New Website, looking for feedback

Roper

Hey folks,
We've just gone live with our new website. I think its the cheese, but I'm looking for feedback on how we can improve it, change it, make it deadlier, or just give more info on ourselves.

A Lot of the content (class descriptions, FAQ etc.) isn't on there yet but the basic sections of the site are there.

Anyway, have a look and let me know. Oh yeah, theres also a forum on there for anyone who wants to post on to it. Its brand spanking new too so theres nothing there yet but have a look.

the url is in my sig but here it is anyway www.ko-martialarts.com
Cheers!

Mark Hamill

Wow, its actually very good. Theres plenty of information on the pages, but its easy to navigate and read. The only thing I would add is bigger descriptions for the "wolfpack" and "wild wolves" classes (the links just tell you the ages for them) because parents will want to know whta their kids will be doing before they go.

Roper

Mark Hamill wrote:

Wow, its actually very good. Theres plenty of information on the pages, but its easy to navigate and read. The only thing I would add is bigger descriptions for the "wolfpack" and "wild wolves" classes (the links just tell you the ages for them) because parents will want to know whta their kids will be doing before they go.

Yeah thats on its way, have them mostly written but not posted up yet as they need some work!

Very nice Baz. Glad to see another MA forum. Just what we all need.

Otherwise if you keep a well updated site it could be very nice indeed! You can have all of my Xtraining photos off Bebo!

uberpixie

" BJJ here is physically challenging, wrestling against an opponent os one of the most taxing things you can"

Slight typo on the BBJ description page;).

Roper

uberpixie wrote:

Slight typo on the BBJ description page;).

Mistake duly noted.

Colum,
The forum is a local one for folks to ask questions about the club on and for the members to interact. That said, we welcome visitors like your good self to start interesting topics like "Quotes from..." and "Some thoughts on...";)

uberpixie

Roper wrote:

Mistake duly noted.

LOL.

john kavanagh

very nice barry, good stuff

dogpit

Nice work:D

pma-ire

it looks really well barry!

a pic's section of club training, messing around and comps/sems would be a nice way to round it off??

dlofnep

The site is grand, but the banner is a bit bland and dull. I think you could be a little more creative in photoshop. Don't worry, photoshop is usually my laziest area of web design and I only use it to it's extent if I'm really pushed (here's a college assignment I'm working on: http://www.bernarddunne.net/college_assignment/) - try use a higher res photo into the banner, maybe incorporate that wolf better.. add a drop shadow to your text to make it stand out a bit more. the possibilities are endless

Valmont

Wow very professional, and for the purposes of your friendly local MMA gym I think it has all the angles covered.

Roper

Hey thanks folks,

In answer to the banner thing- the one thats up is temporary and we're working on a better one. Actually we've a few in the works.

we don't have a pics section because they look a bit naff I think.

DITTKD

Do you have prices of training on the site anywhere? I know no one likes talking about the money side of things, but people need to know I reckon.

It's a good looking site though. Better than our one

kerinsp

Looks great Barry. I imagine the banner might put potential beginners off though what with the bloody face n all.
Still, nice work

Roper

kerinsp wrote:

Looks great Barry. I imagine the banner might put potential beginners off though what with the bloody face n all.
Still, nice work

Thats gone! Not my work its the work of my developer monkeys. Clever little chimps but never give them sight of blood.

As for posting prices, I like to keep that private, not cos its mad expensive (its not) but just because thats between the club and the member, no one elses business!

dlofnep

Hey Roper, I cooked up something quick for you mate. Use them if you want - if not, no worries

1.


2.


3.

HammerHeadGym

Nice site barry, but I would include more of the following
1) Swords
2) Blood
3) Thinly veiled threats
4) Pictures of wolves
5) Actually make the wolves fight celebrities

Hope this helps,

conor rowan

site looks good.one thing tho a map/directions to the gym might be an idea. especially if youre trying to get new people to train

Roper

conor rowan wrote:

site looks good.one thing tho a map/directions to the gym might be an idea. especially if youre trying to get new people to train

Duly noted!

Dlofnep,
If I used any one of those banners a grown man would cry, honestly, he'd be heartbroken, possibly to the point of self-destruction. Theres a bloodless one up now but its still in test. Thanks for the ones you did though they look good and I'll subtley pass on the ideas contained in them, without hurting my webmaster's feelings!

Hammerhead,
I went looking for celebrities to fight the wolves but all I was able to get was Sporty Spice, and no one wants to see a wild beast fight....... a wolf! Oh ha ha I crack me up.

Paul,
I was going to use a photo of you on the banner... I reckon they would have been scared off then what with your almost permanent black eye!

dlofnep

Haha, I know the sort Not to worry mate.

Colm_OReilly

Clever little chimps

Hmmmm...

kerinsp

Paul,
I was going to use a photo of you on the banner... I reckon they would have been scared off then what with your almost permanent black eye!

Ha! I only get shiners just before job interviews. Have not had one in a while but I am 1/4 black and blue on the inside.

let me get this straight, you are the master of a web master now? is that like (dare I say it) a grand master?

