Know-How Exchange : Website Critique

I like it. It is a very cool idea and i have bookmarked it for later reference.

Here are a few ideas:
Grapics and pictures - consider adding a few of these to makethe site more fun.
Colors- I personally find the color scheme just a bit "off". you may want to check out the colors used on a few other sites - blues are missing.

Getting rid of the google ads would make it more professional.

Josee,

I like your logo - nice job. I like the colors, too.

Your home page is "yelling" at me. It reminds me of a Billy Mayes commercial. When a page runs beyond the first view with more reasons why I should be infatuated with the site or product or idea, incorporates bigger bold highlights, and has testimonials, it conveys a "pushy" style. A better way is to provide a brief description (and picture, preferably) with the benefits on the home page - in particular the emotional benefits - and an opportunity to "buy now." Provide additional links to more information on subsequent pages if the viewer needs more. Give the person the opportunity to make the decision on each page, but also the opportunity for a little more commitment - and to find some additional functional benefits and features - with each subsequent click.

Your site is a bit confusing from the structure perspective. Think about the further pages as "new paragraphs" in writing. You want to provide some transition between the paragraphs. There should be a logical order. Why would I want to go to "Thank you?" Why would I want to go to "Make-a-Day?" Provide this from the home page and other pages to guide the viewer through the decision process. Also, the navigation titles don't mean anything. Make them stand alone so if I want to go straight to the page, I'd understand why from the navigation name.

The link to Arbonne is a bit confusing. In the others, you provide the URL. There, I had to fumble around to find the link in the word "here." Make the links consistent. Also, I would suggest you make the link a different color than the rest of the text so it stands out as the link.

I hope this helps.

Wayde

I love the concept you have here. There is a Christian Radio Station in Minneapolis that does a similar thing.

I think the site could be more visually appealing. It would add a bunch if you had some images. Perhaps images of someone paying, handing a card to a server, etc. You can use some nice feel good stock photos from www.IStockPhoto.com. Even an image of one of your UMadeMyDay cards that you are selling.

I am not a big fan of the extensive use of bold fonts. Your site is hard to read because of the bold text. Save the bold for just headings. Perhaps some of the different sections can be jazzed up with a different background color or something.

I too would get rid of the Google Ads. I think it cheapens the site and the idea.

Good luck with your venture. It sounds like a great idea.

Mike

Hello.

This is indeed a nice website and a lovely concept as well! To respond to your queries:
1. The look & feel - While I agree that red is mainly to suggest aggression & seems pushy etc, it also denotes passion and I feel the use of bright orange adds to the vibrance. Actually the pale brown background and the white color background for the text area neutralises the 'loudness'. So on Look & Feel - no complaints.

2. The flow (is it easy to read/follow/find what you are looking for?) It's a fairly simple site, only I didn't know what to look for! Just visited from page to page. Like I said - a simple site & simple navigation.

3. Any suggestions: To expand, tie up with retailers and offer coupons which can be bought with your cards.. if you're not already doing it.

Finally - as a good deed for you, I've done a little bit of editing on your pages.

On the home page: Whether it is a close family member, or a complete stanger, it feels great to make someone's day.
STRANGER has an 'r' missing.

There's plenty of good to go around, and it starts with YOU." - editor of UMadeMyDay.
It should read as 'goodness' instead of good.

On the Thank You page: We love to hear about what you have done - replace with 'We'd love to hear'

All the best!
Jane

I don't like the color scheme; it just doesn't seem as "lively" as your topic. You really need some photos to create life on the pages. There is too much huge text - I feel like I'm reading a billboard.

You give people the opportunity to send a "You Made My Day Card" but don't show us what it looks like. You also don't show us what a Good Deed Starter pack is. Give a description, and put an image there so people will know what they are getting.

Google Ads are everywhere; they don't really enhance your site. If you're looking for ways to monetize it, you could join an affiliate program like Commission Junction or Linkshare, and link to products that appeal to your target audience.

It's not clear why someone would want to sign up for your newsletter. If that's a strong goal, give them a reason.

