I have made my own website for my cakes and would like some advice on it. Is there anything that is not clear or could be worded better. I have proof read it many times, but sometimes another set of eyes really helps. I'll be licensed and able to advertise pricing by Monday
Would you eliminate the recipe section?? I thought I'd put that in there for those "it's just cake" people who think its so easy to make a cake Do you think my cakes are good enough to sell?

Thanks is advance for all your help. I will not take any offense as I asked for the advice!

www.taylorcakes.com

The name comes from my daughter Taylor.

First thing - Your cakes are lovely! You need more confidence, and let your customers know it. I would leave off that it was your 1st wedding cake. It looks like your 100th, it's very pretty. Also, leave off the section that says I think I can do these cakes. I would only put on your website cakes that you have made. Also, leave off the recipe section. These are your "secret" recipes. If other people can make them, why would they order from you?

Just a suggestion, but, I wouldn't tell people how long you've been decorating. Although it is impressive that you just started, they need to be confident that you're not a newbie.

Basically, what I'm tring to say is please know that your decorating skills are good, and they will only improve. So, put your head up and act like you've been doing this FOREVER!

Good luck with everything. You're off to a great start! And yes, your cakes are more than good enough to sell!

I would also try to crop your photos and get the stove out of the background as it distracts from the cake. I agree with not using other peoples cake photos.

Thanks so much for the advice. I have removed the recipe section and other peoples cake section. I've started cropping pictures and will finish that later.
I've decided from now on all cake pictures will be done with a black background in a chair by the window for good lighting!

Thanks for the help and keep the ideas coming. I know I shouldn't be so hard on myself, but we are own worst critics!

I only had time to look at a few sections, but it looks really good

In the flavors, I would not name the flavor WASC, but white almond sour cream -sounds tastier and customers don't know our lingo. I also wouldn't mention the instant pudding or cool whip. Just describe the flavors and what they will taste, not how you made them. I would follow Bettercreme's description (non-dairy whipped icing) on their label/website:
www.Rich.com

I agree with the others, I would not have the recipe section. You can just have a statement like "ingredient list available for those with dietary restrictions".

im being really really pernickity!
the home page doesnt line up, like one picture to the left with a border, then the bottom one is in the middle with no border, an the 'wedding cake design' looks a bit random to the right of the cake too.

pictures - i dont think you need so many multiples of the same pictures. think like the cc rules - if it doesnt show a really differnt side of the cake, then it doesnt have much purpose. and you need to correct the 'browse thru' to 'through'.

prices and flavours - i think you need to distinguish between the two. maybe have them separate? your page top says pricing, but immediately after, talks about flavours, prices are further down. just a case of sorting the headings there. and assuming you only have one oven, that 1/4 and 1/2 sheet cake look like the same size to me.
somewhere in the pricing, i think you need to say additional details, such as figures or sugar flowers will add to the cost. (although i see you have it in faq).
i dont know about pics showing what a 6 inch, 8 inch cake looks like. it would be much easier to read as a simple list.

favourites - need to add in the word 'links' i think, i didnt really know what to expect on that page. and it probably needs to go at the end of the list, cause the details about you are more important.

faq - random bit of info about you in the where are you located bit. the specific cake bit - you need to sound more confident - cut out the abilities bit.

cake servings - i cant really tell how that relates to your cakes. do you do different sizes? are your cakes priced differently according to occassion - ie will a white bc with ribbon wedding cake cost more that a white bc with ribbon family cake? customers tend to just see it as a wedding surcharge - and if you charge by the serving, you can be undercharging.

contact me - is fine, but do you really want clients to have all your numbers? id just leave the cell, you can turn that off. do you want clients ringing your home phone at midnight? just something to think about!

nice site though, and your cakes are good too congratulations, and good luck!
xx

It's a great start with a little bit of tweaking.

-I would consider revising your "About Me" section. You missed a few punctuation marks and I find some of the words out of place. I also think it is better to have your picture on one side and the wordings right next to it. That way the picture doesn't look like it just popped out of nowhere.

-Try having a solid background for the cake or maybe a nicer view. It will give the picture a much professional look. If you don't like to crop it, try blurring it to the point where the background doesn't show any distraction.

-On the flavors, I don't think it is necessary to have the "instant pudding" statement in there. It will just confuse a lot of people. It will also make it obvious that your cakes are from a box mix. Although there isn't anything wrong with it, most customers would prefer cakes from scratch.