Roper

kerinsp wrote:

let me get this straight, you are the master of a web master now? is that like (dare I say it) a grand master?

You know, I hadn't thought of it that way, but now that you mention it, I think I'll change my name by deed poll.... today!

Colm,
I was also going to change the name to Trojan MMA, but, well, you know, they were idiots. So I didn't. Maybe I should have just called myself Achilles too, but naming myself stuff is my one weakness...

Colm_OReilly

Trojan MMA, eh? Were you going to get sponsorship from the prophylactic manufacturer?

If you'd like, I could start referring to your club as "those philosophizers and boy lovers"?

Aru!

Liam_B

Very nice Job! Informative and easy to navigate! I'd also agree on not posting the price list, as since you give your contact details ,members can query personnaly. And its less admin work if the prices change or if you have additional benefits.

Roper

Liam_B wrote:

Very nice Job! Informative and easy to navigate! I'd also agree on not posting the price list, as since you give your contact details ,members can query personnaly. And its less admin work if the prices change or if you have additional benefits.

Precisely Liam! Thanks for the props!

MOST of the content is up now but I'm still writing class descriptions and stuff. If anyone catches anything like a spelling mistake (I'm mostly tired when I'm doing it) or a bad link or something, just let me know. You know how new things are, you never know until theres a fresh pair of eyes on them.

Nothingcompares

http://ko-martialarts.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=2

Bailey took Bronze despite only haveing trained with us for 4 weeks beforehand!

http://ko-martialarts.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=2

From the second one, he took side contol and finished with an armbar.

Thats 9 points out of a possible 12 for Jonny this year,

http://ko-martialarts.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6&Itemid=2

Book early cos its going to fill up fast

taking the and finishing from the back

http://ko-martialarts.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=6&Itemid=28

(eg.kickboxing, boxing), clinch (eg.wrestling, judo), and ground (eg.Brazilian Jiu Jitsu).

Whether its for fun

All you need is a pair of loose fitting bottoms or shorts and a t-shirts

http://ko-martialarts.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=7&Itemid=30

enables a skilled practitioner ot end a fight without throwing a single strike.

Roper

Fine tooth comb eh? Most of those fixed now.

cletus

was just looking through the website, and thought maybe a short bio on the instructors would go down well, just m.a. grades etc., especially for new members

*edit*

great looking site btw, very professional looking

Roper

Theres one of those in the FAQ

dlofnep

Grammar nazi strikes!

cletus

sorry roper my bad, shoulda looked around somemore i guess:o

Ziycon

Nice site, very informative, all i'll say is try and get rid of the Joomla logo on the title bar, change the icon!

Roper

dlofnep wrote:

Grammar nazi strikes!

LOL yeah, but I'm a bit of a Nazi myself, particularly when it comes to the apostrophe!

Ger Healy

Great site Barry. I will link it with mine

Roper

Ger Healy wrote:

Great site Barry. I will link it with mine

I'll do likewise ger!

Khannie

Site looks good Barry. Would have gotten back to you sooner but I've been afk for a week....Anyway....A few things struck me.... (Apologies if some of this has been pointed out in this thread already, but I'm just back to work so under a bit of time pressure)

(These are all just IMO, so feel free to ignore them )

A bit busy on the front page IMO. A bit less text would be better...I wasn't quite sure where to look when I arrived there initially.

I'd suggest making the navbar text at the top the same width as the banner. You can do this by making the text into images if necessary.

The wolfpack / wild wolves thing on the left would be better as a drop down menu on the navbar.

The location bar is a bit off in my browser (I'm using firefox 1.5 on linux, but it should affect firefox 1.5 on windows too. I'll check firefox 2.0 when I get home). I've circled it below.



The search field could do with a "go" button to make it more clear. It kinda looks like a link at the moment.

I like the idea of the polls. Who doesn't like polls?

The main section / news section on the front page looks nice and clean.

The forum looks a bit cramped. Maybe remove the left column when you're in that section it to give it more space?

Map looks nice.

The links aren't links.

Hope this helps.

Colm_OReilly

Baz,

Considering that parents will view this when considering sending their children there, maybe remove the violent imagery from the banner?

MMA has the rep of not being accessible to the common man/casual trainer, two punches in the face by ripped athletes doesn't help this misconception.

Colm
-Always watchful

Roper

Thanks Khannie, very detailed analysis! I'll have look over the week. I like the forum the way it is though!

Colm,
The banner is temporary, there'll be a new one with photos from our classes when I get around to it.

Khannie

Roper wrote:

Thanks Khannie, very detailed analysis!

Heh. Most welcome. I'm doing user interface stuff in work at the moment, so the critical eye is out.

Roper wrote:

I'll have look over the week. I like the forum the way it is though!

The forum itself looks great. I just would have stretched it out to the same width as the banner to give it a bit more room. It's a personal thing of course and no biggy by any stretch. Overall, I think the site is really good.