45 replies to this topic

[davidbrett]

I agree with the feedback on the picture on the home page. It was the first thing I noticed. The begining of the next paragraph starts with "You can leave your anxieties at home!" but this is not what I would feel looking at this picture. I agree that it is quirky but It may be more suited to an internal page.

Coming from a travel background I have always found that imagery is the key. I am not sure that the site does enough to sell Lapland from an imagery perspective. One thing that we have found to be effective is to find 4 or 5 strong landscape images and put them on a jpeg sequencer on the home page. If you pick the right images you can really set the tone and capture attention immediately.

I would also suggest you revisit your title tags as I don't feel they are as well optimised as they could be. The title tag on the homepage is
"Hassle Free All Inclusive Holidays in Lapland. If you value service and knowledge, small groups and safety - slowlife.se"

To me this seems like a cross between a Title and a description tag. In your post you mention that you are targeting phrases like "Swedish Lapland, hiking in Lapland". As your homepage is typically your most popular page from a linking perspective I would recommend you add another keyword or two to your title (in addition to All inclusive Holidays in Lapland)

[1dmf]

This is the problem. I don't want to. I would much prefer to give that job for someone else.

ah well there lies your problem, you don't want to do it, but you are not giving it to someone else to do that does know CSS & x/HTML.

I can't and don't want to be a plasterer, does that mean I still try to plaster the walls at home, no way!

What's the point in wasting my time and money making a pigs ear of it, you might as well get the professionals in in the first place, it's cheaper in the long run!

[petri]

Thank you for all the suggestions.

OK, the 'viking' photo has now been changed to a landscape. I put some photos in the side bar too. You can't click on the photos yet and I'm probably going to change those photos when I get the time. You can look at a page where everything is working if you click on the top link "Hiking"

I changed the title and description...attribute(?) too.

My 'hiking' title goes to a different page

[petri]

ah well there lies your problem, you don't want to do it, but you are not giving it to someone else to do that does know CSS & x/HTML.

No, no. I'm going to give it to someone else. As a matter of fact, I just contacted a friend about it.

[1dmf]

Cool, if it really is something you have no urge or want to learn, it'll likely be the best course of action.

I hope your friend does you proud!

[petri]

After a brief e-mail conversation it seems like he knows no more than me

[mexham]

Looks like you've got a good product there, I hope it does well for you.

I'm not really into hiking etc, but it did sound appealing to just get away from it all for a few days.

First impression I had of the site though was that it was a blog.. Just from the look of it, and until I started reading it I didn't realise you were selling anything. I think maybe some sort of call to action could help on the first page. Whether a special "4 day trek for $1000" or " tour prices start from $xx" or whatever. Maybe something on that right hand side instead of one of the quotes or images. I usually like to get a general idea of prices before getting in contact. That way you don't feel stupid when you find prices are way out of your budget or different to what you expected.

I do like your philosophy though, and you have a good deal of info and backup creditentials which I think is really good.

Good stuff,
Mike

[mal4mac]

Bottom line: too many mixed messages.

I like slow and I like hiking so I hope i can give good feedback as a potential customer!

Your topmost link is "Winter Activities". Click the link and what do you see first:

* Cross Country Skiing

• Snow Mobile

• Dog Sledding

• Reindeer Sledding

None of these conjure up a picture of slow life (at least not to a slow Brit. like me!) You have just destroyed your main theme by introducing all these fast/noisy things.

It gets much better after that:

• Ice Fishing
A very popular pastime up here.

• Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis
Stunningly beautiful! There are no guarantees to see them, but the chances are good.

• A Night in the Wild
Build your own snow hut and spend a night in it.

But all your potential customers disappeared when they saw "snow mobile". They will think you are a fast person trying to make a fast buck by pretending to have a slow site. A slow spammer? I'm sure you are not that! So get rid of the fast drek (snow mobile), and put the "fast slow" good stuff (huskies, reindeer, CCS) below the fold.

And put the kitsch way down, maybe on a kitsch page that you are very apologetic about, preferably off site:

• Santa Claus
Yes, that’s right! The real one is in Gällivare!

