

Show HN: Startup Tools (and who actually uses them) - browser411
http://b2brev.com/business-tools/

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browser411
Our goal is to make it easier to choose products/services for your business
based on the companies that actually use them: What analytics do YC companies
use? What do small non-profits use for CRM?

This product is pre-beta, and we definitely plan to add more features/data,
including reviews. We'd really appreciate feedback on what would make it more
useful for you!

~~~
alexhaefner
This interface is absolutely terrible to browse. Really. You have data but the
presentation is very very bad. I actually start to feel physically sick while
browsing it.

I am not trying to be harsh, I am trying to be straight-forward and honest,
and I really do start to feel that way when trying to figure out how to use
the site. It took me a few minutes to understand what the front page was
telling me. Once I got past that, the layout for products/users was terribly
confusing.

Data visualization is hard, I get that. But I would suggest you spend some
time thinking about how to take these large (thousands of customers) and
diverse (Hosting, CRM, SEO) data sets and simplify their presentation. At this
point it feels like a regurgitation of sql tables, and that's not something I
want to use.

~~~
browser411
Got it. Thanks for the frank feedback.

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OJKoukaz
The design is bad, but you're serving a need that is big enough (for me, at
least; I'll probably come back). I'd an accounting "accounting" category (I
know of very few accounting "solutions" for startups).

I would also get a new domain name. I already forgot yours. In general I would
stick to one abbreviated component (e.g. B2BREVIEW) if you're going to stick
to this route. Finding another, more memorable name, should be easy. Better
name may also marginally improve SEO.

Like the business, and if the index is robust enough, I would imagine easy to
monetize.

~~~
browser411
Thanks for the constructive criticism. We definitely want to flesh out the
content, and accounting is a category that several folks have asked for (i.e.,
software, human accountants, etc).

~~~
OJKoukaz
Also, would love for you to list our startup, MiraPost.com under email
marketing.

~~~
browser411
We're compiling a list of vendors to add. Is it possible to provide a list of
companies that use MiraPost? I didn't see a "customers" page on your site. You
can email jay at our domain

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brehardin
This is a pretty nice idea for people not based in the valley or that don't
have a startup based network.

I like the idea, but the site design is a little painful to the eye.

~~~
browser411
Thanks for the feedback! We are trying to condense a lot of data into a small
amount of space, which can be trying... Anything in particular that could use
some design love?

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mzuvella
Surprised to see Linode not on the Hosting Provider list

~~~
dannieb
We've cataloged linode here: <http://b2brev.com/business-tools/hosting-
provider/>. You may have viewed a filtered view.

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jf
Where are you getting the data on who uses what?

~~~
browser411
Self-reported, vendors' own websites, and a variety of other sources.

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jf
How much of that data is collected manually vs. automated tools? (I ask as the
author of <https://github.com/jpf/domain-profiler/> and someone with a casual
interest in such things)

~~~
browser411
My co-founder told me that he was actually inspired by a HN post you started--
thanks for that!

It's about 75% automated.

~~~
jf
Awesome!

