Website...finally

[Bubbles Galore]

It's in the early stages, but it's coming along nicely. I wanted to do a sweet html site, but I don't have the knowledge, or the time to learn it. I am using a MS Office Live account and I like it, even though it can be kind of cookie cutter sometimes. Anyway...check it out here. Let me know what you think, I can handle the criticisms

 

[under pressure]

I get an error message?

 

[pitzerwm]

Its working now, its a good start, you will find that it is frustrating and fun. I've bought a new classified ad program, and have spend days & nights learning it. I'm still a long ways from turning it on.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Thanks! It is such a time intensive process, even doing it this way. I enjoy it though and hope to utilize it as much as possible. A nice rainy weekend would allow me to finish it, but that wouldn't be good for biz, would it?

Has anyone used a google checkout/paypal portal to sell items through their website? I know you do Bill, does it work out well for you? I'm thinking about adding the ability to purchase gift certificates, tokens, gift buckets, etc...Thoughts?

 

[washtubman]

Is there suppose to be pics on the site? If there are, they did'nt appear for me.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

There aren't many. I only have a few of the pages done right now. It's definitely a work in progress. I think I'm going to set up a flickr account so that I can have a slideshow on the page that will cycle pictures automatically.

 

[bigleo48]

Bubbles,

Lots of tweaking left to do, but good start. I presume you are doing this from a template?

The whole idea behind a website site is to drive traffic to it. So make sure you use many 'key' words as search bots look for these. Then be sure to publish your site on these search engines.

Here's some better to ad for location...a birds eye view from bing.

http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=r53d21813b9d&style=b&lvl=2&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=9512929&encType=1

BTW...nice lights on the other posting...got me thinking.

Big

 

[pitzerwm]

IMO, I wouldn't worry so much about coming up first in Google, although I think that they have a place to enter your URL for local listing. Putting your URL all over the car wash and everything you print, will bring your customers and potential customers to the web site. Putting something on it that gives the visitor a reason to come back to your site is the key. Coupons, games, interesting stuff, will make it worth the time that you will spend on it.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Big-thanks for the advice! It sure does have a lot more tweaking to get done to it. The nice thing about the template type site is that it allows you to enter SEO terms for each individual page.

The lights make such a huge difference at night. It looks great! I highly reccomend them, just make sure they're led's.

Bill-I'm actually having a friend of mine make me up a flash game that can be played right from the home page. I was going to post the high scorer's from each week and maybe give each winner a free song from itunes or something. We'll see. I planned on putting a few different coupons up there also, with a link to a paypal portal where different things could be purchased. (Detailing, logo wear, gift buckets, tokens). All in all, I'm just having a good time with it. I'm excited to see how it will turn out.

 

[Chiefs]

We've also ventured into the world wide web at www.chiefsautowash.com. We've incorporated this also into our on-site advertising and newsletters that we hand out to each customer.

Bill

 

[pitzerwm]

Just keep thinking "local" your market, and some reason for them to return to the site and your wash. Contest, games, free washes.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Bill - Do you mean like this?

 

[Andyjmyr]

Attractive

Very nice Bubbles!

I really like how you're attracting people to your site.

I do have a suggestion.... On your "Games" section. There is an easy way to insert flash games on websites. I would recommend doing that so people aren't redirected from your site.

Great start!

-Andy

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I tried to embed them for a few hours last night. I don't think that I have that ability since I am using a template design. Do you know if my assumptions are correct.

 

[pitzerwm]

Send me what you are trying to do, or what the instructions are, maybe I can get it done. I've just spent a lot of hours/days modifying the new classified ad program, check it out and see what you think. http://autocareforum.biz/Classified/index.php

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Looks real good. The interface seems a lot simpler from a user perspective. I have some more stuff I need to sell, so this will be great for me to put up some trial run equipment.

-For my site, I just took a screen capture, and edited it in paint to get the proper picture I wanted. At that point I just made the picture a hyperlink and dictated that it should open in a new window. The 'king of car wash' didn't have any embed coding, I just grabbed the flash link to make it work. The other 'car wash' game had some embed coding, but it wouldn't port over into the module I was working on. It's also possible that it was the drivers I currently have installed on my computer that wasn't allowing it to load on my pc. I definitely have some more tweaking to do, but the weather has been good, so my 'free time' has been spent up at the wash.

Thanks for all the tips guys!

 

[bigleo48]

-For my site, I just took a screen capture, and edited it in paint to get the proper picture I wanted. At that point I just made the picture a hyperlink and dictated that it should open in a new window. The 'king of car wash' didn't have any embed coding, I just grabbed the flash link to make it work.

Bubbles,

What editor are you using. I'm still using FrontPage (because I have it and I'm use to it) and so I just buy templates for FrontPage to create new sites. They typically have all the instructions needed to tell you how to add stuff like flash games and the likes.

I personally believe that people want good content that tells them exactly what they need to know with minimal clicks. Your games look fine, but in reality, sites likes miniclips.com have way better content for that purpose.

I would put good carwash info, and a coupon (you can track). Make sure it shows up in the search pages like Google & Bing. Then use the data tracking from the hosting company and try to determine how it's getting used and tweak it that way. I think you'll be surprised how little it gets visited on purpose. For example, my site gets mostly accidental use (for some reason the fragrance machine picture on my site is plastered on all kinds of other sites and forums not related to car washing). I have had coupons on the site and on google and they have never been used...at all!

Big

 

[pitzerwm]

BigLeo, do you have your URL plastered all over the washes?

 

[bigleo48]

BigLeo, do you have your URL plastered all over the washes?

Bill,

Yup...I have my own sign making equipment. It's shows up first in Bing and Google and is listed on their maps services.

My guess is that non-chain carwashes are of local significance only. Since I'm next to big box stores, everyone knows of or has used my wash in the greater area.

My site does get used, just not very much...but it's cheap to have it, I do all my own work...so it costs me about $10/month for hosting and the domain name. One day I may start doing some ecommerce stuff, but I just can't justify it at this point.

Maybe I need to develop an iphone app for it!

Big

 

[Andyjmyr]

embeding flash games

Bubbles,

If you can edit your website with HTML or whatever. See if you can't embed this code:

Obviously you'll have to edit the address of the flash game, but I think it will work.

If you need any help I can work with you. I just started making mobile apps so I spend most of my time writing code.

<embed src="http://FLASHGAMEADDRESS.COM.SWF" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="600" height="600"></embed><br><a href="http://www.FLASHGAMEADDRESS.com" target="_blank" title="Play Games">Car Wash Game</a>