I'm making a website and I need feedback

[garirry]

Hello everyone!

I've been developing a website for a few months now with the intention of offering web-making, video-editing, and web hosting services, as well as showing off my games. The website is no way finished, there are missing stuff, so you may get an answer like "yeah, I was about to do it anyway". Since I'm relatively new in the web-making industry, I would like some feedback regarding the way I code (I only do HTML, no Javascript or anything like that). Also, if anyone is good in that stuff, I would like to know whether my text is good and appealing and how good is my grammar. Then, I have a specific page dedicated to showing off costs for my services. If you think certain prices are ridiculous (too low or too high), or you think that it's better not to show it at all, tell me. Finally, if anyone speaks French well enough, if you could verify my grammar, I would appreciate it.

Here is the link: http://testsite.garirry.com
All feedback is appreciated!

Garirry

 

[olup]

This may sound very harsh, but if you intend on making websites on any level for people, you need to reconsider your design decisions(fonts, colors and layout). I give you props for doing your own thing and I assume that this is your first website, but if I were to look for someone to design my website, I would go with somebody else or use one of those free templates that are floating around because I would get a much more professional looking result than what you currently have. And yes those free templates are what you are competing with. Take a look at other people's work, snoop around the way they did things and continue to learn. Start getting familiar with HTML5, get comfortable with CSS, then work your way into Javascript/jQuery, PHP/Wordpress or whatever CMS you want to learn. Knowing only HTML isn't sufficient at all these days.

Here's a link for inspiration of other people's design work: http://www.siteinspire.com/

 

[ardchoille50]

Also keep in mind that you are competing with Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal, and other content management systems that are free of charge and offer much more in the way of features. So you're going to have to graduate beyond HTML if you want to be successful. Just my opinion.

 

[garirry]

I'm planning to make a website designed to offer simple and cheap websites, since I personally think that the design aspect is quite beautiful, and a few people said so as well. To be honest, this isn't an attempt at professional business, it's more of a hobby to get some money since I'm young and I don't have a job. I don't know Javascript, and studying it would take a lot of time, so it's not something I can use currently.

 

[JoelTheSuperior]

Also keep in mind that you are competing with Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal, and other content management systems that are free of charge and offer much more in the way of features. So you're going to have to graduate beyond HTML if you want to be successful. Just my opinion.

Very much this. I've actually found myself developing my own content management system which, quite honestly has been a fairly large project and not something I'd recommend to someone who's just starting out by any stretch of the imagination, but it's been very important in landing me work with good clients.

With that said, there's plenty of work available in developing websites based on the WordPress content management system, and it's actually how I worked for quite a decent amount of time.

Honestly though, whilst I applaud your efforts your website really does not convey an image of professionalism and it reminds me of what design was perhaps popular in the 90s. If you want to get a good idea of modern, functional design I'd recommend you take a look at Dribbble, Behance and whatever other portfolio sites you can find and see what other respected professional designers are doing.

Javascript isn't hugely important just yet to be honest. Don't get me wrong - it's a useful tool when used well but there's many other things I'd focus on first.

 

[redheeler]

@garirry, something about your site seems very... 2007. At least this means it renders fine in the ancient version of Safari installed on my eMac (3.0.4), with the exception of the CSS3 border-radius on the links.

Don't get me wrong, it's a nice site. I just think your choice of design is a bit outdated.

-----

I'm planning to make a website designed to offer simple and cheap websites, since I personally think that the design aspect is quite beautiful, and a few people said so as well. To be honest, this isn't an attempt at professional business, it's more of a hobby to get some money since I'm young and I don't have a job. I don't know Javascript, and studying it would take a lot of time, so it's not something I can use currently.

I suggest you improve your knowledge of CSS first, and work on a more modern design and graphics with better fonts and theme colors. This is important, especially if you plan to make websites for others.

You'll get better with time.

 

[tomnavratil]

Honestly, the design of your site is still very much in the 90s and when I saw it for a first time, I thought it's a website that hasn't been updated for a while. As others have said you are competing with simple CMS solutions, which are pretty straight-forward to install.

I think getting proper basics of HMTL5, CSS3 and also key things about typography and design will keep you busy and get you started as well. If you want to properly showcase your work without worrying too much about your back-end, consider services like Squarespace to produce your site.

Good luck.

 

[Beachguy]

Don't trust the word of friends and associates. They will want to make you feel good and not hurt your feelings.

Pay VERY close attention to what others have said. I put up websites that looked much like that myself. In 1995, that is. If you want to make professional and quality sites, you have to delve in further to the technologies needed. It will be worth it to you if you do, even though you may feel overwhelmed at times.

