10 Awards. $5 Each. No Awards Remaining.
Sponzu assists individuals, communities and organizations in bringing their ideas to life by helping them raise the funding required to drive the idea.
Target Audience: Users of social networks (Facebook, Twitter), early adopter crowd.
Website URL: https://sponzu.com
Feedback sought:
- Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
- Are the instructions clear?
- Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
- Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
- Do you like the concept?
- Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
About Sponzu:
Sponzu assists individuals, communities and organizations in bringing their ideas to life by helping them to raise the funding required to drive the idea.
Unlike traditional crowdfunding platforms, Sponzu asks for people’s time, not money. Supporters of ideas simply have to donate time to watch a short video ad provided by one of our sponsors, in order to donate funding towards an idea. Supporters of ideas have the opportunity to contribute further funding by rating the video, providing feedback on it, completing marketing surveys, and sharing the idea, as well as sponsor’s materials within their social networks. Through the collective viewing of ads, ideas attract their funding and our sponsors add significant value on their sponsorship: creating goodwill and generating brand exposure, product awareness, brand associations, and positive PR.
Sponzu’s mission is to encourage all ideas, no matter how small or unrealistic they might seem. We want to help people realize that difference can be made without significant capital investment. By sharing a small fraction of their time anyone can make a dream come true!
Our model relies on self-promotion, where idea owners are encouraged to spread their ideas with friends and across social networks to attract supporters. Idea supporters are in turn encouraged to solicit their networks to fund the idea.
10 Awards. $5 Each. No Awards Remaining.
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about? I think the site is a way to post new idea videos and profit from the ads placed on the ads by people that actually watch the videos.  It’s also a site for people to watch new ideas being presented through video.
Are the instructions clear? Yes. The instructions for submitting an idea are very clear. I think that it would be something that can be done in a very short period of time.  The instructions for supporting an idea are also very self explanatory.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process? Actually, it’s a very easy fun process. Watching the ad video was totally pain free, short and sweet. I enjoyed the fact that it was this easy to support an idea and I feel good about helping.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not? I did register. I did not use the Facebook connect because I do not have a Facebook at this moment. I think that it is something I will consider in the future though.
Do you like the concept? I do like this concept. I like the fact that you place a “current theme” and that all ideas must go along with that theme. That kind of limits the spam, so I feel better about supporting the ideas that are on the site.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not? I definitely would have no qualms about submitting an idea on here. I think it’s a great, positive way to earn revenue from the ads all while doing so for a worthy cause.    I feel very secure in knowing that all ideas and screened for verification as well.
Great site. I will bookmark and use it often!!
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about? The site appears to be a way to advertise ideas and get support for funding it through others and by watching ads.
Are the instructions clear? The instructions are clear but it was a lot of information to intake.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process? The process is easy, especially for those who are already registered on Facebook (most people are).
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not? I registered because the concept of the site is not only original, but productive and inspires me to do something to promote my own ideas while supporting others’. I used Facebook connect because I was already on Facebook and the connection will allow me to stay informed on the developments of the site without having to log on everyday.
Do you like the concept? Yes.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not? The only thing that would make me hesitant to submit an idea is thinking I have a million dollar idea that someone would steal and patent.
Feedback sought:
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
The tagline is: Watch Ads to Fund Ideas. The How it Works section shows that ideas are promoted as ads until the right audience (the sponsors) are intrigued enough to fund the idea.
Are the instructions clear?
Yes. First you submit a text title and description, add an idea image, a funded goal amount, tags, and an external link if applicable.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
Wow. I really have to admit that this makes the process of seeking sponsors a lot easier. I think it is really great.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
I registered manually but did not Facebook connect. I did not want to connect via Facebook and have it post a reference to Sponzu to my profile without me first really checking it out for myself. I don’t believe in promoting something before trying it.
Do you like the concept?
Oh yes. I really do. I think it is great and will even think of coming up with an idea.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
Yes I would. Here is my question (before investigating further on your site): Are there any strings attached? I mean, does a finished product have to be submitted before the sponsors, or is there a future obligation to fulfill any promises to the sponsors, or is their funding looked at as a “no-strings attached†donation out of goodwill?
Actionable suggestions: I like the Featured, Recent, and Popular categories. I would be very interested in seeing the fully funded projects or any that have “made it†through the process. I do realize this site may be so new that none have fully been funded yet, but I think it would do a lot for the credibility of this site to see one or more that have been through the process and even a happy ending or a project completed. That would show the users that this is a proven way to get things done, and give potential sponsors a morale boost that the idea will come to fruition. This section would be much like a Testimonial section on some websites.
Question:Â Are the tags (section) searchable on search engines (ex. Yahoo, Google)? I asking to see if Search Engine Optimization principles are utilized on this site to gain attention from web searches and possibly bring in more support?
Site errors: In the FAQ’s section, as I am reading questions the actual questions are in bold 4/5 of the page, and the bottom fifth of the questions are not in bold. Then at the very bottom, there is a sentence fragment/partial sentence reading “nd will not be paid out to ideâ€Â I am confused by what this goes to, or if it is just a typo that shouldn’t be there. I would recommend removing it ASAP, because it deters from the site credibility/professionalism.
Also, on the Terms of Use page, the font varies and does not look professional. I do not understand why the Paragraph headers and titles are in smaller fonts than the actual paragraphs, and also why in the Acceptance of Terms section the paragraph starts out small then there is a sponzu link, and then the font magically gets larger from the rest of the way out. I recommend you fix this ASAP, because it does not look professional.
Lastly, this is a personal thought and opinion, but when I see the word “beta†on the brand name, it gives me a feeling that you will not be around or do not intend to be around a long time. I don’t think you want to give potential users the feeling that you might pack up and leave town halfway through funding an idea. That makes me very cautious about using your services.Â
Other than these last comments under site errors, I think you have a good idea, and overall the site works. I hope to propose an idea in the near future!
Legend:Â ASAP = As Soon As Possible
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
With the short time looking at the site, I am unclear about the details of your project, but am very interested. Appears to offer a way to watch ads to earn money for projects that you like.
Are the instructions clear?
The simple graphic on the page makes it very easy to understand the steps of the process. I am eager to try it. I like the extra information you provide the link for in the graphic to allow us to get more information without it cluttering the main page.Â
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
It was EXTREMELY easy to support the project. I liked the way you offered the connections with social networks, but did not require it. I would like to have had some idea how much my viewing contributed to their project or maybe some other way of feeling like I actually made a difference.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
I did not use Facebook because I did not want my personal life connected with random people. I keep it very private.
I did register.  The process was extremely easy.
Do you like the concept?
I think the concept is wonderful. I love the idea of supporting projects I am passionate about even though I can not financially afford to. Being a special ed. teacher myself, I love the idea for submitting a project for me class.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
Yes I would and I am considering adding a project myself. I am considering posting a project for my class and am going to continue to review the site after this evaluation.
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?Are the instructions clear?
Design seems good,and of course it is clear that everyone can understand the aim of site when they read “how it works” part on the home page.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
Everything is simple and clear so you can easily submit your idea or leave feedback,etc..It is also good as a social responsibilities.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
No,but i think i will do it.Because now i haven’t any project or idea.
Do you like the concept?
As a social project,the concept is very good.I can advise it to my friends.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
Yes.Because i like the project very much and it is a good to support like these social projects.
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Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
I usually have no problem looking for a few seconds, but I really had to pull myself away to be honest on this question. First gut feeling regarding what your site is about: Some type of program where I can watch commercials online and earn money for a non-profit I support. Honestly, though, I had to search for your headline. There is way too much text on the homepage. Mostly, the distraction comes from your main image. It has an important purpose, explaining how your service works; however, most people are spending 3-5 seconds on the homepage before determining if it’s worth their time. I have to be honest, I wouldn’t have stayed on your page, even though I am involved heavily with several non-profits in my area and I think this would be cool. It’s simply too hard to find what I need quickly. Your nav is very simple; however, a “How†tab could hold much of what is on your homepage – it’s just so busy. I’d recommend a much cleaner homepage with a larger banner image that supports your mission, simple copy, and fewer examples of recent organizations. Clean and simple – let people figure out what it is you do first, so that they can easily find instructions and move forward.
