Karaoke Forums

Hi everyone. I just wanted to get some opinions on the new web site I build. The old one was not easy to use and needed an update. Please take a look at the site using my www button or at www.youinaspotlight.com. Thanks.

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Seize the day and SING!!!

Very Professional ! and easy to navigate.
Congratulations on a job well done.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

E

You were one of the first to help me when I was getting started and joined the forum. I wasn't going to respond to your post because I have nothing really positive to say. Seeing that no one else is responding, I fear others may feel as I do and are ignoring the question. You deserve feedback.

My view:

Too much movement
Don't like cartoon figures
Graphics don't "grab" me
Didn't like "home" pictures at all; like the party
shots but they were a little blurry, unclear, but portrayed excitement
You don't need to list disc manufacturers
IMHO, you must decide what you are. You go from a lot of KJ copy to some DJ copy, while all of the graphics promote karaoke
I wouldn't hang around at the site

Sorry

eric

Unfortunately, your site requires me to install Quicktime to see all the media.
I refuse to install it as I find it a complete pain in the you know what.
I avoid Quicktime like the plague.
The rest of the site I think is fine.
I have no issues with the mention of your disc manufacturers. If it was me looking to book, I would want to know that you use quality manus and not cheap ones. Mentioning them accomplishes that.
Perhaps you should mention it on your information-equipment page, though.

Good and concise intro and description of services and good links. You need to add these to your header IE meta descriptions for search engines



Would like overall centering and something I am considering is a separate page with system description and photos.

Notice you started a forum. There are a few of us here with forums yet we dont want to promote them here.. Lonnie has one Matt used to maybe still does. We need to figure out a way to network our site forums.. Forum traffic puts the site higher on the search engines

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Join The Karaokle Singers Social Network. Upload Your Music!!

I still own one, but don't have it hosted currently.

IIIII.... LIKE IT! I think it is very nice, I hope when I set up my web site I can do as good a job as you did. Maybe when I do, I can even COME TO YOU FOR SOME POINTERS??

Great job!!

Rosario SERENITY NOW KARAOKE

Also Eben get listed on karaokelistings

and partyplanner][u]party planner

My site was dead for awhile its back up tp 10-20 hits a day..

You can track with addfreestats

Something else that has generated business on my website isdj intelligence As a special offer I can get you 2 months free trial. It runs about $100/year and well worth it. Check out the features with my WWW link below

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Join The Karaokle Singers Social Network. Upload Your Music!!

My point about eliminating disc manufacturers is a basic marketing issue, though it might appear to be petty!

One must always ask: "Who are you promoting yourself to? Are you trying to impress me, a fellow KJ? Are you trying to impress the rare karaoke devotee who is not a KJ but might know what manufacturers they prefer?

I DON"T THINK SO! So who do you think reading the information will actually be impressed by the manufacturers' names?

The discussion of manufacturers reminds me of some of my wife's competitors. My wife does hair removal via laser and electrolysis. Some of her competitors list what manufacturer the get their electrolysis probes from or other minutia that no layman would have any clue about. So why do they get into such details? I believe it is because they have tons of space and can't figure out anything meaningful to fill it up with.

Fill up your space with glitz and facts that will sell who you are, as you presented on that one page where you spoke of what your provide weddings, public venues and the like.

And something along the lines of the following will be what I will be doing when I get to creating my website next year.

OUR MISSION: TO PROVIDE THE MOST ENTERTAINING EXPERIENCE AVAILABLE IN THE TRI-STATE AREA

WE HAVE A GAZILLION YEARS EXPERIENCE AND WILL PROVIDE REFERENCES UPON REQUEST

OUR LIBRARY OF MUSIC IS THE MOST UP-TO-DATE AND WILL SATISFY ALL TASTES AND EVERY AGE GROUP. INCLUDED ARE SPECIALTY SONGS AND ETHNIC MUSIC FOR LIFE-CYCLE EVENTS, FAMILY GATHERINGS, SPECIAL EVENTS AND CORPORATE GATHERINGS

GIVE US YOUR SONG LIST AND WE'LL FULFILL IT

CALL US FOR AN ABSOLUTELY FREE CONSULTATION, YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!

Eric, you've missed the point completely and I think you're being overly harsh.
It's not about impressing anyone. It's about giving valuable (NOT meaningless no matter what you may think!) information to people who may be interested in booking.
I don't know about you, but while I have many singers who don't give bee's bum about the manus, I also have MANY who DO.
Before I became a KJ, as a singer, it mattered to me as well. I came across some hosts who had nothing but cheap crappy versions of songs that were so poorly done it took away from the experience.
Adding in the list of manus does not detract from the site in any way. There's no reason to remove it.
The only suggestion I had was to move it to the equipment list page where it makes better sense to have it.
While you may not like the site, there ARE kinder, gentler ways to give constructive criticism.

Diafel

I think Ben can "defend" himself and I'd rather hear his reaction than yours to my suggestions. It is his website being discussed and his thread, you know.

