alas, poor website

[elbonko]

So, I'm completely redoing my website. I need you good people to tell me what's so terrible about the old one. Here it is:

http://www.aaronbonk.com/

A few things I already have in mind:

-the new background will probably be white
-all new promo pics will be replacing the old shots
-the videos are pretty much all too long

Otherwise, if you see anything you think is bad for business, I like to hear about it. Also, if you see anything you think is particularly good, please tell me that, too, so I know what not to throw out.

Thanks in advance for your time and input.

-Aaron Bonk

[Isabella]

OK, so not as nicely phrased in terms of critique, but here's what I thought. Your content is mostly solid, and I already know you have a great show. But yeah, your website's not as good as you are right now.

Splash page - to quote the guys from "Web Pages That Suck", a splash page is like standing on the sidewalk blocking the door to your business while yelling, "Wait! Don't go in and buy stuff! First look at this!"

Font on buttons hard to read.

Too many buttons, too many choices! Pick the top four or five and make everything else sub-pages. For example, how-to, links, blog and music could all be under Extras.

Buttons scaled very large, and they feel like "stock" buttons - right now the layout feels like it came from a kit instead of being a specific design for your show.

I can't tell what you look like from the opening photo, plus your eyes are squinty so I don't feel connected to you, and the rose in your teeth tells me you are...Casanova? A tango dancer? That guy in the shiny suit who's going to hit on me at the bar?

Why is the moon on your front page?

Paypal buttons on the page feel low-rent. Especially the opening page.

"Risks his life to make 'em laugh" is a great line, good rhythm and a strong hook about your act. Maybe make that more prominent or sooner in the copy?

Multi-colored fonts feel Web 1.0

Too many videos. Get a thumbnail of the videos or embed them - they aren't enticing to watch when it's a text link. Also, we all have high speed now and we don't care how big they are - we're not going to download them to our drive. Get a Vimeo account or something so that people can just stream them and it doesn't matter what the file format is.

Photos - the font color and size draws my eye to 1) the photographer credit (ooh, a link, I wonder where that goes, goodbye Bonk!) 2) the title, often in a foreign language or with a joke (ooh, what does that mean? I feel dumb, goodbye Bonk!) and finally, 3) the actual picture. Which is probably stunning larger but is all blurry and small in the thumbnail size. Fewer pics, bigger pics, photo credits in 8 point type because we're not here to hire a photographer, we're here to hire you.

Everyone looks equally important on the client list - are they? Maybe use some comments on this page rather than a separate page?

Previously Bonked is an awesome title - all your titles on the right are better than the headers on the left. But I barely notice them, because they are way over in "design of the right half of the page" land, which seems only tangentially connected to "left side other layout style".

"Hat's off to you" is a glaring grammar error that pulls my attention away from content. Save your client's dignity and fix it

Your calendar is long. Is a list the best format? Is it there to brag about gigs or to help clients determine your availability? Both are valid, but picking one may help choose a format.

That's a long link list - do your clients need it? Is it to generate traffic? Fonts very large.

Maybe a separate site for your music? Even if it's a child page of this site, but less easy to get to, so you look focused rather than dilettante. And so you can stay on message about what you're selling. (Good songs, btw)

How to - again, is this for clients or to drive traffic or what?

Tell Brit I said hi!

Allison

[elbonko]

Allison,

you rock. Thanks so much for your very thorough honesty. It's exactly that for which I was looking. Thanks also for pointing me to "Web Pages That Suck." Looks like one hell of a resource and rather funny as well.

I will, of course, say hi to Brit for you.

-Bonk

[Irina]

Hey, what really needs to be adressed on your site is WHAT DO YOU DO? and WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?. "Object manipulation' is very vague term, and nobody is doing google searches on '"object manipulation"... people are looking for jugglers, clowns, mimes etc etc and usually in their hometown! If you do whole bunch of different things - just say "Object manipulation, including magic, juggling, pantomime...." and put all these trades into your web-site key-words too. You also have to name your 'port of call" - if you travel a lot, just say for example "New York metro area, will travel" and if you do a yearly route - list all cities where you usually work. It really does not matter what color is your background and how good are your pictures (unless you use professional photography) - all snap-shots are pretty much same quality, just run them through Photo-shop and add contrast and saturation... Also - corporate clients like to see testimonials from other corporate clients! (if you do corporate gigs) Peace, good luck, irina

[elbonko]

mucho gracias

Irina, thank you so much for your time and consideration. I am definitely working to make all that more prevalent.

-Bonk