Title says it all. I'm a freelancer, so I have a decent amount of visibility to gain by exposing my opinion on, say, my blog. It's not bad feedback, but it's feedback. What's the preferred way of startup people to get their feedback? Is it wrong if I choose to publicize it to gain notoriety instead of doing it behind the curtains?
I can't speak for everyone, but if you have positive feedback for a startup, write a nice blog post and send them a link. If you have negative feedback, send them an email about it. If their response of lack of response is particularly noteworthy (if they are rude, or they fix the issues very quickly) it might warrant a blog post.
Personally, I don't blog, but I enjoy sending emails to startups whose services I use, with my first impressions, what I like, and what could be improved. I realize that this isn't a novel concept, but it's interesting to chat with the founders themselves, and sometimes it seems like they are really lacking in feedback in certain areas.
Unless you point to a way they can easily fix it, i.e. show the solution, I would give feedback behind the curtain.
Posting feedback on a blog comes across like you want to make your own name over the backs of the hard working entrepreneurs, while you are not taking the risk yourself.
if you haven't tried and lived their lives, be cautious about criticizing the applications the live and breath every day, and is their life.
Personally, I don't blog, but I enjoy sending emails to startups whose services I use, with my first impressions, what I like, and what could be improved. I realize that this isn't a novel concept, but it's interesting to chat with the founders themselves, and sometimes it seems like they are really lacking in feedback in certain areas.