Question

Topic: Website Critique

Campaign Management Software Website Review Needed

Posted by Norwood on 4/23/2010 at 11:49 AM ET 500 Points
I'm launching a website to showcase a new product focused on managing marketing campaigns and projects and thought that no better place for a critique than here!

Please visit: www.aprixsolutions.com

Questions:
1. What do you think about the overall design?
2. Is the navigation confusing? Or can you find things easily?
3. After looking around and checking out the "demo" page, can you understand the benefits of the software, what we do, etc?
4. Any recommendations for improving SEO?
5. Other comments about the copy in general and in explaining the product?

Thanks!
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by AdsValueBob on 4/23/2010 at 1:34 PM Accepted
    Overall - pleasing site, easy to navigate and find things, and informative. A very good start (you're never done - trust me). I haven't reviewed every page in detail - just scanning as your prospects would do.

    Because of the product type (central marketing database) and the major impact a "wrong" decision of selecting a new system over battle-hardened proven systems - I was intent on discovering why I would select Aprix over other systems.

    Now the nitty gritty . . . . .

    1. Someone spent a lot of time writing all the informative content, yet it appears as somewhat overwhelming. With this type of product - it needs explanations, consider breaking up topics to even smaller sections and add informative screen shots to display what you're explaining.

    2. I didn't find an competitive comparison to show why Aprix was as good / superior to the competition.

    3. Didn't see any pricing and Spec Sheet "coming soon". Price always is a early fact of if we can even consider your product.

    4. Tech Support by email only - OUCH !!!!!!!

    5. No sample reports, no sample screen shots

    6. No mention ???? of importing, exporting, administration of users and access control, vendor access of files, standard and custom reporting, ability to customize screens (add user defined fields), integration with other industry systems like SalesForce, or ACT! or Constant Contact, etc.

    7. I don't get a feel of the level of detail the tracking and reporting provides - graphics are tasty for marketing but useless for evaluation of if you even want to spend time on a personal demonstration.

    Again - a very good start but not enough information to evaluate for me to determine if I want to investigate further.

    For a more in-depth evaluation or discussion - contact me through my profile.

    Sincerely,

    Bob
    AdsValue.com
  • Posted by AdsValueBob on 4/23/2010 at 1:39 PM Member
    Oh, I forgot to add for you to check out this web site grading checklist.

    https://www.mequoda.com/reviews-and-studies/14-website-design-guidelines-th...

    Sincerely,

    Bob
    AdsValue.com
  • Posted by Norwood on 4/23/2010 at 3:54 PM Author
    Great comments! Thanks for the reviews so far.

    One thing I always struggle with is the amount of copy on each page. It helps with SEO if you have more than one paragraph, for sure, but it can be overwhelming (as pointed out earlier) too. Some sites have really long web pages (sometimes referred to 'long sales copy') but not sure if that's the way to go.

    More videos might be the answer, because I can replace a lot of copy with a video telling the story for me. What do you think?
  • Posted by AdsValueBob on 4/23/2010 at 4:05 PM Member
    Remember we scan web sites and not read unless there is something that is what we are looking specifically for or a bullet point / graphic has sparked an interest.

    Ok to keep the long copy but have a page before that hits the high points quickly and link to the long copy if they want more detail. I figured you were SEO-focused with all that text.

    Videos are nice but time is of the essence - bullet points have a link / graphic leading to a video if they are interested and want MORE information / spend more time. Have all three - short text, long text, and a video - we all assimilate information differently.

    I didn't like spending time watching your video to find information that should have been available in 15 seconds as I was scanning.

  • Posted by AdsValueBob on 4/23/2010 at 4:55 PM Member
    I agree with Karen on keys to writing for the web. I would caution that this specific product is technical in nature, complex and has a multitude of ways to present information and a thousand questions that need not be answered on the web specifically.

