Awesome Logos/Programming/Advertising/Websites MY MUSE

[activekoi]

I found my muse!

I'm doing a lot of video production/programming/site/building/audio now and working towards owning instead of micromanaging.

I do awesome work and I'll happily cut ANY of my 4HWW friends a serious deal! I love this little club of ours, don't you?

That said what do you all think of my site? Is it attractive to potential consumers? www.activekoi.com

I'm also doing sourcing and have my best friend from college located in China we can make or get anything you want but all in bulk.

So anyway, loved the 4HWW book. Great ideas and can't wait to hear some feedback!

Thanks all!

Nate :D

[healing]

Hey Nate, Web site took way too long to load?

[theNord]

YOU may have found it but your clients can't. Your site too about 5 minutes to load on my DSL connection. Normally I would have given up after about 15-20 seconds.

Ditch the flash and audio effects, learn about SEO and code optimization then redesign using css/xHTML. Just my .02....

[activekoi]

Hey, thanks for taking a look! I sincerely appreciate the feedback and am trying to fix things here now...

I'm initially confused by both responses, which were uniform and thus indicate a problem, b/c I have tested it frequently for load times. Are you all running older PC's? DSL or better connections?/ Any other possible hindrances?

Are you all in Europe or US? If US, southeast northeast etc?

I don't think redesign is the way to go 100% b/c we are trying to show some of the more high end site work we can do. Html/CSS really aren't that pretty comparatively. There is some optimization I could use to still employ Flash. Thats what I'm working on now.

Any other thoughts about the site beside load time?

Thank you so much for your thoughts!

[Frank]

I just tested the link and it loaded very quickly.

[Marcie]

Loaded fine for me as well. I liked it! Very creative. I agree if you are selling creative, it needs to look that way. I wonder myself about getting text keywords etc "code optimization" as was noted on a site like this. I have a site that needs to be redesigned in a fashion such as this so I would like to know more...

Good job!
~Marce

[AshokanKid]

~

Hey there.,

I'll post my two cents for saying, "Nice Flashy type of site"., if I had a band., or something like that., where peeps kinda like that mindless, entertain me while I just sit here kinda thing., perhaps gamers., I dunno., but really pretty amazing effects work., gotta love it, ;-)

However., for a strictly commercial type of site., that wacky crap (oops., sorry) has just GOT to be kept to a minimum in my book., SEO or whatever., main thing is PEEPS trying to GET to what they WANT., whatever that is., IF you are selling STYLE., that is one thing., but if you are selling PRODUCT., and I mean a more or less simple product / service., you want SIMPLE., and EASY to understand., and FAST to load.,

I gotta tell you seriously., when I click to a site., and if it even HINTS of Flash., I look IMMEDIATELY for a "Skip Intro" button., and if there is not one., I am more than likely GONE in a FLASH., pun intended., haha., :-) Look at the top grossing sites on the 'net., Amazon., E-Bay., Yahoo., Google. ,Dell., etc.,etc., there are def ways to utilize your design talents., but keep perspective.,

That's my take., keep it real., keep it simple., but look at your clients., if they want / need the type of flashy, trendy, "creative" look that you have there., then GREAT., and otherwise., make it REALLY understandable to "The Masses"., Mooooo., they need it straightforward usually.,

SC

~

[theNord]

I guess I come from the school of thought that says "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should" which has worked for me for the past 7 or 8 years as a Web Designer.

A clean and simple designed portfolio with links to your "flashy" designs will get you more interest in the end, forcing people to wait through animations and sounds, in my opinion, is the wrong way to showcase your abilities. But I guess if a pure multimedia flash experience is what you are selling, it may work. Time will only tell.

[activekoi]

Nord,

Thanks for the note. Do you have an example of some work you've done I could see?

Thanks!

[ChiTowner]

Hi Activekoi

as others have mentioned, you really have to be very careful with the use of flash. It's easy to get carried away and miss the objective of what you're trying to do.

From a prospective client's point of view, I find waiting for flash to load immensely irritating. Then you still make me click 'enter site'! All I can think about is the number of other websites where I don't have to wait so long before I can see what's on offer. Remember that most likely I have no relationship with you and would feel no regret about clicking the back button before you page finishes loading

Oh, and the thing that you're doing with the navigation links? I hover over 'contacts' or 'services' and the words start moving around the screen? Why would you even do that? Are you trying to p!ss people off?

