Asking for feedback on personal websites - opinions? Thread poster: Fiona Grace Peterson
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I have noticed a recent rash of ProZ.com users posting threads saying "Just starting out, my website is online, please can you take a look and give me feedback?"
On one hand I think it is valid to ask colleagues for feedback on a marketing tool, however it often seems like a thinly-veiled attempt to advertise one's own translation services, which is not what ProZ is for.
Thoughts?
| | | | Diana Coada (X) 
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:00
Portuguese to English
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| There's nothing wrong with | Mar 7, 2013 |
asking for a colleague's opinion. I've done it with my own website and I have also given feedback on colleagues' websites.
And it's quite an invaluable exercise. People notice things that you've completely missed.
| | | | | I like this practice | Mar 7, 2013 |
I personally never thought of it as marketing tactic. It might be, as you pointed out.
Nonetheless, I like this practice and once I make my own webpage, I will definitely ask for feedback. In my opinion, encouraging feedback from our friends and family will help to stay motivated and feedback from professional translators will help to improve.
It might seem like an advertising attempt, but it really depends on one's perspective.
| | | | LEXpert
United States
Local time: 06:00
Member (2008)
Croatian to English
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| What would be the point? | Mar 7, 2013 |
Why advertise to colleagues?
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Cveta Kundtz
United States
Local time: 07:00
Macedonian to English
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Even if it is a marketing attempt, I don't see anything wrong with it.
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 12:00
Member (2007)
English
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| I don't mind having a quick look | Mar 7, 2013 |
I certainly got the impression from one recent(-ish) posting (I can't remember which) that the owner was really wanting to show off his/her website. But in that particular case, a lot was found to be not so good, so it seemed to backfire in the end.
To answer Rudolf's point, "Why advertise to colleagues?", these forums aren't restricted to freelancers: outsourcers, agencies and end clients can read them, just as any we... See more I certainly got the impression from one recent(-ish) posting (I can't remember which) that the owner was really wanting to show off his/her website. But in that particular case, a lot was found to be not so good, so it seemed to backfire in the end.
To answer Rudolf's point, "Why advertise to colleagues?", these forums aren't restricted to freelancers: outsourcers, agencies and end clients can read them, just as any web browser anywhere can search them. I have no idea whether publishing the link here, and then getting us all to click on it, improves some sort of rating - I think it's possible.
On the whole, I don't mind having a quick look and commenting. But I offer review of marketing material as one of my services, so I try to make it just a very quick look for free: not good for business otherwise! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Woodstock (X)
Germany
Local time: 13:00
German to English
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| Agree with Sheila | Mar 7, 2013 |
If I have time I don't mind taking a look and offering my opinion - who doesn't like to expound on what they think in an anonymous space ?
In addition, I haven't found it obnoxiously ubiquitous, either. 'If it bothers you, just ignore the posting' would be my advice then, and I also don't agree that would be particularly effective as a marketing ploy. Normally you're trying to sell your products/services/self from a strong po... See more If I have time I don't mind taking a look and offering my opinion - who doesn't like to expound on what they think in an anonymous space ?
In addition, I haven't found it obnoxiously ubiquitous, either. 'If it bothers you, just ignore the posting' would be my advice then, and I also don't agree that would be particularly effective as a marketing ploy. Normally you're trying to sell your products/services/self from a strong position, not a weak one, and asking for advice doesn't seem like a winning selling position, does it? At least it wouldn't been seen so in the culture I live in, nor by my main target group.
My 2 cents, fwiw. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Gerard de Noord
France
Local time: 13:00
Member (2003)
English to Dutch
+ ...
| A bad way to advertise | Mar 7, 2013 |
Dear Fiona,
Haven't you also noticed that those members get flogged, without exception? Not because of marketing themselves but because of poor marketing.
I can think of better ways to advertise.
Cheers,
Gerard
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| Why ask for feedback then? | Mar 8, 2013 |
IMHO this is anything but self-marketing.
If their web site is solid and contains valuable information, Google will do the marketing for them.
Try searching Google with: sworn translation Brazil. At least here in Brazil, my web site (my surname is the domain) will come up as the first unpaid entry. FYI I never paid one single cent to Google nor any of the numerous SEO services I was offered.
On the other hand, it may be worth knowing that years ago, when my... See more IMHO this is anything but self-marketing.
If their web site is solid and contains valuable information, Google will do the marketing for them.
Try searching Google with: sworn translation Brazil. At least here in Brazil, my web site (my surname is the domain) will come up as the first unpaid entry. FYI I never paid one single cent to Google nor any of the numerous SEO services I was offered.
On the other hand, it may be worth knowing that years ago, when my "site" was no more than a much smaller collection of rather slipshod and totally unconnected web pages, though this specific page on sworn translations contained exactly the same information it does today, it was placed about a dozen pages behind, on Google.
So if a translator's first web site is lame, it's better to have some colleagues' input to improve it ASAP. As we are mostly translators, not web designers, we are not competing on web site quality, but on our actual deliverables.
Anyway, the invitation is open to any Prozian available and actually willing to go there, and give their opinion, not a must item. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Thank you everyone | Mar 9, 2013 |
for your precious input and some perspectives I hadn't considered.
I appreciate it very much. Best wishes to all.
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