience, and I am just muddling along trying to get something to look decent :-) So, I want it to look clean and professional and right now, when I visit my site, I get irritated. So, that means something needs "fixing". It probably won't happen until AFTER Yousry comes, but once July rolls around, I want to clean it up alot.

Thank you for your comments!

Can your budget stretch to a book? If you're on a Mac you'll like this:

The non designers web book by Robin Williams (available from amazon)

I found the navigation a bit confusing, since you have a splash page with a menu on it and then you enter into a page with the menu again.

I'm also a little confused by the "Lessons by Alexia" page. Do you teach there? I would probably include a page that explains what that's about then lead to her page. If possible, I think it would be good to show a pic of teaching, since most of your photos match up well to whatever the page is about.

Originally Posted by NandaDncer

Can your budget stretch to a book? If you're on a Mac you'll like this:

The non designers web book by Robin Williams (available from amazon)

ok I'll check into this!

so I think I'll reorganize without the splash page OR without the menu page. I think I just got too "kid in the candy shop" happy with all the "cool things" my Mac could do...