Will Giftless fly?

Hi Paul,

First off, I don't use Facebook (I use LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+), so I would leave the site right away since there is no other option. What you want me to do besides go to Facebook is not clear. What are the steps or process, a prospect needs to go through, to use your services?

There is a login key and box at the top right however there is no explanation of the steps to join, sign-up, ask for help or contact you. Complete contact information should be on every page and the top logo should always link to the Home page from every page using that logo (which is typically every page).

Do you charge for your service (if so how much?) or is your service ad supported and free? How does your service work? I have no idea. You have, I think, what maybe the basis for of a good idea and it needs to be refined and well defined.

In my opinion, the keys to a successful website, besides Ease of Use are: Who We Are, What We Do, How You Benefit, Who We Work With, What Our Clients Say (testimonial quotes or letters from satisfied users), The Next Step...Contact Us...or Sign Up for Our Free eZine (or download our free eBook) or Follow us on Twitter (or all of these). Do you ask for testimonial letters or comments after someone uses your services?

I would avoid words like crappy (a real negative and turnoff). Why not register bestgiftideas.com or greatgiftideas.com or uniquegiftideas.com or giveagiveable.com or all of them and have them point to one main site or make them microsites? I would also register all the sites with dashes between the words such as give-a-giveable.com.

It seems two pieces of flash are going at the same time (On top of the Facebook Banner and below it). I find this a distraction and confusing. Which am I supposed to read first? Which has the most important information I need to know to stay on your site?

With all the artwork available, the site defintely needs an artwork upgrade. A good web designer would probably be a good investment. Again, easy to find on Twitter, Google Search, LinkedIn, etc.

The navigation should be a combination of text and graphics (usually on the top and side) and there should be text links to each page at the top and bottom of every page. A Site Map is also a must.

What information are you offering for free to add value to your site? What does the visitor get by doing business with you? There also appear to be no meta tags such as title, description or key words (Although I did not go and look at the source code).

Your page title is simply "Giveable". What does it mean? You can use lots of words in your title tag, so why not take advantage of this fact. Last but not least, be sure to spell and grammar check every page. Typos and poor grammar take away from crediblity as a respectable and responsible business.

Just a few thoughts...please don't take offense.

Cheers!

Ron LaVine @rslavine (Twitter)