Should I be scared to ask for a critique?

Should I be scared to ask for a critique? (Full Version)

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dbguide -> Should I be scared to ask for a critique? (5/3/2008 16:11:39)
After reading the latest critiques and seeing the posted websites I am feeling reticent to post. Anyway I posted about 6 months ago and basically the critique was to use a css style sheet more extensively. Well it's six months later and the css style sheet thing is way too tedious ... I don't know how professionals designers do it ... is there a builder? or do you guys just come up with it out of thin air. I had so many different stylistic points to this site that I ended up just using a simple stylesheet and edited along the way with tables and scripts. (To my defense the site has done some pretty decent ROI but I want it to be better) anyway any comments are appreciated because some of my pages take over a minute and half to load. url :: www.diamond-buyer-guide.com

Tailslide -> RE: Should I be scared to ask for a critique? (5/4/2008 3:15:50)
Yes we pretty much do pull it out of thin air - but once you've been using it for a while, it's really not too hard (otherwise, god knows I wouldn't use it - I'm far too lazy!). You just have to make sure that you obey a few simple rules (full valid DOCYTPE, correct markup and checking in various browsers as you go along) and you're fine. On the positive side it looks nice and clear and in general behaves itself when the text size is increased which is more than the vast majority of sites out there! There are a few things I'd look at as far as getting the site working really well - Firstly, with javascript off the sidebar navigation disappears completely which is a bad idea. Anyone with JS off, browser security settings up high and possibly Google (historically anyway - not sure about now) won't be able to use those links. Personally I'd use proper HTML - but if you're determined then at least have a sitemap (and not within the javascript menu!). The javascript menu also means that people not using a mouse can't access the various menu items. Secondly - your informational images should have a useful alt text in them. Plus on the non-informational images, to prevent them being irritating to screenreader users you should have a blank alt text like this: alt="" otherwise the screenreader will read out that there's an image there which will leave people wondering... The main image on your homepage breaks apart when the text size is increased. I'd also have an H1 tag in there with your main title for the page - Google likes these a lot apart from their just being a good idea. The FAQs don't seem to work properly. When you click on one of the items - they all open up. Finally - purely my personal opinion here - I think it would be better if the lines around boxes etc were sharper. They look a little blurred at the moment

BobbyDouglas -> RE: Should I be scared to ask for a critique? (5/4/2008 3:39:33)
quote: After reading the latest critiques and seeing the posted websites I am feeling reticent to post. - Biggest thing you have to remember when you are reading the comments here, is who they are coming from. There is a wide range of people that post on here. You have actual professionals, people who have been doing it for years, and then some people that don't even have a clue. Your website has great content compared to some of your competitors. From a browsing perspective, I find the delay for the menu way too long, it should immediately display when you hover over it. quote: Well it's six months later and the css style sheet thing is way too tedious ... I don't know how professionals designers do it ... is there a builder? or do you guys just come up with it out of thin air. - For the time it takes to convert your website over to one that uses a completely external CSS, you could have been 10 times more productive by doing other things (like obtaining back links, or rewriting content for SEs). quote: To my defense the site has done some pretty decent ROI but I want it to be better - The website looks too dull... too bland. It should be elegant. I think that will give you the biggest ROI. quote: Google (historically anyway - not sure about now) won't be able to use those links. - Google reads javascript based menus with ease. What key words/phrases are you trying to bring people in with? You need to sit down and think about what people are going to use to find you. Then include these throughout your pages. In terms of ranking higher in SEs, you need to have strong key phrases throughout your pages, as well as relevant backlinks that use similar key words/phrases. Once someone uses the search box on your site, the menu on the left disappears.

Tailslide -> RE: Should I be scared to ask for a critique? (5/4/2008 10:31:52)
quote: - Google reads javascript based menus with ease. Yes I wasn't sure if that had changed - but you still don't want to use a menu that only appears with JS on.

jaybee -> RE: Should I be scared to ask for a critique? (5/4/2008 11:31:08)
If you're getting load time problems you'll find it's because a vast amount of the page is made up of images. If you add them all up the filesize is pretty big. Each page uses a minimum of 33 images with a total size of 411kb. Go check for yourself