Are the instructions clear?
From the image on the homepage – sort of. I understand that I’m choosing an organization and watching ads to gain revenue, but “Submits idea and promotes it after approval†needs some more clarification. So I can’t just support an organization, I have to come up with a specific project from within that organization, then get approval? It seems a little complicated, and not nearly as straightforward as the image suggests.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
Extremely easy! Supporting an idea could not be easier, and a simple :30 spot does not require any major commitment or special software. The process is VERY easy.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
It’s funny you ask, because I was about to connect with FB, but I hesitated and registered instead. I, personally, am finding my news feed cluttered with organizations I arbitrarily “liked,†preventing me from seeing news I consider more important (no offense). Lately, I’ve really tried to scope out companies, organizations, etc, and determine whether their news is something of interest to me, and “worth†going on my news feed.
Do you like the concept?
I love it. As I mentioned, I am a big supporter of non-profits in my area, through volunteering PR services. This is another way to support important organizations – and an extremely easy way I think your idea is great, and your implementation is very good. My only suggestions are to simplify the homepage and elaborate more on a “how†subpage, and to make it more clear how organizations can become involved.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
Aha – I finally found some information about how to submit an “idea.†I appreciate your mission, and the notion of having an “idea,†so I won’t debate the merits of that, versus simply signing up an organization. I would think that a fair amount of traffic initially will come from organizations wanting to submit a project, so again, not to beat a dead horse, but a more clear set of directions/benefits statement for organizations, and instructions in general, would be a big help.
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Thank you for your feedback! It is very valuable and much appreciated!
Thank you for your feedback!
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
I as the owner submit my idea, supportrs watch ads provided my sponsors and inturn the sponors the owners idea. I must say that it took me longer and 10 seconds to figure out what your site was about. I required more reading and a quick glance did not do it justice. It’s visually catchy but it was not simple to understand, I had to read it a couple of times. I would like to see a sample video. It would be nice if you could put each idea into catergories so that if someones want to support animals they could just click that section. I guess it seems that you have this listed under tags. The tagline or header would not elude me to that information. The tabs at the top need to be redone, they seem to fatured much of the same information which is confusing. I think the layout needs to be cleaned up as far as how the ideas are shown.
Are the instructions clear?
As I stated above it visually alluring but it’s easy to understand if your going for quickness. If you break each step ino it’s own box that connects to each other with arrows, or something of the like, it might easier to follow. Again a video of how your idea owner, supports and sponors work would be a great tool for any user.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
I don’t have a facebook account so I was slightly turned off by that but you pulled me back in because I would still support the idea just my simply skipping that step. I video I watched was quick and short. I done in know time. It was so quick and easy I could see watching several with ease knowing that I was supporting such great ideas. The owner gets funding and sponors get advertising, great give and take.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
I am a little confused with the section because I don’t see where to register at. All I see is a section with a facebook login. If you have your own separate login I must have missed it. I hit the register tabs serval times and it said the same thing. I don’t under stand what the login section is for being that you only have the facebook login. I would like to have the option of logging in with your site directly or facebook.
Do you like the concept?
The concept in one that is very noble and easy to support. It was really nice to a tab that showed verified. That show creditbility to the owner of the idea.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
I could certainly see myself submiting an idea/ project. I would like to see more detailed information about the people submiting idea (bio/profile) and more informtion about what people are support (schools, parks etc.)
Again great site.
Thank you for your feedback and for pointing out some HTML issues. These were already taken care of.
To address your questions/suggestions:
1) Yes, the tags and the ideas are SEO friendly.
2) We will certainly feature successfully funded ideas as soon as we have some. (the site has been in production for only a few weeks)
3) There are no strings attached. We do reserve the right to audit successfully funded projects and to make sure the money is used as promised.
Thank you for your feedback!
Looking forward to receiving your idea!
Thank you for your feedback!
Looking forward to your idea submission!
Thank you for your feedback, it is very helpful!
Thank you for the feedback!
Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
After just glancing through the site, I think the idea is to help people get funding for their ideas, by having supporters watch sponsored videos.
Are the instructions clear?
Yes, the instructions are very simple and very clear. Â The FAQ section on the site explains everything you need to know.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
I was very surprised by how short the video ads are. Â It’s so easy and quick to support an idea. Â Also, I really liked that you don’t necessarily have to log in or even register to be able to support an idea. Â I clicked on one of the ideas, watched a 30-second video and that was it. Â This gives people a chance to actually see how it works before registering.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
I did not register, since I wasn’t required to do so to support ideas, but if I had any idea that needed funding I would have. Â I think the option of registering via Facebook connect is good, but the only reason I did not register that way is because of privacy concerns. Â I think it accesses a little bit too much information than it needs and it’s actually available for anybody to access it from the site.
Do you like the concept?
I think this site is great, because a lot of times, people want to help a cause, but they don’t have any money, specially with so many people hurting financially. Â With this concept everybody wins: Â the idea owner, the supporters and the sponsors.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
I would most definitely submit an idea, because it’s a easier way of getting the financial support I would need without having to ask people for money.
Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about? Not really sure how the process works. Understand that you suggest an idea, but not sure of the supporter and video ad part.
Are the instructions clear? No, very vague but I do understand that a video has to be watched for the idea to be realized. Still not sure how one receives money after it has enough supporters. Also, do you screen the ideas or can anyone post anything?
Support an idea. What do you think of the process? Very easy and a plus was not a long video to watch.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not? Did not register, but did use my Facebook account to log in. This made it easy to use.
Do you like the concept? I am really intrigued by the concept, and think some really good things could happen for people and communities.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not? Yes, I would submit an idea, because it seems very easy to do. Just need to figure out how the money issue works.
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Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about? I think it is abundantly clear that you watch ads to fund ideas. I like the graphic illustration in the yellow “How it works†box. I think that it is clear and helps people like me who need visual instruction to grasp the concept.Â
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Are the instructions clear? I think that you need a “get started†button or link. I am assuming that I need to register if I want to be an idea owner or if I want to be a supporter. I went to the FAQ green tab on the right and read the entire thing. It was complete in that it told you how to submit an idea, how you verified the idea, and the process for retrieving money, getting supporters etc.Â
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Support an idea. What do you think of the process? I thought the process was simple. The video was only 30 seconds of time. I thought that giving you the option of sharing the idea to get your friends to support it was a good idea.Â
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Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not? Yes I registered. I didn’t use my facebook connect because I don’t want my page full of ads so I generally don’t use my facebook connect for any sites.Â
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Do you like the concept? The concept is great. My main concern is funding people blindly. I don’t like that the revenue for ideas goes into the owners paypal account.  There is no accountability. How do I know that these funds won’t be used to pay their rent? This opens the site up for a ton of fraudulent activities. I would be more comfortable if I knew that the funds were going directly to the organizations that they are supporting. Ie. The mom who wants book for her son’s school: There has to be a way that Sponzu can send a check directly to the school. The distribution of the funds needs to be verified, that’s where fraud will take place. Otherwise this is just a site where people can make extra spending money at the cost of organizations who may really need it.
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Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not? I would be interested in submitting an idea because I work for several non-profit organizations like the YMCA, and churches. I think it’s a great idea if charities really get the funds.
We appreciate your feedback, thank you!
Thank you for your feedback!
The money is transferred to idea owner’s Paypal account upon successful funding of the idea.
Thank you for your feedback! You raise some interesting points that will certainly be considered.
$5 awarded to zeke2100.
$5 awarded to MomKelly2.
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
I think the site is about giving people the ability to advertise their charitable ideas by promoting them to sponsors and get a sponsor to pick up the idea and back it up with funding.
