The WA Website Feedback Tool: When It's Valuable and When It's a Waste of Time

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I don't know any of us that wants to spend years here without making money, growing an audience, or being impactful. Unfortunately, if we keep tickling one another's ears with feedback, there will be thousands of us that are disserviced.


The online business industry isn't getting easier to stick out. In fact, with over 1.9 billion live websites and 1.4 million blog posts (written today!), then there's alot we need to do to stick out.


The website feedback feature is supposed to help us stick out by giving us the ability to get unbiased, constructive feedback frequently. In the Wealthy Affiliate SiteManager, Sitefeedback is a component of SiteHealth, and for good reason.


A Story to Lay Context


Have you ever seen American Idol? If not, I'll briefly explain what it is...


American Idol is a television show broadcasted on national television where people from all over the United States stand in audition lines for the opportunity show the world their talents, and to win a chance to thrive as a "celebrity music artist". Millions of people attend the auditions, and industry influencers are selected as judges to decide whose going to be able to participate in the final rounds of the audition where America votes by phone on who their favrorite talents are. The winner is called "The American Idol".


American Idol vs. The Internet

Going back to the previous statistics I mentioned "1.4 million blog posts today" and "1.9 billion websites", these numbers have drastically increased since the inception of the internet in the 60s. In an article on my blog, I talk about the inception of the internet, social media, search engines, and the history of other major components of the online world.


If you want some great stories about small beginnings, leverage, and exponential growth, Check those out!


As a result of the exponential growth, from no internet to 4 billion users in the last 50 years, the algorithms have had to change, the criteria for serving information to the end user has had to change, and search engines have increasingly higher standards content creators need to abide by to stick out.


The Sad Thing About American Idol

When you watch the beginning of an American Idol season, it can be almost like a comedy show. They curate some of the best and worst auditions.


The sad thing is many of the worst auditions still come with their support system, and their performances are EMBARRASSING! it makes you wonder "why didn't they tell the person they couldn't sing?!"


You would think that the support system (family, friends, neighbors, teachers, or whomever else knew they were going before a national audience) would take the time to ensure they presented themselves well.


It's like the Emperor with no clothes! Why didn't someone tell him he was naked before he stood before the crowd....wait....that was a fairytale


The Internet is not a Fairytale and How it Compares to American Idol

Similar to the Emperor or the American Idol auditions, when we get online, we are inviting a national audience. We don't get to select by saying to Google "I want only people dumber than me to visit my website. No presidents, clergymembers, celebrities, or anyone else of influence who will see how pitiful I look".


Instead, we stand boldly before whomever our keywords and social efforts attract. We build our reputations based on what the visitors see when they land, and your reputation is one of the most valuable things you have.


Big price differences and privilege differences stand between an entrepreneur with a good reputation and an entrepreneur with a bad one. That's why I wrote a post about Reputation, The Generic Brand vs. The Industry Leader because we need to think about our reputations out here.


Starting an online business doesn't enable us to hide behind the computer. People eventually see beyond.


If you wouldn't want to be the person who is on American Idol embarrassing themselves because they cannot sing, don't withold an honest opinion from others. If you don't want to be the internet marketer who spends years or decades without much to show for it, be honest when you give feedback and honest feedback will return to you.


What SiteFeedback Should Not Be

Sitefeedback is not supposed to be:

  • A confidence booster - Use training, spiritual development, and personal development for that
  • A place to make friends - Network for that
  • A place to say all kind things - I don't know where you should do that, but not on Sitefeedback. LOLOL.


Instead, SiteFeedback Should Be

A place to be given honest constructive feedback so you (or the recipient) can grow exponentially


The Criteria for SiteFeedback

When you're giving Sitefeedback, keep in mind all of the competition that's fighting for the end user's attention, and how the person's website needs to stand eligible to interest a user with MANY choices.


Think about how withholding a sincere opinion can stop your fellow WA member from being able to grow or develop. Think about the advantage of some of the online heavy hitters to have people giving reviews and feedback to constantly improve their performance and how this feature is supposed to enable WA members to do the same.


I'd venture to say that many of the people who have been here for years without making money are not getting their outcomes because they haven't asked for feedback. They probably weren't given good feedback.

This Exercise Can Help You Give Much More Valuable Feedback


If you pretend like the site owner's customer, you could offer invaluable feedback. Put yourself in a customer's shows and ask "Would I buy from this person? Why or why not? What would they need to do to win my business?"


Other site owners ask survey questions like:


What almost stopped you from buying from us?

What was your first impression of our site or brand?

What do you think we could do to improve your impression?

Do you think the product or service offering is relevant to your needs?

What products/services would you suggest us offering based on what you've seen on the site?


These survey questions enable them to improve so they can INCREASE CONVERSIONS and SALES--that's what the Sitefeedback feature is supposed to do for us. If you have no conversions and sales, Sitefeedback should help solve that IF people were honest there.


