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May 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Smart, simple solutions

There is an abundance of complexity in the world. It occurs pretty much everywhere. Companies create products with way more features than we need, bosses over-complicate policies and procedures, and our government passes ridiculously complex legislation that no one even has time to read.

We do it to ourselves, too. We think we need big, complicated systems to run our accounting and business systems. We create convoluted policies to try to anticipate every possible scenario. We look for that magic piece of software that will do all 500 things we think we need it to do.

After the air clears and we’ve spent a lot of time and money on our complex solutions, what happens? We usually end up only using 10% of it.

This is why our brand promise at SpinWeb is “smart, simple solutions.” We happen to build websites but our over-arching goal is to help you work smarter with simple online tools. Rather than sell you a big website with 27 tools, we’re more likely to encourage you to consider a smaller site first that does 3 things really well. You’re probably more likely to use it and you’ll save some money, too.

Ask yourself if you really need all the complexity that is currently in your business, or in your life. Could you serve your customers, employees, and partners better if you simplified?

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May 26, 2010 By 1 Comment

Better usability in conference websites

As a speaker, I attend and present for a lot of conferences. As an attendee, I register for events online and consume information primarily online via the conference website. As a speaker, I submit proposals for presentations with the intention of presenting at the conference.

As I analyze conference websites, I see a lot of opportunities for improving usability among them. Why is usability important on a conference website? Probably the most important reason is that it can play a huge part in determining how many people actually register for your event, as well as the quality of the speakers.

Here are some things to think about as you plan your conference website or landing pages.

1. Online registration is a must. I know it seems surprising but I still see conferences that do not have online registration as an option. They require you to call, mail, or fax in your registration. This puts up a huge wall between your event and your prospective attendees. Who has time to mail in a registration these days? Not me. I need quick, easy, secure online registration with credit card or I’m probably not going to bother. The same goes for your exhibitors.

2. Use online forms for speaker proposals. As a speaker, few things irritate me more than having to print or fill out a Word document to submit presentation proposals. Many speakers like me are submitting proposals to a variety of conferences and the more cumbersome it is to apply, the more likely I am to skip over your conference. I think I have a lot to offer and bring a lot of value to conferences when I present but making it hard for me to submit a proposal often keeps me (and other speakers) away. Make sure speakers can fill out application forms directly on your website.

3. Create landing pages for each session. I sometimes see conference websites that will give a general outline of the sessions for each day but do not break out sessions into individual landing pages. It’s important to give each session a specific landing page because this allows your speakers to promote their own sessions better, which in turn helps market your conference. It also gives you more specific content to publish on social networks and for search engines.

4. Make your conference website socially-aware. In addition to session landing pages, each session page should allow easy social media distribution. Two great ways to encourage social sharing of your conference material are with a Re-Tweet button via TweetMeme and a share button via AddThis. Both services are free and allow website visitors to easily market your sessions for you with one click. If you make it easy to announce your sessions, your will find that your speakers will help a great deal with your marketing efforts.

5. List all relevant time and location information clearly. This seems like a pretty obvious one but I still see conference websites that neglect to list the times and locations of breakout sessions. Not everyone wants to attend every session so make it easy for them to see exactly when and where each session is. Also, make sure your website includes interactive Google maps to your location so that your attendees can easily find it.

6. Include detailed speaker bios and photos. Few things are more boring than a big chunk of text listing presentation titles with no information on the speakers. Be sure to include speaker photos and bios with the session pages and perhaps even create speaker landing pages to help showcase them. Link out to their own website and social profiles, as well. This helps your attendees feel more connected to the speakers and can sometimes encourage people to register because they have an interest in seeing a particular speaker.

Paying attention to some basic usability details can make a huge difference in the quality of your speakers and the number of people who attend your conference. Do you need to make any adjustments to your conference website?

