Need your Advice about my Website?

[nuggethunting]

Hello Everyone,

I know for some time now my website had been really outdated. I'm to the point now where I'm getting tons of customers asking me to update the site and get the online ordering back up. Dawn and I have plans here in the near future to start working on the website, but we know it will take some time to get all the products listed and have it available for online ordering. I'm sure there are tons of grammer errors and pages that aren't working, so if anyone has time I would ask them to visit my website at - www.nuggethunting.com and give me your advice on what don't work, what you would like to see done to the site.

Like I stated, it's a long process when you're doing it all yourself, work a day job and run the business to boot. However, we both have plans to tackle the site and get it back updated with new gold pictures, customer finds, updated products/prices and even some new gold stories.

Thanks for your time and advice in advance.

Rob Allison

[wonderer]

Rob,

You have only so may hours in a day - - - Sometimes you need to higher out certain things, so you can have a life.

You have a finominal stock of metal detectors & accesories............ + your service is great & your close..

My Dumb Two Cents ..............wonderer

[nuggethunting]

Hello Steve,

You're probably right, but my entire life I always wanted to take care of others. I guess I would rather work hard, but have my website easy to navigate and use!

Just asking for suggestions or comments about the site. At one time I had a website that had over 400 pages of great nugget hunting information, but lost a darn hard drive and lost most of it.

Just looking to restart the building process slow.

Take care,

Rob Allison

[COLORADO BOB]

Hi Rob,

If you want to start slow and build as you go, I can think of at least three categories that I would work on to inprove the site.

First, your equipment and accessories pages are in dire need of some serious TLC. Upgrade this category to three or four pages or whatever it takes. Post all your equipment and accessories along with the new price.

Second, I would make a nice Photo Gallery of members/customer finds along with equip. used whenever possible. Everyone likes to look at the gold finds.

Third, don't know how much time you want to spend on this but I would add a category that newbies as well as old timers may find useful, such as a list of all of the clubs that you know of in AZ, along with the name, add., and PH#. Along with this I would list [at least as a start] all of the gold districts in central AZ. You could expand on this at a later date. That would give a lot of people an idea of where gold was found in the past.

Last, you could create at least one page of your Nugget patches along with the coords., that are still giving up nuggets.

This one you will need to send to me so that I can proof-read it, dont want any mistakes here.

Bob T.

[FlakMagnet]

Colorado Bob,

Trust you to jump up out of nowhere and nail it.

I'm sure you will make a good proof-reader too.

How's that heat down there?

Flak

[COLORADO BOB]

Hi Flak,

Not so bad today, maybe in the 106 range. Last week we had a few warm days.

You been picking up any yellow or has the smoke got you guys cabin bound?

I haven't been out for awhile, been kind of under the weather so to speak, getting tired doing nothing but just not up to it yet.

Hope to be out and about in a few weeks, we will see.

Later

Bob T.

[vini]

Rob I was going to order Jim Straights book "Prospecting & Detecting for Hard Rock Gold" but the only book that can be order threw paypal is "The Nuggetshooter's Bible" you should have a button so we can order the other books, there are what look like to be dead pic links next to the other books you have in stock?

I could call but convenience of just ordering online may get you more sales I'll just give you a call later this week and order it if you have it in stock?

[whats4supper]

I mostly agree with COLORADO BOB.

My suggestion would be to take care of the store first. that is the primary goal- sell something somebody wants, and in such a way (easy) that will bring them back for more goods. Perhaps you should consider a tie-in with Amazon.com, or a partnership or something for more traffic and views. The income has been the main focus of the site, and the forum, opinions, finds always comes second or third in line. However, finds using equipment you sell or represent, along with books and other aids would be of second importance on the front page.

While the forum host is mostly a free (?) site, perhaps there should be a cutoff time, when commentary gets erased, as a means to keep the knowledge and observations fresh. there are valid posts from a historical and valuable commentary applicable to all times, that maybe you should keep, but all else needs a turnover (like compost in the garden) to get more timely and new growth. As for forum edits, perhaps you should appoint 10 or less associates to take care of that (moderators).

I think the format of the home site is okay, but only needs some renewal. New and improved isn't neccesarily the outcome on any revamp.

Perhaps you should add a few categories as well such as geology, gems, and historical blurbs.

It's a big job for sure!

[nuggethunting]

Hey Guys,

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. Dawn and I will take note of all of them and make some changes in the near future. The process will be slow, so I might start by cleaning up a few pages and fixing some of the dead links.

Things I will do for sure -

Add new stories

Add new recent nugget/specimen finds

Update the Customer comment page

Update Customer finds

Update and Fix the "Rob's Detector Sales" page and online ordering (Priority!)

Add a "About me" page

And more ....

Thanks once again,

Rob Allison