Let's talk websites

[MinUph]

Not that it's the best way but the way I did this progress idea on my site is what I call the process of Re Upholstery. Words that explain my process from start to finish. I've actually had some people read it.

[sofadoc]

I don't  have a web site yet, but I have been thinking of action shots.

I think you should do a "start to finish" live action video. And show it in high speed with the Benny Hill music playing. ;D

[kodydog]

JMO Bobbin. I wouldn't waist a lot of space on before and after shots. The before shots never seem to show how bad the piece really is. Maybe one really bad shot.

With dialogue, Write down everything you want to say on paper. Then cut it down to two or three sentences.
Nothing like a lot of words to make your eyes cross and make you want to leave the page. Try to keep the pages light and airy. Try to direct the reader to your e-mail. If you can get the reader to start a conversation then you'll have a new customer. ie, For great service send Bobbin an e-mail today.

[Stephen]

Here is an article I've written about "Making Your Own Upholstery Website.

A Larger Website Is Very Useful
It looks like I have vastly different ideas than some of the others here. I've had my website, Winters Sewing, up for about 8 years, and over the years it has grown to over 150 pages, and it continues to grow.  The website has a lot of useful detailed information for potential clients. It answers many of their questions before they even call. The can look at the slideshows to see how we do our work. They can read the many articles on a variety of upholstery subjects.  Many times before they call us they have already made up their minds to have us do their work.

In addition, since the website is so large, and has so much information, it consistently ranks at or near the top of the first page of the search engines, without paying any per hit fees.    I know other business people who have small websites and who mention that they don't get much business from the website.

Websites Should Have More Text Than A Newspaper Ad
There is a big difference between how you write for a newspaper ad (where every word cost extra) versus how you write for a website. On a website you are not as limited as in a newspaper. My idea is that you write out enough information on each page to tell people what you do and what your policies are. I've had a lot of clients tell me that they love my website.

Pictures Are Very Useful on a Website
In addition to the text on our upholstery website, on the Upholstery Pictures & Slideshows pages I put both before and after pictures, as well as slideshows. Each slide show has between 20 to 150 pictures. It is extremely helpful for the client to see your process of working through the furniture. That says as much about the quality of your work as anything else that you could do. Over the last few years I have taken process pictures of most of the jobs that I've done. I easily have twenty to forty thousand process pictures of the work we've done. Some may I'll put more of them on my website.

Plan and Organize The Content
I'm a firm believer in giving the potential clients plenty of information. However, it shouldn't be put in haphazzardly. Instead some careful thought and planning should be put into it before each page gets published. The content should be laid out and designed to make it easy to glance over or to read. I like to use larger headings that give the main points, and smaller text to give more details for each section. Then the client either can read just the headings or whatever text that interests them.
It takes a lot more thought and effort to effectively organize the website content, but it is well worth it. My motto could be, "Put in the extra effort so others can better understand the content."

Best Wishes,
Stephen

[kodydog]

Steven I enjoy your web site and frequent it often. No way would I ever imply that someones web site is not set up right, I know how much work goes into each one and they are always evolving.

Your last paragraph is most important. Make the pages easy to navigate. And especially the home page. Another page I would try to keep down to about 3 paragraphs is the "about us" page. Just like a resume you want to keep the readers interested long enough to read the whole thing. Try to "grab" them with the first sentence. For instance don't call yourself an upholsterer (boring). Call yourself a manipulator of fabric. :)

Remember the elevator rule. If you just met someone and had 20 seconds to sell yourself, what would you say? That's about how much time you have to grab there attention before they click off your site.

I love your tutorial pages. And the very nature of writing an article explaining how to preform a new skill demands many words. And if it interests me I will read it start to finish.

I think Bobbin is trying to attract new customers with her site so she needs to keep it clean, easy to read and try not to lose the readers interest. If she wants to add key words then do that by adding more pages with pictures of her work and explaining why shes the one people should go to.

Of course all these suggestions are just opinions and Bobbin needs to create something that is personally hers. Something that when someone goes to it they'll say, that's who I want to do business with.

I know she has a good imagination and her web site is going to be great.

[MinUph]

One of the best points that was pointed out by Steven is key words. In time these will do and amazing amount of free advertising for a site. When writing for a website you should place key words in normal paragraphs, near the top of the fold and repeat them a couple times. Make it normal language not just filled with keywords.

[bobbin]

Could one of you smarties explain "keywords" to me?  I think they're words that are commonly associated with the work you're trying to advertise.  For example:  alterations, drapery, cushions, interiors, slipcovers, etc..  Am I close?

[sofadoc]

For example:  alterations, drapery, cushions, interiors, slipcovers, etc..  Am I close?

Yes, you're close. Only keywords must be included in your text in order to get hits when people search for them. Keywords aren't just about the services that you provide, but more importantly the words that people are searching for.

Example: If some poor sap in Greenville, Texas has a busted recliner, hopefully he will go to Google, or Yahoo and type "recliner repair" in the search bar. And because I have that EXACT phrase on my web page, my site will be part of his search results.

So if you didn't have the word "alterations" anywhere on your website, then your site wouldn't turn up in a search for that word.

Now I'm going to repeat Bobbin's question.......am I close? ???

[sofadoc]

Keyword update.
Today a customer called about new foam for her cushions. She lives 50 miles away in Dallas. She Googled "cushion foam replacement dallas tx".
My website came up near the top of her search results. Of the ones ahead of me, she said that most of them were "dead ends".
I get calls all the time from places that promise to move me to the top for a fee. I've heard that those places are a ripoff. If your website is getting hits, you'll move up anyway. And if the text on your site matches the search words verbatim, your site will come up.

[Steve at Silverstone Fabrics]

Stephen......It was my first visit to your site. WOW!

As I read your essay about building web sites the one thing that really jumped out at me was the quote " DON'T try to make it PERFECT.
Perfectionism Kills Creativity! "  .

I plan on printing this and putting it  on my bulletin board.

Thank you for your professional and caring way of sharing our industry with the world.

I will be back to your site.  Steve

[Mike]

on before and after shots , when i first put up my website i had some before nd after of boat canvas i did i had rollovr pics firsat a pic of th boat prework ant the dock then place your mouse over the pic and thesame boat same spot after new canvas. it was kinda cool but i got rid of it yer later while clening uo the site and creating less clutter