Are the instructions clear?
I had to review the “How it works” a few times to get it because I didn’t realize that supporters could be anyone who likes the idea such as myself I then watch the ad which in turn generates funds toward the idea supported. For people like myself, an example would be easier to understand, for example, personalize it like this:
Idea Owner: John Doe Submits the idea and Sponzu promotes it after approval.
Supporters: You or anyone could support the idea just by watching the video ads..all we ask is your time!
Sponsors: Revenues come from the ads you view to fund the idea
When instructions are personalized they are much easier to understand and apply.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
The process couldn’t be easier. I expected to register to something or sign up to something, but, clicking on the support this idea link took me straight to the ad, the human verification factor and sharing the link. I had to do nothing but select my choices. When a process is this simple it encourages me to do more for the cause as it shows me legitimacy and honesty on their part. I immediately gain confidence on the site is really for a good cause.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
I register the regular way and not through Facebook because I rather create a username and not sure if by connecting via facebook I’d be creating an account. I still would “like” Sponzu through Facebook because it is a very easy way to promote a good site such as sponzu and spread the word to gain more idea makers and supporters to benefit one another.
Do you like the concept?
I love it. There is nothing better than helping others help others and this is a win win scenario where money is made by the viewers of advertisements, but, funds are also shared for humanitarian and environmental purposes that benefit everyone as a whole.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
Absolutely yes because there are a ton of ideas to promote a good cause, there is always a need to help something or someone for the greater good and governmental funding can only go so far and has its limitations. This concept allows everyone to help give what everyone has: TIME. It’s a great idea and there are no excuses to not help a good cause. Best of all, it fosters humanitarian, ecological, environmental concern and it encourages a pay it forward attitude. Everyone and anyone could feel empowered to promote a good cause through Sponzu.com.
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
“Watch ads to fund ideas” says it all. The top of the page shows a picture of exactly how it works which I think is very useful.Â
Are the instructions clear?
The instructions were clear but I read the “learn more” and the “FaQ”, to give me a better understanding on how it works which I found very useful.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
I really enjoyed doing this. It was easy to understand and easy to do. I really enjoyed watching the videos. It makes you feel good to be able to help and support someones idea.Â
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
Yes I registered and no I didn’t use facebook but only because I like to check out sites before connecting any of my social accounts to it.Â
In the future, I will be using Facebook to connect to the site.Â
Do you like the concept?
I love the concept. I think it’s a great idea. I like the fact that anyone could submit ideas and all ideas are accepted. It’s nice for everyone to have a chance to be heard.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
Yes I would!! I think this would be a great way to get my idea or project heard.Â
Suggestions:
There are a few things that need to be fixed on your site. I noticed a few grammar errors on the “FaQ” page. If you want to come accross professional and for people to take you serious, it is really important that you do not have any grammar errors.Â
The “FaQ” page looks strange, like someone did it in a hurry. Why are some questions “bold” and others aren’t?
The site is a great idea!! It is easy to understand and easy to navigate. I would just change a few things on the “FaQ” page.Â
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
Fantastic & user friendly site. The tagline ‘Turn ideas on! Watch ads to fund ideas’is awesome.
Are the instructions clear?
Clearly defined website, not all sites has it on themain page. Prob my two cents comments: do you think you should include a small kinda legend like supporters/sponsors (who they are).
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
In terms of the featured ideas, i think you need to have a small classified by category maybe. the pictures could be scaled to slightly smaller.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
I’m sorry I do not register as of now, but maybe in coming future. I just donot want to fill up my mailbox with all sorts of mails, from a web or social pages.
Do you like the concept?
Honestly, the entire concept is awesome!
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
Definitely i would yet to contribute to each other too.
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
It’s very easy to understand what the site is about thanks to the pictogram thing (Sorry I can’t think of the proper term off the top of my head) that drew my attention as soon as I went to the site. I submit an idea,I get funding for my idea from people watching ads. If I understand it correctly,this seems to work off the tried and true paid to click/watch ads bundled up with the micro loan concept. I don’t mind saying that, at this stage in my review I’m actually quite excited about this site.
Are the instructions clear?
The instructions are very clear. I read the FAQ and learn more page just to make sure I understood how everything works. Both pages are informative and well written.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
Very easy and painless. And from a personal standpoint I love the human verification,I’m one of those guys that really hates squinting at sometimes extremely hard to read captcha’s,your process is so much easier,less frustrating and fast. I know that’s a seemingly small point,but it was a big plus for me,and would encourage me to support more.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
I did register,and I did use Facebook connect. I used it because I almost always do when it’s available. I know that not everyone likes to connect their Facebook to external sites,so the fact that you also provide a traditional registration is a big plus in my book.
Do you like the concept?
As a supporter, I love it. I love helping people out, and so do a lot of other people,but a lot of times we’re inhibited by our own finances,this site does a very nice job of demolishing that road block. One problem I do have is the same one I have with micro loan sites. You don’t really know if the money that’s going to the idea submitters is really going to go to their idea. As far as I know, I guess there’s really no way for you guys to know for sure. On that note, I was looking through the idea application,I think it needs to be a little more in depth for you guys to verify it. It seemed too easy and no real proof seemed to be required to submit an idea. There’s really nothing you can do if they use the money for something else after you send it, so I’d do a little more to make sure that the idea is actually real before verifying it. This is just coming from what I could see, if you guys have protocols for verifying then that’s awesome.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
You bet I would. I’m really liking it,because it’s one of them win win situations-I get funds for my idea-supporter’s get to help people with things that could really make a difference-advertisers get visibility while helping people (To some business people, like myself, advertising while helping people is just cool)-Sponzu gets paid for providing this resource. Not one unhappy person or group of people there,which in my opinion is just an amazing business model that should last and grow.
Further suggestions
This goes off the subject of the review parameters,but I want to bring it up. Reviewing this site made me look into advertising with you. The sponsor info was the first page on the site that I didn’t really like. I would have liked to see a good deal more information without having to contact anyone. Maybe some pricing plans, an advertiser FAQ,just really all the information an advertiser could want, help them decide. I recommend making an actual advertiser page,complete with FAQ and how everything works. Also from an advertisers view, are you just going to stick with video ads? Or are you going to expand into time limit ads, or visiting an advertisers site for a set time? This information would be awesome to be able to see on the advertisers page I recommended.
As a side note
This site is very well refined for a startup. I can usually find at least one extreme con that I think really needs to be fixed. This leads me to believe that
A: The team behind this site is just that good,or
B: The team is responding very fast and well to all feedback it receives.
I’m going guess B. If that’s true, then that gives me even higher hopes for for the future of this site. In any case,this site gets two thumbs up from me (Which I don’t give very often,in two years of testing sites I think I’ve given three or four sites double thumbs up) So good job you guys and keep it up. Thank you very much for letting me review your site.
Dustin
Dustin,
Thank you for you feedback! All points are well taken and we will be improving very soon, especially the Sponsors page. Please come back within a few days to see the new page. In the meantime, if you are interested, please feel free to contact me and I will send you the sponsorship package for review.
Regarding our verification process. We do have a project approval process, where we review all submitted ideas and unfortunately have to decline some. We have a further layer of verification where idea owners submit documents to us and if all is well their ideas get a Verified badge. We are looking to improve on this process as well.
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Again, I thank you for the feedback!
Thank you for the feedback, hope you visit us again soon!
Thank you for your feedback and suggestions. We will certainly review FAQ page to make sure it is professional and well-written.
Thank you! We will certainly look into clarifying the process better.
$5 awarded to starvingsquirrel.
Feedback sought:
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about? You post a task or event that you want to carry out and people can donate to that cause by watching an ad???????
Are the instructions clear? Yes.Â
Support an idea. What do you think of the process? The process is very simple.
Did you register? No. Did you use Facebook connect? No. Why or why not? I am a huge supporter of all things to help anyone. I do not like using Facebook to connect to outside websites.
