Ask HN: Get some feedback on my startup website?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3811235

by bryce910 • 14 years ago

6 9 14 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I recently created www.confusinghomework.com. I am wanting to know what you guys think of the idea / functionality of it?

officialchicken• 14 years ago

I like the concept, but the site needs some work. The carrousel is confusing, there's no call to action, and no social proof (fb like button!). Too much space wasted at the top of the screen.

Compare to the typical web 2.0 site - https://www.mint.com - in one glance, what they can do for me and what others are saying. And a big signup button you can't miss.

bryce9104• 14 years ago

Okay thanks. I will make some modifications.

mchannon3• 14 years ago

The brushed dither look would go great on a T-shirt or a poster for a metal concert, but your target market is presumably already irritated and frustrated and your goal is to help them not be. Warmer, gentler, less confusing and less busy are what I'd want.

I can't find an obvious "begin here" spot on the page.

Your splash should also inform me whether this is a basic chat thing, phone number, or some sort of collaboration tool like GoToMeeting (now THAT would be cool).

I get the suspicious sense that you will not be able to provide your service to meet its demand with your current price structure (free still costs me time). That would keep me from even trying it because if it was any good, too many people would use it for me to get the attention I need.

That may not be the case but you have to address that concern somehow on the front page to get people to try the service to its potential.

bryce9104• 14 years ago

Thank you I will make a more obvious spot and make sure I tell them about our 1 hour policy. :)

mattvot• 14 years ago

Just got a few questions. What's the plan/idea behind it? Does it have a for-profit goal? How so?

bryce9104• 14 years ago

It is to help students get tutoring on line while also including the local feeling. Yes I haven't got a specific price/goal set but I am wanting to make a profit off of it through adds and premium service.

mchannon3• 14 years ago

It looks better; not sure I'd go with the black but it's a lot better than the industrial look it had.

The word "register" is a huge turn-off for a lot of people. It implies filling out form after form and then getting spammed while you wait in vain for help. By all means keep the button, but maybe you should call it "get started" or something.

bryce9104• 14 years ago

okay thanks! I will take a look and see what I can to do change some of that. What color would you think would be best to go with?

mchannon3• 14 years ago

You're welcome. Perhaps something light. Hacker News is very legible and down-to-business because of its light colors. I'd avoid #FFFFFF white as a background because it does look very HTML-101'ish, but a muted gray, perhaps just a tinge green, seems to work very well on HN.

Ask HN: Get some feedback on my startup website?

Related Stories