Jun '23 • General Discussion 💬
AI Startup Website Critique with Y Combinator
AI Summary:
The video titled "Critiquing AI Startup Websites with YC President Garry Tan" is a part of the Design Review series by Y Combinator. In this episode, YC President Garry Tan and Group Partner Aaron Epstein review the websites of five AI startups. The goal is to provide concrete advice that can help improve site designs, regardless of the type of company being built.
The video begins with an introduction and a discussion about the recent increase in AI startups applying to YC. They emphasize the importance of understanding "why now" for AI startups, given the recent advancements in large language models and the emergence of new categories that didn't exist before.
The first website they review is Rosebud, an AI startup that seems to focus on game development. The tagline "AI generated game assets to game development build games at the speed of thought GPT to game" is critiqued for being confusing and potentially misleading. They discuss the importance of clarity over cleverness in a tagline, as the first thing visitors try to understand when they visit a website is what the company does and whether it's relevant to them.
They note that the website seems to offer multiple products, which could be confusing for visitors. They suggest that the website should be more opinionated about what they want the user to do, and should use contrast to guide the user towards a specific action. They recommend that Rosebud identify their main Key Performance Indicator (KPI) and desired outcome for visitors, and design their website to guide users towards that outcome.
They also suggest that Rosebud could benefit from using a video or animation to demonstrate the product's capabilities, particularly for AI, which they refer to as a "feat of strength". They advise Rosebud to focus on their primary product and get users to explore and spend time with that product as quickly as possible.
Next, they move on to review the website of Magicflow, an AI workflow platform. They note that the call to action to create a free account might be too immediate for new visitors. They suggest that visitors would likely want to explore more before deciding to create an account.
They also discuss the importance of focusing on specific use cases for workflow software, as most users are looking to solve a specific problem rather than needing generic workflow software. They note that Magicflow seems to be targeting image customization as a use case, but it's not entirely clear based on the website's content.
They appreciate the "How it Works" section, which they believe helps visitors gain a better understanding of the product. They also note that the website seems to have been designed based on conversations with users, as it addresses potential concerns about cost and speed.
However, they point out a few issues. They try to interact with a section of the website that appears to be interactive (due to the use of a hand cursor), but find that it doesn't respond as expected. This leads to a discussion about the importance of building trust with users and meeting their expectations for interactivity.
They also note that the website prompts users to log in too early in the process. They suggest allowing users to try the product for free without creating an account, and only prompting them to create an account when they want to save or use their work.
Next, they review the website of Reality Defender, a deep fake detection and protection platform. They comment on the video on the website, which seems to show the software identifying people and faces. However, they find the messaging about deep fakes somewhat confusing in relation to the video. They also critique the website's design, noting issues with spacing and the overall visual quality. They suggest that good spacing contributes to a feeling of quality and professionalism.
They note that the website's design issues, such as inconsistent spacing, could impact the perceived quality and trustworthiness of the product, especially at the enterprise level.
They also point out that the website does not clearly explain what the product does, even halfway down the page. They suggest that the website should be designed to resonate with the company's ideal customer profile, and should use language that this customer would use to describe the product.
They note that the website seems to suggest that the product is an API for scanning user-generated media and detecting potentially damaging content. However, they find the messaging confusing and not clearly targeted at a specific customer.
Finally, they review the website of Pump, a platform that claims to save users money on AWS. They watch a video on the website, but find it to be sensory overload and not clearly explanatory of what the product does. They suggest that the video feels more like a Super Bowl ad than an informative product video.
In the next part of the video, they review the website of Pump, a platform that claims to save users money on AWS. They appreciate the call to action "View My Savings" as it gives a sense of immediacy and relevance to the user. However, they find the website's use of bright colors and moving elements to be potentially overwhelming. They suggest using animation selectively to draw attention to the most important elements.
They note that the website does not clearly explain what differentiates Pump from other services that help reduce cloud costs. They speculate that Pump might use a group buying model to secure lower prices, but find that this is not clearly explained on the website. They suggest that Pump should make their unique selling proposition more explicit.
Next, they review the website of Voiceflow, a platform for designing, testing, and launching chat or voice assistants. They find the website slick and appreciate the demo, but note that it moves too quickly for them to fully understand what's being shown. They suggest that Voiceflow should provide a concrete example of who would use their product and why. They also note that Voiceflow seems to emphasize the ability for multiple people to collaboratively build on the same webpage.
They appreciate the website's use of animation and motion, which they find intriguing rather than overwhelming. They note that the website effectively uses social proof, with logos of well-known companies that use their product.
They also appreciate the website's design, which they find clear and easy to follow. They note that the website effectively uses testimonials from real people at the companies that use their product, which adds to its trustworthiness.
They conclude their review by stating that they would use Voiceflow if they needed to create an AI assistant. They compliment the website for its clear calls to action, good design hierarchy, and effective use of attention-grabbing elements.
The video ends with thanks to the founders who submitted their websites for review, and an invitation for viewers to submit their websites for future episodes. They also remind viewers to check the link in the description to submit their websites.
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AI Startup Website Critique with Y Combinator
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