Illustration site needs a facelift and I need your input!

[kellyportfolio]

Hello!

I am doing a complete overhaul on my illustration site that hasn't been updated in about 3 years.

I'd love your critique, advice and honest thoughts.

There are some interface things I'd like to change as well.

www.kellyportfolio.com

Thank you!

[Lori]

Hi Kelly!

The site looks the same to me? Where are the updates?

I love it - and am sure would love any changes you make to it.

How is business going?

Lori

[kellyportfolio]

Hi Lori,

Oh, I haven't done the updates yet! :lol: I was just wanting critique on my old site so I know what to change in the next website.

Business is slowwwwww right now. Lots of nibbles, but nothing concrete. I am hoping February is better. No, February WILL be better. Positive thinking!

Thanks!

[Lori]

Hi Kelly,

Oh...! I get it :)

Design wise I love your site - I couldn't think of anything to change, it's unique, artistic and really works well with your portfolio.

You could beef up your portfolio - I'm sure you've done a ton of stuff that would be great there.

Is it possible to link or show examples of the work you've done for the various clients on your 'clients list'? Or would that breach your contract(s)?

In terms of SEO... I think you could do a lot Kelly. For starters, you have a lot of images there without much use of the alt tags. If you could incorporate text into the site, especially the homepage it also would be good for SEO - but I don't know how you look at your site. If it's really being used as a portfolio/business card and you aren't concerned with getting search engine traffic, then it's perfectly fine the way that you have it.

At the very least you should optimize your Title Tags in the document.

Just out of curiosity... what do you do to promote? You are such an amazing artist - I can't imagine business being slow for long...

Lori

Hi Lori,

Oh, I haven't done the updates yet! :lol: I was just wanting critique on my old site so I know what to change in the next website.

Business is slowwwwww right now. Lots of nibbles, but nothing concrete. I am hoping February is better. No, February WILL be better. Positive thinking!

Thanks!

[kellyportfolio]

Hi Lori!

Yes, I do need to beef up my portfolio. There is a lot I have done since becoming a fulltime freelancer. I unfortunately don't have permission to post work I have done for Microsoft on my website due to contracts, etc. :(

What is SEO? I am soooo dumb when it comes to this technical stuff. I need to learn HTML so badly. I just lay everything out in Illustrator and find someone to make it ALIVE on the web. I have no idea how to do this stuff.
I think it is a major skill I need to learn because I don't have full control of my website. Of uploading new images, etc. I rely on someone else.

As far as promo, I do a mailer(postcard) every few months. I also for the first time, did a page in Workbook. And I do a lot of email to job listings. That's it. Any ideas? I am going to a networking event soon also.
I have a rep in Chicago and a rep here in Seattle. So I feel I have put my feelers out there.

It's downtime now, so I am trying to get everything ready to be updated on my website.

But it's difficult not to twiddle my thumbs and get anxious when things are quiet. The freelance lifestyle is very up and down and I feel like I am learning a ton in this first year!

Thanks for your help, Lori and your support!

:D

[Shelly]

Business is slowwwwww right now. Lots of nibbles, but nothing concrete. I am hoping February is better. No, February WILL be better. Positive thinking!



I don't know if you would be interested at all in this, but I get a lot of work being a member on http://www.designoutpost.com . They have a miscellaneous category that is always loaded with illustration jobs.

Shelly

[kellyportfolio]

Thank you Shelly! I have never heard of that site!

[Lori]

Kelly!

The new site totally, completely ROCKS!

Terrific job :D

Lori

Hello!

I am doing a complete overhaul on my illustration site that hasn't been updated in about 3 years.

I'd love your critique, advice and honest thoughts.

There are some interface things I'd like to change as well.

www.kellyportfolio.com

Thank you!

[Lori]

What is SEO? I am soooo dumb when it comes to this technical stuff. I need to learn HTML so badly. I just lay everything out in Illustrator and find someone to make it ALIVE on the web. I have no idea how to do this stuff.
I think it is a major skill I need to learn because I don't have full control of my website. Of uploading new images, etc. I rely on someone else.



Kelly, SEO is Search Engine Optimization. You don't have a lot of text so it will be more challenging on your website - but there is a lot that still can be done.

One of the most important things for you would be to get as many incoming links to your website as you can to increase your google page rank.

I'd be happy to help you out with some ideas or point you to some good resources, just say the word.

Again, I really love the new design. It's so fresh and wonderful!

Lori

[kellyportfolio]

Thank you Lori!

I was so happy that my web dev guy was able to get it online so quickly!
Right now I am trying to figure out how to view my statistics...
you know, who visits, when, how many times, etc. I never knew this was a possibility. Do you use statistics? Are they helpful?

Kelly
:lol: