Question

Topic: Website Critique

Critique My Website!

Posted by Anonymous on 10/5/2006 at 10:47 PM ET 800 Points
Hello Gurus,

I've recently joined my family business (please see my bio for more info on the company). I will be working with our agency to redesign our website (for reasons I'll keep to myself for now as I don't want to influence your feedback). Before I move ahead, I would like to get your feedback on our site (either as website experts OR as role-playing customers).

Regal Tent specialize in temporary structures (also known as exceptionally large tents) for large events across N.A. & The Caribbean. We are known as CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVERS and our brand revolves around 3 core brand truths:
1. Passion
2. Creativity
3. Prestige

Our main target is event planners; however, our customer base is also made up of: Direct Clients (this includes universities, casinos, hotels, wineries, you name it...) and other Tent Companies (we subrent our tents). these groups are incredibly diverse and require very different content (they will likely also have different product requirements). Although a generalization, an event planner is looking for "wow factor", a direct client is looking for "an expert who can guide them through the steps" and a tent company is looking for "unique product at a competitive price".

OK, so here's the challenge...Tell me what you would do to improve our site and make it more customer-centric, informative, engaging, AND provide incentive to keep coming back to the site for more info.
https://www.regaltent.com

I've tried my best to capture as much info as possible, but please email me with questions if you have any and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

I look forward to your feedback.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 10/6/2006 at 7:36 AM Accepted
    While a person who knows what to find will navigate your website well, the layperson might not.

    Add some famous structures done, some client lists, some testimonials on how they used the structures.

    Add pictures with graphics which demonstrate the
    1. sidewalls that easily slide open and close.
    2. interesting frontal effects.
    etc etc

    Add time frames for putting up each of your structures and manpower requirements,turn around time for structure dismantling.

    Put your awards on the Home Page next to your logo and let them be the header for every click through. Or put each award as a header for each page that one goes into.

    Also i hope the keyword searches have been taken care off.

    All products have been given equal importance- however you must be having cash cows and laggards so website shd also mirror your fast moving or most profitable line up.

    Also contact information- address, history of company, phone numbers, names of directors etc need to be updated.
  • Posted by Harry Hallman on 10/6/2006 at 9:08 AM Accepted
    Lara, to be very honest (as consultants should be) your site is not exciting and doesn't compel me to want to see more. The product and service you provide is exciting and it is not conveyed in this site.

    The navigation is wrong. It does not carry through to each page. You should be able to go anywhere from any page. There is no wording on the main page that guides (as was already said).

    Also the main page would have html text on it to be attractive to search engines.

    When you do your redesign I would suggest you put a lot of effort into look and feel. That's what events are about. I spent 25 years producing events and never had any client ask for an unattractive boring event. Don’t hide the product.

    I would take care to be sure the copy included compelling concepts and the major keywords you think people would use to search for you on a search engine. This should be HTML copy. You can use Flash for photos.

    Make the navigation easy to understand and on every page. Put html links on the bottom of the page and include a site map with all html copy. This is just for search engines.

    If you are going to use video I suggest it be Flash video. Most people have the Flash player and you won’t need all those versions. As for video I would do another one and make it more exciting. The small size is useless as you really can not see anything.

    Finally I would be sure to set it up for Google Analytics so you have enough information to tweak the site for the best performance over the next couple of years.
  • Posted by Frank Hurtte on 10/6/2006 at 11:17 AM Accepted
    Lara,
    I looked at your website a couple of times... I liked it. If a person already knows your company and wants to do business with you, there is plenty of cool information. What is missing is "what's in it for me". Perhaps in your efforts to have the website serve three different segments, you have forgotten to provide a message as to why i should do business with you.
    Your "tents" are beyond awesome, but if I were a meeting planner.. why would doing business with you make my life better. If I were putting something together for a few hundred of my closest friends, what makes you better than the rest.
    This message needs to be pronounced... and, easy to find.
  • Posted on 10/6/2006 at 12:04 PM Author
    Fantastic! Keep the feedback coming. There isn't anything I've read so far that I don't agree with. Question for anyone who will be providing further feedback. Do me a favour and click on the video link on the home page. Watch the video and tell me what you think of it. Is this something you'd like to see when you first enter the site...is this something you didn't even notice was there...
    Again, keep it coming!
    Lara
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