Do you like the concept? I love the concept. It is a way to allow any and everyone to help someone or their cause.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not? Yes, I do think that I would submit an idea because this gives another way to build support (funds) that requires no more time than signing up, getting the word out that it is posted on this website and the usual maintenance of the account.
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
Watch ads to fund ideas. So clear and crisp. On the first 2-3 seconds, I already know what it is about, and on the next 10-15, I know how it works – using your central image.
I think you did a great job on the logo and name, plus the organization of the first page. You have quick info for people who never visited the site, and also the list of featured ideas for the ones coming back. Never loose this focus – a main page for the new and old users.
Are the instructions clear?
Absolutely, this is your biggest asset, in my perspective. I read the material in many of your pages, FAQ’s, Sponsor Ideas, etc, and they are complementary and clear. You can grasp the concept in seconds, you just need more ideas to be funded!
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
I see some potential for improvement here. Not on the process itself, that is clear and straighforward (A big plus for the message “It seems that you stepped away from the computer” – Not fooling the advertisers is a long term win and also the human verification at the end), but you could improve the User Interface, better corners, slicker design (like your logo, I might add).
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
I don’t use Facebook. I registered by the normal process. Also, Gmail alone has 200M daily users, FB has 250M, consider adding a Google login.
Do you like the concept?
Yes, I see a lot of potential in your concept. I think that are some rough edges to clean, but the most important thing is there – meaning. I think that as a medium term objective, you should add a local layer. Think about it for a second. If you scale this idea to your local community, the engagement will absolutely explode!
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
I would definitely submit an idea for funding. For many reasons:
I believe in the power of the mass crowd, so I know that I could fund the idea, even if my friend didn’t agree – the underlying emotional factor makes a huge win here.
I don’t have nothing to loose, if it’s not funded. Not having collateral means no risk, but it can also mean that you’ll have also bad ideas, but you are already taking care of it by pre-selecting them.
You are social centered. Don’t loose this.
Oh, did I tell you about my local interaction idea?
Overall, I think your concept will prove to be a success, and you’ll have many ways to improve the concept. Some of the ideas I referred here, but I will definitely keep a close eye on you see how you develop!
Thanks for the opportunity, and best of luck, Sponzu Team!
Thank you so much for the feedback and your ideas. We are certainly looking into adding categorization by location, so come back soon to see this option.
Thank you very much for your feedback! Hope you share some of your ideas with us soon!
$5 awarded to jdcaraujo.
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
The site seems to be about being able to submit ideas and raise funds by watching the video.Â
Are the instructions clear?
The instructions are very clear and seems like a very easy process to submit ideas to help your community
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
The process was very easy, I just clicked on the tab and watched the video and then confirmed that I was a person!Â
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
I did register but did not go thru facebook. I wanted to learn more of the process before promoting this page on my facebook account
Do you like the concept?
I love the idea. This is a great way to raise money for the benefit of your community. You can also get ideas out there for other to see and help raise more funds.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
I would definitely submit an idea. What a better way to get your ideas out there for others to see and assist with raising money. By doing this, more people might get involved and help make their community a better place and it doesn’t cost them anything.Â
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Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about? The website is a new way to raise funding for ideas. Â The person submits an idea for approval, and then views ads. Â The sponsor pays for ads viewed, and the person with the idea gets the needed funding.
Are the instructions clear? The instructions are very clear and easy to understand.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process? I think it is a great process, and in fact, I am going to recommend it to my kids’ school because they are trying to raise funds for a building addition.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not? I did not yet register, because the instructions for this feedback said to only view the site for 10 seconds. Â I am planning on going back to register and connect my Facebook.
Do you like the concept? Yes, I love the concept. Â It is so hard to fund raise for new ideas, and this new idea for fund raising is so interesting that I have to give it a try.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not? Yes I would submit an idea or project. Â In fact, I am planning on presenting this idea to the director of my kids’ school tomorrow because I think it is a very cool opportunity.
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
Its very clear once you get to the site that you can watch ads to fund ideas. Its just the right mixture of colors without being too bright or dull.
Are the instructions clear?
Yes. I really liked the little sketch showing how it works and the simplicity of the idea. Also the FAQs were very easy to understand and explains everything quite well.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
I think the process is very simple. Having the ability to share the information with facebook and twitter is a great idea. I also enjoyed the commercial that I viewed to support the idea. It was very interesting, and gave me some new information.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
Yes I did register, but not through facebook. I did not connect through facebook, because I would rather have a separate user name and learn more about the different ideas to support before promoting the site.
Do you like the concept?
I love the concept. Its nice to know that someone thought of this idea to support different causes through viewing ads. It seems like a win win situation for all those involved and anytime you can help out the community is always a good thing.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
I definitely would submit an idea/project, because it looks like people who are a part of the site actually care to help others. I believe it would be a perfect vehicle to drive promotions and get attention on what matters most, the cause that needs funding. I see a bright future for this site, and wish you great success. If ever I have an idea to submit, I will definitely bring it to this site for promotion.
Thank you for your comments!
Thank you for your feedback!
Schools are certainly a great candidate for raising money via our site, we have a couple, so would be great to see more.
Thank you for your review!
What do you think about this site?
This site seems to be a good way to get started with videos to make money. It explains clearly exactly what you need to do.
Are the instructions clear?
Yes, the instructions a clear, simple and to the point. They tell you exactly what to do and how to get started.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
I think the process is simple and overall a great idea. Sharing things via twitter and facebook are a new norm in most peoples lives and this is a great easy way to monetize on this.
Did you register? Did you use FAcebook connect. Why or Why not?
No at this time I did not however I bookmarked the page so that I can register soon. I am in the process of changing my facebook login and therefore I want to register with my new information.
Do you like the concept?
I do. I think that it is a great way to reach out to people as well as help a community.
Would you support an idea/project if you had one? why or why not?
Yes definately!! This is a great way to get a message out and I would be first on board with my support!
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
I like the look of the site. I like the color scheme and it is easy on the eyes. The idea also is pretty catching from a glance.
Are the instructions clear?
When I first looked at the page, I kind of got what the idea was but wasn’t sure. After I clicked on the learn more button, I fully understand what the site was about. The way the site presents everything is very clear and easy to understand.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
I think the process is pretty easy. I like how you can register or use facebook. I am not a big fan of using facebook to sign into other sites, so I like that you can still register on the site and sign in that way.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
I registered but I didn’t use facebook. I did not want to use facebook because I do not like when other sites or applications access and use the facebook.
Do you like the concept?
Yes, I do like the concept. I like how it lets anyone that has an idea get heard. Not everyone that has an idea has the funds to support the idea. It is nice that you can support ideas in order to help fund them. I haven’t seen a site like this and I like it.
Would you support an idea/project if you had one? why or why not?
Yes, I would support an idea or project. This would be a perfect way to get the funding that I don’t have. I would also support ideas because people need a chance as well.
* Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
It is about getting the cash needed to carry out an idea. The financial support is obtained with advertising.
* Are the instructions clear?
I had to look at it a few seconds and pay attention to the flow of the lines, and then it is clear.
* Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
Very easy and simple. It is a no brainer. I like the simplicity.
* Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
I registered. I didn’t use facebook because many of these applications send messages which may not only a bit annoying to me but to my friends as they can see all the comments posted on my wall. On the other hand, I’m a bit concerned with allowing my details to too many companies through different applications.
* Do you like the concept?
I think that the idea is simply brilliant. It is a win-win situations for advertisers and fund raisers. It is also a good way of getting something really good from advertising.
* Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
I may do but the funds that you can get through this system is extremely low and therefore that may be a concern. If you want to get any serious amount to start a business, it may take ages. But for small amounts, it could work fine and it could be a great way of getting the cash.
Also, it looks like it is not to create a small business first, because it would hard to raise that amount. Even the smallest business would need USD 1000 or 2000, second because most of the projects seem to be chartity or social.
