Feedback please.

roonaan

Hi guys,

I'm launching a new site and would like to get some feedback. It's called Playnow.ie and functions as a non-traditional entertainment guide with social networking features. I worked with a freelancer to design it and it's my first step into the world of web development.

The idea behind the site was to make an Irish offline social network where people can get real life enjoyment by doing activities they enjoy with like-minded people. This is done by creating offline events for the Playnow community.

Businesses can also create events. For instance, instead of a normal user trying to get a group of people together to go bowling, the bowling alley themselves can create the event. Anybody can then join it, see who else is going, chat online before the event, get a discount rate and get to meet some new people in the process.

Looking forward to any suggestions and criticisms,

Ronan

yeraulone

Hello,

Nice site and idea - I hope it goes well for you.

At a glance, my only suggestion would be to make your register button stand out more, especially if you are not on the homepage. It should definitely be on the login page. Maybe you could add it into the tabs at the top and toggle it if a user is logged in/out.

6th

yeraulone wrote: »

Hello,

Nice site and idea - I hope it goes well for you.

Same from me.

I think the register button is fine, I mean its where I'd expect to find it on most sites.

unnameduser

I have to say I love the idea and the look of the site is great. well done

p

Sounds like a good concept for the site, and the visual design is pleasing enough, however, if the site is the selling point then I'd consider the homepage a fail. I assume since this is a business venture you'd prefer me to give a decent critique rather than massage your ego, so here's a few key things you need to address.

You have a very brief intro then 'register' and 'login' as big massive buttons. Well, think like a sales man, you're not going to buy a stereo until you'll been sold on it. You haven't sold people on the site. The into message should be stronger, and that should lead into a 'tell me more situation' and then to register. The login details aren't important enough to be that large, and the sample events at the bottom should be redone. You should have 'case studies' or 'people's stories' or something like that. You're homepage is your shop-front. It needs to be sell your site, sell your service and draw people in.

The '» Why choose Playnow?' is tiny and hidden away - it's also very confusing to someone not familiar with the site. Google Ads on the homepage. Bad idea. You've got no user base, you're trying to suck people in. Get visitors first, then worry about putting ads up, and definitely don't put them on the homepage. Besides, they're far more susecptable to advertising once they're finished doing things, rather than when they're just in the middle.

You're site needs to tell a story, you need to guide people visually. The colours etc... are decent enough, but your story and your sales pitch needs a lot of refining.

Here's some useful links:
http://www.thinkvitamin.com/features/design/turning-visitors-into-users
http://www.andyrutledge.com/eye-paths.php
http://www.thinkvitamin.com/features/design/home-sweet-home

Good luck with it - sounds like an interesting idea.

roonaan

Thanks for the replies everyone, especially P. As I said, I'm new to this so your constructive criticism is invaluable to me at this time. I agree with the points you have raised and will certainly take them on board.

heggie

fairplay roonaan, its nice to see someone on boards being able to take criticism and put it to good use hopefully. It's a rarity here!

di11on

I think the design is very visually pleasing - well done.

One fairly minor comment is that when I moused over the the Login and Register buttons, I expected a mouse-over effect... it's a bit of a disappointment when you don't get it :-)

Well done!

daymobrew

I felt that the bleed-through on the banner was a little too much - the white background parts reduces the visibility of the text as if they were being rubbed out.

zardette

This site needs a full functionality test ...... there are bugs in the code ...

I am sure this is work in progress?

I did a simple test and I found some issues .... one of which is in the sign up...

no try catch ?
no email validation ....
and that’s the code I can see and test .....

I would advise on getting a team to validate your site and a code review ...

Z

The specified string is not in the form required for an e-mail address.
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.FormatException: The specified string is not in the form required for an e-mail address.

Source Error:

Line 20: Dim smtpClient As New SmtpClient
Line 21: 'smtpClient.EnableSsl = True
Line 22: Dim message As MailMessage = New MailMessage("CustomerCare@playnow.ie", cuw.Email, sHeader, sBody)
Line 23: message.IsBodyHtml = True
Line 24: smtpClient.Send(message)

bibbly

Overall, nice simple design.. but I feel there is something missing by way of an image on the main index page.. with many different catogoires a common image may be dificult to think up, Review websites often show something arbitrary people smiling etc. Or you could design a cool playnow logo..

I would place this image above the existing picture with the register for free and log in links. Moving this down the page closer to direct display eye level.

Either way this image would help draw your eye to registering new users. which ultimately is the aim of your site.

Below this image i would simplify the latest news strips.. alowing more latest events to fit on the page. Think two lines with Title eg. Sample Event Friday Night Frag line two would simply identify the catogory and give date of event.

I would lose the google adverts and extend the "why choose play now section" and slightly increase the font size.

Good job..

Zascar

I agree with P. I'd like a better explation/description of what the site is and how it works. INstead of having it on a small box at the side, try some in the miffle, like "What's it all about" "How it works", and "What Now", for example.

Looks great though, looking foward to seeing how it pans out! Bes of luck

oneword

Hi,

I had a look at your new site and like the clean appearance. However I am not absolutely sure what your site is for (and I am reasonably intelligent!). At last I came to the conclusion that businesses would post events on the site and people can go to them. I think your aim is to monetise the site by getting money from businesses.

In my experience this is going to be quite difficult. The reason for this is because most businesses need budgets signed off by marketing/finance. It will be difficult for any business person (no matter how strongly they believe in your site) to get marketing/finance to part with cash for an unestablished website.

I would consider other ways, for example using advertising, to monetise the site and to have the events both for sponsors and users at least until your site is established, as free.

I think from the name of your site you need to make it clear that you aren't an online casino as this is what first occured to me looking at your site

Good luck,

OW