Question

Topic: Website Critique

You Helped Build My Site...more Please.

Posted by JerryC-PA on 7/24/2013 at 7:08 AM ET 25 Points
Everyone here contributed to this site, www.KeystoneAutoElectrical.com. I may not have used your suggestions exactly as stated, but as I stewed on the issues over the years, your words and ideas influenced what I did on this site. And it's been working great, I can hear how the site influences the people who are searching for relief from their car problem.
If you have time could you critique me again? Are there any glaring problems you see? I think I see some things I want to do, but I would probably change focus due to the wisdom of this marketing group.

Sincerely,
Jerry
To continue reading this question and the solution, sign up ... it's free!
SUBSCRIBE
Or, SIGN IN

RESPONSES

  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 7/24/2013 at 8:06 AM Member
    What are your analytics telling you, Jerry? Are you getting the traffic & conversions you've worked to achieve yet?
  • Posted by Moriarty on 7/24/2013 at 9:15 AM Accepted
    Let's do a quick scorch.

    First point: I'd have the bullet points later - and in fact I'd give each it's own page (you may have that already) - this is a quickie!

    Focus on the paragraph "It’s a good feeling when you know you can rely on your car without fear of being stranded. We want you to feel confident your car has been tested, repaired and proven fixed. Then relax knowing the finely tuned skills of practiced auto electricians fixed it for good."

    and make sure your customers get to read this - or an enhanced version of it first. Knowing they're in safe hands is way more worth than a few scattered bullet points. They can be used to follow up when they're relaxed and happy that they've found someone they can trust.

    You can't trust a bullet point as easily.

    Because you're in the trust business. That leads to confidence in your work and return calls when ongoing maintenance is called for.

    I wouldn't have a lop-sided piccie of a bland building either - you need you two with electrical socket wrenches (or whatever it is you use ;-) waving someone goodbye having repaired their cars. A few testimonials on the page wouldn't harm either.

    Over to you!
  • Posted by josephmcelroy on 7/24/2013 at 3:08 PM Accepted
    On the right, you have links to pages about specific trouble such a car battery draing. Each of those pages is fairly short, you should have at least 750 word articles on those to get better long tail search results, additionally, each of those pages should have an offer specific to the trouble that visitors can click and enter their email and get ...,such as a free Ebook on "Top 10 Car Battery Draining Mistakes to Avoid".... You can then start sending out a regular newsletter to theses people with maintenance reminders that will,keep your name top of mind.
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 7/24/2013 at 9:04 PM Accepted
    Consider moving the social media icons to the top right of your page.
  • Posted by JerryC-PA on 7/25/2013 at 7:54 AM Author
    Jay,
    I'm still having a hard time interpreting my analytics, but I am starting to reconcile the numbers in analytics with the frequency of the phones, the distance people will travel to get to me, and most importantly my avg. gross invoice.

    Moriarty,
    I'm inclined to agree with you, I think I was trying to follow useability studies that said people scan webpages, they don't read until they are interested. I am going to rearrange the page. If you can would you please look at this page and see if you see the same pattern? (less / not important points first) https://www.keystoneautoelectrical.com/auto-electrical-troubleshooting.html I value your input.

    Joseph,
    More detail on those pages was exactly what I had in mind when I said, "I think I see some things I want to do". About your "top of mind" point. Much of the info I read about marketing and many suggestions I get from this group, speak of keeping in touch with customers. I don't believe this would be a good use of my time. I don't fix mechanical or maintain cars, auto electrical is a very narrow and obscure niche. How many times in your driving life did you need a specialized car electrician? I'm in touch every day with the auto repair shops that feed me work, I know almost all of those guys personally. OTOH, when I do a good job and fix cars others can't, people are happy to tell others about the great electrical guy who fixed their car. I'm not understanding how to leverage this good will through email lists or electronic contact though.

    Gary,
    Maybe moving the social buttons will help with that last point?

    Jerry
  • Posted by Moriarty on 7/25/2013 at 9:51 AM Member
    Hi there,

    yes, it's a huge improvement. You still need to approach your reader with the confidence of the professional. Speak to them as if they were asking something on the phone and you could solve their frustration right there and then, over the phone. They can flip the hood, locate the fusebox and put all to rights.

    They didn't even know it was there.

    And they'll be around for you to check it all over - and it only started because you told them how to do it.

    I used to run an old Polo which had electrics that were made from bailer twine. (Well, at least the stuff is safe, right??) It just felt as if it would break down going down the street, let alone a couple of miles.

    As to analytics - it's an easy thing to misunderstand. Getting your objectives clear in your own mind is a big step to take. Bear in mind that all the "big data" problem comes from people who have confused ideas. They don't know what to measure, so measure more when they should be measuring less. Usually you can take 90% of the data and chuck it straight in the bin - and even that which is left is largely useless. Keeping your ideas simple is hard, it is astonishingly effective.

    [NB: I'd address the issue on your Facebook page directly. Fess up, give 'em their money back or something! You are human, and so are they].

    Back later. M
BACK TO TOP

Post a Comment

Related Discussions

Community Info

Top 25 Experts
(Website Critique)