-Presentation counts. There is a picture of a cake and a slice of cake on a paper plate. The cake looks absolutely beautiful yet the paper plate ruined the whole thing. Try to make things presentable because presentation adds more $$$

I hope you don't take this as a rude comment but take it as constructive criticism. Believe me, as an art student back then, I had to get all these comments that would hurt an average kid.

Good luck.

It's a great start with a little bit of tweaking.

-I would consider revising your "About Me" section. You missed a few punctuation marks and I find some of the words out of place. I also think it is better to have your picture on one side and the wordings right next to it. That way the picture doesn't look like it just popped out of nowhere.

-Try having a solid background for the cake or maybe a nicer view. It will give the picture a much professional look. If you don't like to crop it, try blurring it to the point where the background doesn't show any distraction.

-On the flavors, I don't think it is necessary to have the "instant pudding" statement in there. It will just confuse a lot of people. It will also make it obvious that your cakes are from a box mix. Although there isn't anything wrong with it, most customers would prefer cakes from scratch.

-Presentation counts. There is a picture of a cake and a slice of cake on a paper plate. The cake looks absolutely beautiful yet the paper plate ruined the whole thing. Try to make things presentable because presentation adds more $$$

I hope you don't take this as a rude comment but take it as constructive criticism. Believe me, as an art student back then, I had to get all these comments that would hurt an average kid.

Good luck.

Just a few spelling errors:
1. Leparecuan Hat
s/b Leprechaun Hat
2. Basket weave
s/b Basketweave
3. Make Up bag
s/b Make-up bag
4. Novice in decorating my will limit...
s/b Novice in decorating will limit
(I know you'll probably delete that sentence anyway)
5. Can I requests a specific cake?
s/b Can I request a specific cake?
(2 times including heading)
6. with in my abilities
s/b within my abilities
7. thru
s/b through (looks more professional)

Good luck!

$14 for a six inch round??????????

Sorry...that made my jaw drop. I know you weren't asking about your pricing, so I'll shrink away now...very slowly.

Lots of good advice up there, especially fixing spelling errors and making the pics look more presentable.

That lego cake is too cute, by the way.

The site was started for just friends and now I'm trying to transition it for business. I'm not too surprised about the spelling errors, with my job I haven't wrote a complete sentence without abrev for years, and now with txting...... My web builder does have spell check on it.

I'll be sure to make those great suggestions. Thanks again

Lol...I hear ya. I go back and forth between really informal emails to friends and instant messages that are even more informal and I could care less if I capitalize or misspell something or not!

But don't rely on spellcheck either, it will fail you in areas. Have someone check it over for you in person. With a dictionary even. One of my biggest nightmare is having something misspelled on a professional document, be it web page, biz card, flyer...you name it.

I'm human, I miss things that the next person catches in a second.

Congratuations on your growing business. I wish you all the luck in the world and know that you will do great! I do have a suggestion if you would like it.

I read your "About Me" I also am in the Medical Field and understand how rewarding and draining ot can be at the same time. But as I read your "About Me" I felt that there may not be enough time in your day to make a cake for me (as a customer).

You are very talented and when they read your "About Me " it should shine like Bright Lights it's your way of selling yourself because you really do want their business.

Good Luck and Best Wishes!

Sorry about the spelling. The correct way to spell Congratulations

Since we were on the topic of pictures, the last cake I did I took very good picutures with all black background. I only took 2 because they came out so well. When I went to transfer them onto the computer....my daughter had deleted them
I have attached a photo that a friend took of the cake at the bridal shower. Do you think this is okay to post on my site. I really love the cake and would hate to not be able to post this idea.

Personnally I think that looks great, not so much of a problem having a picture of a cake at a party compared to on an oven! Its where you would expect to see a cake after all! and since you have no other option you shouldn't worry too much! looks great!

o.k. when i went to your site, the first thing that caught my eye was the picture of the cake...which is good. i would bring the other picture (the gumpaste flower one) next to the cake picture and not on the bottom, and i would put the contact me and comments boxes below and not to the side. i would also make the font a bit bigger.

after all that is said and done...your site really is eye catching...and your cakes are totally awesome!!!

Angie,

Congratulations, Your website is great. I just realized I live just a little north of you in MN. You do beautiful work. I just bake as a hobby for friends and family. I wish you all the best... Looks like you have it all worked out... I am making my son's wedding cake in August, I have learned so much from CC, wish I could decorate all the time... But for now the occasional cake is enough. Being a newbie, and sometimes confused with the lingo, I thought that in your flavors you should spell out what WASC is, it took me forever to figure it out when reading some of the post, and have read where others have asked what it is also, I was so use to the standard yellow, white, marble and chocolate and didn't realize how many flavors are out there until I found this site. I made it one time and was hooked... It is now my favorite with raspberry filling... YUM! Again, all the best....

