I think I'm pretty much done setting up my website (for now). I still need to add content to my Shop & Blog pages, but I'll do that later.
So I'm seeking peoples honest opinions, please?
Here's my site www.realcakeinc.com
Any design issues, phrasing, grammar. etc... changes that need to addressed?
TIA
ANice crisps site, I went to the mobile version, my first thought was "wow!" but then followed by "is this it... Where are your pics.. Prices.." then I touched the little "menu" at the top and there they were... I'd suggest bringing some of those menus to the front page. I also think it would be great to showcase just your very best cakes In the galleries but I do like the way hitting back takes you to the main page not just flipping through all the pics I browsed through :-)
AKeep in mind where people will be looking when they open the site and what kind of information they need. Right now the majority of the home page is the picture of the kid eating the cake, and when you click the picture it opens up the same picture in a new window. It's a cute picture, but it is more suited as a much smaller decorative element, perhaps integrated into the title.
The prime real estate on your home page (front row center) should contain obvious links to the other pages on your site, important information about your business (phone number/email/contact form link, where you are located, lead time), pictures of your best cakes, and a brief summary of your products. The menus along the left side are easy to miss, and in my browser (Firefox 21/Windows XP) if I expand them I am not able to scroll down.
AI would also advise tightening up your mission statement at the bottom of your home page, it sounds a little awkward (aside from bakery's -> bakeries), and it's usually better if you can avoid going negative. The "everything from scratch" paragraph at the top of the menu page is a good starting point for a new one.
The biggest thing, for me, is the font for your left hand sidebar. It just doesn't flow and it's difficult to read. The rest of your site has a really nice, clean font, and that "handwriting" font is sort of jarring. I'd suggest changing it to match the font you used for your header. Then use a lighter (less bold) version of it for your sub-categories.
AThere are a wide variety of tools available for testing your site on mobile devices: http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2012/11/6-free-mobile-device-emulators-for-testing-your-site/
There are a wide variety of tools available for testing your site on mobile devices:
http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2012/11/6-free-mobile-device-emulators-for-testing-your-site/
Wow...........I can't thank-you enough!! This is amazing....
A
Original message sent by Stitches
I do have a hard time self-editing content. Which cakes or galleries do you think I should cut? What about the budget shopper who only sees expensive cakes?
If you are serving different markets you will want to make sure each market has their own dedicated page(s). For example, when I created our web site I made a separate page for each allergy combination (link below).
http://www.allergyfriendlypastries.com/products.html
Different price points could have their own product pages, so the budget shopper's page would show simpler products that are cheaper to make and emphasize price, while the quality shopper's page would focus on premium flavors and designs and highlight pictures of your best work. Of course, you also need to decide if you want to serve the budget shopper in the first place.
I agree with Jason. You do some incredible work and as cute as your home page pic is, it doesn't do your work justice. I would change the handwriting font to something easier to read and consider using multiple images from your favorites that will "headline" each category linking the pics to them. You address in your FAQ small orders so you could show a smaller cake that will "speak" for itself. I hope this makes sense. I love your work!
"Some bakery's excel at taste but not presentation, while others create masterpieces that aren’t very palatable. Real Cake is for people who want both!"
I would delete this for sure. I like the site in general, very cut and clean, and agree with the other suggestions made.
A
Original message sent by AZCouture
Is this a BluDomain site?
"What if I received something "less than perfect"? Since everything we make is made to order by real people whom are not-perfect, occasionally a mistake will happen. That's perfectly natural and could be expected from any business creating a hand crafted product. Please contact as soon as possible and we will do everything possible to correct our mistake (with-in reason). We care about our reputation!! We always want you to contact us if you are ever unhappy with our product so we can make things right."
Have you had a bad experience before to prompt you to put something like this on your site? I wouldn't do this. I want my customers to know I am confident in what I do, and everyone knows accidents can happen. But talk about when and if it even happens. Cover stuff like that in your order form, not on your website. Yeah?
"What if I received something "less than perfect"? Since everything we make is made to order by real people whom are not-perfect, occasionally a mistake will happen. That's perfectly natural and could be expected from any business creating a hand crafted product. Please contact as soon as possible and we will do everything possible to correct our mistake (with-in reason). We care about our reputation!! We always want you to contact us if you are ever unhappy with our product so we can make things right."
Have you had a bad experience before to prompt you to put something like this on your site? I wouldn't do this. I want my customers to know I am confident in what I do, and everyone knows accidents can happen. But talk about when and if it even happens. Cover stuff like that in your order form, not on your website. Yeah?
I am confident. I think it's probably an over reaction I have from working for others who always think everything they do is perfect (and it's not). Good point, I will drop that. (In fact I'm probably overly confident....because I get a lot of over the top positive feedback on the taste of my food....maybe I'm scared that I'll let someone down because it's soooo important to me.)
