please check: babies helping babies

[BroChris]

Please check and critique my newest site: Babies Helping Babies (http://www.babieshelpingbabies.com).

Thanks.

[Konrad]

I really like your website. Nice color scheme.

[singedpiper]

nice idea, nice color scheme, but I'd remove the "posted by ___ on ___" bit below the headlines

[BroChris]

Yeah, it doesn't really fit, does it? I guess I confused it with a blog, lol. I took it out.

Thanks for the comments! Are there any questions you think I should include in the faq?

[NancyJ]

Design-wise its nice enough, I can see where you're going with the pink and blue - not sure about the brown - other than the colour of dirty nappies, which probably isnt what you were going for - given the aims of the site.
Also not really getting the babies helping babies angle, its not really babies doing the helping - its adults and their wallets and they're not 'helping' babies, they're 'helping' fetuses - pre-abortion time limits, you cant really call them babies.

Content-wise, it looks like a scam. You say that you're getting a tax break and that pays for the site and thats what you're getting out of it. But that doesnt answer the question of what you get out of it... as I see it theres absolutely no reason to donate money through your website. If I wanted to donate money to pro-life organisations - which I dont and never will btw, I would go directly to that organisation where I know the money is going to get there.
After hurricane katrina there were thousands of supposed charity sites for collecting money - scammers made a fortunate out of the disaster.

[BroChris]

Point well taken, NancyJ, that's why I included how they can give directly to the organizations that I'm hoping to support. I've heard that before about how it's the parents of the babies who are helping. I'm trying to make the connection that parents are blessed by their children, and they should in turn bless others.

As far as what's in it for me, I guess I should also include that I'm pro-life and want to just support that. I'm not doing it for money at all. Thanks for the tip.

Hmm...didn't think about the brown background that way. You're right, though, it doesn't have any significance. I guess I could change it to a pastel yellow, which better fits the baby colors theme.

By the way, the only page that doesn't validate xhtml 1.0 strict is the donate page (http://validator.w3.org/check?verbose=1&uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.babieshelpingbabies.com%2Fdonate.html) because of Paypal's form. It looks right to me, though, can someone help me with it?

[mark87]

By the way, the only page that doesn't validate xhtml 1.0 strict is the donate page because of Paypal's form. It looks right to me, though, can someone help me with it?

Inputs should be in block elements like <p>'s etc.

[NancyJ]

As far as what's in it for me, I guess I should also include that I'm pro-life and want to just support that. I'm not doing it for money at all. Thanks for the tip.
Well I didnt think you were pro-choice ;) Seem like you want to help them using other peoples money though ;) In terms of reasons to go there your site has no more 'pull' than any other site. The only reason to go there is to give money to pro-life charities, which you can do by going to their websites...

Hmm...didn't think about the brown background that way. You're right, though, it doesn't have any significance. I guess I could change it to a pastel yellow, which better fits the baby colors theme.
If you want to present a romantasised image of parenthood I'd stay well away from any poo or puke colours - anything that would remind people what babies are really like ;) ie. dirty, smelly and expensive :p Probably best to stay away from red too, stretch marks, swollen ankles, the pain of childbirth etc ;)

By the way, the only page that doesn't validate xhtml 1.0 strict is the donate page (http://validator.w3.org/check?verbose=1&uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.babieshelpingbabies.com%2Fdonate.html) because of Paypal's form. It looks right to me, though, can someone help me with it?
I wouldnt fiddle with the paypal code - validation is really meaningless really, you dont want to get yourself into trouble with your donations because you fiddled with the form.

[BroChris]

I agree that validation isn't as important as some make it out to be, but when I'm so close, I may as well go all the way if possible. In this case, it was. Thanks, mark87!

BTW, NancyJ, I also donate to these organizations. So I'm not just trying to use other peoples' money. Every little bit helps. Maybe I didn't mention it on the site, but the minimum donation to Crisis Pregnancy Center via their web site is $5. There's no minimum donation when giving through my site, because I'll pool several donations together. I probably should mention that on the site as well.

About not doing anything besides asking for donations, that's a good point. Perhaps I'll add some practical tips about how to help unborn babies without dipping into pockets.

I really appreciate your input. For not believing in the cause, you sure are helping me a lot! Thanks!

[NancyJ]

The success of any website relies on getting visitors. If theres nothing on your site to make people want to visit then it wont be successful regardless of topic.
You need some reason for people to visit the site in the first place, other than to give you money. Right now the only person with a reason to visit the site is someone who has a new baby and wants to donate less than $5 to one of these charities.
Thats not a very wide audience, especially considering they also have to know about the site ;)
I would suggest having some information about caring for newborn babies, about why you tihnk 'pro-life' is the right choice (preferably without frothing ;)), information on unwanted pregnancies etc. Give people a reason to want to be there, rather than just asking for money.
Perhaps give donators an area where they can upload a pictures of their baby and maybe write a little something about it, like an online baby book, like the date they first did (insert thing here) and other stuff people only do for their first born child... (can you tell I'm the youngest sibling? :p)

As I see it you want to be aiming a new parents - ones that are still wearing rose tinted spectacles and going 'awwwww' at the 'cute' little babies. Ones that might be motivated to give money so that other potential parents could also share this 'wonderful experience'.

As for me helping you despite being firmly pro-choice, well my personal beliefs have nothing to do with the quality of a website and its not my way to change your morality, that would be against my #1 belief - everyone is entitled to their own opinion . Though I'm not adverse to a bit of healthy debate - this is not the place for a debate about this particular topic.

[BroChris]

Not even one? I see one exactly. Does anybody else not see one?