WEBSITE EVALUATION REPORT for Mermaid Entertainment and Event center

 

Hi ______,

One of our professionals has evaluated your website, mermaidminnesota.com, and we have prepared your review below.

We hope to be a solution provider for you – please let us know which of these items is a priority for you.

Thank you kindly,

Mark Zubert

One Wheel Marketing, LLC

User Review Video

Before we give you our results, view this review of your site from a random user:

Now, Your Results

Each question is given a score of:

0 (not existent)
1 (needs improvement)
2 (good)

A final score is calculated out of 42.

Home Page and Usability (3/10)

1) Does the home page clearly articulate your goal? (0)

It seems your goal is to generate business phone calls to reserve the event center, but it is unclear from your home page what you want your user to do. If you want people to call you as the next step, make a clearer call to action: e.g. "call us today to reserve The Mermaid for your next event."

2) Does the home page clearly anticipate the goal of your target user? (0)

Think about what your user wants and give information that your target user would be looking for.

“A great home page will clearly present two things: the most important benefits to your target user and the action you want from the user based on your goal for the website.”
“Users want to find information quickly and easily. Make your navigation as clear as possible to ensure that your users can find what they need with as little frustration as possible.”

3) Is the layout of your home page organized to clearly direct the user to the most relevant information? (1)

Simplify the top level navigation and anticipate what your user needs to know. Each page of your site should organize the information in a way that is easy for the target user to navigate to the information they need. Think in terms of what your target user wants to find first, second, and third. 

4) Is the navigation simple, clear and organized? (1)

Some of the navigational elements overlap in type of content. Combining similar kinds of information will help the site feel more friendly and be easier to navigate. We generally suggest less navigation pages, and that would apply to your site as well.

5) Does the footer contain the most important links and information for your user? (1)

Adding more information (such as contact information and a call to action) to your footer will improve both SEO and your user's experience on your site. 

“Like the home page, a good footer will contain the most valuable content and links, and will also contain your contact information, a call to action, and copyright information. ”

Content Optimization (6/18)

Content addresses two audiences: your users and Google. Your content should be written with both in mind to help your target users find you.

“Text-to-HTML is the ratio of visible text to your website’s code. A higher percentage improves user experience and make it easier for Google to index your site, both of which improve SEO.”

6) Is the text-to-HTML ratio appropriate? (1)

Your website's pages on average are made up of about 16% text. Adding more text per page will help with usability and SEO. We recommend 1500 words per page or blog post.

7) Are HTML heading tags used? (0)

Heading tags are the h1, h2, h3 (through h6) in your website's HTML. Google looks for keywords in the HTML tags before looking at your website's content. Your website is not implementing any heading tags. It is best to use one h1 tag with the most important keywords, then use h2 as needed. 

8) Is the content search engine friendly? (0)

By focusing your content on important keywords, you increase Google's ability to present your site in a web search. Choose keywords based on your specific business goal and what your intended audience is looking for.

9) Is there ALT text in use on the images? (2)

Google doesn't see images as we do and needs alternative text to be able to read them. Your images have an alternative text description, which will increase SEO.

10) Is the language and terminology appropriate for the audience? (1)

Making sure your writing is applicable to your target audience will help them find you and build your credibility.

11) Is there a call-to-action on each page? (0)

Each page should present the user with a clear action point. This gives more opportunity for interaction with your business. Include a contact form as a part of the footer or a "call us to reserve your event" button.

12) Is new content added frequently? (0)

While not all content needs weekly updates, adding new content shows Google that your site is active. Make sure your content reflects the latest rates and business news.

“Google rewards growing and active sites by giving them a higher priority in search results.”

13) Are social media links up-to-date? (1)

Keep social links updated to show users that your site is current and builds credibility. Update Twitter information, unify the visuals across platforms, and remove links that are irrelevant.

14) Are the major local listings accurate and consistent? (1)

When your business is represented accurately across the major local listing websites, Google can more accurately find and index your business, putting it higher in search results.

Mobile-Friendly Test (2/4)

Mobile-friendly websites have variations that look good on mobile as well as desktop devices. As more people are searching for information from mobile devices, Google rewards websites that are mobile-friendly by placing more importance on them when including them in search results.

