Web Site Critique, please

[Pete]

Made some changes to my web site. Figured who better to critique a fly rod building web site than fly fishermen (and ladies). Please give me comments on the lay out. Examples of what I'm looking for are: Did it hold your interest? Easy to navigate? Blah, blah, blah...

http://www.renaissanceflyrods.com

And ya, I know the pictures suck. Everybody knows I can't take a good picture to save my life. They are either going to get better or I will have somebody take them for me. Haven't figured out how to put thumbnails in. Its a free web site, so there are somethings I just can't do.

Thanks,

Pete

[RiverRat]

Site looks great for a free site! Easy to navigate and doesn't have multiple layers to weed through

A couple things though...the timing is off on your backcast in the picture with the Steffan Brothers rod

And my daughter catches bigger goldens than you at the secret creek

It looks good and your pics show your rods and your work really well.

shane

[Papasequoia]

A website about grass??? Kidding. It looks good. (I did see the graphite builds section ) However, there is one thing missing...I didn't see this website listed in the "favorite links" section.

[briansII]

Looks good to me. I especially like the information you give on the homepage. Just the right amount. Sometimes these things can leave you wondering, or searching for more info that can't be found. Sometimes they can have too much info, and you never get through it all. I read yours from top to bottom.... with my short attention span that's saying a lot. Really like your "Philosophy". I did have a little trouble reading the words. Not sure if it's the contrast of the words and background, or just my eyes.

If I were to suggest anything, maybe a picture or six of April Vokey fishing your rods.



briansII

[FlyinFish]

Pete, here are a few quick thoughts. I'm very anal about presentations and writing. Take it all with a grain of salt. Most my comments are notional. I'm not very educated on these rods, but most of your clients won't be.

The homepage bores me to death for two reasons. First, it opens up to a page of full text and paragraphs. That makes me want to not be on that page. Second, the main thing that draws my eye is a rod at the top, disassembled. That image with a bunch of text makes it feel like a specific page, like you're getting into details. You need to show your logo larger, an AWESOME photo of a rod either in bend or some other cool shot showing it's beauty, and then have some profound quote or maybe a few simple lines about the awesomeness of custom rods, bamboo rods, your rods, whatever. A picture of a rod in the build process showing your great workshop/area may also be good, with you hunched over a rod or something.

The greenish/light blueish colored text is weird and doesn't appear well on the dark background. The dark background is ok, but I'd give it a slightly bluer color and change the text color to something more readable.

In general, the pages are text heavy. Detailed descriptions are good, but put some short general statements in bold or a different color. Showcase your SKILLS as a rod builder and also which skills are critical for the different types of rods (glass, boo, graphite). The descriptions are cool for that rod build, but as a customer I want to know about things like spine finding, your eye for selecting good looking threads, patterns or weaves, inlays, guide spacing, ferrules, cork options, clamp options, etc. With each rod example, point out what your skill was in that step of the build. Also, the picture are nice, but get some full length pictures, or some casting shots or in bend. This is hard as *, I know, but just keep it in the back of your mind. Maybe find a nice plain backdrop to take casting photos in? I dunno... Also, if you "happen to show" parts of your work area in the background, it can be very impressive.

For example "Steffen Brothers Glass in Full Flex" is great. It shows an awesome picture, and the key words like "full flex" suggest characteristics of a fiberglass rod. And the blurb is great too, but also put something in there about how you can help me select the right glass rod for me with length and action and then wrap it with precise spine finding and guide selection and spacing to give me the smoothest casts. Or something like that.

Again, take my thoughts with a grain of salt and pick out what you think might be helpful and jive with your goals. I like most of the shots that are there and they make me want more rods!!

[WanderingBlues]

I agree with flyingfish on the homepage. Too many words and not enough PAZOW! I think on some level, buying a custom rod is an emotional decision where the buyer wants that builder's soul in that rod. Once that connection is made, then it gets into length, taper, action, wrap, handles. etc- the technical aspects.

Light them up with some shots of the rods in action. Include a brief 'mission statement' about who you are and what you stand for in rod building.

Kinda like what we do---- Come in with a great presentation to make the trout strike. Then, set the hook!

PS- a 0 or 1wt graphite, say 7'? I'm looking around for a creeking rod.

Curtis

[FlyinFish]

Let me also add... I have like moderate ADD, so I look for bullet points, summaries, and AWESOMENESS. Now, most crusty old guys with lots of money looking for bamboo rods are patient and like to read a lot. But, it won't do you any harm to have some nice concise and powerful pieces here and there and up front, and then have all the details available for anyone who wants to read them.

And yes, for a free website, it looks great! But keep it going and keep refining.

[whitefish ed]

I'm very anal

anal is good. pay attention to this boy..

[FlyinFish]

I'm very anal

anal is good.

Are you hitting on me? Nice jacket

[FlyinFish]

On second look, you do describe some of the things I mentioned, but you seem to say it all up front, then have a set of pictures. Do it with captions. Here is the stripper guide... here is the thread pattern... this is the cork I chose... this is the rod in mid cast... here it is fighting a nice 22" golden... here I am amidst tons of brush and it was so easy to carry my 5' boo rod in here and I used the soft flex of this boo rod to make precise casts under the bushes (like these) and pull out hiding hog fish (like this one)... and so on to the tune of "oh man, my 8' is such * to carry bushwacking, I need to have Pete build me a nice little bamboo rod!"

Also, caption the action shots with rod description and what it landed. It's hard to tell a 0wt from a 2wt in a photo and 5' from 7'.

Eventually maybe add a section of "creative possibilities" showcasing thread combos, old school looks, weaves, inlays, cork shaping, etc, etc.

Another big thing for builders is rod repair. My buddy had a guy randomly call him from the other side of the states because he saw a blog post of a rod he repaired. If you do any repairs, whether it be replacing a guide and matching the original wraps, or even a broken blank, or something, throw that up in a section of "repairs."

[Papasequoia]

... here it is fighting a nice 22" golden...

Don't forget to send PapaS the GPS coordinates for where to find the 22" golden (preferably in CA as I don't have any trips to WY coming up anytime soon)

[whitefish ed]

Are you hitting on me? Nice jacket

nope... im anal too, and im awesome...just like my jacket. thanks..

[FlyinFish]

im anal too, and im awesome...

Nice!

[FlyinFish]

... here it is fighting a nice 22" golden...

Don't forget to send PapaS the GPS coordinates for where to find the 22" golden (preferably in CA as I don't have any trips to WY coming up anytime soon)

See! That got PapaS's attention! Then you do something like, "after you purchase your fourth rod, I will tell you the name of the wilderness of where that fish was caught "

[BradW]

Pete,
Oh man, where do I start. Actually, I think everyone else dide Personally, I think its a great site. Although, you could add a few more pics of the coveted grass fly rod.
Brad