This One Problem Is Holding Back Your Startup - Here's How to Fix It
In this digital age, it’s safe to assume that if you have a startup, that startup has a website. This is a great first step, but this is also where a lot of startups come across their first problem. It’s a problem that often goes unmentioned, and it’s this:
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\ Let’s walk through this problem and figure out how to solve it.
1. What Is Your Startup?
Startup CEOs love to use complex terms and buzzwords when describing their company. It makes it sound sophisticated and on par with other companies or even with other tech giants. But it often ends up hurting them more than helping them. This is because it no longer becomes clear what exactly your startup is.
\ A lot of startups like to use the phrase “AI-powered” or “global solutions.” These terms sound interesting but don’t really explain much.
\ Instead of trying to make things sound more complex, go the exact opposite route. Learn how to simplify what your startup is to the point that you can explain it to anyone; it doesn’t matter if they’re a young teenager, a 30-year-old person, or a 70-year-old grandmother.
\ Here’s an example that showcases how keeping things simple can be beneficial for your startup:
❌ Before: “An AI-powered platform for data-driven synergy.
✅ After: “A scheduling tool that saves small businesses 10+ hours per week by automating client bookings.”
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2. What Problems Does Your Startup Fix?
Here’s a stat that might frighten you: according to CB Insights, 42% of startups fail because there’s no market need. But it shouldn’t frighten you because now you know exactly what you need to do.
\ You need to clearly explain your startup’s use cases on your website, preferably on the home page. And here are some other questions that should be answered directly on your homepage:
- What problem are people struggling with?
- How does your startup fix it?
- Why is it better than alternatives?
\ Here’s a good example of how Slack managed to explain in a quick and efficient manner what exactly its use case was:
👉 Slack’s early homepage headline wasn’t talking about channels or integrations. It was simply: “Be less busy.”
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3. Who Is Your Startup For?
This one goes hand-in-hand with the last tip. After explaining the use cases of your product, you should make it clear who it is for.
\ Here are some ways you can do that:
- Showcase specific industries or roles you serve.
- Feature logos of past clients (yes, even if they’re not Fortune 500).
- Add customer testimonials or case studies—nothing builds trust like real people.
\ It might seem counterintuitive to pigeonhole your company, but the truth is this: If your startup is for everyone, then your startup is for no one.
\ Somebody who figured this out early on was Dropbox:
👉 They did so by showing use cases for students, small businesses, and enterprises. Visitors instantly knew if the product was relevant to them.
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Quick Summary
Here’s a checklist that you should go through to make sure your startup’s website is as simple and clean as possible.
✅ Can a visitor explain what you do after 10 seconds on your homepage? \n ✅ Do you explain your product’s use cases? \n ✅ Is it clear who your product is for? \n ✅ Do you include proof (logos, testimonials, press mentions)?
\ If you can check off all four, then congratulations; you’ve succeeded in improving your website!
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But if you still think your startup can use an even sharper edge, why don’t you check out our Business Blogging Program?
What Comes With HackerNoon’s Business Blogging?
- Full editorial support to make your story shine
- Multiple permanent placements on HackerNoon and social media promotions
- Stories converted into audio format and distributed via audio RSS feeds
- Automatic translation into 12 languages for global reach
- Your brand also gains domain authority and SEO
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:::tip 👉 Share your startup’s story today with HackerNoon Business Blogging!
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Great Startups That You Should Know About
Meet Vbanq, MAPi, and Baldecash!
Vbanq
Vbanq helps you create a business banking account, regardless of where you live on Earth. According to their website, Vbanq “serves businesses from more than 95% of jurisdictions and industries.”
\ It’s feats like these that helped Vbanq rise up and become Startup of the Year in the Kingstown, Parish Of Saint George, Saint Vincent And The Grenadines category. It was also a runner up in the banking and payments categories and also made it into the top 10 in the fintech section.
MAPi
MAPi is a mining company from Turkey that has a slew of services to help you with everything that you need. This includes helping with mechanical, hydraulic, and energy systems. Plus, MAPi makes sure to take care of you the entire way through; from presale to aftersale.
\ It’s MAPI’s thoughtfulness that led them to becoming a top contender in the Ankara, Turkey category.
Baldecash
Hailing from Lima, Peru, Baldecash is a fintech startup that specializes in helping out students with financing. Students can pick out laptops that they need for school and can set up a payment plan that won’t break the bank.
\ It should come as no surprise that Baldecash came in first place in Lima, Peru and was also nominated in categories such as Fintech, banking, and investing.
\ That’s all for this week. Until next time, hackers!
About HackerNoon’s Startups of The Year
Startups of The Year 2024 is HackerNoon’s flagship community-driven event celebrating startups, technology, and the spirit of innovation. Currently in its third iteration, the prestigious Internet award recognizes and celebrates tech startups of all shapes and sizes. This year, over 150,000 entities across 4200+ cities, 6 continents, and 100+ industries will participate in a bid to be crowned the best startup of the year! Millions of votes have been cast over the past few years, and many stories have been written about these daring and rising startups.
The winners will get a free interview on HackerNoon and an Evergreen Tech Company News page.
Visit our FAQ page to learn more.
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Check out the Startups of the Year Merch Shop here.
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