You may consider my statements harsh! I don't. And what's your point? Are you saying harsh makes for an invalid criticism? I gave him my reaction to presenting a list of manufacturers among other comments. Ben obviously agrees with you in the importance of said list or it would not have been provided. I'm presenting a completely different perspective in that regard which he may find value in. If you don't find value in it, oh well, it's not your website and you're not the one asking for the advice. And if Ben feels I am being too harsh, I know he's capable of speaking for himself. For all you know, Diafel, Ben may be considering my opinion as we speak!

I, furthermore, have created many successful marketing projects, so I don't believe I am giving solely an abstract response. I discussed specific matters and took the time to specify what I plan to do with my website, as an example.

And I am sure that the electrologists who list the probe brand they use think it's wonderful too! How impressed are you, Diafel, with the name "Ballet"?

Lastly, one can always use any exception to prove a rule if one so desires. I might change my opinion about listing manufacturers if I knew at least 5% of the public knew the difference. I know those looking for a deejay have absolutely no concern for the manufacturers of the karaoke discs Ben uses!

Although the "intro" is cool, IMHO forget it, it wastes time.


Give the viewer the facts as fast as you can. Most people give up within 10 seconds on a website if they can't find what they want.

Also, you may want to tweak the info on the HOME page. Especially the part I personally would be offended by someone telling me that only people "in-the know" can tell good from bad. I know many people that are not in the kj/dj biz that can tell see crap from a mile away.

I do like the YOU IN A SPOTLIGHT logo, but like eric, I don't like that cartoonish pics. Drop em.

You got a good start, just needs some tweaking.

Wow Eric why don't you tell him how you really feel...

Seriously Eben....I think your site is a really good start. I like the graphics and it is obvious you invested some time and money there. The only areas that I could see for improvement would be in the Equipment Area as most folks will have no idea or really care for that matter what the specs are on the equipment. I would offer up some excellent setup photos of your Rack System and speakers as well as some sample photos of your lighting (from the manufacturers site) I think they would be impressed with those over listing specs.

One other thing I noticed is that when you interrupt the intro video it goes right to the equipment page and not to the welcome page. I'm not sure how you change this but if you hit the skip button you should land on the Welcome Page first.

Also perhaps you can find some more appropriate intro music that is non midi sounding. It's ok but you could find a better substitute.

Other than that I think you did a great job on it! and I feel it shows your professionalism

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

Wow, eric. Who pooped in your conflakes this morning?
Last I checked, this was an open forum.
I'm sorry you didn't like what I had to say, but I have as much right as anyone on the board to say it.
I certainly didn't say you didn't have anything valuable to say. Nor did I say that eben wouldn't consider what you had to say.
You have your opinion and you're entitled to it.
But I'm sure I'm not not the only one who thought you could have lessened the edge to what you had to say.

Ben getting back to improving your web site the reason I suggested centering is obvious in attached photo Notice eveything in left side. This is on a laptop wide screen. Anthony I hadnt looked at your site for awhile which I always admired and I get the same effect.

I too would get rid of the intro, many of my hits last no longer than 2-3 seconds.

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I agree with the centering, it may look better on an 800x600 screen, but I think more people are using higher resolutions that make the site look smaller or off center.
I don't see anything wrong with listing the manus. People that do care will appreciate it.
The opening screen stayed on too long IMO before it opened up the home page. I was looking at the drop down menus & they get buried under the flash screen before it disappears.

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Flipper

Wow, take it easy. I mean I agree with everything you said but by the time he makes the changes you suggested, it's basically a re-design. Personally, I didn't want to discuss the "equipment" page, but you handled it nicely. I feel the about listing equipment as I do about the disc manus.

I agree with your thoughts regarding the equipment page, in essence, a pictures worth a thousand words and the written description will impress few, if any! Again give them glitz, sizzle. You know what they say about selling steaks? Don't sell the steak sell the sizzle!

And I think Ben knows I am on his side. He asked for advice. No one has to agree with me. And if Ben benefits from my directness, and he will because others are now adding valid suggestions for needed changes, I am glad to have helped.

Eric I was trying to poke a little fun and lighten the mood a bit. I thought you came on pretty strong and was trying to inject a bit of humor to take the sting out of your words.

I'm not here to tinkle anyone off. No harm meant from this side.

Merry Christmas man...

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

Flipper

No harm taken, of course.

It was, with "tongue in cheek" that I suggested you should take it easy. And I was not suggesting that you should take it easy with me, but rather that you too should take it easy with Ben. While you started off gently, you were pretty emphatic in your opinions about the deficiencies you found in his site.

BTW, the DJChat forum has a whole "category" of threads dedicated to websites, under the business grouping. There are many really outstanding websites presented for critiquing! At least one of the contributors also does website design for a living

And Merry Christmas to All

Its generally a neat & tidy site imo. There's room for improvement as there would be on any site but you've made a great job so far.

Just one thing I noticed is that there's not enough room to write the message on the contact page.
Try changing this line..
<input size="80" textarea="" rows="8" cols="45" name="text" />

To this..
<textarea name="text" cols="45" rows="8" textarea=""></textarea>