tegwin
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| posted on 16/5/16 at 11:03 PM |
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OT: Website critique wanted
I have been looking at the analytics for my website and have quite a good footfall to my site with people having a look around. A fair amount of the
traffic comes from pretty good sources as well. Trouble is, few of these visits seem to convert to business. Given the number of people who seem to be
looking at the site and clicking through to the contact page I would have expected a little more business to result.
I am wondering therefore if the website is missing something or gives the wrong impression. I want to get across the experience I have and appear
approachable and accepting of any work.
I designed the website, and like anything you make yourself its quite hard to see things objectively. Without being obscenely rude, anyone have any
comments on the layout or content?
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
[Edited on 16/5/16 by tegwin]
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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loggyboy
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 12:50 AM |
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Just my opinion, im not is marketing but il stick 'ma 2 pence worth in'
Front page repeat of the Thames shot should either be longer and fade between restarts, or fade to further clips looping.
Maybe A little more colour on the page? looks a bit grey/washed out
More use of BBC and ch4 logos to show you work with big boys.
Increase prominence of the 3 drop down tabs (home/what we do/contact) and loose the ...s of 'what we do...' even consider a one/2 word
title for that 'about us' or maybe go for the 3 horizontal lines that every site has at mo, that then drops down to the options.
Change named email to generic one (mail@, info@, or drone@?!) - might seem less personal, but a generic ones points to a more official/larger
company.
Some great footage on the showreel, my only comment on that would be to re-edit so clip changes are timed with music.
Keep us posted looks like a great job/paid hobby!
Mistral Motorsport
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loggyboy
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 12:57 AM |
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Just to extend on the showreel comment - at 1:22 you have a burst of strings in the music that would be perfect for when the drone to comes in to view
at 1:26.
Mistral Motorsport
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HowardB
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 07:27 AM |
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you indicate that you are getting traffic and that you can identify the visitor, can you track and contact the visitors?
It looks good, and I am impressed with the quality and format of the videos,.. My only observation would be that you are working with media aware
people, are they expecting more and more slick?
keep up the good work 
Howard
Fisher Fury was 2000 Zetec - now a 1600 (it Lives again and goes zoom)
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Irony
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 08:28 AM |
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You should have a list of big names you have worked for. If someone like the BBC will employ you it will give other big names confidence you are not
a kid with a toy. Did you actually take all the videos on the website. The Thames shot is pretty iconic and if you have nabbed it from somewhere you
might get in trouble
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tegwin
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 08:39 AM |
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@loggyboy. Appreciate the comments. I will have a fiddle around this morning and see if I can add the logos and make the menu a bit more obvious. The
video timings are a bit tricky. I need to redo the entire thing really so the timings click a little better.
@Howardb. I can see the websites where the traffic is originating from (two of the largest drone operator directories) so the people visiting clearly
are looking for drone services. Sadly I cant see exactly who they are 
@Irony. Good shout. And yes, all the footage is my own 
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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JC
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 08:41 AM |
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I am no media expert or website guru etc.
I looked at a couple of the videos, read the 'about us'. Wasn't sure how much of each finished piece was done by you - do you
provide the ideas for the shoot, all the filming, editing, post production etc. Perhaps a stronger statement to show that might help!
But great vids nonetheless!
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40inches
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 08:47 AM |
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I think you need the credits on the front page, especially the recent TV work. I particularly enjoyed the Tony Robinson programme,
Fantastic footage 
As said, make it clear that all the programme footage is your own work.
[Edited on 17-5-16 by 40inches]
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Doctor Derek Doctors
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 08:54 AM |
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I'm no expert in websites (or anything else!) but that moving title bar at the top of the page was getting on my nerves and looked abit like a
pop-up advert that was distracting me. You could keep it pinned at the top but it doesn't need to change size.
Other than that I think most things have already been said.
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callan@t89.co.uk
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tims31
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 08:58 AM |
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Tegwin,
Not sure about the looping video at the start, it just seems to be a bit 'juddery' (if thats a word). It took a while to load and then is
just the short clip. Is the video HTML5, I cant see the source code at work?
