Being brave!

All advice will be gratefully received, I want to know that when a potential customer happens upon my site they won't go away empty handed! I have tendancy to want to fill space so not sure if there's too much going on here but hopefully you'll all have a few tips and hints..

Mama C's Brownies'

ps I know nothing about HTML so any advice involving that wil need to be dumbed down somewhat!

Thanks! (I think)

Sorry Mama, I think it needs a lot more than a HTML tweak, and as you said I need to say it in laymans terms, there isn't much I can say.

Will probably get a better review from a non web designer, am sure one will be along shortly!

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As I put everything on there to me it looks fine so is there anything strikingly obvious that I need to take a look at changing? If you were a customer and not a web designer is everything relevent and is it usable?

Nadya

First impressions, and this is important, I didn't click on the link and go "oh dear god my eyeballs are bleeding" so that's a good thing and puts you streets ahead of many home-made sites.

OK, so looking a bit more closely:

1. There shouldn't be an apostrophe at the end of the word brownies because it's not possessive. Apostrophes have complicated rules sometimes but as a basic: when in doubt, leave it out! There are other grammatical errors, but that one leaps out because it's your product name.

2. Something odd has happened to the text layout on the front page. I suspect it was formatted to word-wrap at a different size.

3. When I click on "shop", there are photos for 12 and 6 chocolate brownies, but not for gluten-free or One Big Brownie. That looks wrong. All or nothing!

4. I'm not sure if those pictures have some kind of photoshop effect on them? But if so, take it off because it's not helping. You might want to look into getting some better photos - either professional studio ones, or play a bit more with your own camera.

5. Something strange has happened to the proportions on your family photos in the "About" page. Whatever did that, you need to tell it to crop rather than stretch.

Hope some of this helps.

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Hi MamaC, not sure if you are tweaking the site after Marys feedback, but I couldn't actually find any photos!

When someone lands on your home page, you've got seconds to grab and wow. Chances are they have searched using a keyword brownies, so they want to see brownies!

I don't think the pic on the homepage is the most flattering, I did a doubletake to check what it was

Get some pics of your brownies on the home page, dont make me have to click away finding them. Every extra click loses a sale.

Heres an example I like, no mistaking who they are, what they do, big bold call to actions, and a pretty straight forward site, that to be fair would be quite inexpensive to replicate for a web designer.
Mary Louise Butters Brownies

Another example, and this looks like a simple template shopping cart site, not as good, but nice obvious pictures:
Gourmet Dark Chocolate Brownies. Welcome to Simply Divine Brownies.

It all depends on your current conversion rates. Assuming you have google analytics plumbed in, set up some goals (ie when someone reaches your check out page) see what conversions you are getting.

If its working for you, then maybe a bit of tweaking, maybe a few pics etc.

If your getting minimal to no conversions, then maybe revist your business model and engage some web help. The cost doesn't have to be huge, you only need a simple site, or a tweaked word press theme.

This is your shop window, so show off and show us some brownies!

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Steve

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Thank you! Really really helpful, I was a bit unsure of the picture myself, maybe shouldn't have put it there just for the sake of having a picture! I'm going to have another look at it myself then put it to a designer, luckily I have a few friends that can help.

Much appreciated, good to have opinions from people other than my friends who will say it's good even if it's not that great!

Image is everything! Get that right and some good copy on the site, decent layout then the orders will start rolling in!

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Right! I've had a bit of a play and I think it's showing some improvements, I've removed the homepage picture, I figure it's better to have no picture at the moment then one that no one can decide what the hell it is!

I shall make more brownies today and take some pictures of them (good excuse for eating chocolate if ever I heard one!)

I'm sure in the small print somewhere there must be a brownie charge for website reviews

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Steve

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I assuming your changing things around, when I looked as there are currently no photo's on the home page.

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