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Dan Antonelli

Dan Antonelli

New Member
After 4 years, it was time to redo our site. It didn't reflect the level of work we were producing, so I made the substantial investment in resources to redo the site, employing some more current technology, better SEO, and a CMS to manage the portfolio sections. Additionally, the site uses more sophisticated type rendering via TypeKit, so I was better able to lay out the site and really control how the type looked. The site is also 100% CSS, as opposed to tables, which is what our previous site used.

All our creative briefs, client forms, bill paying via credit card are implemented into a password protected area. The goal was to provide a uniform messaging at all phases of communication with us. It also provides for much more streamlined means to get information from us, and do business with us.

Our old site pulled in a lot of leads as it was, but to a degree, many unqualified (ie. they want a web site, logo and brochure and they're budget is $1500-2500). I'm hoping this site changes that trend.

I'm most proud of our Successes section, which showcases case studies of the work we've done for other businesses.

Conservatively, I'd say we have 250-300 man hours invested, between copy development, design and coding. Then creating all the graphics for the portfolio took some time. Overall, a lot of resources went into from all the staff here.

http://www.graphicd-signs.com/
 
Letterbox Mike

Letterbox Mike

New Member
Looks really nice Dan, I like it a lot better than the previous one. This one is easier to read and flows better.

FYI, a lot of the portfolio images are getting hung up and not loading...
 
signmeup

signmeup

New Member
Very attractive site. I like it better than the old one. The nav buttons are pretty weird though. It took me a while to figure out how they worked.... you have to click the button you want and wait for the slidey arrow thingy to appear, then click that. The nav system on the other (sub?) pages worked better for me, but I still had to wait for a slidey arrow thing. On the sub pages "vehicle advertizing" runs off the page.

I'm too slow to look at the caption, then the picture, then read the tag line on the main page's header.
 
G

GB2

Old Member
On a 10 second glance my very first impression and question is, why do you have such a super emphasis on New Jersey on the first page? It seems excessive and odd, most people try to hide the location and appeal to a broader national audience and you are doing the opposite.
 
Dan Antonelli

Dan Antonelli

New Member
GB2 said:
On a 10 second glance my very first impression and question is, why do you have such a super emphasis on New Jersey on the first page? It seems excessive and odd, most people try to hide the location and appeal to a broader national audience and you are doing the opposite.
Click to expand...

Because 80% of our business is derived from NJ, and we're #1 for every term related to our business offerings and NJ keywords. We have other things in place to address the SEO needs of the other states.

For a local business in NJ, us being local is a good thing for them, not a bad thing. It may be excessive, but if you don't land on my home page to begin with, it really doesn't matter how often, or how infrequently I say NJ.
 
S

speedmedia

New Member
GB2 said:
On a 10 second glance my very first impression and question is, why do you have such a super emphasis on New Jersey on the first page? It seems excessive and odd, most people try to hide the location and appeal to a broader national audience and you are doing the opposite.
Click to expand...

My guess would be this is for his local SEO. If you have ever done anything with this it would make sense. Not sure if you have or haven't but we do the same thing as to put emphasis on our local area and then broader range as a secondary.

Site looks good. Pretty simple to use and get around. I liked the old one to. But it is great.

Thanks,
Kurt
 
signmeup

signmeup

New Member
Dan Antonelli said:
SignMe-

What browser are you viewing in? You don't have to wait for the slider arrow to click the subnav links -
Click to expand...
I use IE.

I looked at in seamonkey and it's all done in a different font.... and it doesn't fit so the big text is running over the smaller text. It's all san seriff in IE and looks like maybe Bookman in Seamonkey?

The "vehicle Advertizing" button is now on a separate line. The sliding arrow doesn't slide at all... you have to click the space above the button to go anywhere. Clicking the button does nothing. There is no sliding arrow on the sub pages. The changing images don't change in the header on the home page. Maybe there's something wrong with my computer?

Is it supposed to be a serif or san serif font?
 
Dan Antonelli

Dan Antonelli

New Member
Yeh, we're not really supporting Sea Monkey. I can't replicate your issue on PCs running any version of IE. Sea Monkey also doesn't support TypeKit which is why you're having a font rendering issue.

I think I know what you mean on the home page nav under the 5 image sequences that rotate. Not much I can do there -
 
signmeup

signmeup

New Member
What?! You're not catering to the three of us that still use Sea Monkey??!!

I just installed Firefox (just to test your site) and your site works really well on it. Must have something wrong with IE on my machine. Still think the two-step nav buttons are weird though.
 
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T

tanneji

New Member
I think it is fantastic. We are redesigning ours right now and am taking definite inspiration from yours. I particularly like the "Successes" Section. I think that's a fantastic way to put that without being braggy. One thing of note though ... When I click "ADVERTISING" on the main "WHAT WE DO" bar, nothing happens. When I click any of the other ones, they function perfectly. I am using Google Chrome on Win 7 - 64 bit. Great work as always Dan the MAN!!!
 
p3

p3

New Member
Yea, the navigation is kind of hard to figure out, cause that bar makes it like you should be taken to a page displaying those things, not that top graphic just changing to those type of things. It looks nice. Just think the navigation needs to stand out a little more or emphasis on what actually can be clicked.
 
Dan Antonelli

Dan Antonelli

New Member
Thanks for that feedback. I'm going to beef up the call to action on the five images in the jquery sliders so that its more obvious to 'click here' to go that page, rather than click the subnav below them.
 
signmeup

signmeup

New Member
Getting rid of the sliding arrow thing would do it. The sub page nav bar works great.... maybe you could just use that on all the pages?
 
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