I wonder how many people are reading this thread and going to their web sites to hurry up and them???

Hey all, I would sure appreciate some feedback too.
Maggz gave me some and I really did try (If you are reading this!), but because I'm with a pre-made company, there are limited background and stuff things that I can do. I am looking into not having the advertising at the top, though.

TIA!

www.cakebydesign.ca

mommyle, I luv your site! The photos encourage me to look further and it is very well written. My favorite phrase on your site, which is very effective, is:

We can not compete with grocery-store cakes. Conversely, they can not compete with us.

mommyle --

I PM'd you some ideas. Great cakes, by the way -- and love the decorating party idea!

- P-f

Things that I like:

Phone numbers and locations that are easy to find (I hate to spend 20 minutes trying to figure out how to contact someone!!)

Simple colored back grounds - as someone else stated, the cakes are what people are wanting to see, not floating hearts, dots, etc.

Policies about deposits, it is nice for someone to know coming in what is expected. The bakery I work at just started their website, but you would be surprised about the people that come in to book that are surprised and not prepared to give a deposit.

What I don't like:

Music, sometimes it scares me to death if I'm not expecting it!!

Multiple pics of the same item, if you've done 3 Spider Man cakes, one pic is enough to let people know that it's available.

Adding other business information. (My friend has a wine business and he does web hosting and one minute your on the wine site and then you are on the other site and didn't even realize you've left the first. ) I can understand wanting the most advertising for your buck, but I think a nice links page would work.

Good luck with your page!

For websites in general:

busy background page designs (sometimes a different background for every page on the website!).

busy backgrounds in pictures. Messy kitchen counters, living rooms, etc. Not so professional. A nice table setting is nice if that's all you have. My fav cake designer has the same background in all of her pics (her countertop and pretty tile backsplash), but it is the same in every pic.

"tails" on your mouse that follow you everywhere!

music.

pricing info. I hate making phone calls to ask pricing info, so if you don't have it on your website, I won't be calling you for business. At least give me a range.

banner ads. I understand the need for free websites though.

Oh yah, naming cakes. I'm just not that cutesy to think of creative names for items I'm going to eat. I'm a simple gal, just give it to me straight!

a billion flavors. Yikes. I'm a little jealous that you can bake all of those flavors, but as a customer I would be overwhelmed (more like ADD) and not able to make a decision, hence you might lose me as a customer.

**************************************

nefgaby: I can't read your font. Not that the font itself is illegible, but it's too "soft," I can barely see it.

Call me stupid, but I'm a little confused with your Guatemala page. Can you put a little blurb explaining in English what that is about? It left me wonderin....do you deliver to Guatemala or are you referring to another cake decorator there?

I love your cake cutting page! Such a great reference for your customers! I also wouldn't have thought to cut the half round end pieces into triangle pieces like you did.

Ok..nefgaby.. I do agree with the others about your website.
Mine is more a showcase of my work. Please tell me what's wrong so I can fix!

www.designmeacake.com
Edna

tonedna,

I've got to say your font is a little hard to read too. And the font you're using for the links is pretty hard to read - it seems kinda smushed together. I'd also like to see your main navigation not be all capital letters.

Your cakes are gorgeous and you are amazingly talented. However, although your cake color combinations are wonderful, I'm not loving the green, black, and brown colors on your website.

Lastly, it would be great if you would left align or even justify your text. I'm not loving the text all centered in many places.

Okay wait had one more - I'd like to see the pictures of your cakes aligned if possible.

I wish I could align them too..The website is one of those where they give you certain ways to do think and is very difficullt to get ou of the box..They wont let me change the link box either..

Tonedna,

I PM'd you some ideas...a really wonderful site!

Petit-four

I have a weird issue with lots of small print that isn't broken up into legible paragraphs.....it sort of makes me nuts, lol.

I really like easy-to-locate contact information and bright colors ( I love pink!! oops), but I'm not a fan of the sounds that pop on or music......or that curser-tail thing. Those are likely to make me hit the back button.

Great thread - gives everyone and idea of what to avoid and what to be sure they have when they design their page!

Hey Ladies,

OK, I'm back!!!! Changed a couple things but still working on the rest

* First off, I just had to laugh when Antonia mentioned the whole exclamation point thing, I SO do that, I guess I get too excited when I "talk cake". Anyway, done, and THANKS!

