Know-How Exchange : Website Critique

There is a lot going happening on your homepage. You do not get a lot of time to capture someone's attention on the web.

Black pages are typically very hard to read text on. I would look into a different color.

The welcome statement is not nesssary. I was not really able to figure out what you do until I saw the buttons at the bottom and read the lengthy paragraph. I would make it obvious what you offer right off the bat. I would also get rid of the buttons at the bottom or change the style as they seem very un-related.

The font needs to be a san-serif font as the one you have is kind of hard to read on the screen.

There are many cool free templates that can help you address some of these issues if it is overwhelming to think about.

I hope this doesn't sound harsh. There are just a lot of little things that need to be improved to make the site more useable and friendly.

Hope this helps,
Mike

What a cute name for a business!

This does not look like a professional website, which makes your business look less than professional.

Here are some suggestions to get you started:
1. The four businesses you list are disparate - they should each have a website of their own.
2. The black background the multiple fonts and multiple colors of text all give a cartoon effect to the page. Stick with one font and its variants.
3. Get rid of the "Welcome to our home...feel free to wander around" paragraph and tell me why I want to be here.
4. The big banners at the bottom of the page further enhance the cartoon feel of the page. Lose them.

You asked for an honest critique, and I'm going to say something now you probably don't want to hear. Buying a software program (such as Dreamweaver) to create a website does not make you a web designer, any more than buying a paint set makes you an artist.

Before soliciting business for web design, you need to spend some time learning what elements make up a good design, how to create designs that are appealing, and what will cause the visitor to become a customer. Take some web design and marketing classes, read some books, or educate yourself by taking advantage of the free classes on the web, such as those at https://webdesign.about.com.

Web design is an exciting field, and those of us who have been successfully involved in design and development for many years continue to educate ourselves on this constantly evolving medium. You will do yourself and any clients you may attract, a good service if you take these steps before taking someone else's money.

I took a brief look at your site, and from the view that appeared on your homepage, I had absolutely no idea what your company does. Your images, logo, headlines, and more important than anything, initial content at the top of your homepage, should be concise, streamlined, and show the reader exactly why they are there, and what they should do.

I don't see any call to action. Do you want people to call for a quote or consultation? That should be clear right from the homepage.

While I would guess you included the photo of yourselves on the homepage to make people feel welcome, it doesn't show the reader what you can do for them. You should swap it out with images of great projects you've done, or featured homes.

Bottom line is, you only have a few precious seconds to capture a reader's attention and get them to take action. They are only interested in the benefits to them, not the features of your company or service. And I would strongly suggest working with a web design and/or marketing professional - they can help you build a site that will pay for itself in the long run through increased business and revenues.