Wanna Get Paid To Write About Test Equipment -IET Labs is Looking For Copywriter - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: ietlabs
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 26, 2017, 09:13:39 pm
content: Let's face it, test equipment manufacturers websites are very boring.IET Labs, a US Manufacturer of Electrical Calibration Standards, is looking to tweak our website copy so you don't have to fall asleep or click away instead of reading it. In this forum, so many of you have miraculously made reading about test equipment ....well interesting.If someone wants to make some decent money off their hobby, come work with us and make our LCR Meters or Decade Boxes webpages read a little more compelling. We are open to suggestions and comments on how to most effectively do this.If this is something that interests you please email me writing samples from your posts on this forum.If posts are not the best way to show your work, email me either relevant technical documentation you have written or jazz up this page as a samplehttp://www.ietlabs.com/prs-300-programmable-decade-resistor.html(Not asking for free work just an idea on what you can offer)Reach out if you have any questions benjamin.sheena at ietlabs.com

author: Zucca
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 10:19:00 am
content: Why not setup a contest with a winner and some cool prizes?I would give aways some equipment for cool video/written reviews. Only people who really need something you offer will provide you a fair review.Just a post in the EEVBlog offering "some" money will not move anything.Jump in the forum contest section and get some ideas.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 11:31:14 am
content: Quote from: ietlabs on October 26, 2017, 09:13:39 pmVideo.Webpages are so 90's

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 11:38:56 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on October 27, 2017, 11:31:14 amI disagree. Videos are longwinded and you can't go to a section about a specific part of an instrument very easely. I very much prefer a written story with clearly marked paragraphs so you can go to (look up) the information you want immediately.

author: The Soulman
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 11:40:53 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on October 27, 2017, 11:31:14 amAren't you busy enough?!

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 11:49:21 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on October 27, 2017, 11:31:14 amMixed media, videos to demo features with links to feature details and specs in text/pictures and vice-versa.

author: TimNJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 04:14:23 pm
content: First, I'd take a look at some examples of good websites likeapple.comandtek.com.These websites are tailored for a widescreen display and make use of all of that screen real estate. I think that's a big part of the "modern" feel. Also lose the bubbly/skeuomorphic buttons. Most well regarded UI/website designs are "flat" these days.Definitely need more pictures and less text and make the pictures a bigger part of the experience, not just in the gallery at the top of the page. Tek uses some sleek gifs on their pages.I think a product webpage really should just be "at a glance", enough to make someone interested in it. If they are wow-ed by it,thenthey might open a datasheet for further details.I disagree with Dave, mainly because 90% of product videos I've ever watched suck, especially for test equipment. That doesn't mean that you can't make a good one. For example, I think the videos Tek did for new 5 series scopes are pretty good. That said, I think many product videos suffer from not providing any/much more meaningful information than the product webpage while taking way longer to get the point across.Also not affiliated with Tek but thought they've done a good job.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 04:17:31 pm
content: Quote from: TimNJ on October 27, 2017, 04:14:23 pmYeah, take a look at them and do the opposite!Seriously IET, don't change too much. We love you for being old school.And please, no videos.

author: capt bullshot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 04:20:59 pm
content: Quote from: TimNJ on October 27, 2017, 04:14:23 pmThat's exactly the kind of webpages that I leave instantly.Take a look at linear.com or ietlabs.comfor better onesNo videos, no fancy flash please. Supply us with good datasheets and interesting application notes.

author: ralphrmartin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 04:49:41 pm
content: How about we pay you not to change it?Seriously, technical types like us prefer plain information clearly stated to "all fur coat and no knickers" websites.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 04:58:05 pm
content: IMHO the product page is fine as it is. Perhaps what could be added is why I should buy such a device. What good would it do for me and how do I get return on investment? An oscilloscope and multimeter are instruments which are known to any design engineer but there are many instruments out there which are less obvious and need some extra information to justify their cost.edit: typo

