Looking for Badly Designed Kids Entertainer Websites

[CraigMitchell]

Hi all

Am compiling a presentation on really badly designed childrens entertainer websites.

If you could send through any links - either below or via PM - that would be appreciated.

Thanks

[mrgoat]

I don't think I've seen a good one.

[Brad Henderson]

How about this one:

http://www.linkingpage.com/magicnewsfee ... pdate.html

(on a funnier note, I was trying to find a website for the prison Markwood is in. I wish I knew how to take and post a screencapture of the google page. I googled Huntsville correctional facility. In the ads that show up on the side, I got - in order -

1.
Hire Magician Texas
Book Great Magic Shows, Illusions,
Magicians For All Occasions.
www.PhilipAndHenry.com/Magicians
2.
Texas Inmate Calls
Immediate Savings on Inmate Calls
(888) 728-2726 To Save Big Today!
www.ConsCallHome.com
3.
Texas Inmates
Get Texas Inmates
Find Texas Inmates
Ask.com

I thought that was funny)

[CraigMitchell]

Thanks - Brad - but really am looking from a web design & potential client perspective. So find me the scariest looking childrens entertainer who designed his own website in Word using animated GIFs from 1994 ;-)

[Brad Henderson]

You could go to the cafe, troll the children's magic sections and click on the profiles of the one's with the most hackneyed or unattractive avatars. The profile pages often have web links. Also, I think the Magiccireclejerk used to post some bad children's magic sites.

[Tim Ellis]

Do any of these fit the bill?

http://www.magicbob2000.com/kids.html

http://adammagic.com.au/

http://www.burscoughsmagic.20m.com/

http://www.ridsmagic.com/Default.asp

http://www.lewisart.biz/superhubert/index.html

http://www.magicianaustralia.com.au/Just-for-kids.aspx

http://www.birthdaymagiciannw.com/

[IrishMagicNews]

Check out this [censored].

I am not often compelled to use language in my posts but not only has this guy the most cobbled together site, he has also stolen good content, wording and ideas from some people in his market. Including me without even changing the source code.

Brendan

[Christopher Lyle]

Brendan,

If he has stolen items off of your website, then I would take screen shots of said material, and seek legal action. You have rights...!

[Seuss]

Actually you can simply send those code matches and screenshots to this webhost along with a DMCA take down notice. Neat, clean and oh so rewarding to see his site go *poof*.

[Bob Cunningham]

There may be an Irish equivalent to the DCMA, but I would not make that assumption ;-)

[IrishMagicNews]

Suess,

I don't know if it is worth all the hassle really, the guy is a dickhead obviously and sometimes your better off ignoring these people.

Having said that you say to take screen shots and a DMCA desist and send them to this website, what website? You mean the DMCA site?

[Bob Cunningham]

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a US law that provides criminal penalties for copyright violation. Among other features, this law (as commonly understood) requires an ISP to take down on-line infringing content after being notified by the copyright owner.

[More information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Mi ... yright_Act]

According to this web site, in the UK "there is no equivalent at the moment" for the DMCA.

They recommend suing which is long, messy, expensive and even if you win the defendant must have some resources to pay the judgment :-(

http://www.justanswer.com/questions/39b ... is-hosting

/Bob

[IrishMagicNews]

Thanks Bob,

Seems the UK is always a step behind when it comes to things like this. And here in Ireland (which is not the UK, sorry I am very patriotic) we usually are many many steps behind the UK.

As I imagined it's probably bet to let it go and allow people to make up their own mind as regards to his professionalism or not. If you compare my performance site to his I know who I'd be booking. But then I am biased.

Anyway we've gone off topic a bit, sorry Craig.

[Bob Cunningham]

"And here in Ireland (which is not the UK, sorry I am very patriotic)"

I should have known that ... My great-grandparents came over from Ireland.

[Richard Kaufman]

No politics here: that includes those of other countries.

[IrishMagicNews]

Apologies Richard, I didn't know Canadian's were that touchy lol.

No seriously, didn't mean to bring politics in to at all.

Now on to crappy kids entertainers sites....

[Seuss]

http://www.kidsparty.ie/images/Party%20 ... %20JPG.jpg
FYI "Your" should be "you're"

[IrishMagicNews]

Doh

Thank you Seuss. Will sort that asap.

Thanks again.

[Bob Cunningham]

So what constitutes a bad web site for a children's magician? I think that many would focus on the sites appearance.

Although a site's appearance can be so garish that it is repulsive, if the goal of the site is to generate client leads, then I think the last issue I would look at is appearance.

To me a bad site is one that:

Focuses on the magician instead of the client (the parent who is paying).

Is difficult to navigate.

Makes no clear call to action.

Does not make contacting the magician EASY.

Is too expensive for the size of the magicians business.

