started a new site whermi.com

[offroadaz]

I started up a new website but wanted to see what you thought

Heres the basic idea, I give away prizes to people for guessing the location of the photograph. Im hoping that by attracting enough people I will make a profit through advertising.

I would appreciate it if some of you would take a look and let me know what you think. Please be honest in your opinions on it. Im looking for feedback on site design, concept, ease of use and any other complaints or good things you might have to say.

The layout is pretty basic. Im using Word Press to update the site and used a free skin for the look. Eventually I would like to reskin it with something custom but I do not have the skill or cash right now to do that

Thanks

 

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[mtnman]

Well, this won't be solving any problems, so what is your goal to make people feel? Or other?

I would take a quick read of MJ's EP post again. Scan your concept and see what you can apply. I like the idea, but you will have to stimulate people a bit more I think for this concept to work. For example, you can't just tell people they will win stuff. This "stuff" is the only vehicle you have for capturing people at the moment.

"Be like big tobacco. Add more stimulants!"_mj

 

[kidgas]

My two cents (worth less now with declining dollar):

1. I like the concept, in that it seems like kind of a fun game to play.
2. The problem is that I can see myself forgetting about it with only one square being revealed each day.
3. It will sure be tough to monetize with just click on ads.
4. However, if enough people start playing, sponsors may show up and other forms of revenue may present themselves.
5. You stand to learn an awful lot no matter what happens.
6. You can't succeed without trying.

I have six kids total, 4 of them in gymnastics. I spend a lot of time at meets. My oldest son just turned twelve, is at level 7, and is working on a certain skill on the parallel bars. His coach says it is about a two-year skill, meaning it will take about two years to learn (I learned this later). It involves doing a back-flip and catching yourself with your armpits on the bars. He was at a meet a few weeks back in Ohio and ended up with a 4.8 on the P-bars. Why? Because after working on this skill for about 2 months, he tried it twice. Fell both times. He was the only gymnast at level 7 who even tried it. Everyone else stuck with the safe stuff that they could do and scored higher. So what. My kid is fastlane, and I told him I was proud of him for trying and getting back up twice and finishing.

Offroadaz,
I like the fact that you just went and did it and will modify as you go along rather than wait for the perfect plan.

 

[Z5 FILMS]

The site looks REALLY messy. Lots of different sized font sizes and styles all over the place. I have no idea what the site is even about. Win stuff? What stuff? Why? What? Where? How? When? Why should I? What's it going to do for me? Why should I just not leave the site right now?

I don't like the colors. I don't think black represents "fun", it's better for funerals. Try brighter "fun" "happy" "exciting" colors. Because the visitors are going to WIN!! Not die....

Ditch all the ads for now. You literally have more ads on there than you have entries. Wait till you have things cleaned up and have some traffic.

I'm not trying to be negative at all. I'm just trying to give you honest feedback as a casual observer.

1. Change the colors.
2. Ditch the ads.
3. Cleanup the site and make it look more organized, fun and exciting.
4. Answer the " who? what? where? how? when?"
5. The fact that you obviously went real cheap on the website tells me you're going to be real cheap on the prize too. Claiming you're going to give out a $500 prize is really hard to believe when it looks like you spend $10 and 1 hour building the site. It would be hard to convince me you would even meet minimum $25 prize. $10 website giving out $500 prizes? Nah...

As a casual observer, I have no desire to stare a a pixel on a black page that's full of ads and try to figure out what it is for a prize that I have to guess about too. Obviously you're not going to be giving out a $500 prize right out of the gate. If you you are? SHOW ME! I need some stimulation. Something to look at or something exciting to read about or both. Show me what I win. I want to drool over the picture of the new iPod. I want to dream about the free trip to Cancun and vision myself sitting on the beach. When you go to the casinos, they have the actual car spinning around on top of the slot machines, the car is lit up like a UFO and there's big bold letters right in front of it "WIN ME NOW!". Casinos do this because it works. This is what I want to see when I visit your site.

I don't want to have to guess about what I might win. Sounds like a gimmick with a huge catch. Show me the picture of the ACTUAL iPod. Show me the ACTUAL picture of the plane tickets to Cancun.

Because if you make me have to guess, I'm going to make you have guess why I left the site and did not return.


Again...not trying to flame the site at all. Just giving my feedback and trying to make it the best site I think it could be.

 

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[PEERless]

the visitors are going to WIN!! Not die...

Not a very encouraging post, but this line made me laugh out loud!

 

[aptohosting]

Hey,

If you need help redesiging your site, so that it is more dynamic and increases participation and traffic. We can do this for you, just shoot me an email at tom@aptohosting.com or call me at 1-866-404-9090 24/7/365 and we can make this awesome idea work!

Thanks,
Tom C.
www.aptohosting.com
1-866-404-9090

 

[ocean]

What if the pixels were added incrementally and the participant got a bigger prize if it took him less pixels to guess? Example:

The participant clicks the page to add pixels. The more he adds, the less he wins. You can even give each pixel a certain dollar amount based on its revealing properties.

If he guessed with 1 pixel he won a lot of money.

If he guessed with 4 pixels he won less.

If he guessed with most of the pixels, he won very little.

 

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[taichijedi]

:iagree: That sounds good, but I would recommend making the changes already mentioned to increase traffic flow and customer satisfaction. then change the scheme of the prize payout. I would definitely get tom involved with this from aptohosting, as I've been hearing nothing but good things about him and his services since I joined this forum. Also, run your payout idea by him when /if you talk to him about restructuring. He could probably implement both simultaneously.

Speed ++ for initiative and running with your idea instead of sitting in a holding pattern! Way to go!!!!

 

[offroadaz]

Thanks everyone for the honest feedback, its actually been more helpful then the feedback Ive got from some friends and family. I think they were afraid of hurting my feelings. :smxB:

I sent an email to Tom and hopefully we can work on a new design and layout.

Thanks again

 

[aptohosting]

Spoke to you via email!! Look forward to working with you.

Tom

 

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[CMK]

What if the pixels were added incrementally and the participant got a bigger prize if it took him less pixels to guess? Example:

The participant clicks the page to add pixels. The more he adds, the less he wins. You can even give each pixel a certain dollar amount based on its revealing properties.

If he guessed with 1 pixel he won a lot of money.

If he guessed with 4 pixels he won less.

If he guessed with most of the pixels, he won very little.

This is my first post and the same thought i had, then i see it already posted, bummer.

Another idea for your site would be to have categories for the pictures. Like Photohunt at bars you can have different pictures grouped like cars, national parks, buildings, etc; this way you can personalize the website for more users.

Get yourself more visible on stumbleupon.com. I am not sure how most people would be directed to your site but this seems like a good place to get better visibility/hits.