Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: Why is our new (IoT) website not translating into more conversions?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–17 of 17 posts

Re: Ask HN: Why is our new (IoT) website not translating into more conversions?

#11

Post by seekingcharlie »

I actually find it really annoying to look at this website. It seems like I have to wait for an animation effect every time I want to view information. Then, when I get the information, the copy is confusing.

You definitely need to spend some time in Mixpanel or Google Analytics & work out where people are bouncing (most likely the home page).

Something to reduce bounce that you can look at implementing: Add sections to the bottom of every page that drive navigation through to a next relevant page. For example, at the bottom of the About page, include a section such as 'View our Projects >'.

Which brings me to the next issue - where are your projects? Where is your work? Where are your clients logos, testimonials? Where's the copy of the challenges your client's had & the copy of your solutions? You need to do more than one 14px, 30% transparent heading (on a white bg btw) to show 'Happy Clients'.

Re: Ask HN: Why is our new (IoT) website not translating into more conversions?

#13

Post by KaiserPro »

First things first, what are you trying to sell?

Here you say that you are doing things for IoT, however there is literally no evidence of that in either the landing page or the homepage.

Your landing page give you a choice to look at "interaction" but it lags the living shit on my retina macbook. Still I have no clue as what you guys do. There was a temperature sensor on there somewhere. Thats a start.

So I try and press back, but can't because its disabled (ARGH!)

I then go to the website proper, and its lots of whitespace with a list of websites, with no explanation of what you guys did.

I finally noticed the menu system on the top right, clicked on it, and way presented with lots of mock static that once again lagged my browser.

The key take away here is that you need to show it to you mum/dad/sister/disinterested relative/partner. If they struggle, or ask, 'what does it do?' or 'whats it for?' start again completely from scratch.

If you are IoT people, why do you not have any examples of you work? I want to see hardware! (its not IoT unless there is hardware.) I want to see the problem you are solving. After all you might have thought about something in a new way that makes me want to do business with you.

I know its not fashionable, and in somecases orthogonal to what some angel investors are after, but be specific, down to the point, show your wares.

Re: Ask HN: Why is our new (IoT) website not translating into more conversions?

#14

Post by KaiserPro »

KaiserPro wrote: post #13

First things first, what are you trying to sell? Here you say that you are doing things for IoT, however there is literally no evidence of that in either the landing page or the homepage. Your landing page give you a choice to look at "interaction" but it lags the living shit on my retina macbook. Still I have no clue as what you guys do. There was a temperature sensor on there somewhere. Thats a start. So I try and…

The other thing to note is that people are suggesting here to use Google analytic to see where people are bouncing, I'd suggest that its much more fundamental than that.

read this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ogilvy-Advertising-David/dp/18537561...

then find what you are trying to sell, and sell it in plain terms. You are offering webdesign to businesses? they are coming to you because they don't understand web technologies. If your unable to communicate the essence of what you provide to the normal man, you are sunk at the landing page.

Re: Ask HN: Why is our new (IoT) website not translating into more conversions?

#15

Post by tonyarkles »

danielflopes wrote: post #6
jeffmould wrote: post #5

Agree with mhoad and his assessment/tips. Very confusing as to what I am supposed to do. While it does look like you put a lot of time and effort into, if I were a potential client and found your site I would really have no idea what you do or what you can offer me without having to dig through unclear screens to find it. And even your about page, while giving a general overview doesn't lead me to why you better and…

Good. Thanks Jeff! Do you have any suggestions on how to fix some of the problems? (If not, that's ok.)

As a simple heuristic, count how many clicks and how many times someone has to scroll to get to the information that you think is the most valuable. I clicked many times, and still don't really know what you do :D

Re: Ask HN: Why is our new (IoT) website not translating into more conversions?

#16

Post by jeffmould »

danielflopes wrote: post #6
jeffmould wrote: post #5

Agree with mhoad and his assessment/tips. Very confusing as to what I am supposed to do. While it does look like you put a lot of time and effort into, if I were a potential client and found your site I would really have no idea what you do or what you can offer me without having to dig through unclear screens to find it. And even your about page, while giving a general overview doesn't lead me to why you better and…

Good. Thanks Jeff! Do you have any suggestions on how to fix some of the problems? (If not, that's ok.)

Sometimes just a clear, simple webpage can go a whole lot further than trying to make pages that look "cool". Usually when they look cool to you as the developer they end up frustrating the crap out of the end user.

It's okay if you want to create an interactive part of the site, but make the user navigate to that part of the site. For example, if you are IoT company as you say, maybe have a page within the site that lets a user walk through a house or office clicking on various objects to interact with them. Show possibilities with IoT objects such as thermostats, lights, clocks, appliances, etc...

Re: Ask HN: Why is our new (IoT) website not translating into more conversions?

#17

Post by mszyndel »

danielflopes wrote: post #9
mszyndel wrote: post #8

Other people pointed to the design so let me mention one other thing - copy text. That page where I can see your team members made an awful impression on me. I understand you wanted to be cool and light-hearted but this should be at least a little work related and POSITIVE. Right now it's strange at best.

Hi Mszyndel, Thanks for commenting. 1 - Can you please clarify that you were talking about the landing page (interactions), or about the team page (whitesmith.co/team). 2- What do you mean about being "at least a little work related and POSITIVE"? That would help us see where to start solving the issues. :)

1. I mean page I get to when after loading page the first time (why is it different the second time, it's confusing?) and clicking "Explore interactions". Url you provided leads to 404...

2. "He uses his guitar to pick up girls", "He spends way too much time dealing with css animations and transitions", "Still has some trouble undestanding why everyone else doesn't think dashboards are so freakin' sexy." Those don't seem proper to me, but maybe it's cultural difference. They're irrelevant to your work and even negative (who want's to pay a guy who spends "too much time" on something?). I understand the aim was to show those people as interesting humans but I would rather learn about them being professional first.

Post reply on HN