BitShares REloaded Site is up! The New BitShares.org Check it out!

[FreeTrade]

I'm not criticising you cass, your work has always been fantastic. I was just ranting on about the general marketing direction and I know that's not your responsibility.

Yes, was assuming the OP, Brian Page, marketing director is choosing the marketing target and is in control of the message/content. Waiting to hear from him.

[Method-X]

MeTHoDx maybe you help on this task to get the simple right message out there for more technical / less technical users …
Any help appreciated …

I could help but I would just take things in a different direction at this point. Too many cooks in a kitchen...

To be perfectly honest, I have no idea how to get average users excited about Bitshares. The only thing that even comes close is interest on their savings but you can't overtly market that because of legal concerns. If it were up to me, I would heavily focus on early adopters and push the vision behind bitshares. It's the first ever p2p company on a blockchain... BitAssets are like bitcoin but without volatility.

The biggest thing holding Bitshares back is the "bring in the mainstream" attitude. While I totally get that's the end game; we want to go where Bitcoin didn't, it shouldn't be our starting point. The starting point should be explaining the Bitshares concept at a high level.

[Method-X]

what should i say... all i can say.. i got a briefing and then i developed how as i was briefed …

If you think you have a better way to get please do it… i'll assist as best as i can …

I'm not criticising you cass, your work has always been fantastic. I was just ranting on about the general marketing direction and I know that's not your responsibility.

[cass]

Going to give my honest feedback. Not happy with this. Its exactly as i feared; people who go on this site will have no idea what bitshares actually is, and all they'll see are emotionally loaded words instead of any real explanation or description.

I especially don't like the headline. Why not just have the name first, then put the buzzwords underneath? Verbing the product name just seems so tacky and forced.

Also the answer to the tagline question is going to be "because I have no clue what bitshare means". If you want to have a cheeky question like this then it should at least be at the bottom, after a proper description.

The pictures have no relation to the product either, other than showing some computers. Some people might be able to guess that this is a sell page for software but many will get to the bottom and still have zero clue what the entire thing is for.

for this you have to ask which target groups we're trying to reach ... as said before … when we want to hit mainstream… the average user doens't want to know how it works ..
he want's to know that it works ... Guess most of paypal users don't know whats go behind the scenes ...

If i may ask.. which image language you would go with ?... Problem IMO is if you want it like it is .. completely technical …then you can't catch the *masses with it … they aren'T interested in this technical stuff ...

but thx for your input
c

No, Rune is absolutely correct. It's obvious you guys are trying to target my parents but the problem is my parents will never be interested in Bitshares unless I set up an account for them and explain what it is. You guys have your target audience completely wrong; you should be speaking to likely early adopters. As a marketer, if I send traffic to bitshares.org, there is no way it will convert into either wallet downloads or buyers because it fails to explain what the concept actually is in any meaningful way. It's just a mash of buzzwords. Be clear, not clever.

MeTHoDx maybe you help on this task to get the simple right message out there for more technical / less technical users …
Any help appreciated …

[cass]

what should i say... all i can say.. i got a briefing and then i developed how as i was briefed …

If you think you have a better way to get please do it… i'll assist as best as i can …

[Method-X]

Going to give my honest feedback. Not happy with this. Its exactly as i feared; people who go on this site will have no idea what bitshares actually is, and all they'll see are emotionally loaded words instead of any real explanation or description.

I especially don't like the headline. Why not just have the name first, then put the buzzwords underneath? Verbing the product name just seems so tacky and forced.

Also the answer to the tagline question is going to be "because I have no clue what bitshare means". If you want to have a cheeky question like this then it should at least be at the bottom, after a proper description.

The pictures have no relation to the product either, other than showing some computers. Some people might be able to guess that this is a sell page for software but many will get to the bottom and still have zero clue what the entire thing is for.

for this you have to ask which target groups we're trying to reach ... as said before … when we want to hit mainstream… the average user doens't want to know how it works ..
he want's to know that it works ... Guess most of paypal users don't know whats go behind the scenes ...

If i may ask.. which image language you would go with ?... Problem IMO is if you want it like it is .. completely technical …then you can't catch the *masses with it … they aren'T interested in this technical stuff ...

but thx for your input
c

No, Rune is absolutely correct. It's obvious you guys are trying to target my parents but the problem is my parents will never be interested in Bitshares unless I set up an account for them and explain what it is. You guys have your target audience completely wrong; you should be speaking to likely early adopters. As a marketer, if I send traffic to bitshares.org, there is no way it will convert into either wallet downloads or buyers because it fails to explain what the concept actually is in any meaningful way. It's just a mash of buzzwords. Be clear, not clever.

[cass]

https://ripple.com/knowledge-center/

i like this way to go ...

[cass]

next step IMO is to create/prepare a lots of simple info gfx which explain the more complex content in  an easy way....

Thank you all for your contructive Input ...

