Viewpoints Review

To get the site up and running, the crew needed some writers. That's the orginal PC that you may see mentioned. That's all in the Member Center (an easy click from the front page). It's also possible to earn PC with 400 reviews. The Bard just did that. Go guy.

I snagged an odd slot as a social person on site. That never fully developed (as can happen in start up mode). I slipped into a PC slot based on my reviews (and an open slot). I'm a writer at heart, so the fit was good. I'm friendly, but I'm a writer. I can and will work a web site (simply because I like to get to know folks), but the main draw for me was and is writing reviews.

I do write for other review sites, but this one is my favorite. I love that I can add products at Viewpoints and that I can put in photos I've taken. At other sites, I can only write on products listed in the database and can't put up pictures.

When I look for information and can't find it, then I think about putting that data up at Viewpioints. I figure that if I need/want it, then someone else probably does too. I'm a very good net seracher. If I can't find it, it's probably not up. I like being able to share information that may be hard to find online. I know some of the obscure reviews may not help a lot of people, but if it helps one person, I think that's good.

As far as the photos, I know that PR shots are just that - PR. The meal photographed for a restaurant will be the best possible senario. MIne are "what you see is what you really get." If I visit a motel, then I'll take pictures. You can see exactly what the room will look like.

OK. I'm the helpful type. I teach. I guess that's where that comes from.

I could put my thoughts and my photos up on my blogs, and I do. That's different though. Those are less formal, though I'm still pretty "personal" here at Viewpoints. I like the more professional "feel" of a site dedicated to providing information on specific products and services. I would guess that more people would see and benefit from a large site rather than an obscure blog. It's just hard to Google up little blog entries.

That's the ego there I guess. We all have them. We all try to keep them in check. But, it's nice to write and actually have readers. Online is quite competitive.

The platform would not pull me in if I felt like the the nail in the tire. There are sites where it doesn't matter what you do or how well you do it, it's not really noticed. I've dabbled with a few spaces where I've posted really solid work and had no feedback. I've also checked out a few spaces where the only responses to legitimate questions or comments are form emails that have absolutely nothing to do with the question or observation. That's not the case at Viewpoints.

Viewpoints has a "point" person (Jolie) with a Viewpoints blog - also clickable from the home page. She's real, and she does respond. She does not send out the form emails or the "sorry you feel that way" notes that really just mean "shut up and go away."

The members also come into play big times on my end. There are some writers here that I know from writing online and some I've never encountered before but have been thrilled to meet. The comments do help and do make it a "real" place to interact and share information. When I posted about my bird's broken wing last night, I got some immediate notes. That meant a lot.

Viewpoints is new, so there are some kinks. Heck. I guess all sites have those even if they've been around for eons.

When I make a typo on a photo cutline, it's there unless I delete the photo and start over. I have some typos that are up, because I can be darn lazy at times. And, big photos load slow.

I've had some issues getting some "destination" reviews up. I get a "tag error." Those sit in limbo. I can't copy and paste the text to save. OK. I know I should write in Word and save, but when Word documents are cut and pasted in here, they space strange. I have to go in and edit those. But, the Viewpoints team is looking at those and trying to figure out what's going on - unlike other sites where "oh well - too bad."

In a few cases, my main photo gets cropped high. It looks like I've taken a bad picture, when I really haven't. It just cuts off the bottom - but only for the main picture. I can downsize the files and correct that, but it's a pain to do that. Like I mentioned, I can be lazy at times. If I wrote the review, made the photo and posted everything up, then I just want it to be there and right.

The photos were at the top of the review. They are on the side now. I think they "feel" smaller to the side. I did speak with the owner about that, and I know they are working on some new photo features. I think the photos add a lot, and I hope users figure out that they can click and get a real good look at the various products and services.

Viewpoints is a new review space, and I'm amazed at how fast they've been able to get a good site up and going. The team includes only eight members, and I can only imagine how hard they have worked to make this all happen. No. I really can't. It must be staggering.

If you've ever wanted to share your thoughts (good or bad) on things that you've tried, used, visited, or experienced, then I would highly recommend Viewpoints. It's a wonderful platform and improving all the time. You can add products and services, and you can post your photos.

Hopefully someone will let you know how much it's appreciated. Even if they don't, you know lots of people click in and get information online. You can rest easy in knowing that you found a great showcase and that you got the word out.

Even if you just want to tell people in your home town that your dentist is great, you can do that. I have. I doubt a lot of people will search dentists in this small town, but they will know about one good one if they do. That's the kind of thing Matt Moog (the owner) spoke about when we were seated for the after-launch dinner.

More often I write about things with more wide interest and appeal, and that works here too. If you want to know which frozen pizza is best, then I cover things like that. It's really a downer to buy one and have an awful dinner. I check them out, so you don't have to.

That's Viewpoints. User thoughts that can and do make a difference.