Equestrian/Yard Websites - help!

[Llwyncwn]

I have finally taken the plunge and arranged to have a website built which should be ready by the end of next week and need help on background design, along with lots of other things too.

Can anyone give me a link to a site which they think is brilliant (PM if you prefer).

Thankies xx

 

[daydreamer]

erm I can't think of any websites I think are great but my suggestions would be ...

keep the background simple

put up as much information as possible for control freaks like me who prefer to know as much about something/somewhere as they can before they go (if somewhere has a rubbish website with not enough information I often just rule it out automatically). I like to see names of staff, maybe short profiles of staff, opening hours if applicable, facilities, prices, photos, ethos/aims

make sure contact information is easy to find - amazing how many people get this wrong

don't go for anything too flashy, just something that is solid and easy to navigate

 

[BobbyMondeo]

I agree, keep it nice and simple but eyecatching with lots of information.
And photos of all the facilities its amazing how many people say they have say "full XC course" when actually they have a few jumps in a field or its not even built yet whichc is rather annoying.

 

[diggerbez]

i really like the layout of this one but i realise its not an actual yard- my BF designs websites and he loves it. he says he hates anything that is tacky/has noises or flashing animations.

www.bobbishorsecamp.co.uk

 

[Rowreach]

Keep it clear, simple, easy to navigate, and give good contact details (and options - names, address, email, mobile, landline). Don't tell fibs or exaggerate

Make it friendly but professional. Highlight the bits you really want to "sell".

I don't actually have prices on mine, because they are so variable (I do short term schooling/rehab/holdiay livery and teaching, so I tend to build pricing around each client) but I try to sound approachable so anyone can ring or email and get an idea of price.

Have lots of good photos. If you are rubbish with a camera, it's worth getting someone else to take a few shots for you.

I've got 2 websites, one for the horse business and one for the self-catering. The SC one is used as an "example" by the website company that designed it

When it went live, I asked a lot of people to review it for me, and had many positive comments, amongst which was that it was the only website one guy (a software designer) had seen that had no spelling or grammatical mistakes in it!

And when it's up, keep it up to date (she says, as she remembers she needs to take new pix and do exactly that ...

)

 

[Rowreach]

[ QUOTE ]
i really like the layout of this one but i realise its not an actual yard- my BF designs websites and he loves it. he says he hates anything that is tacky/has noises or flashing animations.

www.bobbishorsecamp.co.uk

[/ QUOTE ]

I've just looked at this, and I find the typos and layout errors really irritating

althought the layout design is okay. I would be careful of using dark background colours as it can make a page difficult to read. I didn't think there was enough info on the "camps" page - I would have like more photos of people in lessons and socialising in the evening, and of the facilities, horsey and human accommodation etc.

I may have missed it, but I also like to see a location map and directions so people know exactly where a place is (if that's appropriate).

I appear to be on my hobby horse

 

[rachel_s]

I like prices on websites (even a range would work). I hate light type on dark backgrounds - and make sure everything is printable/ email friendly (loads of people print stuff out to show to people)

 

[TopTotty]

Hi mine is www.hawthorn-equestrian.co.uk
See what you think.
Jeni

 

[Llwyncwn]

Thank you for that, I enjoyed reading all the way through!

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all your helpful tips. My site should be online by Thursday, may well be asking for CC !