Thread: new website

After procrastinating for a very long time, I have a website. Designed in Rapid Weaver by me. Looks okay in anything not Internet Explorer (the template is for IE 7 and above, but I think because I modified it in certain ways the formatting doesn't work quite as well). Let me know if you have any suggestions or issues. I'm still tweaking!

www.amiraofannapolis.com

It looks beautiful! You did a great job!

HI Amira, I viewed your website in Firefox on my Mac.

I didn't read through it in detail but I do have one suggestion: Change the picture on your home and about page. It is not very dynamic and doesn't make you look your best. An interspective photo is fine in later pages to show that you can do nice taxsims. However, for a splash page, you want to strong, engaging image that just screams "I am a performer! My shows are fun and full of life. Hire me for your next party, wedding, restaurant show, etc right now!" The one you have for your Hire page is good. There is one in your gallery where you are in pink and gold with your arms up and one leg out. That would work too.
In terms of consistency and the quest for a common look and feel, consider this: Since you have limited photo shot images to work with, why not use only the pink and gold ones for the large image on the pages? Then, omit them from the gallery (since you've already shown them). This would make your gallery neater. It would also make your website more professional, like you did a photoshoot in pink and gold specifically for your website.
Just some ideas of what I like to see in websites.
p.s. Don't look at mine, I'm still working in updating it! ;-)

Mmmm good ideas Hala. I was thinking about that myself--I ended up using that gold costume shot simply because way back when I had created that splash page I used that shot first and it was already on hand, but I did have the niggling notion that it doesn't necessarily fit with the other costume shots.

I'll see what I have on hand!

Originally Posted by Hala Jamal

HI Amira, I viewed your website in Firefox on my Mac.

I didn't read through it in detail but I do have one suggestion: Change the picture on your home and about page. It is not very dynamic and doesn't make you look your best. An interspective photo is fine in later pages to show that you can do nice taxsims. However, for a splash page, you want to strong, engaging image that just screams "I am a performer! My shows are fun and full of life. Hire me for your next party, wedding, restaurant show, etc right now!" The one you have for your Hire page is good. There is one in your gallery where you are in pink and gold with your arms up and one leg out. That would work too.
In terms of consistency and the quest for a common look and feel, consider this: Since you have limited photo shot images to work with, why not use only the pink and gold ones for the large image on the pages? Then, omit them from the gallery (since you've already shown them). This would make your gallery neater. It would also make your website more professional, like you did a photoshoot in pink and gold specifically for your website.
Just some ideas of what I like to see in websites.
p.s. Don't look at mine, I'm still working in updating it! ;-)

beautiful!!! the video of you dancing is amazzzzzzzzzzzing!! (even after having seen it live originally!) I love the quotes on the right side bar.
the only techy issue might be the splash page if one of your goals of the site is to be found via internet searches for hire/teaching. Splash pages basically ruin your chances of having a good or decent google ranking. Or maybe if you just added a tag line at the bottom or something w/ the basics "Amira, belly dancer, Annapolis Maryland.." ?

hope it brings you lots of joy and success!

It's nice and easy to navigate but I find the splash page to be a waste of time, I'd rather go directly to an index page with a blurb of info and navigation links.

I also agree that I want to see a more engaging photo. I find it hard to connect with that image. I see a inwardly drawn, perhaps shy or passive, dancer in that image. Very few of your studio photos seem to be as warm, wild, and energetic as your live shots...maybe the one Cassie did in teh same costume with your hair in mid toss comes close.

Awww Shiraz, you just made my day! And thank you for cueing me into the whole splash page, search optimization thing. That is very good to know. Thanks Ozma for your recommendations as well. I will search and see what I have that is more engaging. I have some nice studio shots that are more lively, but they always don't work with the whole background I created so I'm trying to figure out how to deal with that. I'm glad that I come across as a little more energetic in the live shots though!

Maybe this means I just need to have another photo shoot!

yay! finally! Thank you for putting something up. This will make my referrals much easier. <3