CakesbyCindi: I've been continuing to make changes to the site. The hardest part is getting the pricing down. I want to price by the serving but were I live......Seems like everyone is stuck in sheet cake mode from Walmart! I do feel pretty good that I don't know of anywhere you can get a carved cake, and most of the bakeries don't deal in fondant! Hope to corner the market with that. Since we are so close lets keep in touch and let me know how the wedding cake goes.

I know some of you will about die when you see the prices, but believe it or not, I'm higher than most of the bakeries! Very rural here.....closest walmart is 40 miles. I am going to adjust my pricing up, since I only do this part time, I'm going to make it worth it.

Angie,

You are right, our areas seem to be scared of anything that isn't on a sheet cake. We have a grocery store bakery (that I use to work for) and a regular bakery, neither do stacked cakes, or tierd cakes at all. And definately NO FONDANT, most don't even know what it is. The store bakery didn't even have an airbrush or edible image copier, I had to do everything by hand, UGH! Decorating as a hobby doesn't give me much of a chance to experiment. But your site really looks good, with some minor tweeking, and can you imagine getting $35.00 for a 6" round anywhere around here? If I recall here the single layer 8" rounds simply decorated were about $9.00, wow, what a difference in locations.... With you being closer to Sioux Falls, it will probably help. People here still run to WalMart or HyVee cause they can save a whole $2.00 on a sheet cake, wow it takes more than that in gas to drive to them. Anywho... Keep up the good work! Let's stay in touch, and convert these fondant chickens....

I find the first page odd. The thing about honest opinions only-nix it. It sounds like "I am desperate for feedback and think my cakes aren't that great, so please please please tell me what was wrong so I can fix it!"

Also, the captions under the photos on the home page are a little odd as well.

Your cakes are lovely, however.

Congrats on your web site! How cool. Your color scheme is lovely, and your cakes look great!

I like how you have set up the navigation buttons; customers should easily be able to find the specific information they are looking for. You might think about re-ordering them, though. I'd put the "Links" toward the very bottom, for example. You want the customers to focus primarily on YOU and your wonderful product.

I have a few nit-picky former-English-major suggestions (they would probably only matter to other English majors, but hey, you never know who will want to order a cake, right? )

On your home page, I'd capitalize the word "cakes" in your pink header, since that is part of your business name. You might also consider dropping the words "web site" from that header, since you mention that again in the next sentence anyway.

The button labeled "FAQs" -- I don't think you need a final "s" on that, since most people understand it as an abbreviation of "Frequently Asked Questions" (already plural).

I agree that your "About Me" section should focus first and foremost on your cake career, rather than your medical career. The last two sentences might benefit from some re-working of the punctuation (and maybe even splitting into a third sentence...?)

I like your picture on the "About Me" page. And I think the bridal shower cake looks fine. All of your cake pictures look very nice! I agree that you should take out duplicates of the same cake.

Congrats again on your web site -- must be so exciting!!!

I am going to suggest..dont put your gumpaste flowers photo on the styrofoam..make a nice arrangment so the flower is the main object..With the styrofoam and the background, and some unfinish flowers, i am not sure what to look for..

You can do a page for flowers, maybe another for party cakes and another for weddings or anniversaries. They all are together in one same page and gets confusing..

look for finish arrangments like this
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1331491

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1377428&sub=1377430

Or if you just want to do one flower at a time, make sure you have a nice background.
Hope this helps..
Edna

Website looks great. Everyone had really good idea's on here. I just wanted to let you know that under your flavor section you listed - "Marble and then WASC and chocolate". If you're not a cake junkie, you're not going to know what WASC is. So you might want to change that to just the White Almond. (Some people don't want to know there's sour cream in it). I noticed you did just call it White Almond up at the top. Anyway, happy caking!

I think your site looks great and it's very easy to navigate. The only thing I saw was onyour pricing page, 'square' was mistyped 2 different ways. Congratulations on getting legal!

Congratulations and best of luck in your new business ! Your cakes are awesome and definitely nice enough to sell...

My only additional website suggestion would be to try to get your future pictures without the datestamp on them. They will look more professional..

Again- lots of luck- I am sure you'll do great !!

kathy

tracycakes: thanks for pointing that out. Thats what I get for trying to update my site at 3am.

carooch: Good idea, all I have to do is turn the date stamp off on my camera.

When I made this site it was originally just for friends and family, so the transition over has been much easier with the help off all of you!! Again, thanks so much and if you have any other advice please pass it along.