Feedback on Startup: Videoly - simple video email site

Feedback on Startup: Videoly - simple video email site(videoly.com)

6 points by procyon 17 years ago | 12 comments

Votes without feedback are useless in this sort of thing, so let me give you my thoughts.

1) Why is the Terms page showing the terms in a flash scroll box? My main annoyance is that when I use the wheel on my mouse the terms won't scroll. Minor, but an annoyance. 1.a) Why do you separate Privacy and Terms with Help in between? Again, a nitpick but it's something I noticed.

2) Awesome logo! The camera with envelope on the side is perfect. The site seems kind of bland in colors (compared to say Vimeo)

3) Why no flash video tour on the homepage? As a new user, I don't understand why your site is worth joining when I'm already on Youtube and Vimeo.

Even though I have nitpicks and criticisms and only one applause, I do like your site, the simplicity of it, and the system. It looks good and I'll be curious to see how you do.

procyon 17 years ago | |

thanks for your feedback.

I will work on 1 - 2 items

About 3 item, I will add more info on why Videoly. The service is about video messaging and not video sharing. Also, we have designed the site so that users can use the product without needing to signup. Won't that suffice ?

trickjarrett 17 years ago | | |

If you don't want to do a tour that's perfectly fine, it's your site :)

I would then suggest you put an overlay of text on the image on your homepage, otherwise it looks like a misbehaving flash player or something.

Good luck!

apsurd 17 years ago |

There is not much to play around with on your webite, and my laptop is 4 years old so I don't have an onboard webcam -

BUT -

I think the concept is extremely useful for the non-tech savvy general public. You are essentially making it ridiculously easy for someone to create a "video" post (so long as they have an onboard webcam that is)

I can see this concept being EXTREMELY useful for consumer oriented online services. For example wordpress and other CMS where you need a very non-tech way to create media on the internet. Think if it like tinymce (html editor) for video.

I would love to see your product marketed this way as I would have a real use for this.

procyon 17 years ago | |

Yes actually our plans going forward might take that direction. When we cross the consumer product line, and jump to possibly business and more professional needs, recording videos directly from web camera does not suffice.

We really think there is a great need for a simple platform to communicate via videos - video emails is just an extension of it.

nsrivast 17 years ago |

Why not have a real video on the front page explaining what your website is?

jsomers 17 years ago | |

Because that way you'd lose the picture of the babe...

Agreed, though: an example of your service in action is the first thing I'd want to see (after reading the nice, simple explanation of what it does).

procyon 17 years ago | | |

hmm maybe it is not apparent and I will make changes appropriately. Clicking on the button titled "Send message Now" will actually take you to the service page without asking user to login or signup. We thought it will be a better option than explaining in detail what we do on the front page.

procyon 17 years ago | |

yes we are considering seriously about adding a video tour to our site, however, we still could not find a inexpensive way to do it.

truebosko 17 years ago |

Here's my navigation feedback: (some of this may be repeats)

- The front image which looks like a video but isn't is confusing. I see you already mentioned on replacing that

- When I click "Send Message Now" I get taken to a screen which is really easy, but how do I go back? Clicking the logo to go back is confusing. Just a small "Go Back" link on the bottom right would do

Apart from that not much to the site. Love the colours and the logo, and the idea is pretty sound too .. :)

owkaye 17 years ago |

Why am I redirected to /stage/index.html with nothing on the page except a confusing error message stating that I'm trying to install adobe flash player on an unsupported OS?

timcederman 17 years ago |

I liked the simplicity of it, and the fact it "just worked" with my webcam.