My Brother's site [Archive]

paulnolan7

07-05-2010, 04:02 PM

Hi, I'm a newbie just thinking about setting a web design business. I'm still weighting up my options. I've built several sites before but this is my first professionally (OK it's my brothers but he is still paying)

Sense Financial Services - Mortgage Broker (http://www.sensefs-perth-mortgage-broker.com.au/)

Anyway any honest feedback is appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul

Zen

07-05-2010, 04:17 PM

site looks okay to me (only had a quick look)

domain is too long imo

paulnolan7

07-05-2010, 04:32 PM

site looks okay to me (only had a quick look)

domain is too long imo
My thinking was get some keywords in the domain. (Not sure how much that counts to page rank vs backlinks, but I thought it was important)
The shorter url www.sensefs.com.au redirects to the long one for marketing, business card, etc.

Vee

07-05-2010, 04:43 PM

heist

07-05-2010, 05:00 PM

really good job, well done

paulnolan7

07-05-2010, 05:47 PM

Site looks good

code mostly (http://validator.w3.org/check?verbose=1&uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sensefs-perth-mortgage-broker.com.au%2Fcontact) validates

don't like the stock photos

The "active" part of the homepage buttons is too wide

"you" is underlined, emphasis is better served by italic or bold

It wouldn't hurt to run the site by a professional copywriter if only to tidy up the services page.

Overall, a great job for a "newbie"

Thanks for the feedback Vee. I thought I would get crucified so I put my best foot forward.

I don't like the active version of the buttons either. I originally had underlines for active but my brother wanted the shading. I could make a little slimmer though.

When you say "don't like the stock photo" does that mean my choice of photos or the fact that they are just stock and no my own photos (NOTE: I'm not a photographer nor do I know someone. Mind you my brother doesn't have anything worth photographing)

As for validation. I don't like the idea of inserting email address in webpages (because of spammer). So I created a little javascript to embed the email address based based on the attribute "email" hence the non-validation.
I guess I could make it work on a class instead. What do you guys use for email addresses or do you insist on forms?

As for "newbie" yes this is the first one I've been paid for (mind you not yet!) I've done probably 3-4 other free ones. I'll create my own webpage soon and show the portfolio.

patricktt

13-05-2010, 07:23 AM

As for validation. I don't like the idea of inserting email address in webpages (because of spammer). So I created a little javascript to embed the email address based based on the attribute "email" hence the non-validation.
I guess I could make it work on a class instead. What do you guys use for email addresses or do you insist on forms?

You could use imagemagick to generate an image for email addresses dynamically, or else just set up a javascript function to put the parts together in a not so obvious way - Then you would just use php to split the email addresses up and replace them with a reference to the javascript function?

jexley

13-05-2010, 08:39 AM

That's pretty sweet man. Well done.

My only advice would be to REALLY not worry about keywords in the domain (you get virtually nothing out of it) and to take all those services and make 'em actual pages instead of anchors. That page is too long and the menu gives the illusion that I'll be going to a new page instead of blasted down that long bugger. It'll help your SEO too.

And the stock photos are ill-advised considering that you've got a nice snap of your bro on there. If you can get him on the phone, even from the side or back, and him in his living room or a couple of clients or anything other than stock photos, then that's a site that I'd enter in "N00b of the Year" award (or some shit).

You've already made a great site, no reason not to make it excellent.

Good work.

ashul

13-05-2010, 02:03 PM

Sense Financial Services - Mortgage Broker (http://www.sensefs-perth-mortgage-broker.com.au/)

Hey Paul

Great way of putting the keyword google juice on the link above as well especially if you are new to web dev.

Like the site I think it has been done well - Just feels like it has been posted here for SEO but hey nothing wrong with that!

Look forward to your contribution on the forums.

A

paulnolan7

13-05-2010, 02:32 PM

You could use imagemagick to generate an image for email addresses dynamically, or else just set up a javascript function to put the parts together in a not so obvious way - Then you would just use php to split the email addresses up and replace them with a reference to the javascript function?

Thanks Patrick, my understanding is that putting the javascript function inline (I guess surround by script tags) wouldn't necessarily insert text at that point. Is that right?
The function would have to reference the id of the element I'm trying to replace and attach a "write out" function on the onload event. I'll need to research that a bit. It would be nice to have a onload event of each element.

temp

14-05-2010, 06:47 AM

Thanks Patrick, my understanding is that putting the javascript function inline (I guess surround by script tags) wouldn't necessarily insert text at that point. Is that right?
The function would have to reference the id of the element I'm trying to replace and attach a "write out" function on the onload event. I'll need to research that a bit. It would be nice to have a onload event of each element.

YAGNI!

just publish your email address

kay

14-05-2010, 08:29 AM

just publish your email address

Or use a contact form. spam is a fact of life, filters are getting better and better, it's easier to deal with spam then tie yourself in knots trying to implement complicated, inaccessible hiding methods.

And let's face it, if the email address you're obscuring is info@example.com.au then it's already getting ten tons of spam anyway.