    For the SEO value - content is king, but if you decide to remove / relocate content, you could provide the more expanded descriptions within an downloadable PDF on an FAQ section and still provide the information, keep Mr. Nielsen happy and include most / all of the SEO-rich meat in more concisely-crafted shorter text. Everyone is happy then.
  • Posted by Norwood on 4/23/2010 at 10:44 PM Author
    Karen,

    Thanks for the comprehensive analysis and good advice. I've been thinking what you said about the Beta program and sign up form. Our idea is to let people who sign up for the Beta program to use the software for free in exchange of their feedback.

    When we talk to companies about it and explain that they can have a marketing project management / marketing campaign tracking software app for free (at least for a good amount of time) in exchange of their views on what's working and what has to be improved they immediately like it.

    I guess this benefit (free) needs to be clear on that sign up page. Something we definitely need to address.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 4/24/2010 at 9:26 AM Member
    Your welcoming message: "Are you spending too much time on spreadsheets and not enough time on marketing / Exchange spreadsheets for a centralized marketing database" isn't strong enough. Specifically, how much better is your solution than what people are using in-house? For example, "Reduce Your Marketing Effort By 50%...And Increase Your Sales".

    Your home page is focused too much on your solution and not enough on the visitor's problem/pain. See the world through their glasses.
  • Posted by Norwood on 4/24/2010 at 10:47 PM Author
    Not sure I agree with Jay when he says the message about eliminating spreadsheets for an online marketing database is not strong enough, the companies we personally talked to shared with us what a pain it was to plan and execute marketing campaigns using Excel and when we showed them that they could ditch Excel and have all campaign, project, and show information online they were really excited.

    Sure, having a "improve by 50%..." kind of message might help and the site needs to have those figures throughout to reinforce the message.

    For feedback, we have a feedback option built in to the application so people can voice their opinions right from the system. We also plan on having calls and face-to-face meetings with select companies. Good question!

    As for tech support, it will be initially available only by email, but as we grow the plan is to offer a hot line. Not sure this will be a big issue, it will depend on the size of the company (customer) and their level of expectation. For the Beta program, support will be live and each company will be given a number to call.

    Thanks for the Yahoo PPC promo, Karen, I will check it out.

    Wow, I really like the feedback you have all given. I need to review in detail your comments this next day and see if there's anything else that was unanswered, otherwise we can close this question.

    Just one slightly off-topic question: what do you think of the idea of offering this kind of solution for marketing resource management / marketing project management as an online web-based application? I've seen a handful of companies offering somewhat similar solution but they were way too expensive and not easy to use.

    Thanks!
  • Posted by AdsValueBob on 4/25/2010 at 11:25 AM Member
    As a person who has built (small) management systems, and researched systems such as yours - for what you are now contemplating, I refer you back to an excerpt in my first post:

    "Because of the product type (central marketing database) and the major impact a "wrong" decision of selecting a new system over battle-hardened proven systems - I was intent on discovering why I would select Aprix over other systems. "

    Selecting a system no matter what size of the business is a BIG decision because you can't afford to invest months of time, money, training, and your company data into a system to later find out it lacks the capabilities that you (later) need. The change over is monumental, costly, and frustrating long-term (lack of data continuity between the old and new system).

    That is a large reason why other systems are big and bulky and expensive - because they started out lean and mean and then their customers ask for this, and then that, and then make it interface with so-and-so and before you know it -you have that big expensive system.

    Also mentioned previously, I don't see your competitive advantage highlighted - why would I use your system over battle-hardened proven systems? Price, in your product arena, isn't necessarily a good answer - being "penny wise and dollar foolish". Somebody's job can / will be on the line if they pick a less-featured system and the VP of Marketing wants to expand marketing functions and your system can't manage it.

    I hope you had clear objectives based on solid research on what unserved market niche / unfulfilled customer needs you were filling with your product. I hope your system wasn't an extension of the result of a personally needed project by a couple of sharp programmers.

    Call if you wish to discuss further.

    Bob



  • Posted by Norwood on 4/27/2010 at 9:22 PM Author
    Thanks for all the input, it has been really helpful.
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