MRoCkEd
10-23-2008, 05:48 PM
from http://campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=2683
This featured entry has a twist: the entry raises legitimate questions about our website, and our webmaster, Adam de Angeli, answers them.
Suggestions for the C4l Site
Posted by nwrcracing on 10/23/08 10:23 AM
nwrcracing: The tools that have been added so far are great, nothing needs to be removed but maybe some modifications could help us. Lets start with what I feel is most important and I will try to explain why I think the way I do.
1. The blog is great but we need a seperate forum as well, it should have a place where only paying members can chat and a public one for everyone else. I feel that the password protected section for precinct leader members is neccessary to facilitate easy and quick communication locally and nationwide. The forum for both should be categorized by state with subsections within each.
Adam: I agree, we do need to have forums, and we should have forums for both regular users and dues-paying members. The forums are already in development, but right now, I am focused primarily on developing and improving the tools we already have. A list of recent blog entries written by your contacts. Better tools for state and local coordinators. Better video embedding capabilities. Statistics and metrics for HQ. Plus, we are diverting a substantial amount of resources toward mobilization for the upcoming election. Developing the forum will be a large project (may take several committed days) and other priorities have to come first. But yes, we hear you, and there will be forums.
nwrcracing: 2. The design of the site...I have to admit that I prefered the other sites looks to this one. It was more appealing before, and as anyone that works online or shops online knows a GREAT LOOKING SITE IS A MUST to keep and attract the people you are targeting. I don't like to criticize others efforts when I did not put any effort in but this sites design/layout looks like a cheap template. I suggest returning to the look of the old c4l site but keeping the tools and adding some new ones. If the c4l staff needs assistance they could easily ask the members of c4l.
Adam: I have heard this, and also heard praise for the design of this site over the old one. We've also noticed that the site looks better on some browsers than others (in particular, the colors on Internet Explorer versions 6 and below look out of place). Either way, yes, the site could look nicer. We are bringing in a graphic designer to head up this project.
nwrcracing: 3. I don't know about you but I liked the widgets telling us how many members have joined us, it was nice to see the names roll by and the number climb...but now we have NO CLUE how many members there are, we have no idea if we are growing or just sitting stagnant. Same with the donation progress meters, the progress meters were a force in the donation drives, we must bring those back. Don't you remember watching those tickers tick all day, contacting other to donate, spreading the message throughout the web so other can watch and participate.
Adam: Of course we remember! We will be bringing the meters back. The main hurdle here is that the numbers themselves--we've raised about 140,000 Fed notes online since the site launch, and we have about 12,000 members on the new site so far. Nothing to sneeze at, but not exactly worth trumpeting. To give you a scoop, we are going to call out a "People Bomb" for November 5th (anniversary of the first great Money Bomb, first day of new election cycle) and will probably put the meters back in for that. Look for an announcement soon.
nwrcracing: 4. Banners need to be re-implemented, I had a c4l banner on all my sites(10+)...you know the wide banner with the eagle soaring and names kept scrolling on it with a member number count and it linked to the campaign for liberty telling others to join us. Many of you may have even clicked on one of these to find us.
Adam: Another work in progress. Yes, the banners will be back.
nwrcracing: 5. Gauranteed reponse? Paying members are supposed to be responded to when we ask a question. Well we asked them a question 5 days ago and NOTHING yet. So much for the gauranteed reponse. I suggest either removing the statement that they will respond or JUST RESPOND.
Adam: In the first few days we had too many issues to handle in one day, but we have caught up and everyone has at least received acknowledgement that their support requests have been forwarded to the right person. In your case, the issue is that you are not a dues-paying member. We are still catching up on requests from free accounts.
nwrcracing: Well I just wanted to let others know what my thoughts were on the new site. I love the tools and educational material and links, the content is great and I am sure it will only improve over time. We just need to work on the site a bit and bring back some of the stuff that made this campaign great.
Again if the C4L staff needs help I am sure they only need ASK and many will volunteer their time and talents to make this a very sucessful movement.
Adam: Thanks for your patience, nwrcracing. Yes, it will only improve, and I am doing all that I can. I have actually made contact with several supporters who have volunteered their assistance as web programmers, and in the coming weeks we are going to shore up a tech team.
