Review: marthamaths.com

[css25]

Hello all,

Kindly please review this website design (my first website design), the content, etc. If you have any suggestion, please do not hesitate to post them here.

URL: http://www.marthamaths.com

Looking forward to hear your feedback, opinion and suggestions.

[poster]

1. I don't like the background on both sides of the site, it distracts from the content

2. I would reduce the number of the tabs at the top. A good rule of thumb is having 7 or less

3. The banner at the top is too big and flashy. The same issue as #1, it distracts from the main content.

My 2 cents.

[navyfalcon]

Like the site and idea. The banner is distracting though. You may want to add a section for homeschool. Also some information on homework helper.
Hope this helps Good idea, lots of luck falcon

[joe-d]

I agree with poster's point #1 and #2. But I like your flash banner. Also, I recommend that you consider changing your site's homepage layout.

--Joe

[Costin Trifan]

hello css25!

What I'd do if the site were mine:
- I wouldn't change all the page layout. It looks pretty nice as it is now.
- I'd change the page bg though...with a solid color (#F4F4F4) it's a color closed to the page's content bgColor
- maybe add a border to the page content div (on the right and on the left)
- definately I'd change the flash banner
- increase the space between the tabbed menu and the google ads

[StrongInTheArm]

Hi CSS25,

First thing that strikes me is that google ad. Not good, is the google ad more important than your home page? I don't like to see a google ad bar so prominently displayed on a home page. It disconnects your menu bar from the rest of your page.

I actually like the background image, its a great line, 'think maths, grow smart'. But I don't like the background image behind the main panel. It interferes with your text too much, making it hard to read, especially lower down. And it repeats too often, it makes for too much of a distraction.

The middle portion of your main contents seems a bit bare with those three graphics and the four lines of text. Perhaps a different arrangement might help, but I'm not sure. Its a lot of your front page given over just to that section. There is so much more content on the site you could be plugging. Personally I would consider moving this whole section to the bottom of the page and have the welcome statement above it.

The blue in your header has no resonance in the rest of the page, this results in it looking out of place. I love the green but maybe you should rethink it if you are going to keep the header or rethink the header.

The page looks very busy, a little crowded. You might want to increase the padding of the text and the spacing between the lines.

The menu bar, work on the spacing of the items, For Teacher, should that not be For Teachers, for consistency.

The menu panel on the left and the welcome to marthamaths.com header should be lined up, they don't appear to be.

I would lose the red in the latest news section.

It appears you have a dashed line at the bottom of the main panel, don't know if that is part of the background graphic. It looks odd.

Your copyright statement is a little hard to read.

When opening your games I would do so in the center of the screen.

Don't refer to what you are selling as 'our product'. Give it a name, use the name, make sure the name is in your visitor's mind, repeat it at least three times in the text they will read. The youtube screen shots need to be better if you are trying to sell, they are too blurry.

Overall I think you have a good foundation you just need to work on getting it all to work together. One of my big failings is to try too hard to bring everything to a visitors attention at the same time, the page ends up with a lot of conflicting items all trying to grab your eyes. Some times you have to be a little more laid back and pick just one or two main points on a page.

Your home page is the door way into your site. The vast majority of users will look at it and decide whether to continue exploring your site. You need to think carefully if you really want to give that valuable selling space to google or to use it for your own benefit. Is the money you are going to get out of it worth handicapping yourself in this way.


On a personal note...

I love the idea behind your site, the subject and your approach is close to my own heart and thinking. I was actually doing something similar in the not too distant past, but more connected with mnemonic techniques. Perhaps that is why I have written as much as I have sorry. I wish you and the site all the very best. I would be delighted if you let me know if you need someone to have another look. I already have it book marked.

PS. I know there are a few tutoring sites, especially to do with maths, one is based in India. They provide tutorials and teachers that students can get in touch with for one on one help if they get stuck. It might be worth your while hunting them down and seeing what they are up to.

[css25]

Hi all,
Many thanks for your feedback and suggestion. Your advice/suggestion are highly appreciated.

Sent Rep +1 to the really great suggestion/feedback.

Thanks again

[3ncryptabl3_lick]

I think your flash header need to be reworked. It's all wrong and looks like it was done by an inexperienced users which doesn't give the page a sense of quality or profesionalism.

All the content looks like it was crammed in there and not much foresight given to layout versus content.

You've got your 'welcome' message down at the bottom of the page and scrolled, right were you dont want it. It should be up top, in plain sight, it's usually the first thing people will read, if they see it.

What does the MSC have to do with your website? I tried figuring that out by visiting them but still counldn't. You've given them prime locations on your page. On a side note, the MSC logo looks allot like the MSI logo and I find that funny.

[css25]

First of all, thanks a lot for your kind feedback/suggestions. Yup, I am newbie in flash design, so that is why it does not look profesional

Originally Posted by 3ncryptabl3_lick

What does the MSC have to do with your website?

Now to answer your question above, It is not my website, I designed that website based on their idea. Marthamaths.com is a company - offers educational material (that's what they told me about). The Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) (http://www.msc.com.my/msc/msc.asp) has approved Marthamaths company and verified it (don't really know much about this company history, btw). MSC and MSI is not the same, I don't see any similarity between these two company's logo, plus MSC is well known world wide nowadays

[Karen_Harwood]

I'd get rid of the animation banner and instead use a simple logo graphic that is no taller than half the height of the animation you have now.

[3ncryptabl3_lick]

Originally Posted by css25

First of all, thanks a lot for your kind feedback/suggestions. Yup, I am newbie in flash design, so that is why it does not look profesional

Now to answer your question above, It is not my website, I designed that website based on their idea. Marthamaths.com is a company - offers educational material (that's what they told me about). The Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) (http://www.msc.com.my/msc/msc.asp) has approved Marthamaths company and verified it (don't really know much about this company history, btw). MSC and MSI is not the same, I don't see any similarity between these two company's logo, plus MSC is well known world wide nowadays

Okay well regardless if it's your website or not.

You may as well remove the flash, it's killing the page.

It seems that doubling up on the MSC ad is overkill to me and adds nothing to the design or website. If anything, they can be placed at the bottom or on a partner page.

What is the point of having it on there to begin with? Because the site is in malaysia? I just read this on their site:

MSC Malaysia-status is the recognition by the Malaysian Government through MDeC for companies that participate and undertake its ICT activities in the MSC Malaysia. MSC Malaysia-status companies enjoy a set of incentives and benefits from the Malaysian Government backed by the ten Bill of Guarantees.

They don't seem global at all.

I didn't think they were the same company...der. But you can't miss the logo similarities... Which is all I was commenting on. It's still funny.

[css25]

Nah, I only asking for the website design, not about the MSC as I don't really care about their company status. Anyhow, thanks for the feedback and suggestion though. Appreciated it a lot.

[3ncryptabl3_lick]

You've completely missed my point.

Good luck.

[css25]

Originally Posted by 3ncryptabl3_lick

You've completely missed my point.

Good luck.

Yeah, my apology. Thanks for your time to review that website. Appreciated it a lot.