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[classiccandle]

Hey Ecco,

I design websites as well as perform search engine optimization services for small businesses and I commend you for putting your business online.

Having said that here are a few issues I see that I would change:

1) Change the background to white. The biggest challenge for those who do their own website is they want to design it the way "they" like it. As it would appear that you like lots of color the majority of your visitors will be turned off by the background of your site. While white may seem boring it's easy on the eyes and your visitors will spend more time on your site. It's also extremely difficult to read what's on the page since your text color is black. (Hint: the majority of the posts in this thread address this one issue the same way - change the background color).

2) Your Title is too long (it's what's between the <title></title> tags). The big three search engines (really two since Yahoo now uses Bing's search engine for their results) typically limit the title to around 60 characters in the SERPs. Any more than that is a waste.

3) Do away with the meta keywords. Again, the big two SE's no longer use the keywords in their ranking algorithms. All you're doing now is telling your competition what keywords you're trying to rank for.

4) Your meta description is good, I wouldn't change that. However, for optimal search engine rankings, each page should have it's own title and description.

5) Too many products on one page. Especially the tart/warmer page. Too many selections tends to lead to confusion and/or indecision and at that point most people will opt to do nothing. Limit the selection to around ten per page.

I think other than those few things you've done a commendable job on your site. Congratulations.

[EccoLights]

LMAO!!! :laugh2::laugh2:

Both of you are too much =)

Oh BTW, its not Grateful Dead playing is Hendrix hun =) HAHAHAHAHAHA

Every single post from everyone has been amazing and we thank you guys so much!! I totally see that a lighter background would be more appealing to some and I also see the darker one too, now from going through oh so many pages of different sites (candlers) and seeing what they do and how they do it and lay things out... the one thing I DONT see, is the darkness were looking for =)

Now, that could mean 1 of 2 or maybe 50 things... either people have tried it, and didn't work for them, OR just maybe.... its a way to set us, Ecco Lights, apart from the other 10,000 candlers out there in the market =) Hitting a different ninch, crowd, populous... just maybe =)

There is one thing for sure, we are not your country candle company, not your whimsical company, we try to be cutting edge, walk that line, a bit of modern with a touch of pride =) And our customers love it =) So, I can see why Troy doesn't want a light, fluffy, cheery site...

Again, we value each and everyone that has said 2 words about the site and thank you all from the bottom of our hearts =)

So onward I truck, tinkering with this, and moving that, and boy just got a killer headache (and no I wasn't looking at our site =P )

Pretty much so far Im redoing EVERYTHING, the navigation SUCKED! It WAS utterly cluttered and hard to read... So I've taken all that into count, trust... hopefully I will be able to come back tonight and say LOOK AT WHAT I DID! or Ill be up till 5am again, who knows =)

But off I go, jumping up and down, waving my arms in the air yelling THANK YOU GUYS! =)

[EccoLights]

Hey Ecco,

I design websites as well as perform search engine optimization services for small businesses and I commend you for putting your business online.

Having said that here are a few issues I see that I would change:

1) Change the background to white. The biggest challenge for those who do their own website is they want to design it the way "they" like it. As it would appear that you like lots of color the majority of your visitors will be turned off by the background of your site. While white may seem boring it's easy on the eyes and your visitors will spend more time on your site. It's also extremely difficult to read what's on the page since your text color is black. (Hint: the majority of the posts in this thread address this one issue the same way - change the background color).

2) Your Title is too long (it's what's between the <title></title> tags). The big three search engines (really two since Yahoo now uses Bing's search engine for their results) typically limit the title to around 60 characters in the SERPs. Any more than that is a waste.

3) Do away with the meta keywords. Again, the big two SE's no longer use the keywords in their ranking algorithms. All you're doing now is telling your competition what keywords you're trying to rank for.

4) Your meta description is good, I wouldn't change that. However, for optimal search engine rankings, each page should have it's own title and description.

5) Too many products on one page. Especially the tart/warmer page. Too many selections tends to lead to confusion and/or indecision and at that point most people will opt to do nothing. Limit the selection to around ten per page.

I think other than those few things you've done a commendable job on your site. Congratulations.

Classic, Thank you so much for your feedback on our site =) Lots of good info and will take it into consideration =) I wasn't aware about the meta keywords not being needed anymore Looks like its more studying again lol Thanks about the meta description... too bad I totally dropped that page before I got all of it LOL It's not to bad tho, just some quick work with google ya know =)

I also agree there were WAY to many products on one page, so I am working on spreading them out quite a bit more... I think Im up to around 30 - 40 pages right now =)

Also thank you for your "commendable job" comment too =) Anyone that has ever done this KNOWS just how dag gone teadious this is LOL I mean, look... 3:40am here in Ohio and WTF am I doing... LOL Just published our NOT FINISHED site =) Still got a list to get done but (and I know Ill hear it for this) I think it looks amazing =)

Any takers about it now?? =) Don't worry I can take it... I got my big boy boots on =) xoxo

[Ravens]

BIG improvement over the first I saw!

