New Design for my web design company

[Barry_M]

Hi all. Please have a look at my website and give me some feedback. This is all built around my own CMS, BluCMS which I have used to build hundreds of websites for companies across the UK.

New Website Designed

 

[fisicx]

This is what I see on my iphone:

 

[Barry_M]

This is what I see on my iphone:

cheers!

Note to self. Check site on Iphone for webp images

Will fix now!

 

[Darren_Ssc]

I was going to ask why you defaulted to webp.

A small point but when I hover over a site logo I expect it to link to the homepage. Not necessarily a critical issue but you just get used to it being the default?

 

[fisicx]

This CMS you have created, is there any documentation?
Can I build themes and plugins/extension?
Is there an installation guide? I looked at the website and there isn't a download link.

Had a look at your callback form. The validation does it one line at a time, the UX would be much nicer if it showed all the errors. And I booked two callbacks for 3pm today. How are you going to manage that? Ideally it should block out booked slots.

On your portfolio page the images only display as I scroll. It's a bit offputting. The UX would be better if the images loaded before I scroll. And the portfolio page doesn't have a padlock - all the images are http not https.

 

[Barry_M]

So I have fixed the webp images!

This CMS you have created, is there any documentation?
Can I build themes and plugins/extension?
Is there an installation guide? I looked at the website and there isn't a download link.

Had a look at your callback form. The validation does it one line at a time, the UX would be much nicer if it showed all the errors. And I booked two callbacks for 3pm today. How are you going to manage that? Ideally it should block out booked slots.

On your portfolio page the images only display as I scroll. It's a bit offputting. The UX would be better if the images loaded before I scroll. And the portfolio page doesn't have a padlock - all the images are http not https.

The CMS I use (which I built) does not offer a download as it is not opensource so there will be no themes etc.. Thanks for pointing out the portfolio page! I never noticed that. Ill fix that just now

There are videos to help people use the CMS.

I got your enquiries from the form.

 

[Barry_M]

fixed the portfolio page.

 

[Barry_M]

On your portfolio page the images only display as I scroll. It's a bit offputting. The UX would be better if the images loaded before I scroll. And the portfolio page doesn't have a padlock - all the images are http not https.

that was a good idea. I have set it up now so the photos fade as soon as they are in view. Looks better.

 

[Barry_M]

I was going to ask why you defaulted to webp.

A small point but when I hover over a site logo I expect it to link to the homepage. Not necessarily a critical issue but you just get used to it being the default?

Hi Darren. Thanks for the feedback. I rarely make the logos on sights clickable. Think I stopped doing it when Explorer used to put a blue line round it. I have changed the logo to clickable

 

[fisicx]

Back to the cms, does this mean if I want a new feature I have to pay you?

that was a good idea. I have set it up now so the photos fade as soon as they are in view. Looks better.

thats not what I meant. I don’t want to see any animation at all.

I’m in the garage on 4g and the site is sloooooow. On the portfolio page the images don’t even load.

You have all these projects but you don’t tell me anything about them. A project page for each would mean you add some words and list the features on each.

You aren’t selling your services, it’s almost like you have just bunged up a site with a take it or leave it approach. Show me all the magical things you can do. Sell me the cms, show me all the features. Sell the sizzle not the sausage.

Remember that people don’t want a website, they want more sales, better leads, bigger profits. The website is just a tool to help them achieve this.

 

[Barry_M]

Thanks for the feedback
I have removed all the Webp images for now - i have a solution but im working on a couple of other sites so dont have time today to fix it!

 

[Barry_M]

Back to the cms, does this mean if I want a new feature I have to pay you?

thats not what I meant. I don’t want to see any animation at all.

I’m in the garage on 4g and the site is sloooooow. On the portfolio page the images don’t even load.

You have all these projects but you don’t tell me anything about them. A project page for each would mean you add some words and list the features on each.

You aren’t selling your services, it’s almost like you have just bunged up a site with a take it or leave it approach. Show me all the magical things you can do. Sell me the cms, show me all the features. Sell the sizzle not the sausage.

Remember that people don’t want a website, they want more sales, better leads, bigger profits. The website is just a tool to help them achieve this.

All very true points and I love the sausages analogy.

I used to have the site packed with lots of info about the CMS and the projects but it seamed to make no difference in hits or for job enquiries so i trimmed it down allot. I have been thinking about adding a per page portfolio section showing what I did on each project. My projects system is actually separate from the main website and I have the info for each project saved there. I think I will do a per page system with little icons showing what services I provided. And also very true about the portfolio page loading times. I should really paginate the page in to sets of maybe 8 at a time!

Btw the CMS has its own site but it was pretty much slapped together for quickness

 

[fisicx]

Thanks for the feedback
I have removed all the Webp images for now - i have a solution but im working on a couple of other sites so dont have time today to fix it!

Saw that. Next job is to make the hero image fit on the page. A couple of media queries should fix this - no need to have big fonts on a small screen. And it will mean the picture of you won't get chopped in half.

On the portfolio page try two columns on a mobile phone. That way you get more content on the page and less scrolling. I'd also split test a white background - less tiring on the eyes than white on black.

 

[fisicx]

I used to have the site packed with lots of info about the CMS and the projects but it seamed to make no difference in hits or for job enquiries so i trimmed it down allot.

Don't even mention the CMS, nobody cares (apart from me). Big up the features:

• Built in SEO
• Social Media
• Galleries
• Contact Forms
• Adsense
• Styling and customisation
• Layout switching
  
• etc...

For example, you have testimonials on your site - tell clients they can have the same because a testimonial creator is built in. I developed one for a client where customers can upload images and rate the service. These then display automatically (like blog posts).

Look at your testimonials page on a wide screen. The CSS has gone awry. And on a phone the font size is huuuuge.

I like what you do, just needs a few tweaks to make it really good. The mobile UX is key as many potential client will use these before sitting at a desktop.

 

[Barry_M]

Don't even mention the CMS, nobody cares (apart from me). Big up the features:

• Built in SEO
• Social Media
• Galleries
• Contact Forms
• Adsense
• Styling and customisation
• Layout switching
  
• etc...

For example, you have testimonials on your site - tell clients they can have the same because a testimonial creator is built in. I developed one for a client where customers can upload images and rate the service. These then display automatically (like blog posts).

Look at your testimonials page on a wide screen. The CSS has gone awry. And on a phone the font size is huuuuge.

I like what you do, just needs a few tweaks to make it really good. The mobile UX is key as many potential client will use these before sitting at a desktop.

True. When I tell prospects about and show them it in action they love it but up until that point people dont have a clue what a CMS is mostly. BTW I have paginated the portfolio page

https://barryswebdesign.co.uk/portfolio

12 per page now with pagination

Also forgot to say (edit). I use 3 screens and the testimonials page looks fine? Can you screenshot what you see and post it here?

 

[fisicx]

That's the full browser window

 

[menetworkjadaltd]

On the "Consult | Design | Support" when in this format, lose the "|" separators

Make it a list

 

[MankindStudio]

Is it web designer's website or sawmill/handyman? (desktop)