LoudClick Blog - Tales from the inner sanctum...
New Create Website Wizard!
Wednesday, 9/24/08
We're continuing the roll-out of LoudClick's new features - all designed to make building a website easier. The latest features include:
Create Website Wizard
Kristin unveiled the first step earlier this month when she announced the new create websites features. We're now happy to add the Create Website Wizard to this process. The Wizard takes you through a simple 6 step process. Along the way you will create the basic elements of building a website including
- Naming the website
- Choosing the template
- Reviewing the new website
- Editing the header
- Editing the footer
- Adding homepage content
The entire process take just minutes (seconds for some) and makes taking the plunge that much easier. For those of you who like to dig in and do it from scratch, a DYI (Do It Yourself) option is still available.
Secure Page Login
Also making its debut is the simplified secure page log in process. Now, signing in to a secure page from the toolbar is a simple process - we removed several screens to make it easier and more streamlined.
Don't forget the webinar
Keep coming back as we keep rolling out features - all made with you in mind. Take care.
-Paul
Dashboard and Pro Websites
Wednesday September 3, 2008
More New Stuff....
We are excited to launch a new look for the Dashboard today. The Dashboard is the first place you "land" after logging into LoudClick. We have redesigned the dash and also added some new features.
New Dashboard stuff includes:
- Websites Tab - This contains all your websites. Just click on the website name to load it. There is also a new sort option here so you can more easily find the website you are looking for.
- My Pages Tab - This tab contains pages you have added to websites you are a part of. Use the dropdown to choose the website and the pages you have added to the website will load. Click on the page to load it in the Page Manager.
- Message Center Box - the newest messages/notifications will show in the box. You can click on the message or use the Message Center button.
- Edit Account Box - You can access your LoudClick account information by clicking Edit Account.
- Two News Boxes - One for LoudClick news and the other for LCU news. It is important to stay informed :)
Create Website has also been redesigned. Clicking Create Website from the dashboard or toolbar will bring you to the new screen. You will notice a new area for the Design & Layouts. You will be able to see more at a time.
LoudClick Pro Websites
You will now be able to upgrade your website to a LoudClick Pro Website. This means more options and storage. Some of the options available for LoudClick Pro Websites are:
- More Storage Space
- Create Custom Sharing Groups
- Use your own domain names
- Hide the LoudClick toolbar on the live website
- Upload Custom Templates
- Remove ads from your website (and add your own ad code)
- and Live Support
If you have a website created before September 3, 2008 - your website has been "grandfathered in" and will be a pro website for being a loyal beta user.
We hope you enjoy the improvements to LoudClick and welcome your feedback.
- Kristin
New Stuff
Monday August 11, 2008
Over the last couple weeks we have been hard at work on new development. I am sure you have seen the new look for LoudClick and we are working on integrating that in the system.
Last week we launched the new look on page manager and folder manager. The managers have been simplified and now contain two tabs; Edit and Manage.
Also completed is the simplified add page process. We were finding that it took too many clicks to add a page to a site so we got it down to two!
Folders also got a makeover. They now contain a display page. What this does is show a list of links to the pages within the folder. It makes navigation easier!
Finally we have changed the way our navigation menu (how users get around to the pages within your website) and have added many new templates for you to choose from when building your websites.
In the next couple weeks the new look will be applied to the whole system along with some new features. We do listen to what you have to say, so send your ideas to us! We really hope that the new development helps to improve your website building experience.
-Kristin
p.s. If you have never attended a loudclick webinar...I highly recommend you do. You get to see a loudclick specialist using loudclick. There is always time for questions!
Pitch Glitch Gets Us
Friday, July 4, 2008
Looks like TechCrunch Elevator Pitches had a glitch that we got caught in. Due to the reset noted in the Glitch Announcement, we lost approximately 159 votes (both up and down).
If you voted for LoudClick on the TechCrunch Elevator Pitches between June 29 and July 3, it is likely that your vote was lost. We'd really appreciate if you'd have another go at it. Please visit http://pitches.techcrunch.com/pitch/63-loudclick-net at your earliest convenience.
While it's sad to see our votes disappear, we can certainly relate with beta-related system glitches (we've had our share of 'em) and wish TechCrunch the best in getting a handle on this issue.
- Paul
One Minute Elevator Pitch
Monday, June 30, 2008
One of the most interesting parts of being an entrepreneur is the opportunities the role provides. One of those opportunities is the ability to create a succinct message about our company and try to condense it into a short one minute pitch - the famous elevator pitch.
TechCrunch.com offers an online tool to share a video version of "the pitch" and today we posted the LoudClick Elevator Pitch for you all to enjoy: http://pitches.techcrunch.com/pitch/63-loudclick-net
Talk about nerve wracking. This experience has been a huge learning opp and really taught us all to respect what folks do on camera. The professionals are truly gifted.
Another thing this did was remind me of a story one of our advisers shared about Hubert Humphrey (former Vice President under Lyndon Johnson). When Humphrey left office he taught with our adviser at a small university. Our adviser got to know him and asked about how he prepared for so many speeches. Humphrey replied that if he had a 5 minute speech to give, he started about 2 weeks ahead of time to write it. A 20 minute speech, one week prep time. Given as long as he wanted, he could start right then.
The gist of this story is how difficult it is to provide a very distilled version of an idea and present it well in an equally distilled time-frame. Given 60 seconds in an elevator to pitch your idea takes a lot of thinking, some more writing and then some more writing. Knowing the audience helps some, but knowing the idea backwards and forwards with a passion makes it all that much better.
This post is our first shot at the 60 second pitch. From the feedback so far (online voting up or down) we're doing pretty well. However, this will likely be the first in a series....
-Paul
http://www.loudclick.net - build websites together
LoudClick.net: Build Websites Together
Friday, June 20, 2008
Here we go kids.... So what the heck is LoudClick? Well, LoudClick.net is a website builder. What makes us special is that we build websites together - that means you and us, you and your friends, you and your workmates - it can mean whatever together means to you. With powerful sharing controls and privacy-sensitive communication tools, you and yours can build a community around your inspiration. While you're at it, build as many websites as your account can hold, we can handle it. Best of all - it's free! Click Register to get started today and build websites together!
Life at LoudClick has been nothing short of exhilarating lately. We have a a new website design (http://www.loudclick.net), new ancillary websites (http://press.loudclick.net - for our friends in the media and http://investor.loudclick.net - for our friends who invested in us). Adding in new features like Add element, HTML forms and a new Message Center and we have some serious things going on. This blog will explore the various things as they unfold. I trust you will not be bored - we sure aren't.
-Paul
