Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

This account is actually for my website business, Websites Unleashed. I used to participate fairly often in the website critique forum, but for the last couple months I`ve been working hard on a web app startup called LinkLarry. Unlike most startups, LinkLarry is targeting webmasters for adoption versus executing a grassroots movement for end users. The site design is a modified template and I`m considering doing a custom redesign for the official launch.

I don`t want to skew the reactions to how the site is setup so I`ll leave the description at that. I`m here to ask for some honest feedback on both the web application and the supporting website. Organization of information, presentation, design/appearance, functionality, etc let me know what you think. I understand that my target audience doesn`t exactly match those at SuN, but I feel the feedback from other entrepreneurs will be valuable.

It`s been journey to get to this point, so I`ll end with a quote that is quite relevant and I have come to appreciate from my experience:
"If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late"

Thanks in advanced to those who comment.


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Colin Winter
Small Business Website Management and Marketing

Hi Colin :-)
I looked at the LinkLarry Alpha, which I assume is what you`re presenting?

I`m not a developer, nor am I knowledgeable about programming. As such, I guess I didn`t understand your site.

I hear "social networking," or "social bookmarking" and my eyes glaze over. Since they`re jargon terms and mean nothing, I don`t really pay much attention.

What I`d suggest in both your main page and the FAQ is a better description of a social bookmarking widget. That would follow typical journalism questions: what is it, why does it exist, how does it work, and where will it be.

There`s just not enough content. A minor other issue is I clicked on the blog link, but then couldn`t get back to the alpha site itself.

I`m guessing that content has been a lesser priority than developing the widget itself? If so, then I think it`s time for that content at this point. I didn`t install the widget, so can`t comment on that. (I don`t have a place where I`d need it, basically, so that`s the only reason for not installing.)

I agree .... I`m totally confused and really don`t get it the way it`s explained .... maybe it is a neat idea, but I have no idea the way it`s written .... what would be helpful is some type of visual flowchart to simply show what to do and how it works....

On the demo, there is a huge box, with a form and login/register options .... the "What`s This" mouseover flashes so fast it can`t be read ..... so it`s basically bulky and not informative in an easy way ....



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M Hall
Website Critique Community
International Society of Curmudgeons

Thanks for the comments.

Craig - I`m building up the FAQ, but I was intending for people to get the quick info from either the Webmaster or End User pages so it`s relevant to them.

Webline - There`s some browser display issues we`re working out with that button. I want use the jQuery displays, but I don`t want to increase the load times. I think I have a good idea for a flowchart/visual to show how it works.

My main issue right now presenting the service to the two main audiences when it`s a new concept for both of them. I`ve been working on it so long it`s second nature so getting fresh impressions is always helpful.



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Colin Winter
Small Business Website Management and Marketing

Alright, one problem is your "Webmasters" and "End Users" links aren`t obvious. I didn`t click either one. I`d suggest more blatant, like "End Users Click Here" and a graphic button. :-)

I read the end-user page, and still don`t really understand it, though.