Because the sign up widget takes up the whole right column, you've lost a lot of valuable screen real estate. Consider moving the widget into the right side of your banner.

Too much text on the home page is bold. It makes it hard to scan, since the text is competing with the headlines.

Have the sample card's image on the home page (instead of the "Learn More" graphic). Simplify the card's image as well. You can remove "I know it wasn't much...pleasant", since it doesn't strengthen the card's message. You can also reduce the logo's size and better place it (perhaps in upper left).

Hello - let me start by saying that I LOVE your logo. I think it is really fabulous, modern, and yet totally simple. The colors on the site are a good choice as well.

Add Images: I agree with the comments of maybe having pics. I think people identify with people, and this being such a people-oriented site, it's definitely a must have.

Meaning / Understanding: It took me a while to understand about the cards thing. I'm still not clear on why I would purchase the cards, and I really really like the idea Jay gave to have a graphic of the card online - I think that would be a superb addition and would make things a little clearer.

Bold Text: I also agree with the comments about the bold text for the body copy parts. I think your titles and headlines are fine as is. But for the text like: "This site is all about helping make someone's day more pleasant. Whether it is a close family member, or a complete stanger, it feels great to make someone's day. We would love to hear about what you have done to make someone's day. Contact us and tell us your story! " -- that should not be bold.

Also, the following should not be bold: "My motivation is my children. I want them to grow up in a world that is full of kindness and unselfish acts. ...

So why not make someone's day? ... Make a difference in someone's life today."

Random Advice: "Thank the person who gave it to you" should also be linked along with the "click here" ... usually you want to link the text of the action as well, not just the "click here" for any given link.

Unprofessional Ads? My beef with the ads - and the right sidebar ... in general, it looks like the right sidebar and footer navigation was added as an afterthought, and actually wasn't part of the original design. I think the ads would not look unprofessional if they were actually designed into the site.

A perfect example of this is as I am typing this reply, there is a Google ad here on MProfs below the "Post My Message" button, which is designed with the site colors and it seems to fit in rather nicely on the page. It does not look like an afterthought, but actually as if it were planned into the design of the page, and therefore does not look unprofessional in the least. Your footer navigation and footer ads and your right sidebar should have that same kind of "fits in the puzzle" feeling instead of looking like it belongs to a different puzzle and was just plopped on the mat. The same goes with the newsletter sign up. It seems that it should be more a part of the design. ... hard to explain a "feeling" so I hope I described it well enough for it to make sense. I think if you discuss with your designer, they will be able to adjust the design to accommodate (kind of a pain in the creation process, but I think it will be totally worth it to you).

Your Logo:Again, I love your logo (perfect font, perfect colors, great design), I think it's good that you applied for the trademark - It is appropriately used, the left bottom application is just ... mwah! I love it! Kudos to your designer for that!!! If you have a pic of the card, and the card has the logo on it, that would be great too. ...

Overall, excellent idea, and you are very, very close to making your site show it.

Best of Luck,

Jennifer P.
XPRT Creative

Everyone here is spot on with their comments, so I won't retread ground they've already cover, but there are two points.

Google Ads. You ask if you should get rid of them altogether? YES. Replace them with something else? NO. The text and banner ads detract from the site and lower your credibility. Secondly, it makes it appear like you have altruistic motive beyond making the world a better place. (It's okay if you do, but bad if your site comes across that way).

Secondly the UMadeMyDay Cards and Thank You section took me a few moments to understand. I suggest you do a better job of explaining what the cards are, how to use them etc.

The Thank You section is also confusing. When I look at your list of thank you, I see random Deed #s but no connection to the person/people involved.

This:
- 1000cbg
- hooksett
- New Hampshire
- Thanks for your nice gesture. Left me with such a good feeling of hope.

There's no human connection, and as an outsider visiting your site for the first time, reading these make no sense to me. Obviously they are directed to the Good Deeder and not me, but if that's the case maybe you shouldn't put them up for everyone to read.

At the very least some description of what the good deed was would help. "Thanks for your nice gesture" makes me want to find out more. Being unable to is frustrating.

Best of luck!