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by raawmarkus 4727 days ago
Thanks, we'll be sure to think about how we can make this better. The button/link is actually pretty big for all apps that don't have any additional links (like to app stores). See AOL Reader as an example. Is that reasonable or would you prefer something else?

http://alternativeto.net/software/aol-reader/

2 comments

Keep it simple.

I want a big, shiny button that links me to the content I want.

When I click on one of the software, I don't read the blue box. I scroll down and then click on an alternative. Then "what the?! I'm on the same kind of page again!" I scroll down, click on alternative... and repeat this again and again. Oh! Now this page has a big green "download" button! Awesome! click it Oh. It's an ad.

This was my reaction when I first visited the website just now.

Make the main link bigger. If it has a download link, make it big. If it doesn't? Make the website link bigger. I shouldn't have to think. I'm confused.

(Of course, I'm dumbing myself down on purpose when testing websites)

Thank you for great feedback, very much appreciated! We will definitely try to make things very obvious when it comes to leaving our site for the final destination that should be an applications website or an app store.

I also answered some of these thoughts in my reply to imdhmd.

I really like your site, it's the place I go when I look for an alternative to a specific app/webapp. I'm going to assume that most of your users are like me and come through your site by a google search. Some feedback:

- The main issue with your site is imho that it's trying to do two things at once. Next to giving alternatives to software, it also tries to be a categorized directory of applications. I would love for you to focus on only the former. Doing so would enable you to really declutter your site. There would be no more need for the grey navigation bar, nor for categories or tags.

- Give more prominence to: - The application searched for and to its external links. Don't be afraid to have users leave your site. - It's alternatives, on my laptop I can only see a single alternative above the fold. - User input, e.g. likes, comments and feedback. As you're a user input driven site, this is really important

- Give less prominence to or simply remove: - Questions, they look really empty and sites like http://webapps.stackexchange.com/ are better suited for this. - Forum, when looking for an alternative I simply want to take a look at a few options I don't much care for the forum - Recent user activities, I think it is simply clutter and no one but the person whose activity it shows cares.

Great feedback and ideas, thanks! I think I have answered much of it in my reply to imdhmd above.

I see the point you make about Questions. We'll consider this!