

Ask HN: We started our first software company, how can we improve our website? - mgl

Dear HN, we are two seasoned software engineers, previously working on large enterprise applications in investment banking and Big Four companies, now trying to leave our corporate past and go on our own. We are the best in serious back-end Java and web development (we recently launched an online trading platform for physical gold), just built a website (www.codedose.com) and launched AdWords campaign along with spreading the word across our peers trying to attract some first customers.<p>What can we do to improve our website? Any hints are greatly welcome, we feel like it's just the beginning really.
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lutusp
With a quick glance:

1\. There is a misspelled word in your subtitle.

2\. Avoid drug references, however whimsical. Dump the capsule graphic and the
word "dose." The problem? Young people won't trust you, and old people will
wonder what you do in your spare time.

3\. You need to summarize what you do with fewer words, so a casual visitor is
almost instantly aware of your line of work.

4\. Overall, you need a copy editor to rewrite the textual content of your
site. There are too many badly chosen sentences and phrases.

Well, you asked. :)

~~~
mgl
Great, thanks lutusp! It seems we need a better copy :)

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flexxaeon
First, congrats on taking the plunge and much success to you. Overall it's a
well done site, so these are only minor things:

Bring more attention to the services & certificates in the footer. Some
graphic/logos from Sun for example.

Put Portfolio before Team in the nav. I know team should come first :P But
Portfolio is what a new visitor is going to look for immediately (I did). You
may have Portfolio pushed back because it isn't extensive yet, and if so, I
can understand that.

In that same vein, add Portfolio to the graphical nav on the homepage for
consistency.

(On English language) Was going to mention some spelling errors but I see
they're being corrected.

~~~
mgl
Thanks flexxaeon! Everything was put up in a rush really, we will definitely
work more on our copy. I wonder whether you find the name "Codedose" somehow
weird or just too quirky?

~~~
flexxaeon
To be honest, yes. It looks weird and rolls off the tongue even weirder. (I
naturally want to say 'coh-dose' and feel like I have to force that extra D in
there)

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matthewowen
I could immediately tell from the copy that English isn't your first language.
It wasn't wrong, but it didn't read like anything a good writer whose first
language is English would write.

That's not a criticism of you. I don't speak Polish. But if you want to
minimise the risk of people making snap judgements because of it, you could
pay someone to rewrite your copy.

------
mgl
clickable: <http://www.codedose.com/>

