45 replies to this topic

[MarcP]

I'm working on the domain pointing issue, realized that it is important. Looks like with what I'm currently at I am not able to point my domain the right way but there is another solution that is a bit harder as far as being user friendly like the solution I'm currently with.

The other solution that's available I can get someone to design a basic site for $350. Then later down the road I can add features such as a blog intergrated in the site, etc.

This is the average price for designing with this solution and I looked at the work of a couple designers and to me looks excellent.

OK since I'm willing to shell out $350 plus what do I need in regards to the site being ok for the Internet?

I know about the domain pointing which will be solved.

What about this validator tool that shows errors?

I talked to 5 designers and I like one. I'm sure he knows what needs to be done. Are there any specific things that I need to stress that are musts?

Marc

[qwerty]

This isn't a direct response to the question at the end of your last post. It's just a usability issue I noticed:

If I click the Shoes link from your home page, I'm taken to index.php?categoryID=4. This is a fairly long page, as I can see from the vertical scroll bar in my browser window, but a lot of users aren't going to notice that. What I see when the page loads without having to scroll down at all (what's "above the fold," as we call it) is a set of 8 thumbnails of shoes with a little bit of description for each. That's what I expect to see on a page like this, so the fact that there are further descriptions of those products below the fold is irrelevant to me.

[Note: as I'm typing this up and re-clicking my links, the site seems to have gone down, so I'm writing the rest from memory.]

If I click the thumbnail images of one of the shoes, what I expect, based on what I've seen, is to be taken to a page specifically about that product. What actually happens when I click is that I'm taken to a page that, at least above the fold, looks the same as the one I was just on. What's different about this new page is all below the fold: the shoe I clicked on is now right below those thumbnails.

Most users aren't going to notice that they're at a different URL, and they may not scroll down to see how this page is different below the fold from the page they were just on. They're going to think that they're stuck on the same page, something is wrong, and the site isn't going to give them what they want.

I've taken a couple of screen captures of what I see on the category page and the product page, both without scrolling down. As you can see, they look almost identical, the only difference being the content in the left column, which is not what a customer is going to be looking at at this point in the process.

Here's my advice: when a user clicks one of those thumbnails from a category page, the page that loads next should have the information about the product they clicked at the top. The thumbnails should be gone.

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[MarcP]

Wow qwerty let me get into back office to see if I can change that.

I'll be back.

Thanks for the most helpful insight.

Let me work on this!

Marc

[MarcP]

Hi qwerty,

Is it any better?

Marc

[qwerty]

I'm still having trouble getting the site to load, but I'll try again in a while and let you know.

[MarcP]

I believe it's cause of a server upgrade/reset. It loads for me but slower than usual.

Marc

[qwerty]

OK, it's back up for me now.

What you have now is better than what I described before, but it's not exactly what I expected. The category page used to have 8 small product images and descriptions, followed by a number of other boxes containing slightly more information about each of those products below the fold, and when I clicked one of the images above the fold, I'd get the same 8 thumbnails followed by just the description of the one I clicked.

What I expected you'd change it to was to have just the 8 thumbnails on the category page, and when I clicked one of them, I'd get just the description for that product.

What I get now is no thumbnails on the category page. Instead, I just see the larger boxes containing each product -- the stuff that was below the fold on the previous version of the category page. And when I click one of those items, I get a page containing the box I clicked without all the others. So I'm going from a page containing a certain amount of information about each of a number of products, to a page containing the same amount of information I saw before about just one of those products. The only difference I can see between the box on the category page and the box on the product page is that I can now get a larger picture of the product if I click on the thumbnail image. On the category page, clicking that thumbnail will bring me to the product page.

So clicking through to a product doesn't really give me significantly more information than was available to me on the category page.

Compare that to what a site like zappos.com does: let's say I've gone to the page for men's Converse sneakers. I see a grid of different shoes, each represented by a thumbnail image, the style's name, and its average customer rating. If I click one of them (either the image or its name), I get a page with a bigger picture (and the option to see an even bigger one) and lots more information about that product.

That's pretty much the standard for e-commerce sites, so it's what the user expects to experience when they're on a site like that.

[MarcP]

What I get now is no thumbnails on the category page. Instead, I just see the larger boxes containing each product -- the stuff that was below the fold on the previous version of the category page. And when I click one of those items, I get a page containing the box I clicked without all the others. So I'm going from a page containing a certain amount of information about each of a number of products, to a page containing the same amount of information I saw before about just one of those products. The only difference I can see between the box on the category page and the box on the product page is that I can now get a larger picture of the product if I click on the thumbnail image. On the category page, clicking that thumbnail will bring me to the product page.

