Los Angeles based TutorLinker just relaunched with a new design and functionality. They’ve created a marketplace to find tutors based on geography (including a Google maps mashup), subject matter and pricing.
This is the kind of site that I really like to review. The creators are two UCLA college students. No venture financing or big team of developers. Just two guys creating the kind of service they’d like to use.
While the design is great, there are a couple of features that could be added that would make the service easier to use. Search is currently based only on location, although each tutor in they system has filled out a detailed profile that includes subjects they would like to tutor in. Allowing search or browsing by those subjects right at the top level would make things easier.
They should also allow user ratings of tutors, which isn’t there right now. Feedback will provide prospective customers a good idea of how well this tutor has done in the past, and it will also build community participation.
One way for them to expand beyond their current walled garden is to build an API into the service as well. There are lots of parenting sites, including social networks, that may be willing to add this functionality to their sites.
Currently, I’m getting javascript errors everywhere from the gmap page, IE & FF
Hi
I am Javier, the founder of Trendirama.com, the fastest growing community of amateur writers writing about The Future of everything. We would like to invite you guys at techcrunch and readers to join us and write an article on the website, perhaps “The future of location based services” or on anything else you are passionate about…
It is up to you, you choose the subject.
You would get a link back when you link to your own article, if you wish.
You can even re-use some of what you have here, in the last part of the article, “your view and comments”. That would save you time and still be interesting for readers.
And yes, I know you may not have the time. Theoretically, none of us do…;)
Failing that, if you like the project and you can help us spread the word -even if you don’t write- it would be great.
Since we are starting, any help is appreciated.
By making this valuable information available online for free, I truly believe we are helping to make the world a better place.
And you could do your bit for the world too, by sharing what you know, as we already do.
Please let us know if you link or mention us, so we can link you back too if you wish.
You can even use our valuable articles on your websites, provided that you link back. Any better offer than that?!
Look forward to hearing from you or reading your interesting article at Trendirama!
Best regards
Javier Marti
http://trendirama.com
Operation Mom (www.opmom.com) is a parenting social network currently offering a comprehensive service provider referrals section – for tutors, music instructors, plumbers, whatever. It also includes a rating-and-comment feature for all referrals. While there’s currently not a mapping feature, all displayed information is keyed to the user’s own geographical area, or any other area they choose to specify in the search function. This feature of our social network has been extensively used and well received in our higher-traction geographical areas.
TutorLinker seems to provide a similar type of service as Sittercity.com, a subscription service linking parents and babysitters. And Sittercity has around 500,000 members, but still no API so far as I can tell. If TutorLinker remains a free service, maybe that will prompt more outside interest in an API.
John Pacini
http://www.opmom.com
I left it loading for at least 10mn but the map didn’t show up. Registration seemed ok however I was dissapointed at a few of the restrictions. I know I was studying all hours of the day so I think they should’ve left 12am – 8am open for anyone who is up and ready to study late at night or early in the morning. Also, I’d like to volunteer as a tutor not get paid but there wasn’t an option for that.
Javier Marti, please don’ t spam here. Your comment (and site) has nothing to do with this topic. And I looked at your site, not impressed
Agree with JohnnyRocks…only make appropriate spams
If you have a relevant site then I don’t mind the spam but if it’s not related then blah…
Kudos to the fact that tutorlinker already at this phase without any kind of VC funding involed. We don’t see much of that see these days. If you usually see a site that has no funding and looks like it might be useful, its usually based on a $300 off the shelf script. I see good future for this site.
I love hearing stories like this. I am young entrepreneur following my dream and hearing stories of those my age is definitely inspiring. Regarding Post’s comment; keep your eyes open for netus. We are funding the project from our own pockets and I can promise you it is definitely not based on 300$ scripts
. To all those young entrepreneurs out there, keep your heads up and be persistent.
Dave
This site has been well built and the concept is also good.
While browsing through the site, I could not find India in the Country listing. Even it is not listed in the coming soon category.
I cannot see any reason for this and it would be great if the site widens its reach.
Job Blogger
Please guys accept my apologies for anyone offended by my comments. I am sending emails to a lot of people, and receiving positive responses from a many that are interested, but in the meantime there will always be people who don’t appreciate the message.
So…sorry about that.
