Constructive critics please

[Tasha]

Hi all,

I would like your opinion on my website www.lisboa.demon.co.uk
Any helpful sugestions would be very well recieved, since I'm yet to submit it properly to my target clients.

Thanks!

Tasha

[splufdaddy]

The flash intro is ok (kinda plain), but it should have a "skip intro" button. I definately don't want to see that more than once, if I ever revisit the site.

The site is very simple, and a little dark for my tastes. The black strip at the top is a little thick, and most of it is wasted space. The top of the page is the most valuable real estate, you could get better use out of it.

Not a bad start, nice site. Welcome to the boards.

[I Brian]

The first thing that comes to mind is you suffer from a lack of Search Engine Optimisation. I'm sure I just saw a tutorial on this issue in the Tutorials section here, which covers the basic points. I recommend you have a look at that. Particular issues would be losing the splash page, and having an improved linking structure on your actual pages. Aside from that the aesthetics I found nice, and well laid out.

[buntine]

pretty good so far.
some suggestions:

- ose the flash intro. Splash screens are very annoying when they are used just for the sake of being used.
- there is alot of horizontal scrolling on 800x600. very bad..
- mayby you could shorten the black banner at the top..

good job so far

[TheGAME1264]

I'd agree with buntine. I'd lose the flash intro as well. It isn't immediately clear what your site is all about. Personally, I thought it was a web design freelancer's website (since it's what I associate with the word "freelance", so maybe that's partly my fault). Nevertheless, it does interfere with the Search Engine Optimization, as i, Brian pointed out.

Also, while I'm a big advocate of white (or in this case black) space in general, there seems to be too much between the menu and the description of each item as the mouse is moved over it. This menu system, being a Flash menu system, would also be difficult for search engines to properly index as well.

I like the background colour. It's not white, but it's a nice light shade and doesn't interfere with the text readability.

As far as text goes, this is one of the better uses of Times New Roman. Unfortunately, Times New Roman is old, archaic, outdated, and just plain annoys me to look at and read. Use...well, anything else.

"Mission Statement" has a typo in it.

I dunno, I just don't like it overall. Then again, I'm a picky bugger.

[justlivyalife]

That isn't TNR - its Bookman Old Style

EDIT - you should identify several fonts in your fonts tag - or use CSS, because people without the font Bookman Old Style will just see it in their browsers default fault - normally Times New Roman.

[buntine]

or System. ewwwwww.

[Tasha]

Greetings from Scotland

After browsing through the forum, I can see my subject “constructive critics” was unnecessary, since everybody is genuinely willing to help and the feedback is very useful.

Thank you for all your input, you’ve been brilliant.

. I’ve removed the flash intro for search engine optimisation sake.

. I’m sorry that no one seems to like the black space, but to be quite honest I love it, and I adore the flash menu system. I think it’s very cute.
I suppose it’s a girl thing, sacrifice function for appearance.

. The font is Bookman, which I think it works well, and I’m dealing with the problem.

. I must be a self centred sod, because it didn’t occur to me that so many people use 800x600.
Need to correct it.

. TheGAME1264: Thanks for spotting the typo, I’m mortified. Especially considering the nature of the services we offer!


Finally…
Rookie question: I submitted the index page (before removing the splash) to the search engines. Would that make a difference?

Do you think the design is appropriate to the services we provide?

Cheers

Tasha

[TheGAME1264]

That would depend on how long ago you submitted the page to the engines and how you went about doing it. If you submitted as most people do (by hand and via the free "Add URL" pages most engines provide), then one of two scenarios will play out:

1) Your site was indexed before the splash screen was removed. Sites are usually reindexed once every 4-6 weeks, so your "new" index page will show up in the engine eventually.

2) You submitted your site and switched the "splash" screen before the search engine spiders got to it (usually about 2-3 weeks' time). This means that the search engine spiders will index the new page and you'll be fine.

Either way, eventually your index page will get indexed. Just be patient, that's all.