Hi qwerty I see what you are saying in the above.

OK I'll see if I can fix this. Would it be better to be able to see larger image of product and be able to add to cart on one page?

If I can't do the above, what do you recommend for 'page 1' and 'page2'?

This is a site that I just started playing with; it seems easier to navigate more in line what you suggested.

http://john145.bigcartel.com/

I think I'm more limited in the prior than the above. Click on a product, shows the complete description, add to cart.

What do you think?

Marc

[qwerty]

Yes, I'd say something like that would be an improvement.

[MarcP]

The big cartel is the solution that takes knowing HTML and is the one as I said that I might need to hire a designer.

Marc

[1dmf]

I'm with Jill , the response regarding the redirect is complete non-sense. If they have IIS then all they do is create a virtual website for your domain and point it to the folder where they host your mpossoff.malls4rentdemo.com website, it takes a matter of seconds.

I host over 40 domains for our members and every single one has it hosted under what ever domain name they wish and it is a simple 10 second change to their DNS record to point it to our server, this is real basic stuff and to come out with a BS reply like that tells me they are trying to use your domain to promote their website!

CODE

www.malls4rentdemo.com/

as for bigcartel, again why do you have to be a sub-domain? , do any of these shopping cart providers know what they are doing? or are they all deliberately using their customers to promote their own service?

You want it hosted on www.john145.com unless they are paying YOU to display THEIR url!

[MarcP]

Hi with big cartel I can have my domain point to my domain without the sub domain. I'm just test driving big cartel, I'm on a trial. If I sign up then there won't be my sub domain in address bar like the one I'm currently involved with.

I'm not as limited with big cartel but the downfall for me is you have to know HTML or hire someone to code it.

And as qwerty said big cartel is able to give the look I'm looking for in a site.

So I'm leaning towards big cartel.

Marc

[1dmf]

Hi with big cartel I can have my domain point to my domain without the sub domain.

cool, fair enough. You wouldn't want it any other way!

I'm not as limited with big cartel but the downfall for me is you have to know HTML or hire someone to code it.

You seem a bright chap, X/HTML isn't that hard to understand it's just a simple mark up language, ok the finer semantic nuances can be a pain, especially if you stick to Strict X/HTML 1.0 but you will get there in the end. Remember you never stop learning, as no one can ever know everything about everything.

HRF is a great forum and covers a wide range of topics not all directly relating to SEO, but if you wan't to delve into the world of CSS & X/HTML, then get yourself an account with www.tek-tips.com, by far the best professional techy support forum on the net, full of very talented people, always willing to give their time and expertise to help any one keen to learn regardless of their current abilities or skill set, they taught me alot of what I know, and have never treated me like an idiot even when i've been one.

Of course if you have no interest in learning markup & css, then yes you will need to employ the skills of someone who can do this for you, but there is nothing like building a website, by yourself, with good valid markup that you understand and can change yourself at anytime without incurring additonal maintenance costs.

Even Jill suffers with this problem due to the way she pays a 3rd party to maintain HR & HRF, making bespoke changes and maintenance a costly business, which sometimes ties her hands from adding particular content as it becomes cost prohibitive.

[MarcP]

Thanks I would like to learn to build my own site. But I would like to get something out there quickly.

Now some questions and/or concerns related to getting a presence sooner than later;

if I start to build my own site via big cartel what is the minimum requirements so to speak for a basic website in regards to not hurting myself in regards to seo? I've read that you can actually 'shoot yourself in the foot' if your site doesn't meet some kind of basics minimums benchmarks in regards to web presence, seo and the like. Is this true?

If the above is true and I shouldn't 'launch' the site until the basics are down pat, can I use the likes of facebook, myspace in the meantime to get my products out there to make sales? Or any other means to start doing until these basics are 100% or close?

Thanks,

Marc

[1dmf]

Well the first rule in SEO is, 'Content Is King', so make sure you have some quality, useful and unique content.

There is no rule on how many pages a site should have, but never put up a page that is 'under construction'.

Also you need to understand some basic SEO tips , such as title tag & description, hyperlink text or image alt attributes, proper use of headings and well written copy text to name a few.

Remember to check out the pinned thread : [url=http://www.highrankings.com/forum/index.php/topic/833-tips-for-new-seos/]Tips for Newbies[/url]

Someone else will have to advise you on social media as it is something I don't do, it's a personal thing, so not SEO advice.