Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Check out this site and tell me how i can improve it. I would like to get some constructive critism on how i can make the site better.
buggrep.com



-------------------------

The Largest IT error database on The web!
Got Bugs? We can help...
Michael Jean-Jacques
Founder/Owner
Buggrep.com

Hello Michael,

I assume that you want both functionality (for user retention) suggestions as well as promotional (marketing) suggestions. My key points will try to touch on both.

I like your site concept, coming from a computer repair background. I have to say I haven`t found any one site that `got it right` with databasing error codes/solutions. Google is my primary search tool for that stuff. This type of user information should help you think of how to be different with your service. I think your primary goal is organization and simplicity. Organize the articles/content so anybody can easily find what they need. Simply display the pages to keep everything neat for the user.

Here are my key points for your website...

Functionality/Usability:

• Simplfy the top menu: my suggestion is to remove the `All Bugs` tab. Two reasons: one because you don`t have much content yet, so it makes your site look small. That`s not good if you want to keep a techy`s good faith to come back for more. Second, because theres almost no point to looking at a giant list when they need one solution.
• Alternative idea: Make the all bugs button into `Top Bugs` or `Most Popular`. This could be useful for the quick searchers that have simple bugs and know they are very common but forget the fix.
  
• Make your Site Name logo link to your homepage. Pretty universal web design rule.
• Move the login button from the top to the left side. Most people are familiar with an already displayed username and password field. Attach the register button into that user login box. Theres no point to make them into separate buttons and Pages. Maybe leave the register button at the top to influence registering.
• What does the `Menu` button do? It goes straight to the login page. I`d say, either have that within the User menu after logged in, or don`t display it at the top until after they have logged in.
• Categorization: Have you thought about how you will database each item? I come from a Drupal background which has unlimited possibilities with taxonomy, but it looks like you developed this website freehand. Once you get a good, simple categorization, make a button at the top for Categories. Then have the page list every category like Forums with sub forums display. Again, if you developed this website with freehand code, I would seriously think about switching to a more open source system such as drupal for categorizing and archiving all these error codes.
• Rating system: Allow for two types of users to rate solutions. Anonymous visitors, and Registered users. I would display registered user ratings as the first rating, and anonymous input as the second. The worst thing when using google is reading though a very long forum thread about a single error going back and forth through solutions until a single paragraph post has the fix. Ratings would solve all of this!
  

Promotional:

• Change your website title (<title></title>) to something more descriptive like: BugGrep.com - The best error code database for IT professionals.
• I saw your keywords tag. It`s way too large. It also looks like you ran a script from a page to generate it. I would try to write a custom list for your main pages, and then use a script for top keywords for everything else. Your site name should not be in the list. Also be aware that any keywords in this list that aren`t discussed anywhere on the site will hurt your total ranking. Only list terms that have been discussed or will be discussed.
• My brief suggestion list would be: error codes, error code database, error database, syntax error, boot error, windows error, etc
• For your meta-description I would be more descriptive such as: Large error code database for IT professionals and computer repair specialists. BugGrep supports blah blah blah systems.
• Since your website is new, if haven`t done so already, you should start link building with related websites. Your best option will be Tech forums by posting your site in your signature or as a new topic. Eventually, random people will do the same if they think your website is valuable enough to share.
• Later down the road consider making a signature banner with copy and paste code for anyone to visit and easily copy into their forum signature or website profile.
• `error code database` is pretty much the main key phrase that describes your site if someone was going to Look for You. I would include this in H1-H3 tags. Such as at the top of the homepage in the red horizontal rule. So it would say `BugGrep - Error Code Database`
• Spread the word manually as much as possible. Your website concept is valuable enough for individuals to take it upon themselves to share it, but you need to start it off. Tell a friend button is great, I would also add a Bookmark this website button on the homepage, and on the tell a friend page.
• Submit your website to some major directories. This won`t pay off for a couple of months but it`s in your best interest. ODP is dying, but probably the first place to start, here would be a related category but only for Windows Xp:
•  http://www.google.com/Top/Computers/Software/Operating_Systems/Microsoft_Windows/Windows_XP/FAQs,_Help,_and_Tutorials/

Well I hope your website does well. IT really needs a decent error code database that solves the problems Google leaves us all with. Let me know if you have any other questions, or questions on what I talked about here. I would be more than glad to help.

Regards


-------------------------

Colin Winter
Small Business Website Management and Marketing

I tend to go along with Colin, above, that if I really need to find an error report I just Google it. More often, I want to find out what some damnfool file is doing either running, or sitting in some folder. That too, I end up Googling.

So the main question is why does this site exist? What inspiration did you come to that you`d invest in this site, knowing that Google is already doing something pretty much the same? What`s your intent, and how will this grow into a unique or differentiated (branded) business?

I`m thinking of annoyances.org, which has become a sort of master trouble-shooting site for Windows. That differentiates from just error descriptions by not only describing "annoying Windows problems" but offering ways to fix them or do a workaround.

I hadn`t thought of the "grep" part in your name, so will these errors be more toward Linux or Unix?

Hi  CraigL, I am glad that you have asked this question. If you look at sites like annoyances.org you will realized that these sites have a wide range of issues that they deal with.

Whereas, Buggrep.com is only directed towards errors only not troubleshooting different windows errors. The site is only geared towards pointing users to specific errors.

For example  if you get "error service xpgrdul.xvs can`t start" --->> this is just an example. Instead of having to do a google serach you can just on the site and you will find it right there. Google has way too many suggestions which can be confusing. And also Buggrep.com will come up if you do a Google search.

Another thing that i should emphasize on is that the site is not only for windows users. It`s is for programmers, Sys Adsmins, DBA and regular users. I hope that i have given you a better view on what the site is all about. If you have any more questions don`t hesitate to post them on here.

 

-------------------------

The Largest IT error database on The web!
Got Bugs? We can help...
Michael Jean-Jacques
Founder/Owner
Buggrep.com

Ah....okay. Then I think Colin did a comprehensive report, and I don`t have much else to add. :-)

Hey Colin and Craig thanx for the suggestions. I look foward to implement some of those on buggrep.com. Very helpful info


-------------------------

The Largest IT error database on The web!
Got Bugs? We can help...
Michael Jean-Jacques
Founder/Owner
Buggrep.com