Bummer, I paid someone for this in a sales letter they wrote for me. "Some bakery's excel at taste but not presentation, while others create masterpieces that aren’t very palatable. Real Cake is for people who want both!" Is any part of that good? I was hoping to use those points to separate myself from my competition in my area. In my area the best bakery doesn't do decorated cakes and the best decorators can't bake....
Last question from the most current comments: What do you think is my best work? Which cakes would you put on my front page? (My work looks pretty generic to me I don't have any cool artsy cakes like I see others do.)
thanks again
A
Original message sent by Stitches
"Some bakery's excel at taste but not presentation, while others create masterpieces that aren’t very palatable. Real Cake is for people who want both!" Is any part of that good? I was hoping to use those points to separate myself from my competition in my area. In my area the best bakery doesn't do decorated cakes and the best decorators can't bake...
Talking negative about other businesses tends to put some people off, and it will burn bridges if you need to work with other local bakers in the future. Also, the implication from the quote is that your presentation is just better than "not excelling" and your cakes happen to be palatable, so not a very high bar.
Hi Stitches! I LOVE the cover page photo - it looks like it is the cover photo of a fabulous young hipster Pinterest board titled "Perfect Birthday Celebration"! It looks like it was taken by a professional, and sells the whole celebration idea, and how I need that cake if my party is going to be that great.
I don't like the handwriting font either - maybe you can find a more refined script that is like the letters in the birthday pennant in the photo?
Also, I hate phone numbers with words in them, now that cell phones don't have number pads with the letters under each number. I would have to guess what numbers the word "CAKE" represent. Could you just include the actual numbers in parenthesis after the word cake?
Liz
One other wee thing; my work computer has pretty strict filtering blocking blogs and such but your site flags up as "Potentially Damaging Content" I don't know if that's something that will affect your search listiing or if its just my oversensitive filtering - Jason might be able to advise better?
One other wee thing; my work computer has pretty strict filtering blocking blogs and such but your site flags up as "Potentially Damaging Content" I don't know if that's something that will affect your search listiing or if its just my oversensitive filtering - Jason might be able to advise better?
I appreciate the honest comments!!! I've got a busy weekend ahead of me, but I will make the changes asap.
Thank-you!!!!
P.S. I'll be back on this thread for more input after I make changes.
Still wondering which photos you all think should be on my front page???????????
One other wee thing; my work computer has pretty strict filtering blocking blogs and such but your site flags up as "Potentially Damaging Content" I don't know if that's something that will affect your search listiing or if its just my oversensitive filtering - Jason might be able to advise better?
This is weird............I hope someone can explain why that's happening?
Can't help with the pics till I get home sorry! lol
A
Original message sent by Crazy-Gray
One other wee thing; my work computer has pretty strict filtering blocking blogs and such but your site flags up as "Potentially Damaging Content" I don't know if that's something that will affect your search listiing or if its just my oversensitive filtering - Jason might be able to advise better?
Your company's filtering software (sounds like WebSense) may classify all SquareSpace web sites as blogs. This won't impact SEO since search engines do not use filtering software when they catalog sites.
A
Original message sent by Stitches
Quick question. When you look at my title and footer do you see a light grey box around them....or is it just me?
I like the pic on the main page, but I would make it so that when you click on it it goes to antoher page, like th emain weddign cakes page or gallery. Also make the images on the pages unclickable - I have no idea what the proper term for it is but it shouldn't open up to the image in a new window.
Also there is a lot of scrolling, and the images take up a lot of space, and the menu seems a bit confused, like it could flow better.
I love the simplicity of the site, the fonts etc.
Here are the changes I would make on your wedding FAQ page. I highlighted in red the changes I would make.
"How many servings should I order, my caterer says I don't need a slice for everyone?"
"Yes, we do! There is a $75.00 rental fee plus a $200.00 deposit required (which is refunded after the stand is safely returned to us)."
"We aren't thrilled to eat a one-year-old cake, but if you store it tightly wrapped in your freezer, it can be frozen."
"No, some items are too delicate to be used in a multi-tiered, heavy cake. We will advise you during our consultation of the choices available for your design."
"Do you include the top tier of my cake in the total servings?"
"We do not; however, make complete dummy cakes for weddings or offer smaller display cakes and sheet cakes from the kitchen."
"Yes, delivery is included for custom wedding cakes, and we will place your flowers on your cake if you make prior arrangements with us. Ideally, your florist will place your flowers on the cake, since they hold more expertise in floral design and care than we do. Please be certain your flowers do not contain any pesticides!"
"Do we need a sit-down consultation, and if so, what does that cost?"
"We require a non-refundable, 30% deposit to hold your date on our calendar. Until we receive your deposit, your date is not reserved, and we may not be able to accept your deposit if other orders are received before yours. Our business is based on a first-come, first-served schedule.
"Yes! Let us know you plan on supplying your own ribbon; we can let you know how many yards you will need to supply, and when we will need to receive it by (at least two weeks before the wedding date)."
Why can you put your own sugar flowers on my cake?
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