author: TimNJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 05:09:58 pm
content: Quote from: edavid on October 27, 2017, 04:17:31 pmQuote from: capt bullshot on October 27, 2017, 04:20:59 pmHere's my opinion on this sentiment.Our attitudes towards different design stylesmaybe generationally dependent. The current design of the IET website resembles a typical webpage between 2002-2009, in my opinion. There are young people (who are not even engineers yet) who have not experienced such UIs, and if they have, they have likely associated them with "old". It's not that they're bad people; It's just not what they're used to. I think it is important to maintain a contemporary appearance because young engineers will see the outdated style as being "irrelevant" even if that's completely subconsciously.Now, I understand that consumer product websites are inherently different from engineering websites. The point of consumer websites is almost entirely towowthe potential customer while an engineering website would likely benefit from less wow-factor and more information. I also understand thatapple.comandtek.comare on the far extreme of the spectrum as far as "modern" website UI's go. I provided those websites as examples, assuming IET would meet somewhere in the middle on whatever they come up with.I genuinely think staying old school is really just stabbing yourself in the leg in the long run.

author: TimNJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 05:18:34 pm
content: What I'm trying to say is that maintaining a contemporary looking website shows people that you give a damn. This isn't important for people who already know the IET/GenRad heritage, but it definitely is for new people who don't know anything about IET.

author: rhb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 05:22:43 pm
content: I looked at some of the web pages. Spotted a number of typos, but otherwise not bad. The datasheets are actually much better than the web pages. Other than the typos I didn't see anything glaringly wrong. Just that they were a bit too much "Mom and apple pie". I might be interested, but I'd have to learn a lot about the product line. I'm giving the matter serious thought though.Given the product line and history I'd focus on making the web pages both informative and educational. I'd make the data sheet contents front and center with excerpts from the user manual and an historical narrative about the instruments and their development as links. Explain how the products are used. Show the manufacturing process so that interested amateurs can build their own. No need to go into all the fine details. Just convey the basics. For example, the aging rate for inductor standards is related to properly annealing the inductors after winding the coils. Tell the reader about the annealing step, but leave out the temperature profile details.What you're selling is experience and meticulous care. No one can steal that from you. Your customers are not going to want to make their own. They are doing similar work and fully grasp the difficulties.The Chinese try to copy Russian jet engines. The Russians try to copy US and UK engines. Organizational memory matters when you're making high end products. Your website should celebrate that.Videos are a great annoyance to people who learned to read. So *never* put something in a video that's not in a PDF.

author: ietlabs
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 05:27:12 pm
content: I really appreciate all of the comments and suggestions....keep 'em comingWith regards to payment for those who want we would be happy to offer trading equipment for work.With regards to a contest, to me, that seems like I am getting a bunch of people to do free work for us and only rewarding 1. Seems a little unfairWith regards to old school vs new school, we plan on A/B testing the new content vs the old content and whoever the analytics say users prefer we will go withWith regards to the contemporary look, here is a sneak peak at our new website that we hope to release by the end of the year... dev.ietlabs.com. 90% of the buttons and functions don't work

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 05:36:40 pm
content: Quote from: ietlabs on October 27, 2017, 05:27:12 pmI didn't hate itSeems like it will be a good update.

author: capt bullshot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2017, 09:27:48 am
content: Quote from: ietlabs on October 27, 2017, 05:27:12 pmFrom my first impression: yes, it's modern style, still useable and provides quick access to information. Not overloaded by marketing and mobile stuff like analog.com, that's good. Yes, I like it.I really hated analog.com and ti.com at first impression and I still don't like them too much.

author: The Soulman
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2017, 10:12:16 am
content: Quote from: ietlabs on October 27, 2017, 05:27:12 pmI don't like it, maybe it would benefit people that are using a phone or tablet for viewing but I can't say as I have neither.On a wide screen computer the pics are to large and definitely don't like ehm "jumping at me"Also having to scroll way down to see what's on the page really sucks.I'd vote function over form any day of the week, and prefer the current format.

author: Deridex
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2017, 11:32:27 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on October 27, 2017, 11:31:14 amWhile a video is something "nice to have", i think a must have is still a clean productpage.I think the new website has quite a modern look. I can find all i would need. So i think it's fine.It just feels like the website and the devices don't fit together. But i think thats more a point of the device-design that is seems to be mainly pointed towards being indestructible and usefull, despite having bling-bling.