# New Website-Please critique



## jodief100 (Dec 31, 2010)

I just put up a brand new website for our Goat Producers Association.  Please look at it and give me your feedback.  I plan on increasing the font size and there are two broken links I am working on fixing.  

http://www.nkgp.com/page8.php

Thank you all for your feedback- both positive and negative.  You won't hurt my feelings if you tell me it sucks.  Just please tell me why it sucks so I can make it better


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## ILoveHorses (Dec 31, 2010)

Perfect!!
The writing on the home page is a LITTLE small.


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## PattySh (Dec 31, 2010)

Yes a larger text is warranted. I think a darker color text would read easier. Not sure I like the color combo of the olive and kelly green. I do love the logo and the photo in the corner setup is really cool.


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## DianeS (Dec 31, 2010)

1 - In my opinion, your header should be MUCH smaller. People don't come to a site to see your header, they come for the information you put underneath it. Your header takes up 1/3 of the page on my monitor, leaving only 2/3 for the actual information. 

If you can increase that to 4/5 of the page, you'll be giving people a lot more of what they want. You can either change the header to just text on internal pages - or reduce the amount of space you have around the images and text. 

A large header is fine on a homepage, to reassure new people that they are on the correct site. But on internal pages they know where they are, and they want as much real information as they can get.

2 - I agree with the others that the text should be larger. At least the white text on your homepage should be. The black text on your calendar page is fine, or close to fine. Always remember that your intended readers are not all going to be young people with large monitors. Sometimes they'll have small screens on their smart phones. And sometimes they're older people with poor vision. 

3 - On your resources page, I would have the pages for the other sites open in a new window. That way your web page never "goes missing" and gets forgotten. Pages on your own site should open in the same window, the way that they do now. But pages that take users away from your site should open in a new window. 

4 - I don't know what you are using to create your site, but if you have the ability for the photo in the upper right hand corner to be different sometimes, then I would do that. A different photo for each section, or even each page. There are LOTS of good photos that could be used there. Its a wonderful place to have a photo. Or perhaps you could change the photo every few weeks. It's a good promotional place, too - you could run contests or something like them to populate the picture gallery you have to choose from. You could put state fair winner goats there. Or photos of new members farms. That sort of thing. It adds interest and sometimes people will visit your site or flip through new pages just to see the photos, incidentally learning new things from the pages. 

5 - I like the green background, very soothing to the eyes. The black text looks better on it than the white, easier to read. 

6 - What is the point of membership? I'd put a statement about the advantages or purpose of membership on the Members page. That will make more people consider it. 

All in all, a pretty good site. Especially if you're new(ish) to designing. It's not overly complicated or showy, there's no glitter or moving images. Very professional.


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## Roll farms (Dec 31, 2010)

The word "warrent" on the 'news' page should be 'warrant'.
Maybe say something like, "If you have some goat news to share about a goat-related public event, please submit it to us."

Yep, bigger font, please...my old eyes can't see like they used to, lol.

I like the color scheme.


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## jodief100 (Dec 31, 2010)

Thank you.  This is exactly what I want to hear.  It is a template program so there are limitations.  It is the first website I have done and I am still figuring out how to make things work.

I will  make the font larger.  Thank you Roll for the spelling check.   I will see if I can change the photo and I am not sure if I change the header size either but I will work on it.

Do you know how to make the links open to a window?


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## DianeS (Jan 3, 2011)

jodief100 said:
			
		

> Do you know how to make the links open to a window?


Are you able to edit the HTML in your template program?

If so, your links currently look like this: 
<a href="http://www.google.com">Google's website</a> 

And you want them to look like this:
<a href="http://www.google.com" target="_blank">Google's website</a> 

So - you just add _target="_blank"_ in the proper spot.


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## DianeS (Jan 3, 2011)

Did I read that this is the first website you've ever created? In that case, GOOD JOB! You've escaped all the awful things that first-time designers try to do!  Just keep thinking "professional" and "easy for people to get what THEY want" and you'll do fine.


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## Emmetts Dairy (Jan 3, 2011)

I think you did a great job!!    I really did'nt mind the font! I had my glasses on!!!   

Good job!!!


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## Natermotor (Jan 4, 2011)

Misspelled "know" on the news page.


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## miss_thenorth (Jan 4, 2011)

scheduled--main page second last line is misspelled

know on the news page is misspelled (as mentioned)

Tuesday on the calendar of events page is misspelled

coming on same page is misspelled (last word)

I also agree that some of the print is too small.

On the members page, i clicked on the link for the application, and the page could not be found

same message for the jackson  farm web page

and mikel farms

bluegrass genetics--can't open that one either

Joe buckler and Deb Hill are from different places but both have the same website listed--that does not work

On the resources page, the second kentucky dept of ag(goats) link message 404, the next one is for aol lifestream.  The first and last are fine.
canadian boer goat site is useless--it is just sponsored links.

   Once those are fixed--looks good!


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## jodief100 (Jan 12, 2011)

Thank y'all so much for your help. I am still working on a few of the links and such but I really apprectiate your dilligance in looking at the details.  I hope to figure out how to change the font on the headers but for now it stays too small.
I would love any suggestions for resources.  Also if anyone has any news in the goat industry, such as shows or sales in the Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio area I would love to post it!


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