It is great that you want to improve the site and have a feedback/suggestion tool and a tag system. I do miss a searching tool. What if a friend ask me to support his/her project and I can’t find it?
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about? I think this site is a way to fundraise for users ideas  by supporting them with your time instead of money (watching ads that they get paid for.)
Are the instructions clear? Even after 10 seconds it seems that the site would be pretty simple to figure out. It’s sort of unclear what you mean by instructions – was it “how it works” at the top of the page? The FAQ? Or About us? The page that gave me the most information was the FAQ.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process? At first when I clicked “support this idea” nothing happened but the page was covered with an opaque grey. Then I realized that I had an ad block app on, and disabling it fixed the problem. I thought the process was quick and easy and also  felt good to know that I helped support someone’s idea.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not? I did register but I did not use facebook connect. I didn’t check what permissions the app would require but in general I like to keep my accounts separate.
Do you like the concept? I love the concept, I think it is very generous and creative. I will definitely be returning to the site.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not? I would in some cases; however, with something like an invention I would want to keep it to myself for fear of someone else copying my idea or patenting/registering it as their own.
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about? I think this site is a way to fundraise for users ideas  by supporting them with your time instead of money (watching ads that they get paid for.)
Are the instructions clear? Even after 10 seconds it seems that the site would be pretty simple to figure out. It’s sort of unclear what you mean by instructions – was it “how it works†at the top of the page? The FAQ? Or About us? The page that gave me the most information was the FAQ.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process? At first when I clicked “support this idea†nothing happened but the page was covered with an opaque grey. Then I realized that I had an ad block app on, and disabling it fixed the problem. I thought the process was quick and easy and also  felt good to know that I helped support someone’s idea.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not? I did register but I did not use facebook connect. I didn’t check what permissions the app would require but in general I like to keep my accounts separate.
Do you like the concept? I love the concept, I think it is very generous and creative. I will definitely be returning to the site.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not? I would in some cases; however, with something like an invention I would want to keep it to myself for fear of someone else copying my idea or patenting/registering it as their own.
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
I think this is a way for people with little or no start-up money to fund business/investment/ect type ideas by giving comapnies exposure to their ads
Are the instructions clear?
Yes. They are clear, but In any site that involves ads, I worry about scams, and requiring “completing offers from sponsors”
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
Actually, it’s quite simple. No catches, no “offer signups”, and the ad was very short. A small, charitable price to pay for something you want to support.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
No, I did not use FaceBook connect because more often than not, applications and things you link your FaceBook to send spam and ads to your wall/NewsFeed
Do you like the concept?
Yes, I do, and I think its a great way to be charitable!
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
Yes, I would, because It’s a hassle-free way to gain support and funds. Great idea!
$5 awarded to Nuria.
$5 awarded to mizzcurlysue.
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
-I find the site very interesting. The color is attractive and professional for both kids and adults. The design is professional as well. I must emphasize that it is very creative and attractive.
Are the instructions clear?
-Precisely, when you first open the site you can easily get what the site is for because of the illustration at the top of the page.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
-I’d say it is very unique and I have to be honest with myself that this is one of the most creative way to seek sponsorship. It’s like killing to birds with one stone. For users like us. You can watch a short, fun video and at the same time you get to help a community with their project. Very brilliant Idea.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
-I use facebook to login since it is easier than registering. But there’s one thing that makes me wonder. It just said “Login” But why did it ask me to allow/don’t allow the application to my profile. I was expecting a Username and Password fields. Anyway, it is easier that way since I just need to click on the facebook login button for me to get in.
Do you like the concept?
-Indeed, the concept is exceptionally brilliant. The idea of helping the community and the sponsor without losing anything at all. Impressive I’d say.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
-I might submit an idea since I also belong to a small community and we are just starting. Once our community gets a considerable amount of members, we might also consider starting an activity which will benefit both our party and the sponsors.
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Creative Criticism and Comments:
-When first open the page, I tried to click one of the “Support this idea” button. And it asked me to login and I did login using facebook which like I said it asked me to allow the application to my profile. I found out that is because I’m already logged in to facebook. Anyway, I logged out to test something out. I logged out to facebook and I refreshed the page. And again tried to click on one of the “Support this idea” button and it didn’t asked me to login anymore. Why is that? Does that mean that I only need to login once and I will be able to support ideas? Another thing. When after I logged in. The “Login” message still says “Login” I believe it should change to “Logout” and the “Register” button should disappear. This actually confused me and the result is I kept clicking on the login button and it didn’t do anything which means that I’m already logged in. I think that if you cannot change the word “Login” to “Logout” and remove the “Register” button, then might as well put an error message that says “You are already logged in” when the situation I stated happen to other people, that’ll erase the confusion that I had.
-When I click on the “Submit your Idea” it redirected me to a login page and asked me to login. On the login page, you have a login using your facebook account button and I clicked that. It didn’t to anything since I’m already logged in with my facebook account and the proof is that I can support an idea on the home page. What confuse me is why does the Submit your idea doesn’t work for me. I got stuck on the login page however I’m already logged in which result to me not being able to see how the “Submit your idea” works. And another thing. There’s redundancy on the login page since you have a “Register, Login, facebook Login” at the upper corner of the page and on the body of the page. I hope you can visualize what I’m trying to say. The login using facebook feature when submitting an idea should not be there if it requires user to register when trying to submit an idea. I was able to get to the “Submit an idea” page when I registered. And after I registered that is only the time the “Login” changed to “Logout” and it shows my name beside it. I think that should be changed since it is confusing.
-On the Privacy Policy page, I think you need to rewrite some of the sentences, use bullets if possible for lists. Since not everyone would read everything on each page. Better emphasize the important words or sentences that they users/sponsors should know. You can use Bold and Italic letters to emphasize those.
-On the banner, it says “BETA”. That is very blunt and honest on your part, I like it. That sets the correct impression to users that visits the website. But just a heads up, it also gives a negative impression that your site can disappear anytime. So make sure to get in touch with your users. Your facebook function can be used in that matter. You can post every details and updates or any upcoming activities of your site on your facebook page.
-Overall, Impressive website, some tweaking on the source code of the page will fix everything that I mentioned above. This website gives me the idea that people never stops creating interesting stuff. This website exceeded my expectation which doesn’t happen very often. The concept is impressive, this is just brilliant. Best wishes to you.
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
I saw the picture in ur front page. My first thought is that this site is about submitting own idea then i ca watch ads through this site and get idea from it. It can help people to advertise and also help people to gain idea.
Are the instructions clear?
The instruction is clear but i think u can improve it. The picture with cartoon and explanation doesnt look interesting and it’s abit confuse at first. I suggest u change it to a slideshows by showing people step by step how it works. It looks more professional and more attractive and convenient for the visitor.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
The process is simple and easy. Which i think this idea is very good. It’s special and look professional.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
Yes, i login with my facebook account. It’s convenient.
Do you like the concept?
Yes, it’s a win win situation which i can watch ads for fund idea and also submit ads for advertising.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
Yes, because this is really a great idea. The idea is brilliant, i can submitting idea to promote ads. And this is a great service.
· Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
It can help a person to realize an idea for a business or project. It does not matter if the idea is mall or big – this seems very encouraging to me.
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· Are the instructions clear?
I thinks so, very self explanatory! I would believe anybody can get it done!
· Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
The idea is great. It is usually difficult to find sponsors for a project, but you just made it easy.
· Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
No I did not, because I am not a vigilant facebook user and I do not want anything to show up on my facebook without me being absolutely sure what it is.
· Do you like the concept?
FANTASTIC, people have ideas all the time and do not know how to transform them into reality – this might be the solution!
· Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
My first thought is “I would, let’s do it nowâ€, but I would definitely want to go deeper and see that everything is ok with the company. I would not want to invest time and get my hopes up and then everything falls apart during the process.