Hope I wasn't discouraging to you. I'm hoping you come back later and let us see your work again. Don't let critiques and criticism get you down or make you feel defensive (that's a problem I have and it slows your progress)- take the suggestions and run with them!

 

[SaxPlayer]

I design and code sites professionally and I'm afraid, as others have said, your look and feel is about 20 years out of date. I don't wish to be discouraging, or unkind as everyone has to start somewhere. I was producing sites that looked similar to that when I first started, back in the early days of the net (on an Amiga, believe it or not).

Keep at it, look around the net at popular sites, read books about design and HTML 5/CSS 3 and you'll get there in the end! I'd suggest waiting for months (or even years) before offering your services to the general public in order to develop your skills without the added pressure of clients breathing down your neck.

I wish you the very best!

 

[garirry]

Hello everyone,

Thank you for your suggestions! I understand what you mean by my website looking obsolete. I'll try to change some fonts and other design elements, I'll tell you when it's updated.

 

[fabulousrice]

Hello everyone!

I've been developing a website for a few months now with the intention of offering web-making, video-editing, and web hosting services, as well as showing off my games. The website is no way finished, there are missing stuff, so you may get an answer like "yeah, I was about to do it anyway". Since I'm relatively new in the web-making industry, I would like some feedback regarding the way I code (I only do HTML, no Javascript or anything like that). Also, if anyone is good in that stuff, I would like to know whether my text is good and appealing and how good is my grammar. Then, I have a specific page dedicated to showing off costs for my services. If you think certain prices are ridiculous (too low or too high), or you think that it's better not to show it at all, tell me. Finally, if anyone speaks French well enough, if you could verify my grammar, I would appreciate it.

Here is the link: http://testsite.garirry.com
All feedback is appreciated!

Garirry

you need to learn about design, colors and typography. There ar emany books available out there, some free ones.I would avoid having more than 2 colors on the home page.

 

[ringoroo]

I'm sorry to say this but... NO, NO, NO !

You asked for opinions and I hope you don't get offended by honest ones. The other responses are quite correct, it's design, colour and usability that you need to learn.

I don't mean any of this to be insulting... I've made the same mistakes in the past. One of the things I always try to keep in mind is that just because I've learnt how do do something new and clever it doesn't mean that it looks good to others.
I'm sure you were pleased when you made your multi-coloured name on the homepage but it does not work on a website.
I wouldn't ever say stop making things like that, I'd say keep experimenting with anything and everything, learn as much as you can from other examples, sites, tutorials and advice from others, and then use all of that to make something new. Something that you then look at with the eyes of a visitor/viewer and not the eyes of the creator.

I've been an editor for 18 years and have been learning and creating gfx (2D and 3D) for the last 10 - I've still got a lot to learn... but it's great fun so persevere.

 

[garirry]

Okay, okay. I'll admit I was lazy as hell in the last few months. I have only done this, which is totally unfinished, but is an entire upgrade to my site. I also look forward to disabling web making services, since I'm not that great, I'm not that interested, and I don't know enough. All the content will be on a single page, and the buttons are supposed to do smooth scrolling, but I only programmed one so far and most of the content is missing or outdated.

Besides, I only posted this for an opinion regarding the design elements. Now that I look at it, it's true that my previous website looks quite old.

 

[CaptainCanuck]

Okay, okay. I'll admit I was lazy as hell in the last few months. I have only done this, which is totally unfinished, but is an entire upgrade to my site. I also look forward to disabling web making services, since I'm not that great, I'm not that interested, and I don't know enough. All the content will be on a single page, and the buttons are supposed to do smooth scrolling, but I only programmed one so far and most of the content is missing or outdated.

Besides, I only posted this for an opinion regarding the design elements. Now that I look at it, it's true that my previous website looks quite old.

I commend your bravery, garirry. Asking for feedback on a public forum is not for the faint of heart.

That said, while this revision is a step forward from your first design, it still has some ways to go. Don't be disheartened; this is part of the process. Part of the problem is that a wide range of design styles and techniques are being thrown at the wall with the hope some will stick. Good design relies a deliberate selection of techniques to best present the content. While it's good to experiment, you need to get the basics down first.

My best advice is to get your content nailed down first, focus on typography, and, above all else, keep it simple.

Especially when you first start out, content will often dictate form. There are a finite number of ways to present a paragraph, with a handful of styles that work best. It also helps you establish a hierarchy of content to guide the reader through the page. Get your content nailed down first, and make sure you get it copyedited for grammatical and spelling errors.

