Requesting an initial website review

[yevgueney]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to SitePoint and I like the community already. I have a new website which you can go to http://www.isupport.tk Basically users can share what they support. Categories include: Movies, games, politics, music, etc.

I would like some feedback on the usability and if you feel that you are hooked or not. If you don't feel like the website hooks you what do you think I could change to make the website more appealing?

If you do like it, spread the word!

Appreciate all feedback. Thanks!

[RyanKing1809]

Hmm... Well I don't think that splash page is necessary.

Here's my experience - Luckily the splash page didn't deter me and I continued onto the home page. There's displayed are your 4 steps -great.
The first 2 steps tell me I suppose to support something and see what others support but the next 2 seem unclear to me. So I click the about page and there's an extra sentence there that really could've been displayed on the home page but it doesn't really increase my understanding. Looking for more information I click the blog and support pages and get nothing. Meanwhile those 4 steps are displayed on each page, they take up a lot of room & I only need to be told once.

I'm a hooked? No, I would've turned around at the splash page. I have no idea what I'm doing on this website. I barely have clue what the site is about. I know it's about supporting stuff but the only thing I seem to be able to support is the website itself.



What I imagine you're trying to do is create what is essentially a microblogging platform crossed with maybe facebooks likes & interests.
What you should really do is look at how twitter does it. So you go to the twitter page, it tells you a little bit about twitter and displays a login area. So you know the first thing you need to do with twitter is login. Then once you login the first thing you see is a "status update" input doodad, so you immediately know that you are suppose to make a status update.

So what's the lesson here? You need to think 'what is the purpose of my website?' and 'how do the users achieve that purpose?' - and you need to make it the very first thing the user sees - not a splash page. So imagine what I should be seeing first of all is a user login page then a page that instantly lets me show what I'd like to support.


Just some other notes
- everything loads terribly slow
- I would recommend getting a nice logo for both you mobile app and website - and have them relate to each other
- the url doesn't change when navigating between pages on the site - this will cause bookmarking and history problems


I like your enthusiasm but don't let it cloud your judgment. There's still lots of improvements that need to be made here. Good luck!

[yevgueney]

Thank you this is extremely helpful. Maybe I should change to a platform like dolphin? I just have a really low budget ( virtually no money ) so I'm trying to use just free tools. I was trying to make the forum the pace where people shared what they supported, but still wanted to make it unique. I will get rid of the splash page and redo the welcome page to see if that helps. I will add a login part as well. Thanks again for the feedback.

[RyanKing1809]

Thank you this is extremely helpful.

No worries

Maybe I should change to a platform like dolphin?

I don't actually know what dolphin is - so maybe someone else can help you with that one.

I just have a really low budget ( virtually no money ) so I'm trying to use just free tools. I was trying to make the forum the pace where people shared what they supported, but still wanted to make it unique.

Luckily all the tools you need are free. The advantage with doing your own project is there's no deadline so you can take all the time in the world to make sure you get things right. I think a project is better done well than be out tomorrow. So don't rush things and if you have any troubles feel free ask around the rest of the forums - people are more than happy to help out.

[LMedia]

I agree that the splash page should go and there is very little describing what the site is about right up front. I have a few design issues that i noticed.. On the home page there is a box at the bottom of the page that is hovering half out of site something about "rewards" it may be an ad Get Clicky? I am viewing the site through IE 9. The Facebook but at the bottom of the same page is doubled and not viewing correctly in this version of IE.

Also, there is a report abuse bar at the bottom of the page that seems to have poor curved corners.. THis may be intentional but looks like the have not been properly croped or needs a transparent background. The middle section or banner of the page is a bit too long and forces a user with a smaller screen (laptops) to scroll down to get to the actual page content. For instance, when i get to the contact page i have to scroll down to find the contact form. I have attached a screen shot to kind of point to some of the things i found.

screen1.jpg

[John Wheal]

I don't understand the point of the welcome screen. It just gets in the way.

There is a very large gap between the main content and the footer.

Other than those points the graphics look fine and the site loads quickly.

[yevgueney]

I have fixed these problems. The rewards tool is a gamification system from Bigdoor media to enhance user engagement