Thank you for your honest and detailed feedback! We will investigate and resolve the Facebook connect issues ASAP.
Thank you! We appreciate your feedback.
Thank you for your time and feedback!
Thank you! We will look into the pop-up issue.
$5 awarded to pipezcicle.
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about? Well, there are some pros and cons that I feel in just looking at the website. I opened it up and took my first initial 5-10 seconds to look at the page, and I have to tell you that I was a little confused at first glance. I understand the concept that you are trying to put across, and I actually REALLY like the idea that you have the little picture and graphs right when you get onto the page. That makes it a little easier to understand what the site is about. But with that being said, I think that you need to come up with a different way to market your “quote” upon opening up the page. You need to have something at the top that kind of draws your attention to make the user want to stay on your page or even navigate around to see what the website is talking about and the service that you provide. I think what you say is perfect “Turn on ideas. Watch ads to fund ideas” but why is it not bigger or made with a bold color. I have done quite a few reviews, and I actually think that same thing about your site that I said about another site that I looked at a week ago. Have a color that pops. I have found and seen that the most eye catching sites are the ones with either huge contrasts, such as white and red, or a site that is predominately black and white with pops of hot pink. So I love the green, but have “Turn on ideas. Watch ads to fund ideas.” in a larger font with maybe some purple. It is a darker contrasting complimenting color to the green. Also, I love that you have the social network links on your page. I definitely think that is something that most people are looking for these days. Even though most don’t want to admit it, facebook, twitter, etc…are the easiest ways to market. You reach more people than you would regularly reach just using internet searches. And lastly, now all that was just from looking for 5-10 seconds, so I will go into more detail about the website later on, but I have to disagree with what another reviewer said. Usually I think that the less words or paragraphs that you have on the homepage are better, but I think in this case that it complements the site. I think it is good when someone looks on the website that they can actually see that the site is working and that people are making money for the cause they want it to go to. I think that is great and a real selling point for your site.
Are the instructions clear? Yes, surprisingly so. I know that this sounds a little pessimistic, but I really am used to having to seriously search around the site for a while to be able understand sometimes what the site is about….especially because I was a little confused at first. With that, I’m not really sure how I would word it (I know that is not what you want to hear) but I think that the words going from person to person are not as clear as they could be. That is the part that confused me a little bit when I opened up your page. After hitting the learn more button and reading the frequently asked questions, I understood perfectly not only how to submit the idea, but what the whole idea and goal of the website is about. After looking at it, maybe cut out the end of the saying. By this I mean, instead of saying “Submits ideas and promotes it after approval” just say “Submits Ideas” and the next ones should be “Watch video ads” and ” Views fund ideas”. I think that the more simple that you make it, the more appealing it will be to the person looking at your site. All the answers and details that you need are in the learn more button and faq button.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process? WOW, that is sooooo easy. It is a very simple thing that I think will definitely catch on with many people. I would like to tell you that there was nothing that I didn’t like about that process, but I think that it is simple, quick and effective. I think that it is perfect and that it should not be changed. The part that made me smile….”If you are human, press 2″…lol!! I love it. That is something that I would do for a lot of people to support a cause. I think that it’s a wonderful way to raise money for someone. the other thing that I liked is that it asked me if I wanted to share the add with others on my facebook. This is a great idea because then it will get the funding option out to sooooo many people that you don’t even know. If one person that I know watched this video and then sent it to all the people that they knew, it would be going out to hundreds to thousands of people that didn’t know the person that started it. All the while raising the money for the idea. Genius!
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not? Yes, I logged into my facebook, and found it very easy to register that way. After reading some of the reviews, I can speculate that the reason that it didn’t ask for a login was because she was already logged in to her facebook on her computer and your site just accessed her account and only needed to ask her to allow it. I think that it is a great idea to use facebook because like I said above, it makes your idea available to so many people that regularly wouldn’t see it. And to watch a 30 second video is just a minuscule part of your day and worth it…even if it’s only for 2-10 cents. Honestly, it’s worth it!!
Do you like the concept? I LOVE the concept. It is BRILLIANT!! Though in talking to my husband while I am writing this review, he did point out the fact that it is a slow way to raise money, but it’s money that is being raised with very little work. It is definitely worth the time to take to set it up, submit your idea, and watch the supporters grow and the funds increase. I would have never thought of doing anything so simple, but it is, like I said earlier, brilliant.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not? Actually it is funny that you asked that question, because if you had not, I would have answers it during the previous question…lol. Like I said, I am sitting here talking to my husband and I am brainstorming ideas now of what I’m going to do. My church is trying to raise money for our building which, in all honesty, is literally falling apart from the outside in, leaks and brick breaking, etc. I was telling him that I thought this would be a great idea to raise a little bit of money for our church so that we can finish the process of fixing the outside structure. So, with that being said, I LOVE the idea and will definitely be submitting an idea. Your website is already bookmarked on my computer. Thanks so much for reading, I hope that my input was helpful, constructive, and encouraging!! Love the website!!
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
It looks like users can submit ideas for projects they have that require funding. Once the idea is approved, people can support the idea by watching an advertisement/commercial from one of your ad partners. Each time somebody does so, it contributes $ to the person who submitted the idea. Really, it looks like you’re trying to connect people who have a vision to people who want to support that vision, and then you’re also trying to connect advertisers to a targeted audience. I think it’s a slick, two-part process.
Are the instructions clear?
Yes. However, when someone tries to support an idea without signing in/up or Facebook Connecting, it just says “to help the idea more”. Why not have a tooltip or something similar to explain WHY it helps the idea more?
To try to learn “how/why” myself, I first watched a commercial for Julia to get textbooks for her child’s classroom. It was clear from the accents on the commercial that the actors were from the same geographic area as where the contributor is (NYC area); if that was intentional, good for you! However, one note: There should really be a pause button on the video player. Not all of us have cable internet, and it doesn’t actually pre-buffer enough for the .5-.75mbs uplink users.
Next, I signed up for an account and supported another idea. I’m not sure about the ad being targeted toward me, but it was definitely regionally targeted as well – the idea was in New York, and so was the commercial.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
It was pretty darn easy. I like that you have everything done as a jQuery/Thickbox popup instead of opening a new window or tab, as it keeps the user right on your home page. However, on the advertisement loading screen (or on the confirmation page after watching the video), I have a couple quick suggestions:
1. On the confirmation page, where you have the sample embedded code to share the idea, why not also have the options to get the share widget or visit the idea’s web page? This could be useful.
2. Since advertisers really like directed marketing, allow users to select whether or not the ad was relevant to them (check out Hulu – you can choose whether or not it’s relevant, or choose not to). If it’s not relevant, get feedback. The success of this project is going to depend on selling advertising, and you can do so by showing your ad partners that you’re giving them a directed market of potential buyers.
3. Finally, on the confirmation page, there should be a link to visit the advertiser’s web site. That, again, will help you sell yourself as an ad content provider. You could also set up the video player so clicking on the video opens their website in a new window/tab but doesn’t steal focus.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
I did register because it “supported the ideas more”. However, it still wasn’t explained to me why this helps the ideas get more supported. I’m sure part of it is the age and gender information for targeting ads, or ad providers paying more for demographic information, but you need to give users some indication of why. I didn’t do the Facebook Connect (I don’t use Facebook), but it looks like you can post information about the idea to your own profile, and I’m assuming you can then share the idea with your friends? At least, that’s what I would expect it to do 🙂
Do you like the concept?
I love the concept. In addition to above, I think there are a couple refinements that could be made:
1. Geotargeting – While I think it’s cool that ads are matching geographic location for the idea, that doesn’t mean that the ad is relevant to the potential consumer. I live in Wisconsin, and every ad I’ve watched has been for an event or product in New York. As an advertiser, I’d feel like this is a wasted expendature. There needs to be some sort of geotargeting to the user, and again, an option for the user to 1) visit the ad website and 2) say whether or not it’s relevant to them. This is how you, as an advertising partner, can sell yourself to companies. It’s all about giving advertisers a directed market. I’m sure you’re doing some geotargeting off of Facebook (or I hope you are!), but there’s no geographic information for someone signing up on your site that I can see.
