ForumsShop Talk

Hi HappyTails,

Everyone seems to agree - content organization. However being a web developer, I have to say Archangel's point about statndards compliance is a VERY important one and needs further explanation. I highly reccomend before you reorganize, look carefully into finding a web designer and web hosting that's not Microsoft dependant. Here's why:

Microsoft Office uses applications such as Microsoft Frontpage, a WYSIWYG editor (what you see is what you get). This editor creates all kinds of horrible presentational code (inside the nuts and bolts) inter-woven with your website's content. Search engines only want to read and index your content. As a result, a search engine spider looking at your content has a very dificult time navigating and making sense of your website's code, hurting you in the long run. You see, you may have good content, but the "nuts and bolts" of your website can prevent it from being interpreted properly. An example of this is already evident - your page breaks apart in browsers other than IE.

With a well designed site, this is not an issue because it it universally accepted AND accessible to those with disabilities or people needing special browsers like text readers. Government sites have to be accessible to those with disabilities. I dare say if the government has to, eventually so will everyone else. Why not save the expense now. You're planning to repair your site, be sure to get it right and universaly accepted.

Benefits of proper redesign;

1. People like it
2. search engines love it
3. you get more traffic
4. its universally accepted
5. works in most browsers
6. prevents a forced redesign down the road and saves you a boat load of money.

Very much improved over the first version. Way to go! I personally think there are still too many navigation buttons down the side, but that could just be me.

I'm not smart enough to understand all the technical stuff John6x6 said. However, I will second his comments about web browser compatibility. I use the Firefox browser and some of the content goes off the page to the right. Also, I'm guessing that if your site is not displaying the way you want it in Firefox, it likely is not displaying properly in other non-Microsoft browsers as well. If I were surfing the web for your services and the site came up the way it does now in my Firefox browser I would probably click back and go on to the next site rather than scroll back and forth.

Over the weekend I started reading a book on promoting your website. One thing the author mentioned is that if you have too many keywords in your header or use the same word over and over again, that can hurt you in search engine rankings. I looked at your keywords and I think you have too many and have "dog" repeated too many times.

As far as getting more visits, have you considered paying some of the search engines to be shown at the top? Just curious.

Keep up the good work.

Your site actually looks nice. Your page is very user friendly and easy to navigate. Is this your first website, because if so, either have begainers luck or your had one heck of an IT department. Really it does look nice.