New Site and Hosting

[Mike McCall]

Thanks to another Technibble member I have a new website on another host with it's own domain. I have been working on getting it fleshed-out a bit and looking more professional. It's been over 10-years since I've done any web work and I don't claim to have been any good at it then. Sufficient, but not proficient.

So, I'm using this template via GetSimple CMS. According to the template author, I should be able to put a nice looking box around the images on the site. Yet, I'm unable to figure out how to accomplish this. Not a huge deal, but I'd like to make things look nice if I can. Can someone show me how to accomplish this?

Also, I know I need a better logo for the company. I plan to use Fiverr to accomplish that. Once I have a useable logo I can use it on business cards, as well as the site, and on other business documents. Is Fiverr a good place to go for a logo?

 

[Larry Sabo]

I'm not sure what goes through the minds of visitors to your site when they see the image you've chosen for your homepage, but I doubt it's "professional computer repair/support service." Rather than convey the emotions and frustrations your customer is probably going through, perhaps convey the image of a professional problem-solver.

Also, no offence intended, but I would suggest having a friend take your picture in a setting that looks like an office or PC lab, rather than a party room, sans Christmas tree. The colours seem to be over-saturated, so I'll offer the following as a temporary alternative. The white background is way too bright, but perhaps more photo-shopping can fix that.

 

[Mike McCall]

Thanks for the feedback, Larry. I chose the image on the front page from the Computer Business Kit. I did so for a couple of reasons, which may or may not be very good. First, I chose it because it came with the kit and I'm free to use it without paying a nickel. Second, to me it conveys a certain empathy with the end-user's experience which we all have shared at one time or another. Perhaps the text below the picture could be better written to illustrate that shared, "Are you kidding me?" moment.

Yeah, that picture of me is old and it sucks. Since then my goatee has fallen out, as have most of the hairs on my head. I'll try to get something better, but until then it will have to do.

 

[AndyM]

It's looking good Mike, but I'd reduce the size of those graphics so that the page loads quicker. For example, the displayed image size on your main page is 600x402px, but the actual image that you have on there is the original at 3872x2592px. If you reduce the size of the original, the site will be a lot quicker.

Andy

 

[Mike McCall]

It's looking good Mike, but I'd reduce the size of those graphics so that the page loads quicker. For example, the displayed image size on your main page is 600x402px, but the actual image that you have on there is the original at 3872x2592px. If you reduce the size of the original, the site will be a lot quicker.

Andy

Ah, good catch, Andy. I had forgotten, well dismissed image size being an issue anymore. I'll fix that. Thanks!

 

[cypress]

Glad to see you got the hosting and domain name now. Looking alot more cleaned up.

 

[Mike McCall]

Glad to see you got the hosting and domain name now. Looking alot more cleaned up.

Yes, I'm moving forward. Still have a couple of business things to work out. The website itself is better, I agree. I would still like to know how to add those boxes around the images, and whether I should be able to get a decent logo from Fiverr.

 

[Davena]

Mike, I checked out the about page. Don't take this the wrong way- maybe a bit TMI on there.

 

[Mike McCall]

Mike, I checked out the about page. Don't take this the wrong way- maybe a bit TMI on there.

That's why I ask questions. It can often be difficult to see what's obvious to others because of proximity. I'm too close to see some things clearly. Thanks! I'll look again at it.

 

[Davena]

That's why I ask questions. It can often be difficult to see what's obvious to others because of proximity. I'm too close to see some things clearly. Thanks! I'll look again at it.

Thank you for being so gracious.

 

[cypress]

Yes, I'm moving forward. Still have a couple of business things to work out. The website itself is better, I agree. I would still like to know how to add those boxes around the images, and whether I should be able to get a decent logo from Fiverr.

Fiverr is excellent. I have gotten so many things from there. Just gotta find the good sellers.

 

[Mike McCall]

Fiverr is excellent. I have gotten so many things from there. Just gotta find the good sellers.

Thanks! Never sure about that sort of thing.

 

[cypress]

Let me know what you are looking for and I'll send you some good artists that I have worked with. I have saved the gigs so I don't forget in the future.

 

[Metanis]

I like the choice of pictures on your Services page. The little virus crawling out of the hard drive is great!

 

[keeperofthecode]

Looks like you're headed in the right direction. A good logo is just as important as your entire website. I've never used fiverr but I have used 99 Designs on multiple occasions and have never been let down. Just remember, branding, branding, branding, once you get that great logo. With my company Blazin' Technology we use flames on everything. It is our logo and there isn't a piece of paper that leaves our office without our signature flames. Ten years later and I can just put those flames on a card and not even a company name and people in our service area know it's Blazin' Technology. You can do the same with a spin on clovers. Good luck.

 

[Mike McCall]

Let me know what you are looking for and I'll send you some good artists that I have worked with. I have saved the gigs so I don't forget in the future.

Something that incorporates a shamrock is ideal, but also something that can draw attention to SCS, so I don't have to spell the name out every time. Perhaps something using 3 leaves and 3 letters? Make any sense?

 

[Mike McCall]

I like the choice of pictures on your Services page. The little virus crawling out of the hard drive is great!

All the pictures on the site (excepting yours truly), are from the current Technibble business kit.

 

[E Bell]

According to the template author, I should be able to put a nice looking box around the images on the site. Yet, I'm unable to figure out how to accomplish this. Not a huge deal, but I'd like to make things look nice if I can. Can someone show me how to accomplish this?

Mike, in order to get the border around the picture you need to define the class as niceborder as mentioned on the template site. To do this you will enter something similar to the following:

<img alt="Picture 1" class="niceborder" src="images/pic1.jpg" />

 

[Bootman 650]

My only very small point would be content related rather than design related. On your services page you list BSOD as one of your services, of course we all know what that is but I'm quite sure the majority of your customers won't know what "BSOD" is. Maybe change it to something more generic like "Blue Screen Errors" or "Blue Screen Faults".

 

[NJW]

I had forgotten, well dismissed image size being an issue anymore. I'll fix that.

Fix it automatically with this GetSimple plugin. I use it on all my sites.

Well done for getting this far – I'll look out for you on the GetSimple forum!