Centers and Squares:
A Pleasing Look & Feel
With Great Content
Centers and Squares demonstrates how a good look & feel can can combine with great content to produce a website that satisfied visitors.A Picture Postcard
Do you remember the last time you received a picture postcard in the mail?
You know the kind...very appealing photograph on the front...like the vintage postcard on the right showing the Powderhouse near Ball Square in Somerville MA...and on the back, some cryptic comments about a magical far away place.
That was my first impression of Centers and Squares, the website of Elizabeth A. Bolton, a real estate agent in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
This site has the look and feel of an appealing postcard...but offers a whole lot more.
The opening sketch of a vintage cityscape sets this tone, which is continued and reinforced by the home page content.
With a start like that, it's hard not to go further into the website.
And when you go further into the website, you can find lots and lots of really interesting information.
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Visitor-Satisfying Content
The site is rich with visitor-satisfying content about the area that Elizabeth serves.The content is so good that even somewhat interested prospects could be reasonably expected to contact Elizabeth to learn more about specific properties.
I have no plans to move into
that area described
on the site... but if I did, Elizabeth would definitely be the first
person I would contact.This site offers many learning opportunities for other site owners.
For starters, unlike many other websites, it does not start with either or both of a sales pitch or self-promotional content.
The opening screen suggests that it's probably about real estate...and the home page starts the flow of good content.
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The Look A Feel of A Niche Market
The term 'look and feel' refers to visual impression a website makes and how it feels to navigate around the site.The look and feel of Centers and Squares reflects Elizabeth's niche market: classic and comfortable.
The image at the top of the home page, for example, illustrates the classic nature of her market.
This look continues with easy to-read text and appropriate photographs to illustrate and supplement the text content.
In addition to illustrating the text, the photographs and images are great examples of how and where to effectively use graphic elements as components of web content.
Regardless of where you go from the home page, there is more good content, including current and historical images.
In describing herself on the 'About' page, Elizabeth tells her own story in such a way that she is competent, trustworthy and knowledgeable about her target market.
This page demonstrates that it is in fact possible to write about yourself without defaulting to hard-pitch selling or bragging promotional copy.
In fact, the entire site demonstrates what good web content actually looks like.
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Lessons To Be Learned
If you are having trouble preparing content for your site, spend some time reading the content on this site.Don't even think about copying the format...it probably won't work for you in your market.
But definitely think about how you can create a look and feel for your website that reflects your market niche as well as the look and feel of Centers and Squares reflects Elizabeth's niche market.
What is your niche market?
How can you reflect your niche market in words and images?
If you serve a vibrant urban market, choose pictures, words and colors that capture this energy and excitement....but don't go overboard.
Stick to 2-3 complementary colors and one font family. Too much color and too many font styles create a frantic and busy look that tends to chase visitors away.
On the other hand, if you serve a less frantic market, select the appropriate look and feel.
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The best feel is natural and user-friendly, just like the feel of Centers and Squares
Although I have never spoken to Elizabeth, when I read her content, it feels like I am listening to her tell me about some of the centers and squares in her area.
She is using her own voice to tell her own story...the best and only way to prepare great content for your site.
If you can send emails to friends telling them about your market and homes in the area, you can also write web content as good what is on Centers and Squares.
If you need some help in getting started, let me know...I'd be happy to help.
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Now that you've seen Centers and Squares and read my comments, how does your site compare?
What feature of your site do you like better than something on Centers and Squares?
Would you like your site featured on this site?
If so, request a free website review and we can go from there.
Or maybe Centers and Squares has triggered a desire to update or modify your site content...that's fine too.
Just complete the form below and I will conduct a free review of your website and offer suggestions as to how you might improve your site.
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