2. On the widget and website buttons, there should be an html title tag explaining what the button does at hover. I was pretty sure of the widget one, but the arrow isn’t self-explanatory.
3. As an advertiser, I’m not sure I’d feel confident about this.
a. There’s no phone number to contact you if I need an immediate answer, or if I want to determine who/where you are or if I’m having problems and need to get them resolved quickly.
b. Who is Sponzu? How do I know that you’re a compotent advertising provider?
c. How can I get an idea of advertising costs, up front, without contacting you? Or, can I fill out a form (like a quote form, contact us, etc) to give you my information ahead of time so when you contact, you have some specific suggestions?
d. On your sponsorship page, it says there are two ways to be a sponsor, but only details the exclusive option. It also references “CSR”, which I know as customer service rep. What are you really trying to say, and what is my other option as an advertiser?
e. Credibility. Again, there’s no PR info, Sponzu in the media, updates, etc. to show advertisers that you really exist outside of your website.
f. Market – Who uses your site? Approximately what is your target audience? How are you tracking ad conversion? (hint, it doesn’t look like you are, as there’s no way to visit the advertisor’s site from the ad). If I’m going to pay you to play a commercial, I want to know who I’m playing it for and what kind of ROI other companies are seeing.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
Absolutely. Marketing concerns aside, I really like the idea of being able to get contributions from people through advertising. However, again, how do I know what kind of ads are going to be used to fund my idea? Since I don’t know anything about your content policy (as a potential user), I don’t want to have ad’s for things I don’t agree with promoting my idea. It looks like you’re being very good about screening this, but it’s still something to keep in mind. In fact, I’m going to suggest it to a couple charities/mission groups that I know.
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Other ideas/comments:
1. For people contributing an idea, why not let them make a video to put on the idea page? This could really help validate the ideas, and is something that could be easily shared via social networking. You could actually take the video ideas that are submitted and syndicate them through Live or other services, bringing users back to your site.
2. Why is all of your CSS inline? That’s going to make it really, really difficult to make visual changes or updates down the line. Also, very little of your code is size variable, so I’m not really sure how it shows up on browsers or monitors that it’s not optimized for.
3. Since you’re advertising this as a beta service, you need a roadmap to give potential investors, advertisers, and even users an idea of what you’re planning to do and when. If there are great features you have planned, these people will want to know about them.
4. I love the use of color/shapes and layout that the site is constructed with. That part is visually VERY appealing. I think, however, that adding an a:hover CSS class to your text links, and creating a hover effect to your link icons will help make things stand out a bit more.
5. For very ambitious projects (over $250, for example), maybe make payout increments, like every $50. Some of these ideas might never come to fruition, as an advertiser might not want to keep supporting it if they don’t get a return. I know that’s good for you in the short term, as that’s money in your pocket, but it could create a bad rep for your company.
6. Since the whole site is really based on videos, why not make a video ad for Sponzu that users can watch? It could be in a small (150×150 or so) embedded video player on the top banner.
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?Are the instructions clear?
Design seems good,and of course it is clear that everyone can understand the aim of site when they read “how it works†part on the home page.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
Everything is simple and clear so you can easily submit your idea or leave feedback,etc..It is also good as a social responsibilities.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
No,but i think i will do it.Because now i haven’t any project or idea.
Do you like the concept?
As a social project,the concept is very good.I can advise it to my friends.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
Yes.Because i like the project very much and it is a good to support like these social projects.
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What do you think the site is about?
Fundraising for individual or organization’s  idea though an audience viewing an ad  from a sponsor.
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Are the instructions clear?
The “how it works†diagram is helpful, but I still had to click on “learn more†to fully grasp the big picture. The “learn more†link should be more larger and more prevalent since this is a unique fundraising concept.
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I also think the “learn more†link should not have ‘about us†information. People on a page clicking on a different link just to get the same duplicate data  will get frustrated.
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Support an idea.
What do you think of the process?
What is the difference between a featured and popular idea? How do you expect your audience to know the difference? Also why don’t you have a link for all ideas consolidated? Also, the tags link is a great way to draw attention to an idea but do most people know what a “tag†is?  You need a simple keyword search for ideas too. People are most comfortable with that for finding something of interest. Actually the tags page looks very sloppy and not trendy or fun at all. Rather a cluster of words.
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When I clicked on “support an idea†my webpage turned translucent grey with a close box at the top right. No video popped up? Why isn’t there a “help†or  “technical support†link?
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Did you register? Yes because I thought that was the only way to see a video.
Did you use Facebook connect? no
Why or why not? because I am private about what I want on my FB page.
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Do you like the concept?
Sure but I would like even more to actually be able to see a video , or even better have someone I can talk to help me load the video.
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Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
Sure. As long as sign-up is free why wouldn’t you try to score free money?
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Comment: How are ideas matched with sponsors? Who does the “approving�
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Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
The home page was very astetically pleasing. Simple and had all of the information in order to understand what the site was about without providing too much information.
Are the instructions clear?
Instructions as to the purpose of the site? If so, the instructions were very clear and simple. Although, being somewhat techie but not a guru, I did not know what to put as a “tag.” If you are referring to the instructions to submitting an idea, it was easy and simple as well. Because of the ease, I was more likely to explore more and try out an idea myself.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
The process could not be any easier. I was more likely to post an idea because it was a simple process. Although, I am not sure where the money would be collected at…paypal?
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
I did register. I did not use the FB connect although I did click on the link and it seemed to work fine.Â
Do you like the concept?
I do like the concept. Is it an issues if people may be scammed for their donations? Is there a way to verify the validity of the idea and that the money is going towards what is stated in the idea? It is a risk.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
I did submit an idea to test how simple or difficult it was to place an ad. It was super easy! I chose a youth mentoring idea because I think our communities are in desperate need of leadership for children.
Thank you for your thorough feedback!
We are looking forward to seeing your idea on the site and don’t forget to join our Facebook Page.
Thank you for your feedback and valuable suggestions. Many of items that you have mentioned will be included in our next release, so make sure to come back 🙂
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
The site seems to be a place where you can watch videos to fund ideas.
 Are the instructions clear?
The instructions seem pretty clear and the site is easy to navigate.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
I did support an idea and I watched a video. It wasn’t too interesting.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
I iddi not register and I didn’t use my Facebook connect. I am not interested in this idea and I don’t give out my Facebook account for security purposes.
Do you like the concept?
The concept does not appeal to me at all. I found the video boring.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
If someone would give me money, I would do it. I am in need of money and this site seems like a slick begging site. I have participated in begging sites before and never have gotten any money out of them. This would be worth a try.Â
Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
Though i am normally an extremely good glance thinker, i found that i was totally off when i made my 10 second judgment on this site. I had assumed the site was a marketing ploy for small start up businesses because of the whole “ideas” wording. my initial thoughts were of inventing and intellectual property, it wasnt until i looked at the actual “ideas” that i realized the charity of it.
Are the instructions clear?
I found the instructions to be totally transparent and so easy to follow (once i understood the meaning of the site) that someone new to the internet would only spend a few moments wondering what to do, a feat indeed for today’s internet sites.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
I supported the first idea i saw, and was so fascinated with how this proses works that i browsed a couple more and before i knew it i had been shown a college for hospital staffing and a soda company, not to mention supported some charitable ideas!
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
Do you like the concept?