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April 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Top 5 things to consider when redesigning your website

I had a wonderful time speaking for ISAE yesterday and serving on a panel on website redesign projects. After my keynote presentation and a great lunch, we had some excellent Q&A around what leads to a successful website redesign project. Special thanks to Katie Voorhest for inviting me to speak and for being one of the most effective, organized planners I have ever met.

Here are the top 5 takeaways that I want to share based on our discussion.

1. Know your audience. Be sure that your new website is not designed for your internal staff. It should be designed for your constituents. The personal preferences of your CEO or other executives should not dictate your design. Your brand identity and your constituents should drive the design.

2. Avoid “design by committee”. Choose one point person as your project lead. This person should solicit feedback but filter accordingly. However, make sure all decision-makers are in the room during approval meetings.

3. Instead of writing complex RFPs, try starting with interviews. RFPs can sometimes lead to an over-complicated vendor selection process and can also result in inaccurate pricing. Start by talking to qualified web firms and see what their processes are like.

4. Choose a good website design and development firm. This makes a huge difference. Look for a firm that has experience in your industry (or similar types of websites), a deep portfolio of work that you like, and (most importantly) a proven process.

5. Budget for content and photography. Great content and professional photography can make or break a design. Remember, website visitors make snap decisions about the credibility of your organization in less than a second based on your design. Don’t skimp on content and photography.

For further reading, here are the websites I referenced during my presentation with further information on design trends and usability:

A List Apart (design and development trends)
Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox (usability)
Redesigning Your Website (my presentation given at the event)
7 Habits of Highly Effective Websites (my presentation on website best practices)

Thanks again to ISAE and all who attended for a great event!

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April 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Nonprofit web design and why it matters

Modern websites should follow some standard best practices in design and usability in order to be effective as marketing and communications tools. Smart businesses understand that following these best practices leads to increased sales and revenue.

However, nonprofits also need to understand how design and usability affects their revenue. Nonprofits are interested in many of the same things that businesses are: increasing revenue, building trust, and reaching the right audience.

For some reason, many nonprofits seems to skimp on marketing and communications because they feel that they need to do everything on a shoestring budget just because of their nonprofit status. I believe that the opposite is true and that nonprofits should be especially conscious of investing in the right tools for marketing successfully.

So how does a nonprofit use the web to grow? Here are a few ways.

Invest in great design. Website visitors make snap judgments about your organization based on the quality of your website. If your website looks outdated, cheap, and unprofessional, what assurance do I have that my donation will be used effectively?

Invest in quality content. Many nonprofit websites have very little content or poorly-written content on their websites. Your website must tell a story for donors, volunteers, and the media. Make sure researchers can find the information they need to understand your mission.

Don’t be afraid to ask for money. Many nonprofit websites seem to forget that they need money and for some reason make it very difficult to make a donation. Be sure that you accept online donations via credit card. The donation button should be easy to find and easy to use. Remove barriers to making a donation and giving will increase.

Understand your audiences. Nonprofits need to target multiple audiences: donors, volunteers, sponsors, and the media. Be sure your nonprofit website has the right tools for all these groups. The media will want press releases and press kits. Volunteers will want clear job descriptions and specifications. Donors will want easy ways to give and will want to know how their money is being used. Event sponsors want to be able to sign up quickly online.

Keep content fresh. Nonprofit websites need to pay special attention to how current website content is. Interested parties want to see that your organization is making a difference and that your mission is current. Blogs and press releases are a great way to tell your story and keep your message fresh. If possible, update content at least once a week.

It’s tempting to try to design and maintain a nonprofit website on the cheap, but this does a disservice to your mission. By investing in a high-quality web presence, your nonprofit will actually become more successful in the long run and attract more donations, sponsors, and volunteers.

Won’t this help you make a difference?