[IrishMagicNews]

Bob,

Couldn't agree more. While it is important that one sells one's uniqueness I am often astonished at how so many magician fail to realise it's not about them. In the kids party market you shouldn't think of yourself as a magician at all. You are a problem solver. In face that really applies to every market for any product. Customers buy benefits.

Seuss,
Sorted that invite problem on my site just now. Thanks again for the heads up.

Brendan

[Bob Cunningham]

"In face that really applies to every market for any product."

Here is a great example of that:

I have two clients who are attorneys. I helped both of them put together inexpensive web sites. One followed my advice and focused on client needs. Her site was done in Frontpage. It is very simple and plain - she gets 3 or 4 clients a month from her site. The other basically wanted his site to be an, "I love me" page (why he is the greatest Lawyer who ever lived, etc ...) I did his site in Flash (at his insistence and against my advice). It looks great - but in two years he has only had two clients come to him from his site. Both attorneys practice the same area of law in the same town. The difference is she has put her focus on helping her clients - he put his focus on stroking his ego.

As you said, "every market for any product". The business/marketing principles are the same.

[mrgoat]

And/or the flash site has no seo.

[Bob Cunningham]

That is part of it, but it goes back to the same core issue. IMO seo starts with the choice of a domain name. He insisted on a domain name that focused on his name and NOT on his region. i.e. instead of a name like "Dallas-probate" he chose "Smith-Law-Office"

Optimizing a site for a search engine is also about having relevant, timely content. The other attorney I used as an example has lots of free information for her potential clients that she is regularly updating. One reason we went with the outdated, but simple, Frontpage design was so she could regularly add to her free content for her potential clients.

In the context of this discussion, I think that a magician's web site might benefit from:

a name chosen to show up in Google when a search is made for "birthday party dallas"

articles on planning a memorable childrens party.

links to on-line party resouces

a top ten list of things to look for/avoid when hiring entertainment.

and other content based on the potential clients needs/fears.

Discovering the felt needs and fears of potential clients may be hard because we often don't want to hear the unvarnished truth about ourselves and our career. In the case of my example with attorneys, one the biggest obstacles lawyers face is that they are perceived as arrogant ass#@%!*. (It's bad enough that I have to put up the attitude, but I have to pay for it too!)

The unsuccessful web site put no effort into addressing that issue. My other client made major efforts to overcome that obstacle. These efforts included things like the choice of picture on web site, including a radio interview where she spoke of her desire to help people, and using a friendly "voice" on her web page.

I don't know what all the felt needs and fears of potential clients of magicians would be (although I could make some reasonable guesses). If I were making a web site as a magician I would try to discover the ones that were the most unflattering and address them on my site.

[CraigMitchell]

Thanks for the input Bob ... some good points

[000]

What about displaying one's fees on the website?
Good or bad idea?
Personally I think its a good idea if its kids birthday parties or school assembly shows you are aiming for.
Corporate, Im not so sure.
Ive also seen websites whch says the fee varies between x and y, that to me is not a good idea.

[NCMarsh]

There are two reasons to have pricing on your site:

• you're a bureau and budget is one of the sorting features that will help clients decide on the short list of speakers/performers they're interested in
• you handle Lance Armstrong's inquiries and you don't want to spend all day fielding calls from people who don't realize they need $60k and a private jet to book him

Outside of those two situations, I see zero advantage to all of us lining up with price tags pinned to our chests (to borrow an image from Barry Friedman). When they have nothing else to base a decision on, people buy on price. It is our responsibility to put price into the larger context of all of the other factors that will determine the success of the event.

That said, one place I think online pricing could work in the birthday market:

If you could generate a contact form that would interact with the prospect and check your availability (without displaying a calendar -- similar to what eSpeakers' online assistant does (http://espeakers.com/online-office-for-speakers.php)) and then allow for them to book you online via a secure credit card payment.

Moms are busy, if they could get home from work, google party magician, find a killer video and great testimonials, and book the show right then with a credit card -- without having to call three different people -- I think you could do well...you'd need great SEO, a benefit-driven site with a strong funnel (i.e. that takes them by the hand through attention-interest-desire-action), and some development work

On links and party guides etc:

These are great for SEO and lead generation...pointless for anything else

You don't want your prospect wandering around the web, or spending two minutes scanning your tips before going back to the search results page to click on the next site, you want them to: a.) watch your video then b.) fill out your inquiry form or pick up the phone

Party guides should be used for lead generation (ie: "enter your email for 'Willy Whimsy's guide to an unforgettable, stress-free birthday!'")...they then get the guide emailed to them...with follow-up messages coming at regular intervals...these guides can also be published as articles on other sites, hubspot, etc. which can be very big for your SEO


N.

[Matt R]

I didn't know Lance Armstrong gave up cycling and is doing magic now :/

[Dave Magee]

MUST LIVE IN THE SOUTH!