[cass]

I think targeting mainstream users in the broadest sense is too premature, especially for downloading the full node, so I guess that's a point where we disagree on the general marketing direction, and thus my opinion may be of limited use. But especially if mainstream is the target, I think it would be so much better if there were just two simple sentences explaining 1) what the product is 2) how the reader can use the product. Right now the website expects readers to scroll down through a lot of large pictures, then asks people to get started by downloading a program, but it doesn't seem like it properly explains what downloading that program accomplishes. We should at least also explain that they need to go to an exchange and buy BTS or bitUSD to begin earning interest.

However, if I had to design the marketing strategy I think I would use bitshares.org as the place for technical users and bitcoin veterans to get a quick rundown of the specs and as a place to download the client and find exchanges in their country.

Mainstream targeting could be done directly by a bitAsset on-ramp such as getbitusd.com that focused on selling bitassets and letting users download a lightweight client or sign up for a hosted wallet, all in one simple funnel done on a single website.

Yes, yes, yes to everything here.

The design is very nice, but I don't know who it is for.

Yup like the design, great work guys top notch quality. But it seems like there is something missing, once you go trough all the site.  How about a section : "Getting started with Btishares" then will have 3 sections "Merchant"  then one "User"  and one section "Traders" and then a step by step how to use it for all types of users ?

yes this is then intend .. again this is the rough base ...

IMO ripple.com is a great example of right direction

[oco101]

I think targeting mainstream users in the broadest sense is too premature, especially for downloading the full node, so I guess that's a point where we disagree on the general marketing direction, and thus my opinion may be of limited use. But especially if mainstream is the target, I think it would be so much better if there were just two simple sentences explaining 1) what the product is 2) how the reader can use the product. Right now the website expects readers to scroll down through a lot of large pictures, then asks people to get started by downloading a program, but it doesn't seem like it properly explains what downloading that program accomplishes. We should at least also explain that they need to go to an exchange and buy BTS or bitUSD to begin earning interest.

However, if I had to design the marketing strategy I think I would use bitshares.org as the place for technical users and bitcoin veterans to get a quick rundown of the specs and as a place to download the client and find exchanges in their country.

Mainstream targeting could be done directly by a bitAsset on-ramp such as getbitusd.com that focused on selling bitassets and letting users download a lightweight client or sign up for a hosted wallet, all in one simple funnel done on a single website.

Yes, yes, yes to everything here.

The design is very nice, but I don't know who it is for.

Yup like the design, great work guys top notch quality. But it seems like there is something missing, once you go trough all the site.  How about a section : "Getting started with Btishares" then will have 3 sections "Merchant"  then one "User"  and one section "Traders" and then a step by step how to use it for all types of users ?

[cass]

Going to give my honest feedback. Not happy with this. Its exactly as i feared; people who go on this site will have no idea what bitshares actually is, and all they'll see are emotionally loaded words instead of any real explanation or description.

I especially don't like the headline. Why not just have the name first, then put the buzzwords underneath? Verbing the product name just seems so tacky and forced.

Also the answer to the tagline question is going to be "because I have no clue what bitshare means". If you want to have a cheeky question like this then it should at least be at the bottom, after a proper description.

The pictures have no relation to the product either, other than showing some computers. Some people might be able to guess that this is a sell page for software but many will get to the bottom and still have zero clue what the entire thing is for.

for this you have to ask which target groups we're trying to reach ... as said before … when we want to hit mainstream… the average user doens't want to know how it works ..
he want's to know that it works ... Guess most of paypal users don't know whats go behind the scenes ...

If i may ask.. which image language you would go with ?... Problem IMO is if you want it like it is .. completely technical …then you can't catch the *masses with it … they aren'T interested in this technical stuff ...

but thx for your input
c

I think targeting mainstream users in the broadest sense is too premature, especially for downloading the full node, so I guess that's a point where we disagree on the general marketing direction, and thus my opinion may be of limited use. But especially if mainstream is the target, I think it would be so much better if there were just two simple sentences explaining 1) what the product is 2) how the reader can use the product. Right now the website expects readers to scroll down through a lot of large pictures, then asks people to get started by downloading a program, but it doesn't seem like it properly explains what downloading that program accomplishes. We should at least also explain that they need to go to an exchange and buy BTS or bitUSD to begin earning interest.

However, if I had to design the marketing strategy I think I would use bitshares.org as the place for technical users and bitcoin veterans to get a quick rundown of the specs and as a place to download the client and find exchanges in their country.

Mainstream targeting could be done directly by a bitAsset on-ramp such as getbitusd.com that focused on selling bitassets and letting users download a lightweight client or sign up for a hosted wallet, all in one simple funnel done on a single website.

hehe yes  agreed.. i'm searching for psot where i adivsed to create also one page scrollers for bitUSD etc.

But again this is jsut the base .. we want to create a howto page for non technical users and also more skilled .. the good one now is i can easily create all kind of page designs now really fast out of this base ...

So maybe it is a good idea, if you can provide me easy understandable content for what BitShares is and how to use it ...

