3 ms·

Yaaassss. Gimme your email :) It's free and a good community, I've connected a few freelancers from email relationships. More like "as seen on" Y Combinator. I

Yaaassss. Gimme your email :) It's free and a good community, I've connected a few freelancers from email relationships. More like "as seen on" Y Combinator. In a thread. That someone else posted. That I paid for.

atymic 7y ago
I think using their logo based on the premise you posted a thread on a public forum is a bit disingenuous.
- brianthomas 7y ago
  Fair point. I see the difference between yc and hn... adjusted the logo to fit. thanks! What do you think of the site and the content?
  - cvaidya1986 7y ago
    Looks awesome :)
    - brianthomas 7y ago
      Thanks! :)
preommr 7y ago
Are you saying you paid someone to post for you on HN?
- brianthomas 7y ago
  I was exaggerating in that reply. People have organically posted about this here so the logo recognition is appropriate. I did change the logo to HN from YC as someone suggested. I have paid contractors and employees for social media marketing and they have probably posted here.
matt_heimer 7y ago
Sorry but it's spammy. Your home page makes me think the value is me and my information. Especially considering the newsletter sponsorship option where you sell communication with your subscribers. The ideas page would possibly make me think you might be the value. Unless you don't think the ideas you make available are strong enough to entice people. I would have had more interest if you made the ideas page the home page and make the home page a linked why you should join page. But maybe that's just me and you have stats that show you have higher conversion of visitors to subscribers the way it is. If you don't then maybe do some A/B testing.
- brianthomas 7y ago
  You're right on many fronts! Much like facebook, if it's free, you're the one being sold. I'm with you 100% but this does work, much better... unfortunately. Do I think the ideas provide enough value? Yes. Would people give their email after getting all that value? No. Yes, I have split tested "spammy" user acquisition funnels across multiple industries for myself and clients... spammy always wins. Ecomm - 12 question "application" to apply for membership beat out direct to sale nearly 3x. SaaS - Value based informational lead magnet lost to a "magic bullet" nearly 5x. There was some youtube guy that had woodworking videos and he didn't take off until he started click bait style headlines and intros. "Do I want to dumb down my content? No but this is a business" around 2:20 - worth a watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i1IOO6g0vc&list=LLgaoLVka3CMf1Aej9q01wsQ&index=524 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i1IOO6g0vc&list=LLgaoLVka3C... I wish the "spammy" intro didn't work exponentially better. I love writing the content and do believe it provides value. I've formed some pretty solid internet relationships with people from this newsletter. I had a weekly hangouts with a guy from automattic because we got along so well - started from an email reply to one of my ideas. As I tell my employees and friends that have similar views on the spammy nature - congrats, you're in the 1%, you understand and see the marketing tactics. I hope you can get past it and look at the end value that's provided by my service and others. We'd probably get along in real life if we ever meet. Hopefully someday. -Brian
  - matt_heimer 7y ago
    Fair enough. Thanks for sharing the video.

atymic 7y ago

I think using their logo based on the premise you posted a thread on a public forum is a bit disingenuous.

brianthomas 7y ago
Fair point. I see the difference between yc and hn... adjusted the logo to fit. thanks! What do you think of the site and the content?
- cvaidya1986 7y ago
  Looks awesome :)
  - brianthomas 7y ago
    Thanks! :)

preommr 7y ago

Are you saying you paid someone to post for you on HN?

brianthomas 7y ago
I was exaggerating in that reply. People have organically posted about this here so the logo recognition is appropriate. I did change the logo to HN from YC as someone suggested. I have paid contractors and employees for social media marketing and they have probably posted here.

matt_heimer 7y ago

Sorry but it's spammy. Your home page makes me think the value is me and my information. Especially considering the newsletter sponsorship option where you sell communication with your subscribers. The ideas page would possibly make me think you might be the value. Unless you don't think the ideas you make available are strong enough to entice people. I would have had more interest if you made the ideas page the home page and make the home page a linked why you should join page. But maybe that's just me and you have stats that show you have higher conversion of visitors to subscribers the way it is. If you don't then maybe do some A/B testing.

brianthomas 7y ago
You're right on many fronts! Much like facebook, if it's free, you're the one being sold. I'm with you 100% but this does work, much better... unfortunately. Do I think the ideas provide enough value? Yes. Would people give their email after getting all that value? No. Yes, I have split tested "spammy" user acquisition funnels across multiple industries for myself and clients... spammy always wins. Ecomm - 12 question "application" to apply for membership beat out direct to sale nearly 3x. SaaS - Value based informational lead magnet lost to a "magic bullet" nearly 5x. There was some youtube guy that had woodworking videos and he didn't take off until he started click bait style headlines and intros. "Do I want to dumb down my content? No but this is a business" around 2:20 - worth a watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i1IOO6g0vc&list=LLgaoLVka3CMf1Aej9q01wsQ&index=524 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i1IOO6g0vc&list=LLgaoLVka3C... I wish the "spammy" intro didn't work exponentially better. I love writing the content and do believe it provides value. I've formed some pretty solid internet relationships with people from this newsletter. I had a weekly hangouts with a guy from automattic because we got along so well - started from an email reply to one of my ideas. As I tell my employees and friends that have similar views on the spammy nature - congrats, you're in the 1%, you understand and see the marketing tactics. I hope you can get past it and look at the end value that's provided by my service and others. We'd probably get along in real life if we ever meet. Hopefully someday. -Brian
- matt_heimer 7y ago
  Fair enough. Thanks for sharing the video.