dbguide -> RE: Should I be scared to ask for a critique? (5/5/2008 14:11:53)
quote: Firstly, with javascript off the sidebar navigation disappears completely which is a bad idea. Anyone with JS off, browser security settings up high and possibly Google (historically anyway - not sure about now) won't be able to use those links. Personally I'd use proper HTML - but if you're determined then at least have a sitemap (and not within the javascript menu!). good point quote: Secondly - your informational images should have a useful alt text in them. Plus on the non-informational images, to prevent them being irritating to screenreader users you should have a blank alt text like this: alt="" otherwise the screenreader will read out that there's an image there which will leave people wondering... good point I guess I was lazy and assumed my audience would have images on quote: The main image on your homepage breaks apart when the text size is increased. good point that's easy to fix quote: I'd also have an H1 tag in there with your main title for the page - Google likes these a lot apart from their just being a good idea. don't understand what you mean ... could you be more specific? most of my pages use a <H> tag quote: The FAQs don't seem to work properly. When you click on one of the items - they all open up. Yes laziness strikes again .. i guess i can put in bookmark links quote: Finally - purely my personal opinion here - I think it would be better if the lines around boxes etc were sharper. They look a little blurred at the moment Well I am using photoshop elements (oops) and I made the images easier to load or so I think

dbguide -> RE: Should I be scared to ask for a critique? (5/5/2008 14:21:18)
Thanks for the input ::::: quote: Your website has great content compared to some of your competitors. From a browsing perspective, I find the delay for the menu way too long, it should immediately display when you hover over it. I guess I am getting old ... I thought it cam up way too fast ... heh I guess I can change it quote: - For the time it takes to convert your website over to one that uses a completely external CSS, you could have been 10 times more productive by doing other things (like obtaining back links, or rewriting content for SEs). You are right. quote: - The website looks too dull... too bland. It should be elegant. I think that will give you the biggest ROI. heh thats funny since my last critics said the previous website hurt their eyes because it was too bold and had too much info ... oh well I guess I can find out another design configuration quote: What key words/phrases are you trying to bring people in with? You need to sit down and think about what people are going to use to find you. Then include these throughout your pages. In terms of ranking higher in SEs, you need to have strong key phrases throughout your pages, as well as relevant backlinks that use similar key words/phrases. Yeah, I get decent SE traffic not awesome but better than I expected. I am thinking I just need to be on the web longer for search engines to rank me higher. My other sites have been gradually increasing in google PR as time goes by. I am lacking in back links you are correct and it's probably my biggest weakness when it comes to SEO but I think I would have to hire someone to get back links since I find all those link reciprocation emails annoying quote: Once someone uses the search box on your site, the menu on the left disappears. I use a free search that doesn't allow me to have JS scripts but hey its free what are you going to do? Is there a free search that will allow me to have scripts running?

dbguide -> RE: Should I be scared to ask for a critique? (5/5/2008 14:23:35)
quote: ORIGINAL: jaybee If you're getting load time problems you'll find it's because a vast amount of the page is made up of images. If you add them all up the filesize is pretty big. Each page uses a minimum of 33 images with a total size of 411kb. Go check for yourself yeah I see your point ... eh I guess a well laid out CSS sheet does reduce load time then. Because I still need those images ... unfortunately I cant skimp on the images otherwise I am afraid the design will lack. good point tho...thanks

Tailslide -> RE: Should I be scared to ask for a critique? (5/5/2008 15:06:59)
I may have missed the H1 tag but I couldn't find it on you homepage... probably my eyesight!

d a v e -> RE: Should I be scared to ask for a critique? (5/5/2008 16:16:06)
the problem isn't just the amount of images it's the way they are compressed (or rather not very well compressed!) all the images that aren't photos should be gifs or 8-bit pngs (saved from the originals of course)- all your tabs for example are around 10k EACH when they could be about 3k as a gif images like 'diamonds are a girl's best friend' at 18kb could easily be half that or less AND look cleaner. what editor are you using for your images?

Tailslide -> RE: Should I be scared to ask for a critique? (5/6/2008 2:40:14)
He's using Elements - which should do fine.

BobbyDouglas -> RE: Should I be scared to ask for a critique? (5/6/2008 3:05:34)
quote: I use a free search that doesn't allow me to have JS scripts but hey its free what are you going to do? Is there a free search that will allow me to have scripts running? - I love iSearch PHP Search Engine

dbguide -> RE: Should I be scared to ask for a critique? (5/9/2008 19:44:19)
quote: ORIGINAL: jaybee If you're getting load time problems you'll find it's because a vast amount of the page is made up of images. If you add them all up the filesize is pretty big. Each page uses a minimum of 33 images with a total size of 411kb. Thanks Jaybee I made most everything gifs and the pages load up in half the time good stuff

anderskorte -> RE: Should I be scared to ask for a critique? (5/13/2008 8:45:45)
Don't underline anything that isn't a link. There are actually no underlines in books or print design, it was only invented for computer interfaces. On the web, it's the sign of a hyperlink, if you want to use it. Fonts don't come with underlines, the browser draws them itself, so they shouldn't be used for text purposes. Only interface. Good job on the site by the way. I was actually positively surprised when I saw it.

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