Text is the backbone of content on the web; learn how to design for it before worrying about other visual elements. If people can't read your content easily, they won't. Joseph Santa Maria's article On Web Typography is a great place to start. I Love Typography is a great resource to read on some of the more technical aspects; for more of the CSS-related implementations, Harry Roberts' article is an excellent starter resource. If you do want to read more, Erik Spiekermann's Stop Stealing Sheep & Find Out How Type Works and Robert Bringhurst's The Elements of Typographic Style are two great reads among many.

Lastly, keep things simple. Most designs get out of whack when they try to do more than they need to, which is really easy to lose track of. Color and multiple font faces are distractors. Keep them to an absolute minimum. If you have to, start laying out the design with black on white only, using a single font-family.

Learning to do anything well is a long process that requires work. Don't be discouraged and keep at it.

 

[fabulousrice]

I have to agree with Canuck, that there's still a lot to do to get to a point where you can say this looks serious and professional.
You seem attached to the idea of a big banner with your name, which isn't the way to go in modern internet. Especially not with gradients. Good design allies subtlety with usefulness, and if I were you I would diminish the size of the top links and fonts, and place the logo or name of the page on top left in a small "home" box (i.e. facebook, instagram, google results page, etc)

 

[olup]

Okay, okay. I'll admit I was lazy as hell in the last few months. I have only done this, which is totally unfinished, but is an entire upgrade to my site. I also look forward to disabling web making services, since I'm not that great, I'm not that interested, and I don't know enough. All the content will be on a single page, and the buttons are supposed to do smooth scrolling, but I only programmed one so far and most of the content is missing or outdated.

Besides, I only posted this for an opinion regarding the design elements. Now that I look at it, it's true that my previous website looks quite old.

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I like to work with computers?
2. Do I enjoy making things that people can interact with?
3. Do I enjoy learning new things?

If the answer to those questions is yes, then keep building things/making websites and you eventually will become better and better over time.

This goes along with a lot of reading and learning.

The creative industry is very fast-paced and things change quickly, so people in that field are always learning new things.

As for not knowing enough, that's totally fine as long as you try to become better at it.
If you don't know something, say so, post to a forum and people will gladly help you out.

 

[JoelTheSuperior]

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I like to work with computers?
2. Do I enjoy making things that people can interact with?
3. Do I enjoy learning new things?

If the answer to those questions is yes, then keep building things/making websites and you eventually will become better and better over time.

So much this. When I first started making websites I quite honestly sucked at it. I never really asked for feedback at first because I was afraid of what people would say so to be honest I admire the simple fact that you asked.

Now honestly, the sites this guy is making aren't very good, but let's be honest, none of us were particularly good at this when we started. But if it's something you enjoy and you're willing to invest time in you'll get a lot better at it and start being able to put out some real quality sites.

 

[smallcoffee]

I'm planning to make a website designed to offer simple and cheap websites, since I personally think that the design aspect is quite beautiful, and a few people said so as well. To be honest, this isn't an attempt at professional business, it's more of a hobby to get some money since I'm young and I don't have a job. I don't know Javascript, and studying it would take a lot of time, so it's not something I can use currently.

Dude... What? I don't want to be unhelpful, but you're being incredibly realistic.

Check out some sites here to get an idea of what could be good looking.

 

[AngerDanger]

For comparison and encouragement, here is a screenshot of an archived version of the site I managed as a child. The archiving removed the embedded flash content, and I removed my name to preserve semi-anonimity. Fortunately, the garish, ribbed-for-nobody's-pleasure background, terrible grammar combined with an overly casual tone, and lack of CSS formatting are still intact.

In fairness, my current web based offering isn't much better.

 

[olup]

For comparison and encouragement, here is a screenshot of an archived version of the site I managed as a child. The archiving removed the embedded flash content, and I removed my name to preserve semi-anonimity. Fortunately, the garish, ribbed-for-nobody's-pleasure background, terrible grammar combined with an overly casual tone, and lack of CSS formatting are still intact.

View attachment 578483

In fairness, my current web based offering isn't much better.

It definitely has personality unlike some of the offerings that are out there.

 

[keysofanxiety]

For comparison and encouragement, here is a screenshot of an archived version of the site I managed as a child. The archiving removed the embedded flash content, and I removed my name to preserve semi-anonimity. Fortunately, the garish, ribbed-for-nobody's-pleasure background, terrible grammar combined with an overly casual tone, and lack of CSS formatting are still intact.

View attachment 578483

In fairness, my current web based offering isn't much better.

I'm really pleased you posted this because it helps show that everybody, even the pros, started somewhere. The number of embarassing creative writing essays/blogs and terrible music I've recorded are countless. I've spent a very, very long time trying to bury those memories. Sadly it can't be wiped from the Internet. Thanks for sharing, AD.