I've just begun to create a website. I'm no web editor so it's very crude right now. Please check it out and give me some ideas (and how to do them) for my site. I've been wanting to do this for quite some time now. I've only added a few pictures and plan to add more. I wanted to talk to y'all about it first before I spent any more time trying to figure it out LOL

The address is www.peaches-n-cream-cakery.com

TIA,
Lazy_Susan

Any opinions at all? Anybody???

I'm no expert--but I really like what you have so far. I like your intro (that the cakes are baked w/ southern charm). Then after that it is easy to navigate. I like the backgrounds you chose, and that you can click on the cakes to see a bigger image. (And the cakes you've chosen are very nice--the wedding cakes are very elegant, and the other cakes show a nice variety of what you can do.)

I think you have a really nice start. HTH

Looks like a great start to me.

Susan, that is the beginning of a very cute site! Here are my initial recommendations:

Instead of having a link to "Cakes" on your main page, I would just put the links to "Bridal Shower/Wedding Cakes" and "Birthday Cakes" -- unless you are planning on adding more items like cookies/pies/etc.

On every page you should have a link back to the home page -- I know it sounds silly, but some people don't use the 'back' button -- they prefer to navigate the web site within the site. Make sense?

The pictures on the birthday cake page are thumbnails that enlarge, but the pictures on the wedding cake page are not thumbnails. I would make it consistent throughout the site, either one way or the other (I would go with thumbnails to reduce loading time.)

I like the background you have on the wedding cakes page, but the others seem a little distracting. That's just my personal opinion.

I would make your email address "clickable" so someone could click on it and email you. I *think* the html text for it is mailto:[email protected], but I use Publisher for my web site and it does it for me, so someone with more know-how might want to correct me.

All in all, it's a great start, and your cakes are just wonderful.

I think it looks really good.

I think it's good start,I like the back ground for the wedding cakes the other one is a bit busy. The cakes are very nice . Have you thought of changing the font color and font face ? I think that would add alittle sapark to it, that's just my opinion. good luck

Your cakes are very good.
I don't like the backgrounds, I think a soft solid color is more elegant.
It's also a good idea to have all the photos in the same size.
and your logo in every page

Looks Great !!!!!!!!!!!

Putting together a website is NOT an easy task by any stretch of the imagination.

Couple things... and most importantly, do what works for you... I do like the fact that it is a quick loading page as I have dialup..

- Keep your background the same among all of your pages and galleries, and I would recommend adding one to your front page.
-Put the gallery links on the front page with something to hook your customers in. If you don't have them on your first page, it'll be harder to get them to click..
-Add more photos to the galleries and give yourself some footer space below the pictures to scroll down. Include links to your previous pages on all of the pages so it'll be easier to navigate if someone is navigating multiple websites at the same time (the back button isn't always the method of choice)..
-Where are you located??? If I want to order a cake delivered to Oofda, Minnesota, are you in the area? There isn't anywhere on your website stating which area you operate out of.
-Remember, hook your customer in on the front page. You're in an emotionally charged, impulse buying business so you want to get their mouths salivating over your cakes before they even take a look at them.
-Get a picture of some sort on the front page that represents your work. Maybe even a cake dummy that's in the shape of a Peaches & Cream pie, or a Peach.. The "Wow, I want to sit here and look at this site like it's cake porn" effect for a customer.

Whoops, Clicked too soon...

You've got an AWESOME start to your website and creating something that will be the first introduction of you to your customers because many brides start with the internet and go from there. Use what works for you. Sometimes a simple site will grow you faster than a complex one. You just have to find what works best. One page at a time..

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I'll be working on each and every one of them. I'm glad y'all like it so far. Ot's definitely a work in progress.

I am hesitant to include anything about ordering cakes since I am not licensed. I figured I would just have the email address on there and whatever happens happens. I would love to be licensed and legal but I don't know how. I live in Washington and I don't know what the rules are or who to ask.
Having my own specialty cake shop (like Charm City Cakes) would be a dream come true.

Thanks again everyone! I'll be working on the site again today. So keep me informed of what you think about my progress with it please

Lazy_Susan

It would be good if you could get the domains peachesandcreamcakery and peachesncreamcakery. Many people will have trouble keeping straight n versus and versus &, and whether there are spaces or no spaces or dashes or underscores. The default is spelled out and no spaces.