advice on my website please

[helen]

Hi there,

I have recently set up my own website, I am a Personal Fitness Trainer, and am advertising it through google. I am getting a 1-2% hit rate but am not appearing to convert these hits into clients.

I know my website needs some improvement, am planing to get some photos of myself on there and I am aware that the domain name is not the same as my business name so that needs addressing as well. However, I would appreciate any other points of view on how I can improve it and what you think of it generally.

Many thanks

Helen
www.jhooper.f2s.com

[buying_it]

Hi Helen!

I admire you for starting up a business in such a competitive environment! (or so it seems to me!)

I like the idea of your business and the values you have founded it on! the domain name fitfromwithin.co.uk is free so I would snap that up if I was you! www.dc-domains.com (http://www.dc-domains.com) can help you sort this all out (hosting plus domain name is about £30 for first year)

You might want to drop frontpage as your design tool for your website as it looks terrible in firefox (an alternative browser to internet explorer!

The use of capitals for your titles looks as if you are shouting at your customers (when personal training is all about encouragement!)

The pictures along the top of your site are 'okay' however they need to be bigger so that people can actually see what they are trying to show (hopefully happy smiley people enjoying themselves & getting fit!)

You really need pictures of you with your clients - Your site needs to provide your clients with a good idea of what it would be like to work with you as their personal trainer.

Your links along the left edge of your site are too spaced out - they need to be grouped together.

It is a great first attempt and you should be proud of yourself for getting this far!

If you want to PM me I would be happy to give some tips/help and tidying things up althought you are probably going to get a fair few tips from this group of people!

Andy

[Top Hat]

Hi Helen,

There's lot you can do to improve your web site and its conversion.

My top tip is: Location, what area do you cover, I assume its not the whole country, is it Gt Dunmow, the whole of Essex, what towns. Not only will it help your visitors to know if you can help them, but it would also be great SE fodder.

I like the get fit for a wedding, sound like a great product, you could perhaps feature that on the home page.

The page Title is 'New Page' you need to change this.

I would also change the 'HOW DO WE CONTACT YOU?' to 'How do I get started?' or similar

Think like a visitor who knows nothing, what can you do for them.

[c4l]

Hi Helen,

Sorry - not much help on here - enough marketing problems of my own.

However, can recommend a couple of people:

A good place to buy a doman names is http://www.virtualnames.co.uk

And

A good web-designer, very realisitically priced too is
http://www.desty.co.uk

Hope this is of some use to somebody out there!

[Strategist]

Helen,
Two key things come to mind. First, although you have testimonials from Herts, Suffolk and Essex on your site, you do not say who you are or where you are based. Bearing in mind that billions of people can find you through Google, what is the point if you are hiding from everyone. There's no need to give your full address but a clue at least. Presumably some people will have an idea of where you are through your phone code, but what about those not so local. Are you prepared to travel, do work work out of a fitness centre/gym?
Secondly, if you are dependent on the web site, change your tactics fast! You are in a people business that requires lits of face to face networking and client referrals. Get involved (if not already) with local business clubs, chambers of commerce, social groups etc and spread the word about yourself - much more efficient than relying on someone down your street happening upon you across the electronic ether!
I hope this helps.
Good luck.

[Srivvy]

Hi Helen

To get business from search engines, it will be much more productive and far cheaper to get results in the free listings, rather than pay per click.

This means you need to make your website more search engine friendly. The page titles (in the blue bar at the top) are very important. At the moment many of yours say New Page 1, when they should telling the search engines, as well as your visitors what the page is about.
Eg. if you are based in Devon, a good home page title, might be Personal Fitness Trainer Devon, South West, UK

Also make sure the phrases that people would type in to find you are mentioned on your pages (but not too much!). You need links going in, so try to get listed on some relevant directories. A good domain name may also help as someone has already mentioned. This will also help when getting your name known - few would remember your current domain name.

Although pay per click can bring instant hits, you may have to pay alot before any turn into clients. You should definitely work on optimising your site soon, as the improvements in rankings take weeks and even months to be fully seen.

Good luck!

Srivvy