Question

Topic: Website Critique

New Company Website

Posted by Anonymous on 12/19/2004 at 12:15 AM ET 125 Points
Our company website is almost finished, but I am having problems with lay-out, and visuals. I hired a copywriter for all of the content, and they did a great job. I just feel that the text lay-out is boring. I guess I am just looking for some input, some visual design ideas, just some overall critique on what I should change to keep peoples attention.

www.nationaldc.com

P.S. The site is not live yet so forms are not active.

sincerely, Jason
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by SRyan ;] on 12/19/2004 at 1:52 PM Accepted
    I think the text layout is fine on the interior pages. (You don't need to be exciting there, you just need to be easy to read.)

    The navigation structure is organized well.

    I'm not crazy about the second-tier banner that you have on the interior pages. If you must insist on stuffing a different stock photo on those pages, make it happen in the top banner. Don't waste my bandwidth or your screen real estate.

    I would like to see better "You Are Here" feedback in the top and left-bar navigation. For example, if I'm on the About Us page, you could turn that link OFF and change its color. Yes, it's harder than having one standard nav component that gets repeated on every page of the site, but that's the kind of detail that makes your web presence something to take seriously.

    Take the HOME link off of the home page.

    Rename the Questions & Answers link to FAQs.

    The subheading for the Benefits page is wrong -- it actually says Free Consultation.

    And finally... I'm not crazy about the message "Close the gap between you and your financial worries." I wouldn't want to do that! I want to be light years AWAY from my financial worries.

    Instead of putting a catchy-but-useless message in that space, your primary call to action should live there. What is it that you want your site visitors to do upon arrival?

    Of all of the input I've given here, that's probably the MOST important suggestion to consider.

    Good luck!

    - Shelley
  • Posted by SRyan ;] on 12/19/2004 at 6:42 PM Member
    Jason, do you already have a clear understanding of your sales process?

    I'll assume that you have ZERO customers who sign up for your service without going through at least a couple of steps. Whatever the most common or successful first step is (like reading testimonials, perhaps?), make it your call to action on the home page. Then THAT page should have its own C2A as well, mirroring the logical flow of the sales process.

    I doubt that people would sign up for your newsletter without looking at other info first, so it's probably not the step to highlight on the home page.

    I hope that helps!
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