• Santa Claus World Cup (middle of November)
Santas from all over the world compete in different disciplins.

• Ice Hotel
You can spend a night here, or just walk around and have look at the sculptured suits.

How can you mix this dross with such excellent stuff as:

• Korpilombolo European Festival of the Night (December 1 - 13)
A celebration to the darkness with arts, music, food, litterature, performances and more.

It's like trying to advertise a trip to watch drag acts in Vegas along with with a trip to watch Shakespeare at Stratford. Kitsch has a place, but not on the same list as the serious stuff.

P.S. Put the Northern lights right at the top. The amazing Joanna Lumley starred in a magnificent programme about them recently in Britain, and it's the title of one our most admired children's books. So if you want to attract lots of Joanna Lumley fans (i.e. all of Britain apart from Labour ministers) then highlight that.

[petri]

Mexham and mal4mac; thank you for your feed back, you are making some very good points here.

I was surprised to read though, that cross country skiing could be seen as a fast and/or noisy activity, but I have had to reevaluate some other things too. Like, I thought I had succeeded in making a very user friendly site with a crystal clear message and navigation, but little by little I have come to understand that it can be improved a lot.

"And put the kitsch way down, maybe on a kitsch page that you are very apologetic about, preferably off site"
You're probably right about that

[1dmf]

Well I'm not particularly a Joanna Lumbly fan, though Ab Fab was cool for its day!

I went to Iceland one year and the one thing I didn't get to see was the Aurora Borealis, and is one thing which might persuade me to go back one day, as for me it's a top things to do before you die!

Problem was, I only went for a long weekend and you can only fit so much in in a short break, the bathing in the volcanic Blue Lagoon is a must and snow mobiling on top of a vocanic glacier was cool, though very dangerous - lol

So don't offer one thing over another, layout all the options in a clean, consistent and easy to navigate place,.

Leave it to the visitor to choose what suits them or what they would like to do 'this' visit (perhaps categorise them -> relaxing, sport, walking, riding etc..),, if you offer a great service and lots of things to do, they might come back again to finish what they didn't do first time round

[petri]

I went to Iceland one year and the one thing I didn't get to see was the Aurora Borealis, and is one thing which might persuade me to go back one day, as for me it's a top things to do before you die!

Iceland might not then be the best choice for you. I'm sure it's possible to see Aurora Borealis there too, I would guess about 50% chance any given night if you go as far north as possible, but to have a better chance to observe them I would suggest going 300 - 400 km north of the arctic circle. And you better wait a couple of years at least. The sun spot activity is very low at the moment.

Leave it to the visitor to choose what suits them or what they would like to do 'this' visit (perhaps categorise them -> relaxing, sport, walking, riding etc..),, if you offer a great service and lots of things to do, they might come back again to finish what they didn't do first time round

I'm not really sure if I should try to offer a wide range of activities or narrow it down even more than I have done so far. There's "+" and "-" to both approaches, and I feel like I'm stuck between two poles unable to decide which way to go.

[1dmf]

Yup, it's always difficult to think like your potential customers, I just told you my personal experience.

I didn't go to Iceland specifically for the Aurora, which is why in the end I decided to snowmobile on top of a volcanic glacia instead, which apparently was over due for eruption, pretty scary really. Not to mention my friend nearly killed us by jack knifing the snow mobile!

But it does mean i'd consider going back for the things I didn't get a chance to do, or maybe i'll come see the Aurora Borealis in Lapland at a HR member discounted price

[petri]

But it does mean i'd consider going back for the things I didn't get a chance to do, or maybe i'll come see the Aurora Borealis in Lapland at a HR member discounted price

Around september 20th is a good time for northern lights. Naturally with a HR discount

[1dmf]

I'd have to go with the lads, the missus would freeze to death

[gede]

For me, it's a really good information for customer (as the goal is to get customers).
About getting link, I think you do good if you say no too much back link but you have PR2.
Design, simple, I like it (if I am a customer, who don't care about design).

But if it developed since 2003, I think it's too long to get PR2.

The biggest thing I like is : the photos, so clear, sharp.
What camera do you use to take photos ?