I’ve won a bid on SponsoredReviews to write a review of the following website called YourCreditNetwork. Naturally, this is a good opportunity to review another Credit Card Website that aims to help consumers research, compare and apply for credit card offers that they would like, whether they are for balance transfers, bonus points, airmiles or whatever.

Variety of Cards

In fact, YourCreditNetwork offers information about no less than ten (yes, 10!) types of cards that consumers might find of value. These credit card offers come from sixteen of America’s best credit card companies. This is quite a selection. In addition, there are different ways to splice the data found at the website.

Detailed Data

Within each data item, the consumer will find several items: a general description, a rating out of five points, basic stats, and a list of features. You will also see a blog post and a button for applying now. There is usually a review of the credit card, though the credit card information is somewhat credit card company fact sheet.

Positive Features

For generating affiliate sales, this website has a lot of good features: apply now buttons are everywhere, there is an abundance of information about the credit cards, too. Moreover, some elements of interactivity give the customer the feeling of access to information, if not the ability. In addition, the site is nicely designed with pleasing images (few but appropriate) and an obvious layout for the most part. Customers will find it easy to navigate the screen. There is also a regularly updated blog called “Credit Card Blog” which provides the latest information on offers and regular articles on credit card advice.

Ratings: not rated highly!

Challenges abound, though. As a data-driven site, the search features are quite limited to clicking on categories. There’s no way to search for cards via interest rates, or ratings. In addition, there’s no indication that any of the information could be construed as independent. The ratings, for example, are printed without any clear explanation of how they are derived. Mmm. How’s about a poll like feature for customers to log in and vote on the cards? There is no obvious contact information, either, apart from an email address.

Summary

There are plenty of options to make this website much more sticky so that people do repeat business. Build a truly interactive environment with polls, forums, chat, postings, and other interactive features, not just RSS. Building repeat business with a high quality website will surely benefit your Credit Card Network by separating it from the also-rans.

Right now, there isn’t so much that is compelling to visitors to add your website to their favorites. In other words, without advertising your site, there isn’t much to drive visitors.So embrace Web 2.0 and really create an interactive website, not just an excuse for one. Your visitors will thank you for that by turning up in droves.

Well, as part of my Buzzes for June, I’ve been going through the list of blogs who would like a buzz… Second time lucky is Gothic-Peach.Net.

Charity’s done a good job with this blog. She’s got some neat features, too, including a theme switcher at the top right! As a PPP blogger, she’s also done a pretty neat job earning herself a cool $550 as a member of PPP. She’s also given herself a PR4 ranking, which really is very respectable! (Boo! Hoo! This blog used to be a PR5 before I knew what it meant!).

A couple of suggestions: do think about changing your page references, to make them more SEO friendly, as well as reader friendly; also, many people use myBlogLog instead of BlogCatalog (or as well as) . I know I prefer MyBlogLog though I have a membership of both! BTW, I’m quite curious about the blog name… Why did you choose it?

Wishing your blog increased rank and readership, Charity! This is a blog buzz, so it’s short and sweet! If you’d like a short blog buzz, do let me know!

Our school newsletter is now available, but it’s all in Chinese!

Anyway, you can download it here and have a look at a short newsletter that I made for my business. You can also do this kind of short newsletter, it’s quick to produce (using an adapted format from Publisher 97) in Word or in Publisher. The design doesn’t need to take much time, but as the biggest time sink in doing that is getting the content right, be prepared to spend considerable effort publishing the content. And remember, it’s not just a flyer!

However, it’s quite an achievement to get it done! And it is always exciting to see someone walk into our business with an issue in their hand!

I’m finding it a powerful way to reach customers. In fact, I believe it’s an effective marketing tool for a number of reasons:

• it’s self-targeting: customers pick it up if they are interested (so it’s efficient and effective);
• it reaches past, present and future customers as well as those who are not actively customers;
• it informs with its column, it flatters with its positive news, and it entices with the vision it presents customers.
• it’s cheap to produce, cheap to distribute and, although it is photocopied, the quality isn’t at all bad compared with flyers from other businesses in the area.

We’ll still be using more traditional flyers and posters, but there’s no doubt in my mind that the newsletter format really works.