You're on the right track; keep up the good work, Ecco! :smiley2:

[EccoLights]

BIG improvement over the first I saw!

You're on the right track; keep up the good work, Ecco! :smiley2:

Awwwwww!!! Thank you so much Ravens =) Still got leaps and bounds to go but its getting there =) Have a wonderful... night? morning? ah hell who knows... its 4am here =)

[marcuset]

I think it looks real good, guys! Easier to navigate!

[Judiee]

... I wasn't aware about the meta keywords not being needed anymore ...

Some lesser known search engines still use meta keywords so no harm in leaving this as is and Goog/Bing simply disregard it. When you're done reworking the layout go back and work on your title, alt and H tags as well as the content (aka Google love).

[adillenal]

Well, I will have to pass on looking again since whatever you did now makes it a security risk from my work computer.

[EccoLights]

Well, I will have to pass on looking again since whatever you did now makes it a security risk from my work computer.

Really?? LOL

[adillenal]

Yeah. Gotta watch out for those subversive candles.

I can go to ecolightcandles but not eccolights

Edited December 14, 2010 by adillenal

[EccoLights]

Anyone else having this problem? What browser are you using, maybe its an issue with IE or something??? Home page is really simple but does have 2 slide shows, but they dont run unless you play them anyways so don't know why that would effect it???

Anyone??

[IwantItgreen]

I'm on FireFox and don't get a warning.

[EccoLights]

I'm on FireFox and don't get a warning.

Same here too, even tried Chrome and IE and seemed to work find??

[Wessex]

Using IE here and no problems. Maybe their work computer has a strong firewall setting or such.

BTW, like the site, looks good. Just one suggestion - put tarts under their own heading and not under the soy candle heading? Oh, and you state that the tarts last 10-12 hours. I would go ahead and say they last 30 days and will scent your whole house. Oh, sorry, they aren't Scentsy

Cheers,

Steve

Edited December 14, 2010 by Wessex

[EccoLights]

Oh, and you state that the tarts last 10-12 hours. I would go ahead and say they last 30 days and will scent your whole house. Oh, sorry, they aren't Scentsy

Cheers,

Steve

LMAO Noted about the tarts, I do agree... maybe even do the Aroma Jems under there too =) Thanks!

30 days.. pfft our quadrupedal strong tarts will last you 30 YEARS =) LMAO !! Ahh at least Scentsy gives us something to laugh about =)

Thanks for looking Steve =)

[classiccandle]

Just a guess but if adillenal is using IE they should check which version they're using. Some employers are slow to upgrade browsers. If they're using IE 6 they really need to upgrade to IE 8.

Safari (version 5.0.2), Chrome (version 8.0.552.215), and FireFox (version 3.6.12) all for Mac work good.

HTH

Edited December 14, 2010 by classiccandle

[cindym]

I just placed an order, i needed a canlde warmer

will i have it by chrismas????

thanks nice site!!!

[EccoLights]

Just realized this should of been PM'd =)

Edited December 14, 2010 by EccoLights

[Ravata]

Please, please, please.... hire a graphic designer.

[adillenal]

Now that I am home I have checked out the site. Uh, interesting.

It has videos. I am guessing that is why it got blocked from my work computer. I think all videos are blocked.

Anyway it has nothing to do with you site per se. Just thought it was funny that one day I could see it and two days later it was blocked as a security risk.

Not sure what to say. So I will just say good night.

[EccoLights]

Phew! I was a bit worried that I did something wrong in the code LOL =) Probably just your works network security for the videos =) Thanks for looking and as I once heard, to each their own =) Take care =)

[Judiee]

View Cart ?

[EccoLights]

View Cart ?

Why would anyone ever need that

Thanks Judiee, I knew I forgot something LOL =)

[Ring of Fire]

Besides still hurting my eyes, major, when my cursor is just running over the links, all the sub categories fly out without having to click the link. That's annoying. Seriously ecco, with all the help you have gotten from people in the know, you are still ending up with some psycho 70's look?

You could have your dark and light but be sophisticated at the same time. This is a design I would expect to see on a site selling black lights or hanging disco dance balls, not candles.

[Ravata]

Please hire a graphic designer. Please. It makes me so upset when people try to build a website for themselves.. you wouldn't attempt to build your own house, would you?