Feedback please for jamroom.net site flow

Probably the biggest help to keeping Jamroom development progressing is everyone who has chosen to use our hosting.

https://www.jamroom.net/hosting

Thanks all of you who chose that option.

We need some feedback and input on what you think of this site here jamroom.net please.

I want to adjust the site flow to encourage more new users who reach the top page to become jamroom customers and would like any input as to where you think jamroom.net is lacking and what is good about it.

Any suggestions/criticisms welcome. Especially interested in how you made the decision to use jamroom hosting over other hosting options.

Interested in where you think are weak points of this community and what would be nice to have.

appreciated.

--edit--
What were the reasons you chose to use jamroom instead of some other platform?
What were the issues that held you back before choosing jamroom?

That kind of stuff.
updated by @michael: 08/06/15 08:01:47AM

I plan on adding my feedback...but first thing is to 'follow' this discussion so I can keep up with it.


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

Jamroom hosting is really a no brainer if you only want to do a Jamroom site to be honest, it is an easy sell.

As some of you may know I give feedback via blog posts, albeit none in the last 2 weeks as I have picked up a few web design clients (non Jamroom) and those have to take centre stage.

But as I stated recently Jamroom is currently missing the WOW factor, if we go back to using WP as an example what a lot of skin designers are now having to do is provide new demos showing their themes in a different way. Themes like Avada (everything but the kitchen sink) and WPLMS (eLearning) have excellent functionality but sales were slowing somewhat. By providing new fresh looks for their themes it as given them a new lease of life.
What I have seen, maybe I am incorrect, but once someone starts to research Jamroom they see the benefits but those that only look at it quickly don't currently have that WOW factor to keep their interest long enough. Flashy demos will give you some of that WOW factor for the front page.

Cheers Gary. So visually needs a message that has impact value, got it. Those are both very nice themes.

Other things to do is ask clients to add their sites to the member sites area. Maybe do more promotional work on social networks, I personanlly am finding Facebook Ads very useful. Much more so than Twitter as I can have a longer form post and then boast it.

But the real key will be in new skins, maybe commission a designer to do a few and then you guys maintain and sell them?

I just posted over on Ning Creators forum an online gallery of screenshots I took comparing side by side 16 different pages/features of my old Ning network to my NEW Jamroom network. Personally, I think the ning/Jamroom differences are rather dramatic in the screenshots. You can use these images in any way you like to attract more ning refugees. Maybe a little 'Comparing Ning/Jamroom' section or page in the "member sites" area? You can make your own page instead of them instead of them being in my Picasa album if you want, too.
https://picasaweb.google.com/Strumelia/ComparingJamroomToNing20SocialNetworkPlatforms?feat=directlink

As Gary implies, there is no substitute for 'visuals'. Pictures are worth a thousand words, and you can't argue with them. Just a thought.

If I was a FB member, i'd be all over the place talkin about Jamroom... but I'm not on FB. Somebody should be doing it though.


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015
updated by @strumelia: 07/03/15 02:30:50PM

I find it a little confusing figuring out the diff between "Site Showcase" and "Member Sites" Both pages are supposed to show off live JR sites, right? Why separate? And on the jamroom.net page, the only link at bottom is the Site Showcase...which only has 4 sites..three of which are very 'guy/blackbackground/muscular looking. And on that page...a tiny lionk at right to 'member sites'.
Reasons to not combine the two pages into one location...? It's a little confusing, and new people are always looking for those examples of jamroom sites.


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

Member Sites = any JR User that is a member (i.e. any subscription) can "submit" their site to the Members site section - as long as it is a JR site that is not "under construction" we will activate it in the Member list.

Site Showcase - these are sites that we have actively solicited a quote/feedback from the user for the sole purpose of "showcasing" the site - i.e. it is by invitation.

Let me know if that helps.


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Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net

And just to add we've not "invited" any JR site to the showcase in a long time - we need to get on that


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Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net

On this page: https://www.jamroom.net/ning-to-jamroom

The page has a dated look, which doesn't inspire confidence. The chunky bold titles??...whole page should look more modern and fresh.
But the biggest problem was that it took me a while to realize that those big green clunky boxes were actually LINKS to go find out about each subject. I thought they were just statements. The "let us do it for you'/import service shouldn't be 'just another green box/statement', since so many ningers need that help and assurance- I feel it should have more importance on that page.


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

Well yes that explains it to ME, but a visitor wouldnt know all that and as feedback, I meant that if it's confusing to me, then it's likely confusing to a visitor to Jamroom.net who wants to see examples of JR sites.



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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015
updated by @strumelia: 07/06/15 01:26:28PM

Yeah that is a bit long in the tooth and is a page that is easy to overlook on our end - thanks for the feedback - we'll get some updates in place.


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Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net

On the main page at top, the list across touting :
Blogs • Audio • Video • Galleries • Social • eCommerce • More

I'd suggest adding Forums, Events, and Groups...which are things Ning folks will be specifically looking for. Maybe put "Mobile-responsive" instead of the boring "More"


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

Appreciate the feedback


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Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net

Last thing I'll say today-
Main page... what's one of the top 3 most awesome things about Jamroom?

The Jamroom Support Team!!!!!
Dont be shy- have something on your main page about "Our Support Team is second to none": Read what our users are saying..." and then link it to a page with quotes about the support service, from people like US- using our user names and a link to our live JR sites. Happy to add mine. Get a dozen of these customer happy quotes on one page for people to see and read.
Keep in mind that ning is dying a slow death from cutting off their customers...turning their backs on us all. We are looking for platform that has an active and present and caring customer support Team. Your main page has not a single word about that, yet you do it better than anyone on earth. It's a HUGE factor when people are considering a major site decision or site migration.


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

That's a great point - thanks for that!


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Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net