15) Does the website pass Google's mobile-friendly test? (2)

Google looks for sites that are optimized for mobile users and places more importance on those sites. Your site does have a mobile version.

Google mobile-friendly test

Google mobile-friendly test

16) Is the site responsive? (0)

Responsive websites seamlessly adapt to every device. A responsive website is easier to manage, provides consistency in user experience, and is indexed better by Google.

Test demonstrating the responsiveness of your website. 

Test demonstrating the responsiveness of your website. 

“Think of responsive sites as next-level sites: instead of having two separate sites (one for mobile and one for desktop), a responsive site adjusts itself to whatever browser or device the user is on. ”

Brand Consistency (6/10)

Keeping your brand consistent improves user experience, trust, and confidence in your business.

17) Is the logo used consistently? (1)

The logo is the primary visual face of your business. It should be placed in a familiar and consistent place on the website. We recommend placing your logo in a prominent place such as the header and linking it to your homepage.

18) Is there an established color palette? (2)

Having a color palette that is used consistently across the site makes it easier for your users to find information and unifies your brand.

19) Are the fonts used consistently and is there a clear level of hierarchy? (1)

When using fonts throughout the site, set rules of when to use a font, size, color, and style (bold or italic). Your target audience can find your information more quickly when they recognize patterns in how the information is displayed. We recommend using no more than three distinct fonts throughout your site.

“Not only does font usage contribute to how people experience your brand, it also influences a user’s experience. ”

20) Do the images accurately represent the brand? (2)

Every element on your website that the user encounters should support who you are and what you do. Icons, photographs, and illustrations should match your brand. Pictures of the event space help to communicate visually with the target audience. 

21) Is there a favicon? (0)

The favicon in a small 16x16 pixel image (often a logo) that is displayed in the web browser's address bar or next to the website's name when it is bookmarked. Adding a favicon increases brand recognition and, while a small visual element, helps users find your page more easily.

Your website score: 17/42

Your website is operating at 40% of what it could be under best practices.

Bonus Thoughts

  • Testimonials: Adding positive reviews and testimonials to your site will increase credibility and SEO.

  • Summary: Some design changes can be made to strengthen the brand (developing rules for font and color usage), but the biggest areas of improvement are with the content and usability. Increasing the amount of text on each page, adding keywords, and utilizing HTML and alt tags will increase SEO and improve your Google ranking. Adding more content targeting your intended audience and combining relevant information will increase the usability and utility of your site.

Wondering what to do next? Here are our 10 suggestions:

We've ranked these items from easiest to implement (~1-5) –> biggest impact for your business (6-10).

  1. Add a favicon. A favicon is a 16x16 pixel image, usually your logo, that appears along with your website name.
  2. Link the logo in the header area to your homepage. This is an expected action based on user's experiences with other sites.
  3. Use fonts consistently across the site. Use the same typefaces for similar kinds of information. A second or third typeface can be used, but make sure they are distinct from one another.
  4. Evaluate the content and adjust for your target audience. Consider your audience when writing copy and make sure that you are addressing the group of people who wish to reach.
  5. Add a call-to-action on each page. Would you like them to call, email, or submit a form? Providing an easy way to contact you will encourage users to reach out with questions, schedule an event, or plan their visit.
  6. Use HTML headings. Google looks for HTML heading text first before content. H1tags should be used with keywords (see #7) to help Google find your site.
  7. Add keywords to your content. Keywords help Google find your page. Incorporate primary keywords into your content to increase your site's ranking and help people find you. 
  8. Increase the amount of text on each page. When indexing websites, Google takes into account the ratio between HTML and the visible text on your site. A good goal is around 1500 words per page.
  9. Take your site from being mobile-friendly to fully-responsive. We can help you transition from a site with a mobile-friendly design to a fully-responsive website, which makes for a seamless experience across all devices.
  10. Develop a marketing plan to keep your site updated and growing. Google rewards active, growing sites. Keeping the site updated and adding new content are good ways to start your site growing. Add local SEO and updating local online business listings will help your site grow in popularity and generate more leads.

Recommended Marketing Next Step:

Let us help you grow your business

We can walk you through the above changes and help take your business to the next level. Drop us a line here or call us at 612-405-4044 to talk with us.