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How To Test Drive Demo Software
By Paul Fisher, Sat Dec 10th
Investing in software is an important business decision.Your online marketing efforts can be significantly enhanced by apiece of software that closely matches your business needs andcurrent knowledge level, yet a poorly chosen product will damageyour marketing efforts and waste money and man hours. Luckilymost software developers offer time limited trials of theirproducts, which usually have very few limitations on the tasksthat can be performed. But before you fire up a trial, considerthe following 10 points that will help you come to the correctconclusions. 1)Don't install demo software if you have a major project orvery busy time coming up. You will need to dedicate some time toexplore the software before it expires, which will require somededication and time! 2)Install the software as per the developer's instructions.Don't try and manipulate the install, as the software mightdevelop bugs that are not present in the full version.
3)Once installed, scan through the setup and quick start files.You will lack the time to read through all of the help files -particularly if you are assessing several software titles inorder to make a decision, however it is important to get a feelfor the basic principles. When looking through the help files,note how detailed they are. Poorly written help files canindicate a poorly designed software program. 4)Note whether there are any demo files. If there are, openthem up and play with them. It can be tempting to jump straightin with your own data, but often it takes many months to buildup useful data which will show the full capabilities of a pieceof software. The appearance of demo data is a big plus point,and its absence is a negative. 5)Look for a link to online help facilities, including activeforums. Online help files are useful when a piece of software isupdated regularly, and when the broader software subject islikely to change (as in search engine marketing). Take 5 minutesto search for unofficial forum or help sites. The moreunofficial sources of help there are, the more popular thesoftware is.
As a rule, the more popular the software the willbe easier to use. 6)Set yourself a simple aim, then launch the software and delvein. Get a feel for the interface. Is it intuitive? Easy tonavigate? Quick at running reports? Does it produce clearresults that you can readily understand? Does the software helpyou to achieve your aim? 7)Contact the developers with a simple query. This can be oneof the most telling signs of all as to whether the software isadequately supported. Do not contact the sales team (who willundoubtedly respond within minutes), so make sure you directyour query to the support staff who you will be dealing withonce you make a purchase. Do they respond quickly with aneffective solution? If you do not receive a response within thetrial period (or if the support team will not answer queriesfrom trial customers) think carefully about purchasing the fullproduct. 8)Note whether the software is updated automatically during thetrial period (or whether any updates have been released recentlyvia the developer's website). Most software will requirefrequent updates, and if they do not occur regularly thesoftware may cease to work. 9)Search for independent reviews (like those on SEO Software or ">Amazon for example). Now that you have used the softwareyou will more readily recognise what the reviewer is saying. Dothey share any concerns with you, or do they like the samethings as you? If any negative reviews ring true, contact thedevelopers for a response. Will these issue be addressed in afuture update. Using this checklist will help to focus your evaluation efforts.It will help steer you away from seductive flashy graphics andinstead draw you attention to the key issues of usability,quality of support and business objective fulfilment. Happy testing! About the author:Paul Fisher is a professional in the search arena and is editorof SEO Software - awebsite dedicated to the independent comparison of marketingsoftware programs.
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