[FreeTrade]

I think targeting mainstream users in the broadest sense is too premature, especially for downloading the full node, so I guess that's a point where we disagree on the general marketing direction, and thus my opinion may be of limited use. But especially if mainstream is the target, I think it would be so much better if there were just two simple sentences explaining 1) what the product is 2) how the reader can use the product. Right now the website expects readers to scroll down through a lot of large pictures, then asks people to get started by downloading a program, but it doesn't seem like it properly explains what downloading that program accomplishes. We should at least also explain that they need to go to an exchange and buy BTS or bitUSD to begin earning interest.

However, if I had to design the marketing strategy I think I would use bitshares.org as the place for technical users and bitcoin veterans to get a quick rundown of the specs and as a place to download the client and find exchanges in their country.

Mainstream targeting could be done directly by a bitAsset on-ramp such as getbitusd.com that focused on selling bitassets and letting users download a lightweight client or sign up for a hosted wallet, all in one simple funnel done on a single website.

Yes, yes, yes to everything here.

The design is very nice, but I don't know who it is for.

[Ben Mason]

Really appreciate all the hard work!  It's really looking great.

I really like the colour/branding/font of the Partners page http://bitshares.org/partners/
Could the blue-white-turquoise colouration be used throughout to link the areas together and improve legibility?  Also, have you considered having the absolutely awesome BitShares symbol more prominent, revolving perhaps, at the beginning of the first page?

What BitShares is, is not coming across as well as it might if I imagine myself as a beginner....probably because it is so many things.

BitShares is...
software that you can run on your home computer
software that connects you to all the other people using the BitShares software
a network
a blockchain, which is both a record of the rules governing the interactions across the network and a record of those interactions
a unit of account within the network
a decentralized marketplace (or decentralized ledger) where people can exchange units of account
democratized money
collateral for other units of account 

Bitshares software enables you to...
exchange units of account without having to trust a 3rd party
retain privacy levels of your choice
exchange units of account with whomever you choose, at any time, from anywhere with both the BitShares software and an internet connection
exchange units of account at very high speed
exchange units of account at very low cost
exchange units of account securely
hire network employees
fire network employees
create BitAssets, another unit of account which are derivatives of the BitShares unit of account that are pegged to other units of account (both physical & virtual)
create your own unit of account
Earn interest

BitShares represents...
Freedom
Security
Sovereignty
Resilience
Innovation
Trust in Blockchain, not people
Integrity
Vision
Community
Free markets

Just some thoughts..... 

[Rune]

Going to give my honest feedback. Not happy with this. Its exactly as i feared; people who go on this site will have no idea what bitshares actually is, and all they'll see are emotionally loaded words instead of any real explanation or description.

I especially don't like the headline. Why not just have the name first, then put the buzzwords underneath? Verbing the product name just seems so tacky and forced.

Also the answer to the tagline question is going to be "because I have no clue what bitshare means". If you want to have a cheeky question like this then it should at least be at the bottom, after a proper description.

The pictures have no relation to the product either, other than showing some computers. Some people might be able to guess that this is a sell page for software but many will get to the bottom and still have zero clue what the entire thing is for.

for this you have to ask which target groups we're trying to reach ... as said before … when we want to hit mainstream… the average user doens't want to know how it works ..
he want's to know that it works ... Guess most of paypal users don't know whats go behind the scenes ...

If i may ask.. which image language you would go with ?... Problem IMO is if you want it like it is .. completely technical …then you can't catch the *masses with it … they aren'T interested in this technical stuff ...

but thx for your input
c

I think targeting mainstream users in the broadest sense is too premature, especially for downloading the full node, so I guess that's a point where we disagree on the general marketing direction, and thus my opinion may be of limited use. But especially if mainstream is the target, I think it would be so much better if there were just two simple sentences explaining 1) what the product is 2) how the reader can use the product. Right now the website expects readers to scroll down through a lot of large pictures, then asks people to get started by downloading a program, but it doesn't seem like it properly explains what downloading that program accomplishes. We should at least also explain that they need to go to an exchange and buy BTS or bitUSD to begin earning interest.

However, if I had to design the marketing strategy I think I would use bitshares.org as the place for technical users and bitcoin veterans to get a quick rundown of the specs and as a place to download the client and find exchanges in their country.

Mainstream targeting could be done directly by a bitAsset on-ramp such as getbitusd.com that focused on selling bitassets and letting users download a lightweight client or sign up for a hosted wallet, all in one simple funnel done on a single website.

[sumantso]

I don't like the background image of the Merchants page, kind of gloomy. Looks like Hong Kong before a Kaiju attack

but maybe you noticed bitUSD payment options ... and this all right before the Kaiju attack^^

Actually I didn't. My Firefox window was kept at a smaller size and it cut off the top part.

I want to know, how are the seemingly random images chosen. By your taste and bit of relation in meaning, or out of some deep psychological/marketing studies? For instance the image of the road in 'final' seems apt, but the mountain (is it Kanchenjunga?) on the next page doesn't seem to reinforce the meaning.

And what is it with starting the pages with defocussed crowd? Nxt.org starts with something similar; looks tacky to me but I guess the target base likes it.