Ask HN: Is it cheap to use clipart for a 100k VC funded alpha?

[m1try]

Hi there!

We’re building a social content recommendation service – LikeHack.com. And yep, we get email.

A couple of those letters included some kind of complaints about the pictures of folks on our main page pointing out that “they are not a developer, designer or young mummy” and that “this is just pathetic to use clipart”.

First of all, we’d love to ask you guys about whether or not it’s really this bad for a startup to go for some clipart usage. Seems like a natural way.

Second, we’d love to work on this issue (100k VC funding woah! 8) and ask you – real developers and designers (and mb even young mummies) to send us your pictures (preferably high def ones).

And third, we’d love to give out some Amazon Gift Cards to those who’d be so kind to send us their pictures together with some feedback on our product. Tell us about anything you like and don’t like (except the fact that we’re using clipart of course).

Email for your feedback: Dmitry Yanin <dima@freshle.com>

Thank you for your time HN.

[michaelpinto]

It's not that you're using stock photos, it's that you're using very generic looking stock photos. The result is that given your minimal layout the first thing you see on the page are bad stock photos. So this isn't a stock photo issue, but a total lack of art direction. Also there's a larger killer issue:

I've now been looking at your page for a few seconds and don't have a clue what you do.

Maybe you've hidden that info under the fold. Maybe you haven't hired a copywriter yet. Maybe you're still figuring it out. But I have no clue what this website does and why I should trust you with access to my facebook account.

$100k sounds like a great deal of money, but it isn't: So if you're being tight with the budget I get it. However that said hiring a freelance web designer to sketch several landing pages isn't a huge investment. Unless of course this is just a throw away page and you want to spend the money on the real product.

[m1try → michaelpinto]

Thanks, Michael. You're right on the spot with all the point you've made. Though some explanation is visible if you scroll we really need to work on it. And copywriting as well.

Agree on stock photos. Generic look is killing me too to be honest. That's why we're asking for some help from HN audience hoping to get some real life heroes on our main page.

P.S. $100k is just one of the first seed rounds - not a one time transaction, so you're right - that's not a great deal of money but we're working on it.

[michaelpinto → m1try]

Don't make me scroll! That area with the photos looks too busy and animates too quickly. Honestly trade the whole thing for a tag line or elevator pitch.

[m1try → michaelpinto]

Thanks for your time. We'll work on it.

[andrewmunsell]

Honestly, to me, it looks fine. I was expecting something horrible and tacky when you mentioned clipart.

The last photo is recognizable from somewhere else (I don't remember where), but other than that, I see no issue. As long as it isn't the kind of Clipart you find in Office 2003, it doesn't look unprofessional at all.

[m1try → andrewmunsell]

Thanks Andrew. Apart from everything, it's about time not money today. Clipart allowed us to get everything ready in no time. We could've spent some time on legal issues in case of using or ordering some 3rd party photos. Probably not much of it though but I believe the speed is worth it if you're in alpha.

[yogo]

For some reason when you said clip art I was expecting the vector illustrations you have in office. For your site I'm guessing you are referring to the stock photography. Personally I prefer not using stock photography and definitely not on homepages, it comes off as fake.

[m1try → yogo]

Yep. Stock photos. Thank you, Yogo. I'd say generic. But hey, how much $ and time you'd spend to find some real heroes, bring them together and do a photoshoot? Time is money. Thanks a lot though. We're here for criticism, not praise.