We’re proud to announce that we’re launching the public version of the Rogomo Beta today, which includes a number of new and improved features to our original limited Beta that we released this past December.

One of the things we’ve been most excited about over the past few weeks is the great feedback that we’ve been getting from our users. We want to thank everyone who has contacted us. You have not only helped us with today’s release, but you’ve also helped us plan exciting new features for future releases.

Today’s new features include:

Built-in Free Instant Messaging:  We’ve added a free text IM tool that allows buyers to reach a Rogomo expert quickly and easily via his/her profile. Rogomo still works with any communication tool you want (i.e., phone, video calls, IM, etc.), but this tool makes it easier for buyers to reach an expert to set up a session or even to conduct a session through the IM tool.

Here’s an example of what our IM tool looks like in action:

New Profile Tools and Directory Features:  We’ve also added three key features that give buyers more information about our experts. First, we’ve added the option for experts to add a personal photo to their Profile. Second, we’ve also added the option for experts to display their real name in addition to their Rogomo ID. Together, these new options give experts the ability — if they want — to provide more information to potential buyers that help establish the buyer’s trust of an expert. Finally, we now display each expert’s “average price per minute” on the profile page and in the directory, which helps potential buyers gauge how much each expert charges.

Take a look at our founder John’s profile to see how these new features look:

Design and Stability Improvements:  Finally, we’ve made numerous improvements to the design and stability of the Rogomo.com website. Some of these you will see and some you won’t — however, all of them help improve the speed and stability of the Rogomo service to ensure a great experience for both buyers and experts.

We hope you like these new features as much as we do. We’re working hard on a bunch of other features, and we’re always excited to hear your thoughts on Rogomo and what features you think we should add. If you have any ideas, please feel free to post in our Forum.