This entry is really encouraging. :cool:
This featured entry has a twist: the entry raises legitimate questions about our website, and our webmaster, Adam de Angeli, answers them.
Suggestions for the C4l Site
Posted by nwrcracing on 10/23/08 10:23 AM
nwrcracing: The tools that have been added so far are great, nothing needs to be removed but maybe some modifications could help us. Lets start with what I feel is most important and I will try to explain why I think the way I do.
1. The blog is great but we need a seperate forum as well, it should have a place where only paying members can chat and a public one for everyone else. I feel that the password protected section for precinct leader members is neccessary to facilitate easy and quick communication locally and nationwide. The forum for both should be categorized by state with subsections within each.
Adam: I agree, we do need to have forums, and we should have forums for both regular users and dues-paying members. The forums are already in development, but right now, I am focused primarily on developing and improving the tools we already have. A list of recent blog entries written by your contacts. Better tools for state and local coordinators. Better video embedding capabilities. Statistics and metrics for HQ. Plus, we are diverting a substantial amount of resources toward mobilization for the upcoming election. Developing the forum will be a large project (may take several committed days) and other priorities have to come first. But yes, we hear you, and there will be forums.
nwrcracing: 2. The design of the site...I have to admit that I prefered the other sites looks to this one. It was more appealing before, and as anyone that works online or shops online knows a GREAT LOOKING SITE IS A MUST to keep and attract the people you are targeting. I don't like to criticize others efforts when I did not put any effort in but this sites design/layout looks like a cheap template. I suggest returning to the look of the old c4l site but keeping the tools and adding some new ones. If the c4l staff needs assistance they could easily ask the members of c4l.
Adam: I have heard this, and also heard praise for the design of this site over the old one. We've also noticed that the site looks better on some browsers than others (in particular, the colors on Internet Explorer versions 6 and below look out of place). Either way, yes, the site could look nicer. We are bringing in a graphic designer to head up this project.
nwrcracing: 3. I don't know about you but I liked the widgets telling us how many members have joined us, it was nice to see the names roll by and the number climb...but now we have NO CLUE how many members there are, we have no idea if we are growing or just sitting stagnant. Same with the donation progress meters, the progress meters were a force in the donation drives, we must bring those back. Don't you remember watching those tickers tick all day, contacting other to donate, spreading the message throughout the web so other can watch and participate.
Adam: Of course we remember! We will be bringing the meters back. The main hurdle here is that the numbers themselves--we've raised about 140,000 Fed notes online since the site launch, and we have about 12,000 members on the new site so far. Nothing to sneeze at, but not exactly worth trumpeting. To give you a scoop, we are going to call out a "People Bomb" for November 5th (anniversary of the first great Money Bomb, first day of new election cycle) and will probably put the meters back in for that. Look for an announcement soon.
nwrcracing: 4. Banners need to be re-implemented, I had a c4l banner on all my sites(10+)...you know the wide banner with the eagle soaring and names kept scrolling on it with a member number count and it linked to the campaign for liberty telling others to join us. Many of you may have even clicked on one of these to find us.
Adam: Another work in progress. Yes, the banners will be back.
nwrcracing: 5. Gauranteed reponse? Paying members are supposed to be responded to when we ask a question. Well we asked them a question 5 days ago and NOTHING yet. So much for the gauranteed reponse. I suggest either removing the statement that they will respond or JUST RESPOND.
Adam: In the first few days we had too many issues to handle in one day, but we have caught up and everyone has at least received acknowledgement that their support requests have been forwarded to the right person. In your case, the issue is that you are not a dues-paying member. We are still catching up on requests from free accounts.
nwrcracing: Well I just wanted to let others know what my thoughts were on the new site. I love the tools and educational material and links, the content is great and I am sure it will only improve over time. We just need to work on the site a bit and bring back some of the stuff that made this campaign great.
Again if the C4L staff needs help I am sure they only need ASK and many will volunteer their time and talents to make this a very sucessful movement.
Adam: Thanks for your patience, nwrcracing. Yes, it will only improve, and I am doing all that I can. I have actually made contact with several supporters who have volunteered their assistance as web programmers, and in the coming weeks we are going to shore up a tech team.
This entry is really encouraging. :cool: