Launching New Website Version 2.0 Completely Revamped!!

What Do You Think of My New Website?

  • I Love It!!

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I Like It.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • It's Okay.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Don't Like It.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Hate It!!

    Votes: 0 0.0%
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imported_JoshVette

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Please look over the entire website before giving feedback. What I don't need is for someone to look at one page and form an opinion about the whole site.



After all the feedback on my last thread, I decided to revamp the entire website. I figured out how to use my own pics for the background, so that should be a major upgrade and the intro and home pages are more simple now. You can change the colors of the main pages if you want...



here it is version 2.0 Dallas Car Detailing by Ottmann Detailing you better freakin like it this time....:lol



Yes, it is still flash, but for all you who complain how long you think it takes, I timed it. ;)

According to my computer speed each pages takes roughly this long to load:



Intro: 5.5 sec

Main Pages: 2.0 sec

Sub Pages: 1.5 sec

Gallery: 2.5 sec



IMO those times aren't any slower then what a normal website would take to load.



Let me know what you think. Please no whining about the buttons making noises, I can't do anything about that, if it really bugs you don't hold the mouse over them the whole time. ;)



Thanks, Josh

Dallas Car Detailing by Ottmann Detailing
 
Josh,

I tried the whole flash thing and thought I wanted something with a bling factor. Something to make me stand out. While I thought it looked great. I ask people who aren't detailers. They simple hated it. Detailers hated it to. I switched back to Basic format and asked several my honest clients to look over it and asked what they thought. They all said the samething. Keep it simple. While your newer 2.0 site is simpler then the first I personally think its just to much. Im no pro at website stuff for what it counts. I was in your shoes as well. These guys beat me up when I asked them. Truth is, its not about what we as detailers think. Its about what our respected clients think. All my upper class clientele said the same thing. Keep it real easy short and to the point. We are successfull at what we do as detailing, but are we someone who should be building flash websites? NO we are not. JOsh your an outstanding detailer with out a doubt. I just don't think this design shows what Josh is. Josh is an elite detailer who has become very successfull doing it. Your a big influence, post more of your work by the way! I miss them nice rides. What I see as a customer is. This guy is a class act, but where is his logo? Nothing but your pictures is Joshvette. Your site has no original stuff on it. Make the site yours. I was talking to a guy yesterday about seo and stuff and he said one thing that really caught my attention. Your website is a billboard of you! Right now imho this isn't the Josh we know. Its a template with your photo's Sorry to give you more critisom, because I know you don't want it after looking at this thread, but Im being honest and when people got honest with me. It helped. Good luck on your adventures.
 
I think the website looks ok, but the flash is slowing it down, and it doesn't have any flash that's too impressive to look at. I also don't like how it makes so much noise when you scroll the mouse across different tabs. Personally I would listen to what Barry just said and go with something a little more basic, and if you have any videos made, put one on your home page. This will strengthen your website by linking to youtube. The home page should really tell everyone what you do, and yours doesn't really stand out. You can look at my website, and it gives you a pretty good idea of all the services I offer on the first page. I hope this helps.





John
 
Scottwax said:
Much simpler now, but you might want to completely get away from flash and use something like concrete5. This is the last draft version I was sent, still needs some tweaking so it won't go live for another few weeks.



Scott's Mobile Auto Detailing :: Home
Click to expand...



You site is nice, plain and to the point. What gallery program are you using if you dont mind me asking?
 
JoshVette said:
Please look over the entire website before giving feedback. What I don't need is for someone to look at one page and form an opinion about the whole site.
Click to expand...



Hey Josh, The site is a bit over board. I am one of those that dont like flash sites for for a few reasons.

1. Flash is not very search engine friendly.

2. Cant be viewed on most phones.



If you are are going to use flash, I would recommend doing a non-flash version as well. There are ways to detect which to display using java script that I have seen in the past.
 
Thanks again everyone, I'm currently looking into non flash website builders, I had no idea it would be so difficult for everyone to follow. I agree that the navigating is a bit confusing.



However I do want to have sections of my website dedicated souly for proper car care teaching and technique and such. I also want "how to" videos and links to forums like Autopia and others vendors and car care services so no matter what it will not just be a super simple.



Guess, I'll have to do it all over again.... again.. :)

I'll get it right soon enough. Thanks for all the input and understanding.



Josh
 
Barry Theal said:
Josh,

I tried the whole flash thing and thought I wanted something with a bling factor. Something to make me stand out. While I thought it looked great. I ask people who aren't detailers. They simple hated it. Detailers hated it to. I switched back to Basic format and asked several my honest clients to look over it and asked what they thought. They all said the samething. Keep it simple. While your newer 2.0 site is simpler then the first I personally think its just to much. Im no pro at website stuff for what it counts. I was in your shoes as well. These guys beat me up when I asked them. Truth is, its not about what we as detailers think. Its about what our respected clients think. All my upper class clientele said the same thing. Keep it real easy short and to the point. We are successfull at what we do as detailing, but are we someone who should be building flash websites? NO we are not. JOsh your an outstanding detailer with out a doubt. I just don't think this design shows what Josh is. Josh is an elite detailer who has become very successfull doing it. Your a big influence, post more of your work by the way! I miss them nice rides. What I see as a customer is. This guy is a class act, but where is his logo? Nothing but your pictures is Joshvette. Your site has no original stuff on it. Make the site yours. I was talking to a guy yesterday about seo and stuff and he said one thing that really caught my attention. Your website is a billboard of you! Right now imho this isn't the Josh we know. Its a template with your photo's Sorry to give you more critisom, because I know you don't want it after looking at this thread, but Im being honest and when people got honest with me. It helped. Good luck on your adventures.
Click to expand...





Barry, I appreciate the kindness. I've considered everything you said and will get a simple design one way or another that hopefully reflects my skills and knowledge.



The main reason I don't post up so much anymore is just getting too many "know it all's" that want to tell me I'm doing it wrong or whatever.... gets old. It takes everything within me to not tear into them.



Josh
 
admin said:
You site is nice, plain and to the point. What gallery program are you using if you dont mind me asking?
Click to expand...



I'll have to ask the web designer. I know he is building the site with concrete5.
 
I’m not sure about your budget but you might want to check out sqaurespace.com. For someone who is a DIY guy, they have some pretty powerful web based software that can help you get a site up and running in a matter of hours if you know exactly what you want. They also take care of all the mobile stuff for you. I would strongly recommend taking a look.



To be honest, the only good way to do flash is to write the action-script code yourself and design it all yourself, otherwise you are not going to be 100% happy. I ended up writing my own site in HTML with the help of dreamweaver CS4 which is a bit pricy, but I got to do exactly what I wanted.
 
thanks Paul, I'll check it out. starting over from scratch now so I'll research many more website builders, but I have a much better understanding of what I want and what others viewing the site want so that's good.



Josh
 
I don't know a lot about web design. I do know that between the two site links posted up to this point, I like the simpler and easier to navigate page much, much better. To the point that if I were a customer who didn't know who the two of you were through Autopia that I'd have called the "more subtle" site owner/detailer first.
 
As a web designer I'd say stay away from Flash. It may be "flashy" (pun intended :)), but I feel that it takes a lot away from the individuality of a site. When I view a site that's about a person, for example like Josh Ottmann, I want to see something about that person's character and your site will tell a lot about your character. Next, and please take the criticism constructively ;), there's nothing about your site that I "trust". IOW, nothing "soothes" me and makes me trust you as someone I would want to detail my car. Again, lacking a personal touch. Also, you're wife's a very pretty woman, but there's nothing about her in the "About us", just a picture. Your customers don't know who she is (OK I know she's your misses ;)) so if you post a "stability" picture of her and you together, you should also fill the audience in as to whom you're "stable" with.



Last, although you have your meta tags filled in, Google will overlook your site like it doesn't even exist if you're using Flash. If you're a well-known company like Rolex or Gucci you have no need for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), because people will search for you and find you no matter what format your site is in. Your meta tags are filled in, but they have no value if they're not accompanied by content. Flash is a "movie" and Google can't "read" movies, therefore when you tell Google "Dallas car detailing car care services, paint polishing, waxing houston fort worth oklahoma city" it's going to be looking for something in your site that will also tell the visitors the same thing. You may have this in your site, but Google can't see it, which is why they're going to classify your site as frivolous and won't tell people to "go to you" when they're searching for a detailer in the Houston area. Google needs text, pictures with alternate names and pertinent information and flash can't give that.



Buddy, I'd love to help you out with a site, I really would, but I've just got too many things on the Bunsen burner (literally :)). I'd suggest simple HTML, Josh. Hope that helps!
 
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