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March 19, 2010 By 3 Comments

Don’t send me “e-news”

I see a lot of email newsletters. They vary in their degrees of design quality, content, and general appeal. However, over 90% of them (made-up statistic for CJ McClanahan) fall into the trap of being simply “e-news”. Some of the titles are even things like “March E-news”, “E-news from Company XYZ”, or “March Newsletter”.

These are boring subject lines but the content of the newsletter makes it even worse. These newsletter are typically packed full of little advertising boxes that shout at the reader or ramble on and on about things going on at the company, specials and promotions, and every other marketing message that can possibly be crammed into it. This results in information overload, a hard-sell vibe, and will probably result in a high number of unsubscribes.

Why? Because this type of newsletter has no value to its recipients.

Rather than take this approach, try slimming down and focusing your message. First, take out all the extra advertising fluff and shouting and design your newsletter to consist of one main content area that contains a single message. It’s ok to leave a couple of subtle ancillary boxes but the bulk of your newsletter layout should be centered around one article.

Next, make that article focused on the recipient. Don’t paste in your latest press release, monthly special, or ad campaign. Write an educational article that gives something of value to the reader. Teach your readers something new, give them new ideas, or give them a unique insight into something that will help them in their businesses. Make sure it is well-written. If your organization does not have someone who writes well, outsource the writing.

Finally, customize your subject line to reflect the content of the article. Instead of just “March E-news”, include the actual title of the article. When your readers are scanning their inboxes, a specific and descriptive subject line will stand out among all the other “e-news” messages in the list.

If your subject line is specific and descriptive, your readers are more likely to open it. If your message is simple and direct, your readers are more likely to pay attention to it. If your message is valuable, your readers are more likely to share it with others and stay on your mailing list. If you do this consistently, your readers are more likely to buy from you, donate to your non-profit, or recommend you to others.

Don’t fall into the “e-news” trap. Make your message simple, focused, and valuable to your readers.

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February 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Is your website an information hub or a brochure?

I’m sure we’ve all heard the term “brochure website” before. For a while, it was used as a legitimate way to label certain types of websites and was accepted as a normal way to do business. Organizations would simply take their brochures, turn them into static websites that regurgitated brochure content, and called it a day. We all thought this was ok.

Then, we evolved beyond this and realized that websites were more than just a digital brochure. We started to add things like fresh content, Flash promos, and changing photos. This let our audience know that things were happening and that whenever new content was available, we would publish it in real time on the web. This was a good next step.

Today, the modern corporate or non-profit website is much more. It must truly be an information hub. Though some organizations still don’t understand this, we are way beyond the brochure website. We are also evolving beyond the “changing content” websites that followed. We are now in an era in which our constituents demand extensive access to online tools and information that creates a two-way dialog. Your constituents expect to be able to engage with your website to actually do things that help them get their work done and be productive. Things like:

  • Register and pay online for events in 2 minutes or less
  • Download your latest product documentation
  • Ask a question and get an answer
  • Find a real person with a name and title to start a conversation with
  • Subscribe to an email newsletter that teaches something (not just promotes)
  • Comment on your blog
  • Subscribe to your Podcast
  • Share your educational content with their social networks
  • Make an online donation to your non-profit in 2 minutes or less using a credit card
  • Fill out your volunteer application form online (not on paper or in a Word document)

Whether you like it or not, your prospective customers (or donors, or volunteers) are making snap judgments about your organization as they research you and your competition online. Having a beautiful website is the absolute bare minimum to be taken seriously. Having an information hub makes you a competitor.

Filed Under: Design, Marketing, Technology Tagged With: , , , ,
November 17, 2009 By 1 Comment

Credit union website design tips

In today’s market, credit unions are enjoying renewed popularity among consumers due to their membership-driven policies, personal service, and local community ties. Many people are drawn to these features of their local credit unions and are starting with research on the web.

For this reason, progressive credit unions must capture the attention of these researchers with a compelling online story via a modern corporate website.