Other References to Look at:


LynneHuy's Feedback Training

The UserTesting Site ( a comparable service)

Google "Website Feedback Questionnaire". There's lots of templates out there where valuable questions are compiled. If you're uncertain what to say when doing feedback, pick up a website feedback questionnaire, and answer the questions for the person.


Takeaways

Let's help one another to succeed in online business, and let's use honest feedback honestly so it can have it's greatest impact on our businesses.


Now, it's Your Turn...


What questions do you like to see answered to help improve your website? Where do you get the best website feedback?

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Recent Comments

26

This is very helpful information. We don"t know what we don't know. You have what I call "Internet Wisdom". Wisdom was once explainedto me as knowing how to live skillfully. Feedback will definatly help anyone to be more skillful in this online business.
Thanks TDomena. Great articles.

Thanks GTilton! I appreciate your comment.

You make some very good points here Tiffany.

Derek

Thanks so much Derek! Good to see you around again!

Thanks for your informative blog Tiffany. Sounds like American idol is no different to Australian idol. You have to wonder if the really bad ones are paid actors.
I agree that Site feedback is an important part of WA. There's not much point in giving any feedback if it's not honest and to the point. If someone's site has major issues, and you don't let them know you are helping them to fail. Jim

You had me laughing over here about the paid actors! I haven't really thought about that, but you could be right. Hopefully, they get paid well because it looks EMBARRASSING!

I also agree with you about helping them to fail. I personally feel guilty when I withhold my honest opinion because I definitely see it that way. Thanks for sharing that perspective!

Excellent points Tiffany! Using the WA Website Feedback Tool is definitely a great way to find useful advice...I've used it in the past and had some great suggestions to improve things on my sites.

I'm sure this will help give others here ideas on how to answer site feedbacks...be honest, and tell others what you find wrong, or what you think would help improve it.

Just saying "looks great" doesn't help much. But, telling the person asking for feedback what you both like about it, and what you think could be better helps, at least in my opinion. And, if they have suggestions on how to go about improving the things they don't find that great, even better!

Thanks for sharing, it's a good reminder to us all!
Best wishes :) ~Sherry

Sherry I couldn't agree with you more. You've given some great suggestions for what good feedback should look like. Thanks for sharing!

Awww, you're welcome...and thank You for bringing this up, Tiffany!

Thanks Domena for this information.Your knowledge and experience dwarfs mine.I am a newbie 70 years old with nothing that I can offer but keeping your minds motivated to continue the tasks that you have started.Technology to me is like someone who,tried to use the first Apple computer by using only your thumbs.

I think you're underestimating. My grandparents are goldmines and they know nothing about technology. It's the stories, the experience, the help with decision-making based on analyzing 70 years of life that I like to glean from being around those older then me like yourself. I see much more than technology buffs as being an asset. You're an asset in my network.

Thanks for those kind words Domena. You have validated why I am excited about this community and I will continue to share what I have accomplished in my life dealing with lessons learned in my life’s journey.

That sounds great!

Great post thanks for sharing
Blessings

I receive the blessings and send some to you!

Brilliant post Tiffany, really enjoyed this

Awww! I'm glad you enjoyed it Dave!

Site-feedback.
Keyword: honest and constructive.
Great post.

Joe

Thanks Joe! Glad it was helpful.

Hello Tiffany, great post and to the point. Having been in the competitive arena for many years I totally agree with you that truthful and honest feedback is crucial to being successful. Unfortunately, there are individuals that do not understand that people are giving feedback to help them be successful and sometimes that feedback may not be what we want to hear. Thank you for pointing out that the Emporer needs to listen to the person who tells him that he needs to put on some clothes.

LOLOLOL! I've heard many people talk about how sports helps with business attitude, and I think the continual coaching and grooming is one aspect of why that would be true. In sports, the coach is almost constantly nagging, but the purpose is to help the athlete. We need to be open to website feedback like that. This is a fierce competition out here. People want money to feed their families. Their not playing patty cake. Their writing these blog posts with bill collectors over their shoulders and a serious intent to win business!

To the athlete it is not nagging but two people with the same vision, tweaking and adjusting to obtain the best performance. It develops other characteristics that are needed in the business world that I have drawn upon over the years. I liked your blog because you gave a very good analogy of friends and family failing to be honest and saving that person embracement. The same can be said for Wealthy Affiliate and I believe you stated it.

Great point of correction and I completely agree with what you've said. Thanks for the valuable input.

Great post, Tiffany! I just love the analogy with the American Idol! I also wonder about the families, I often say to my children, please stop singing with the radio, and if you don't believe me that it's really bad, go "to the voice"!

I wrote a training with questions Thank you for the terrific feedback you gave me for my website!

Loes! You're amazing! I really enjoyed exchanging feedback. I'm still working on the feedback you gave me.

So am I:)

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