I did register through facebook, but this was (honestly) only out of pure laziness. However this is a key advertising ploy, as my facebook friends are now potentially ensnare-able by a good summery of what this site is about.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
This site does seem like a great place to gain some money for a charity, however i’m curious on how the money gets received. If it is that the charities get a direct deposit of the percentage they are at, and it goes up until they reach the full amount, i would be more inclined to submit one. The reason for this is it just doesnt seem like peoples percentages are going up quickly and i’d be afraid the idea would just die on the site and my effort would be for not. Thats just me though, and i can see that this site is a very good idea. the only advice id have would be to set the “ideas” to certain milestones ( like every $10 or $20 they get a deposit) depending on their final total.
What do you think the site is about?
I believe that this website is about individuals or groups that have an idea and submitt those ideas to other individuals. Then the best ideas are rewarded.
Are the instructions clear?
I do believe that the instructions were very easy to follow for submitting an Idea.Â
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
I am not technologically inclined, threfore I found the process quite easy. The FAQ’s answered all of my questions, escpcially as they arose. I feel that I have a better knowledge of the site and now I just need an Idea to submitt to them!
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
Do you like the concept?
Honestly, I did not register. I would use facebook to connect though, because I feel it is a simple way of doing things. Facebook is connected throgh everything that is the internet. There are parts of me that do like the concept of using facebook, for obvious reasons (simplicty) howver, the con side is that it is free advertising for the site and I don’t want to be “that person” that clouds all of my friends facebook page with this kind of stuff.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
Yes I would submit an idea/project if I had one. I will have to keep this in mind for the future for fundraising.Â
$5 awarded to laney22bbc.
$5 awarded to mattgsx.
What do you think the site is about? A creative way to fund ideas by watching short videos from sponsors.
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Are the instructions clear? The instructions are made very clear through the use of an effective visual aid. The visual aid provides a clear picture of how the system works. Support an idea. What do you think of the process? The process was very easy to understand and follow. I like the fact the idea is on the screen at all times.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not? I did not register or use the Facebook Connect because I do not know enough about the concept to promote it using my Facebook account.
Do you like the concept? Yes! It is a great idea to have people choose what they want to spend their time supporting. Unfortunately there is now way of holding the people accountable for what they do with the funds once the funds are deposited into their Paypal account.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not? I would submit a project but would need more information on how the funding works. How many views would it take to reach my goal? Is there a limit on how many ideas someone can submit at one time?
Sponzu – Watch Ads To Fund Ideas
10 Awards. $5 Each. 1 Remaining.
Sponzu assists individuals, communities and organizations in bringing their ideas to life by helping them raise the funding required to drive the idea.
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Target Audience: Users of social networks (Facebook, Twitter), early adopter crowd.
Website URL: https://sponzu.com
 What do you think the site is about? On this site a user submits their ideas or projects and promotes it by letting the user watch a short video. The sponsor of the video ad generates money for their idea/project.
Are the instructions clear? The instructions are very clear and it is a simple and easy web site to use.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process? The process is easy and simple to use.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not? Yes, I did register and watch a video. I enjoyed it and there was no jump to another web page. There was a smooth transition between the site and the video ad. I did not use Facebook connect because I’m not a menber of Facebook.
Do you like the concept? Yes, I like the concept. There are worthwhile projects here and its great they get a chance to raise money.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not? Yes, I would use this project to raise money if I needed to and I would also use Facebook connect in the future!! This is a very inventive website.
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What do you think the site is about?
This site looks like a place where you can pitch your idea to an internet community with the hopes of getting support and funding to turn your idea / project into a reality.
Are the instructions clear?
The process of submitting the idea is easy enough, but the actual way the money will be raised is not very clear. Â I am not sure how the money will be raised. Â Perhaps you could explain more clearly, the process from submitting idea to getting money. Â Do we pick the videos they watch or do you assign them?
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
Again, its easy to watch, but I don’t understand how clicking on the support button and watching that video translates into helping someone obtain their goals. Â Are these videos sponsored and the sponsor contributes to the ‘goals’ whenever a video is watched?
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect?
No, I did not use facebook
Why or why not?
I did not sign in w/ facebook because I would be afraid my personal informations, posts, photos would somehow me visible by your service or other people viewing this site.
Do you like the concept?
Yes, once I understood that its a way to raise money for worthwhile causes, I liked the idea. Â However, I do not think the concept is immediately clear to someone upon entering the site – even after spending time on the site, I still am not totally sure how it works.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
Yes, I would submit an idea to you. Â In fact, I have something I would definitely like to submit to your site in the near future.
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Visit https://sponzu.com. Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
The site appears to be where ordinary people or groups can list their ideas and projects, and other people watch ads to fund their chosen projects.
Leaves me wanting to know more, so I would click the “Learn More” button immediately.
I think your line “Sponzu.com asks for people’s time, not money” should be reworded somewhat and included on the homepage. And the homepage uses the word “Idea” too often. Idea is nebulous and vague, projects are more concrete and real.
The time-not-money concept should be included at the top of the page in the overworked “idea” area. Let people know they can help people achieve goals and dreams without their checkbooks and without leaving their recliners.
I see you have changed the home page from what was originally here on Startuplift. I believe the new one works better. I like the light bulbs and the blue and green combination with a dash of the brighter orange for accent. To me it fits very well with some of the “ideas” listed, and has an “environmentally-conscious” feel. Very good with the popularity of the “going green” concept.
The top two programs are great to have at the top, and really help explain the site. I would have been less impressed if the top program had been the fashion design one. Plus website visitors see immediately that the projects are verified and real projects.
Are the instructions clear?
Yes, very.
However, you have to look to get a clear picture. I suggest moving the FAQ and About Us to the bar at the top of the page. And why do you need the Tags link? I didn’t get that.
I watched one of the videos to be sure I was “getting it.” Everything loaded smoothly. The wait time for the video may be a little long and could be shortened.
Support an idea. What do you think of the process?
I like the idea and think it is terrific. HOWEVER, and that is a very big HOWEVER, I would not support the site as your payout stands now.
In my opinion, the site seems to be there to support the ideas, but you hang onto the money until every penny is raised. As a freelance online writer, I know how long it takes for ad clicks to amount to anything. I believe you should payout at least every $25 when it is raised and not hold the money until every penny is raised.
As your payout stands, it feels more like a fund-raiser for the website than it does for the ideas. Since this is a new website, you don’t have success stories yet, and you are hanging onto other people’s money.
You do have a method for supporters to see the progress. However, I feel that your method of letting people see the results of their efforts can be tweaked to do a better job and better inform the supporters you need in order to attract ads to the website.
At the moment, you are using a bar that indicates the percentage of the total raised. That does allow people to see progress.
I suggest you consider adding dollars and cents. Since ad clicks do add slowly, a daily accounting might be discouraging if you displayed it. However, if you post once each week how much has been raised for each project, supporters see tangible progress.
I recommend a Friday posting of Wednesday through Wednesday. Use the goal dollar amount, show this week’s income, show total raised, and amount still to be raised.
I feel that supporters need to be able to see that they are accomplishing something in order to have the loyalty to keep coming back and watching your advertisers commercials. If people are not able to actually raise money this way, your website will not live very long.
Plus, you should not to be holding onto other people’s money for extended periods of time. It is too discouraging for the idea people and for the ideas’ supporters.
Did you register? Did you use Facebook connect? Why or why not?
I did not register. I immediately “Liked” for Facebook because this is a wonderful idea, then I withdrew my “Like” once I read your accounting practices.
I had even e-mailed a young man who heads a young theatre company and who does Shakespeare in the park in a small, rural community. I have since contacted him and told him to disregard unless your payout system changes.
Do you like the concept?
I love the concept. I can see how it can work and make a real difference in people’s lives. Kudos. Plus, it can make a difference for businesses who sponsor the ideas. Win-win all the way around.
Would you submit an idea/project if you had one? Why or why not?
At this time I would not submit an idea nor would I write a story about your website nor would I recommend it to anyone. As your payout stands, it appears to be a moneymaker for the website, and I wonder how many ideas will really get enough support to actually benefit ANY from it.
$5 awarded to Joyce.