On the portfolio page, most of the samples come up blank. Unless I happen to wait several seconds for the clips to load

I 'view sourced' a couple of pages. From a search engine optimisation point of view, by the way you are entirely using flash over text, there is absolutely nothing on your pages that search engines can read and subsequently determine what your site is about. That drastically reduces your chances of free search engine traffic.

To put it mildly, if you design your clients' websites in the same way, you are doing them a great disservice!

Your site strikes me as self-indulgent rather than customer focused. The true skill of a designer is being able to produce a practical, functional AND attractive website.

Hope that helps
Debbie E

[activekoi]

ChiTowner,

I appreciate all comments. Thank you for your point of view!

Changes are being made to the site.

That said we are doing mostly entertainment work and the site seems to be doing well with clients. Especially, those in the animation field whom we mostly service.

I am aware of the SEO issue but we are employing a unique non-SEO reliant business model. It is actually working quite well too!

You are right about getting carried away with flash but the counterpoint here is what if the clients like the flash? (they do leave many comments in our email stating their fondness of the site). You are also right that sometimes the stupid server lags causing long load times and that will be remedied tomorrow AM. Both excellent points ad thank you for them

You are wrong about people, at least in our arena, being pissed off with regard to the buttons AT LEAST IN THE SENSE that clients have asked for similar buttons. That said, I think you and I may service different groups of clients?

I'm left unsure. Listen to Clients or Posters here? I think something in the middle is probably the best way to go. I don't know. I'll have to think about it a bit?

I will keep a watchful eye on the board here and it would be great if anyone was willing to post their own "successful sites" so that I could get some tips directly from the page. I really am curious Chi as to what your sites look like and what you have done with them. It would be a great blessing if you were willing to share with us! :)

Thank you so much for your "kind" input to all and Merry Christmas!

[rachelterra]

Your home page is gorgeous.
My suggestion is that you make it more obvious from the start what services your company offers. I took the time to read (the very tiny text - can you increase font size?) to find out. Others may not. The other thing is that you list websites as one of your areas of expertise, yet your portfolio is mostly video samples. The website samples shouldn't be so labor intensive to find via the pdf.
But all that can easily be fixed.
Clearly you're talented. And if my test goes well, I'd certainly consider you to create my website.
Cheers,
Rachel

[webgal]

Your keywords are in Flash jail. It loaded VERY slowly for me and I have high speed internet with a booster. I do think, given your target market, that it needs some glitz and glamor but like the Harry Winston jewelry site, it won't get the organic traffic. I usually recommend my clients who want Flash to use elements of it to add the glamor and leave the words in text so they get picked up by search engines. So, in short

As far as pretty, it's pretty and I like the look but load is way too slow and keywords are all locked up in Flash files.

The video samples had lots of hiccups which doesn't say what you'd want it to say for your video production capabilities. I see it's Adobe Flash 9 and this hesitation is unusual. Although the script is probably not your area, samples that hinge on more of a conceptual marketing strategy would be beneficial.

[Jay]

It took a while to load for me, but once it did I was impressed. I believe it is the kind of intro you need to showcase your abilities. It made me want to click around the site to see what else you can do. Nice job...

[pcasstle]

It loaded fine on my computer. I think the site is very original! ;)

[HWilley]

It too took me a long time to load. (Located in Colorado on a Cable connection with a Pent III).

What about doing the site in html (so you can reap the SEO benefits) and give people the choice to see the Flash?

[outofbandii]

I didn't bother to wait for it to load.

Recommend you get the book "Don't make me think" by Steve Krug, it's on web usability.

[danesroad]

Sorry mate - any more than seven seconds to load a page if too long for me.

[danesroad]

Sorry mate - any more than seven seconds to load a page is too long for me.

[webgal]

Strike somewhere in the middle leaning towards your clients. They are your target market after all. That's who you have to impress.

[Sven]

I'm affraid I agree with most posters, it is too slow. It took 30 seconds before the entertaining loading part started, which again took too long. And all of this just to show that you still have not entered the site?

If you say that your clients seem to like it and seem succesfull suggests to me that they don't have a clue. Bear in mind they look at you for guidance in this minefield of webbuilding. It is a web builders task to provide a money making website. It should cost less than it brings in.

Beauty can play a part in this, as can do flash fancy design as well as the absence of all of these... The difficulty is to get the mix right. Uhmmm, that's the job of the specialist!

Good luck!

Sven
www.mistervee.com

[kevinc130]

Your site takes to long to load. It's more art deco than business website though. I am in the US on a cable modem/ 10/100:D

[Vacman]

I'm on a T1 corporate connection and it took me a good 2 mins to load.