By the way, someone left a comment in my blog about me spamming here, and didn’t leave his contact details. That’s cowardice, whoever it was.
I suggest you guys at Techcrunch that you block my email address, so I can’t post any more comments about trendirama.com ever again here.
There are so many websites out there that I think could be interested, that it is hard for me to keep track of who I told and who I didn’t.
So, techcrunch, again, please accept my apologies to anyone offended (I hope this comment is published for everyone to see)
For the others that are “not impressed” by the project, they would be better off giving suggestions for improvement instead of spreading negativity, creating bad karma and leaving anonymous cowards comments in blogs. Fortunately, many more people “not impressed” are telling me what to do better, instead of whining. At least I try to do my best. Show me what you are doing before passing judgement on what I do hiding behind an anonymous comment!
Thank you
regards to everyone!
Yeahhh….nothing of interest (maps, tutor listings) load when I place a search on Mac FF. Too lazy to fire up Safari and check as I’ve lost interest already…..
I did a video review of this site last month (click my name) – this was before the updates. I like the driving range option for the tutors.
Sol let me (and I am sure you and others too) that they now have coverage in some other countries including Australia, Canada and NZ.
One thing they should look at adding is a way to “certify” tutors – so TL could verify these tutors. And of course, maybe they should add Digg-like ratings for tutors
Tutorlinker looks like a nice company in the vein of oDesk or Logoworks, making a market more efficient where the suppliers are typically underemployed freelancers. We (Lightspeed Venture Partners) recently led a funding of Tutorvista (www.tutorvista.com), which has a slightly different approach to the tutoring market, offering all-you-can-eat online tutoring for K-12 students in the US and the UK from tutors with graduate degrees for $100/month. Geographic arbitrage is easier in knowledge based fields.
Thank you for great responses. It is very exciting to read people comments.
I just fixed javascript error and it should work from now on.
We are currently working on rating system. It should come shortly.
I’m definitely going to check that site out… I’m interested to see how it differs from Google Local. It’s important to have a map interface like that since my Rancho Santa Fe Tutors site is narrowly targeted to a specific region.
slow news day.
“This is the kind of site that I really like to review. The creators are two UCLA college students. No venture financing or big team of developers. Just two guys creating the kind of service they’d like to use.”
Exactly what I like to see as well. I’m half of a 2 person team myself and that’s why I’m up at 3:05am saying congrats while making Viddyou mo betta.
Small teams are great. You’re lean. You’re mean. You only have yourselves to report to. Of course if you do something stupid you have to point a finger at yourself in the mirror and yell at your reflection. Best done on video for later laughs.
Good werk. =)
:: r ::
I the TutorLinker could add a URL in the profile, BitWine Advisors will be able to link to their BitWine profile and give parents a way to pay for a lesson without the need to drive to the tutor.
I see no plans to include the UK in the list of countries. That’s possibly a good thing because this site as it stands wouldn’t work here (and may even be prohibited by law), in that there is no way that I can see whereby you can rigorously verify that the info the tutor is offering is actually true and correct.
If no-one is actually really checking the tutors – the sign up form puts the onus on the prospective user to check out the tutor is actually who they say they are and have the qualifications they claim to have – what is to stop a paedophile registering as a “home tutor” in say Maths or English and turning up on some 14 year old’s doorstep while her parents are out at work?
Great idea guys, but seriously flawed admin, I feel.
It looks like a coll idea to me. I suggest you include a directory like search option (topic, location, etc) and such filters to you current search bar.
Good luck guys!
Great new site!
I’m guessing they will monetize the service through mobile access, updates and special features. I have tutoring friends in NYC who would definitely pay a small fee to access their accounts and communicate with clients through mobile.
Love the map mashup. I noticed that you can simply search just by entering your zipcode only and not the full address. This is great and should be noted at the bottom of the search bar so people will know that they can search by zipcode as well as by full address.
Oh, I forgot. U.C.L.A fight fight fight! Go Bruins!
I use a couple of these sites already to promote my foreign language education business and they are a good way to get yourself out there but don’t really bring you a lot of leads.
Best of luck!
http://www.letutor.com
Really nice to see a small unfunded team getting recognition.
I wish them well with their site.
I would be interested to see how the monetize this – it seems really cool but where will it make money?
Same idea, different country… http://talenta.com/