* The chart, I'm working on it, I have to make a new one to replace the old one, but definitively working on it.

* The title, well, the background I chose does not allow me to 1) make my logo bigger and 2) put it a little higher on the page. What I did though, is change my picture for a straight one and also, made it smaller so my menu are a little higher.

* The font, it was either the one I have OR the regular arial font, which I wasn't thrilled about but I guess it is much easier to read. I also tried to make it bold so that it would be easier to read but didn't look right to me. I guess I'll keep on bugging the yahoo people for more font options... I'll keep you updated as I really want to make my site easy to read.

* Thanks Petit-Four for the PM, I'll be checking it in a sec

* MichelleM77, the whole "Guatemala" page is for my sister, I got her started in cake decorating and she has been referring her customers to my website so I decided to make her a page so that her customers in Guatemala could have some info on her prices and ph#.

OK ladies, I'll keep on working, I think the whole font thing will be a whole day chore but is my top priority. Thank you again for all the constructive criticism and the nice things you all said about my work! Means the world to me! Thanks again.

To do list: font and chart

Thanks for explaining! Guess it would make sense if I knew what it said.

I just changed my website to Arial as it is just easier to read. I liked the other one that I had (Comic Sans or something like that) as it was slightly whimsical, but Arial is easier to deal with and the font itself was smaller, so more room for text.

(QUOTE FROM indydebi) The "About Me" page should only be about one paragraph and I don't really care how you made your first cake at the age of 7. What are your PROFESSIONAL attributes that make me want to select YOU to make my wedding cake?

LOL! big pet peeve of mine...oh, and when they put pictures of their kids, family, etc??

My mom said that I should hve a photo of me, and I didn't like that either, so I put my anniversary cake. It's my DH and me in fondant on our couch of cake!!! http://www.cakebydesign.ca/html/contact_us.html

I happen to really like splash pages, and flash... as evidenced by my website! LOL

I don't like music! Sometimes is makes me jump out of my seat. Other times it's just annoying.

I don't like disorganized pages that look like they were just thrown together.

My top number one peeve is that little tail that follows when the mouse moves. It drives me crazy! I'll leave the site instantly because I makes me nuts.

I have redone my site a million times. I am hoping to achieve an elegant, but professional looking site. Let me know if I am even close.

www.couturecakecreations.com

Let me know what you think.

Perhaps it is better if anyone is asking for specific feedback that we each PM them. By the way, CoutureCakes, I PM'd you

You know I HATE music on websites with a passion!!!!!! HOwever I just logged on to Jacques Pastries: http://www.jacquespastries.com
I was about to click off my volume when the song started and I found myself crying (could have been that it was late at night ) But now I find myself going to his site quite often lol!!!

Just listen to it... sob...

Hmm do you want people sobbing when looking at your cakes? Ugh his navigation was driving me nuts too - sliding here, sliding there, driving me nuts!

The song I guess is aimed at brides... but you just really took out a large percent of the population of brides who may not have mothers - I'm thankful my mom is still with me - but if I wasn't going to be able to have my mom with me on my wedding day, I REALLY wouldn't want to be reminded of that fact while I'm looking for cakes. It would completely turn me off. Or what about the people that just don't have good relationships with their mothers? He's taking a big risk there with that song, in my opinion - however unintentional it might be.

The song sounds pretty sweet - but it was looong and dragged a bit, so I found myself bored. And since I was so frustrated by the navigation (and the lack of that many photos), I left fairly quickly. I might have stayed longer without the song and with better navigation.

Tonedna!
an apostrophe is not necessary to form a plural
Topsy Turvy's (according to dictionary.com) instead should pluralize to Topsy Turvies? it seems kinda strange to me, but thats what it says.

hope that helps! your cakes are gorgeous!

I would say only post a calendar if you are super booked. Otherwise all of those empty spaces make it look like no one wants to use you.

I don't use a calendar because I may have 2 weddings booked for the same Saturday, but depending on what the 3rd caller wants, I may be able to accommodate them.

nefgaby, since you asked in addition to what everyone has already said, how about in the articles section (which I love) list the article titles directly underneath the word article so you can skip straight to the title you want to view.

If anyone needs a website new or updated you might want to look into http://sites-unlimited.com They have very reasonable prices and do excellent work.