For the header it may be worth using using slide shots with a transition rather than a video. Have look here and
here, I use Jquery Cycle plugin for these effects, fairly simple to learn, lots of effects and
instructions . here
Looking at the menu system in Chrome shows a 'U' at the end, not sure what that is for but brings up the search toolbar.
Are you using Google analytics to check the traffic?
[Edited on 17/5/16 by tims31]
Build: http://www.martinsfurybuild.co.uk/
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tegwin
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 09:16 AM |
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Tims, yes, the video is a love hate thing. Its quite fun but doesn't display properly on some browsers. Agree it doesnt quite
"work"....
Yes I am using google analytics.
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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joneh
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 09:40 AM |
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Something to bear in mind, those hits from the large sites could be Google Web crawler indexing your pages.
Worth ruling that you're not just seeing bots.
quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
@loggyboy. Appreciate the comments. I will have a fiddle around this morning and see if I can add the logos and make the menu a bit more obvious. The
video timings are a bit tricky. I need to redo the entire thing really so the timings click a little better.
@Howardb. I can see the websites where the traffic is originating from (two of the largest drone operator directories) so the people visiting clearly
are looking for drone services. Sadly I cant see exactly who they are
@Irony. Good shout. And yes, all the footage is my own
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tegwin
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 09:42 AM |
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A fair comment. Probably 70% of the traffic I am seeing is from Bots...
The traffic from the directory sites looks pretty human by the way they explore the site. Even if 50% are human id still expect a little more
conversion 
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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dinosaurjuice
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 09:55 AM |
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Really like the website, looks spot on to me.
If i was to be super critical i would say it looks a bit too much like a 'man with drone for hire', of which there are already plenty. I
think more emphasis on the complete package, including planning, HSE, and whatever else is involved, etc. More of a 'turnkey' solution for
a companies who have no expereince of anything like this. Storyboards and project case study examples are great at detailing/highlighting this, and
companies often see these and automatically think of things they would want to do different to improve on it, which really draws there attention in
and makes them feel part of it.
We recently paid someone to drone video our facility and create some marketing videos. 1 person, 1 purchase order, no blame chain, worked a treat.
Just my opinion of course, and i doubt myself most days 
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tegwin
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 09:58 AM |
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Agree with what you are saying. That is my intention. I will have a think about the wording.
Yes, its a very crowded market place. Everyone buys a drone and calls themselves a professional photographer. That's how I started out but I
need to be one step ahead of them now.
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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Irony
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 10:43 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by dinosaurjuice
Really like the website, looks spot on to me.
If i was to be super critical i would say it looks a bit too much like a 'man with drone for hire', of which there are already plenty. I
think more emphasis on the complete package, including planning, HSE, and whatever else is involved, etc. More of a 'turnkey' solution for
a companies who have no expereince of anything like this. Storyboards and project case study examples are great at detailing/highlighting this, and
companies often see these and automatically think of things they would want to do different to improve on it, which really draws there attention in
and makes them feel part of it.
We recently paid someone to drone video our facility and create some marketing videos. 1 person, 1 purchase order, no blame chain, worked a treat.
Just my opinion of course, and i doubt myself most days
All good advice this. In my business (outdoor events and exhibitions) we are constantly up against the 'man in a van' people. Proper
businesses want to avoid these people because they can't afford to be let down. When shooting for the BBC that last thing they want to hear is
'my drones broke and I don't have spare'. Case studies are a good idea. Problems that were fix/overcame. How Vertical Horizons
added value to their clients projects etc etc
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tegwin
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| posted on 17/5/16 at 10:48 AM |
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Irony. Thats interesting advice.
I will try and put together a case study from filming the ship going under the tower bridge. That was a logistical headache of monumental
proportions!
Thanks for everyones comments so far, I have taken these on board and made a few changes to the site. (updated header video/image will come later on)
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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