A hybrid of mint and carfax for your home.
Target Audience: 30-60 year old home makers
Website URL: www.HomeBinder.com
No. of Feedback Providers Requested: 3
Feedback sought:
1) Look around the home page – what is your initial impression of what you see?
2) When you hear the name, why do you think it is valuable to you?
3) Are you encouraged to (create a new account, subscribe, sign up for a free trial, etc.)? Can you tell us why (or why not)?
4) Go to www.homezada.com Which on do you prefer? Why?
5) Please share any additional feedback/comments you may have.
1) Look around the home page – what is your initial impression of what you see? My initial impression of the homepage is that the colors chosen are very inviting to the initial user. I like the brightness of the white and orange throughout. In terms of the navigation, I believe that it should stand out more from the rest of the page. I also like that the homepage begins with a link to a YouTube video explaining the product that is featured above the fold.
2) When you hear the name, why do you think it is valuable to you? When I think of the word “binder”, I think of a learning tool that is supposed to help educate you. So the phrase “HomeBinder” to me, means that this website will be an educational tool that will allow me to make the best decisions in regards to me being a homeowner and keep everything together in regards to homeownership in one easy place. Binders are cohesive and allow you to add and remove things easily, so from the name I also expect that capability from the software platform as well.
3) Are you encouraged to (create a new account, subscribe, sign up for a free trial, etc.)? Can you tell us why (or why not)? Yes, I am encouraged to create a new account and try to use the HomeBuilder software platform. I am very attracted to the reminders capabilities, recall notifications on appliances and the ability to keep warranty information all together. The fact that I have a hub to store home related receipts and expenses is attractive to me as well and enticing enough for me to try the software out.
4) Go to http://www.homezada.com Which on do you prefer? Why? In terms of site design, Homezada has spent much more time on creating a more cohesive design than HomeBinder, which makes me favor their product a little more immediately. However in terms of branding name, I believe that HomeBinder has a significant advantage over Homezada, as HomeBinder truly explains the product/platform just from the name. If HomeBinder wants their product to take off, definitely consider investing the time and money into crafting a high-quality website to compete with a product that is already established in your market like Homezada. I also find it interesting the different pricing structures between the two companies as Homezada is by month and HomeBinder is by year. Ultimately, HomeBinder’s service is cheaper by a little more than $10 annually, so I would certainly try to play that cost factor up more to their advantage.
5) Please share any additional feedback/comments you may have. Definitely take more time into crafting a better site design, but I do believe that the company owner has crafted a good starting point.
1) Look around the home page – what is your initial impression of what you see?
My initial impression of the website is that it doesn’t feel as user-friendly as it should, given what it is trying to sell. I felt a little disoriented at first when trying to navigate it and wasn’t sure of what it was trying to sell me.
2) When you hear the name, why do you think it is valuable to you?
Just from hearing the name I wouldn’t be sure why or how it would be valuable to me, it would require a little more information to know the real value of the website and what it offers.
3) Are you encouraged to (create a new account, subscribe, sign up for a free trial, etc.)? Can you tell us why (or why not)?
Upon seeing what the website has to offer and navigating it and learning information about it, it offers a good premise. I think it would be very helpful and I would be motivated to create an account because I could use the services it offers.
4) Go to http://www.homezada.com Which on do you prefer? Why?
I have to be honest and say that I prefer Homezada because it seems more inviting and user friendly. Just by taking one look at the website and reading its slogan, I knew ecxatly what it was trying to sell me and I didn’t feel as lost as when I first looked at Homebinder.
5) Please share any additional feedback/comments you may have.
The website would benefit greatly from a more user friendly and inviting look. I feel that whether the look is very profesional it lacks warmth. Perhaps a great slogan that catches the eye of the visitors and delivers what the website is all about at first glance would help in not making visitors feel a little lost.
1) My initial impression of the site is good. I found it to be very informative especially the video. I loved the video. IT was very clear, precise and covered all the basics of using the website. It was a very good touch to the website. As soon as I opened the website, my eyes ran straight to it. The orange-white color combination works because it is neither flashy nor too simple. It works exactly right. I like that they have the “Start Totally Free” tab right in front. The word ‘free’ strikes everyone. And then we can see the reasons which almost everyone can relate to. So overall I thought that it is a useful website especially the video.
2) Yes, it strikes me as valuable because as the name suggests, it binds all the information at one place. IT is easily accessible by anyone we share our binder with. We can keep all the information and set it any way we like. It is easily accessible and stored online, so saves space. Best thing is that its free and so many might end up signing up even if not sure.
3) Absolutely! I would sign up. You had me with the video. I would sign up not because of the website but because of the video, which explained everything in the easiest way possible.
4) I prefer HomeZada because the site has a lot of videos and also a shorter homepage with only the right amount of information. I love that they have a few comments from happy customers on the opening page in addition to a testimonial page. This improves brand image and many users may end up signing up on the faith of such comments. I like that they have kept a shorter homepage but added new pages to the website so that if interested the user can look further.
5) I think that instead of a one page website, multiple pages website would be better because many people look at the full homepage first and then see what else is there. They might not understand at once that it is a single page website with links at the top, they might think its one whole page and get bored by the end of it. Also I think you should add a fews comments from your happy customers as a morale booster and some animation would be nice. Like for example,the reasons, instead of putting them as a list, you can use a moving ad type thing that highlights different reasons accompanied by a cartoon maybe or a picture. I think that would grab more attention and not make the website too simple and plain. Add a few more videos because the tutorial you have now is simply great.Good Luck!
Thank You!
1. I felt the homepage was very organized and informative and I feel this would be a service that would be useful for anybody who was working with contractors on their own home. I especially thought it was helpful to have a receipts and tax section which would be very helpful to keep organized, not to mention routine checks you may need or replacements you are needing to do.
2. Homebinder seems to say it offers everything you would need to keep your home information organized and all bound up in one useful tool. These things can easily slip your mind and this would be a great way to keep everything up to date and on track.
3. Yes, I would be very encouraged to set up an account especially since this can get so overhwelming and the amount of information you would be trying to keep up with. I would have a place for receipts and tax information not to mention you could keep an informative and detailed list of all contractors which I know can run into many when it comes to routine maintenance and upkeep of your home.
4. I prefer Homebinder because it had more categories to choose from and the layout was not as busy, more organized.
5. I feel this service would be used quite a bit. I have never seen this offered and I feel like it is something new and innovative. I also feel a lot of people would be in need of this since as stated before, the home building business can get very complicated and detailed in a fast amount of time. Also, you could keep track of any maintenance you are having on your house and routine checkups or maintenance you need like filters for furnaces, replacements you may need, etc. Overall, this is would be a very useful service for any home owner.