i've had my website up for a while now and i've been reading a lot on cc about what people like and dislike about websites and i was wondering if i could please have some feedback about mine. should i redesign or update? i've been having some trouble with my design program, so some of the pictures won't enlarge and i can't make links for some reason. i'd love to hear what you think!

thanks so much!

www.saltboxcakes.com

I really like your site. the only two things I'd change would be to make the font bigger on the navigation bar and add a page about the awards you've won. it'sYOUR website, brag it up!!!!

(sorry about typos- sleeping midget in my lap)

I think just small updates would work.

My suggestions:
On the homepage, I think you should move the photos up to the top of the page. Instead of the text, put links directly to your products. Cakes, Cookies & Cupcakes, Desserts, etc etc.

The flavors page and pricing pages are overwhelming to me. I think the details you have should go under the specific categories that I mentioned above.
Ex: Cake page should have the flavors, consult info, and pricing info.

It is a very clean, professional, easy-to-navigate site. The text is clear and easy to read, I know how to contact you. Most of all..your photos look yummy!

It looks great except your pricing page it's got too much on it imo

Oh My. Very nicely done, BUT. It's overwhelming. You have/make so many wonderful things that it turns into a chore to read it.

If I go to your site looking for a cake I have to stroll through a lot of other stuff to find out pricing. OMG your prices are cheap too.

You might want to think about dividing it all up somehow.

That's the problem being so talented with being able to make such nice things. I don't have that issue LOLOL.

I just got overwhelmed by looking at it all.

Mike

Your website is very nice and I like it because its simple. There are just a few adjustments I would make.

I think you should reverse your homepage. Where it says the name of your co. address and all the info at the top of the page as well as the pictures. Underneath the pictures is where you should put the link for the order form. And then the description about you and your company should go below.

I do agree with everyone else as far as the price page being too busy. Also, I think you should try to keep the fonts consistent. Some pages are bold, some are smaller, some are bigger. Especially since your using the same color and design for each page.

The last thing is, I don't know if its my computer or the website, but I am having trouble viewing/opening a lot of the pictures.

I hope this helps.

I agree it's a beautiful site.
I agree it's brimming over with information.

I mostly agree that pictures are the selling point... not words. When I'm surfing cookie sites - I look at the pictures. THEN I look at the info.

Your cakes are marvelous - grab everyone's attention with them!

I like your site, but like the other posters said it is alot to read. You have awesome cakes tho.

thank you all so much! i'll take another look at it and see what i can do with all that info. thanks again!

-I would get rid of the flowers in the background.. it's a bit busy.
-Also.. having your contact info at the bottom of each page is a big much.
-You have SO much to offer.. a little too much almost. Reading your flavors page is a bit daunting.
-Your pricing page is also overwhelming. TMI in many cases. I know you have it all out there for your on-line ordering form so it's easy for people to do it themselves, but it seems a little impersonal.. which I know you aren't.
-Your contact page.. that's a jpeg right? The whole thing is an image you uploaded? If it isn't it looks that way since it's pixelated and not crisp. I think I'd change that. I don't think you need to list your products on that page either.. they can look at your flavors page to see that.

Overall your site is nice, if a bit overwhelming.

It's a great site, and I enjoyed (and was amazed) at your range of products!

I agree -- I'd like to find more photos earlier on in the "process." I clicked on the tabs left to right, and THEN found all the great cakes. Can you "sprinkle" a few photos here and there on the other pages?

I also have found that more recent websites are getting away from things like bliinking stars. Just an opinion...but it might update the site to not have them.

It's a wonderful site and your flavors are amazing!

Your site is nice. I agree with everyone else on two points, more pictures and less words. My site has too many pictures but that is what customers always say they love to look at. A few of my regulars say they look every week to see what new pics I have put on the site. People love pictures. I also put pictures on the info pages. When they go to the info pages, they are usually looking for one certain price on an item, so make it easy for them to find it on that page.

You can say all the things you want to with less words. Just use bullet points. You don't need all the extra words.

For instance, where you have written "The following decorations are available at an additional cost, and include (but are not limited to):"

Just write: Many Extra Decorations Available:

Piped flowers- $5
Buttercreme transfers- $8

Square Cakes (base prices)
8"- $
10"- $

Don't write 'base price' with each price. Put it in the bullet of the item.



Make everything with columns and bullet points that are easy and quick to read. Viewers want the information to be to the point and fast info at a glance. I read where the average viewer stays on one page for only four seconds or so before they click away. You have to grab their attention and make it easy for them to manuver through all the info.
Fun Fun!!

just took a quick peek...i really like the font! i started to read the pricing but it was wayyy too much info, i say keep it simple so as not to overwhelm your customers.

You might consider removing the blinking twinklestar.gif. It's cute but hard on the eyes. (maybe reducing the number of times you use it.) You might be able to get more information "above the fold" on the page if you combined the saltbox house image with the logo and reduced the size of the logo text. It would be a cute logo and make clear the meaning behind your company name.

If you are considering a refresh, the most important thing is not the design, but the traffic to your site. You are probably getting some visitors from Google http://tinyurl.com/5m6jh8 but as has been referenced in this forum in the past, the best investment in terms of your website is search engine optimization. You should work on getting from page 4 to page 1!!!