Great design. This should be obvious but many credit unions still utilize outdated websites with poor design and awkward usability which hurts their credibility. Prospective customers are making decisions about where to put their money. They need to feel trust and a strong design is necessary to communicate brand integrity. Credit unions should focus on a clean, crisp design that stays very content-driven.

Social media. Today’s consumers are on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter and they sometimes read blogs. Smart credit unions will take advantage of this by creating special promotions for “fans” or “followers” on these networks in order to build a list of permission-based constituents. Each presence on a social network links back to the appropriate content piece on the credit union website.

Blogging. Every credit union website should feature a blog. Educational blogging helps build authority and places the credit union in a position of “trusted advisor” to its customers which opens the door to up-selling additional products. Blogging also boosts search engine rankings.

Up-to-date rates. When consumers are researching your credit union online, makes it easy for them to find rates. Keep in mind that your rates do not have to be the best. If you post your rates clearly and your competition keeps it a secret, you will create more trust in prospective customers because you are giving them an easy path to information, which increases their comfort level.

Online registration for seminars/webinars. Being very member-focused, credit unions are in a great position to offer educational seminars to their customers. Make it easy for people to sign up for these events via your website. Also consider conducting webinars to allow your customers and prospective customers to learn valuable financial information by participating from their computers over the Internet.

Usability. Credit union websites should pay strict heed to common usability norms. Navigation should be in logical places, nav items should use common naming conventions, and sectional or sub-navs should be well-structured. Since credit unions typically have so much content to publish, card sorting exercises should be used to determine the most logical structure to present to users. Over and over, most organizations are finding that “About Us” and “Contact Us” are the two most popular nave items that website visitors click on. Don’t deviate from common conventions like these.

Professional content. The underlying foundation of all these other tools is content. On the web, content must be clear, concise, and logical. Follow the inverted pyramid rule and keep it simple. Make sure your content is written by a professional to ensure that website visitors feel a sense of trust and credibility as they research your credit union.

As member-focused financial organizations that value education and community, credit unions are in a unique position to connect with customers using web tools like never before.

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November 4, 2009 By Leave a Comment

How design affects credibility on the web

I hate ugly websites. I realize that I have a particular bias as a result of what I do so I’m sure that is to be expected. In fact, people often have fun with me by sending me links to ugly websites just to see how much I cringe.

All fun aside, however, how often do we really think about how design affects our credibility as businesses? Do ugly websites hurt business? Turns out, the answer is yes.

Many studies have been done on this topic, including this one from Stanford University. In these studies, we find out that there are a number of design factors that influence how your website visitors perceive your organization.

“Real-world” aspects of your organization. Do you list your physical address? Do you display professional photos of your key team members? In short, does your website reflect the legitimacy of your organization?

Ease of use. A website that is difficult to use damages the credibility of your organization because it gives the appearance you don’t care enough to present a logical, well-designed navigation. If you don’t care about your information infrastructure, how much do you care about your customers?

Markers of expertise. Your corporate or organization website is an opportunity to display credentials and examples of your expertise. Take advantage of this and increase your credibility through case studies and credentials.

Markers of trustworthiness. The Stanford study referenced above found that visitors responded more positively to websites that presented content in a transparent and unbiased fashion. By contrast, websites that crossed the line into being too promotional resulted in decreased levels of trust in visitors. Be honest and factual when presenting your online image to increase trust.

Tailor the user experience. If your site allows customers to log in, give them access to specific data that is relevant to them. Additionally, allow your website visitors to easily find data relevant to their specific needs or markets.

Avoid over-promoting or over-advertising. Advertising elements can sometimes be very effective when implemented tastefully. However, avoid the trap that many newspaper websites fall into when they plaster ads all over their home pages. Too much advertising damages credibility.

Pay attention to design details. Even small glitches like a broken link or misspelled word can damage credibility. Additionally, avoid outdated, amateur design. A professional design goes a long way toward legitimizing your organization and can make the difference between a transaction and a lost customer.

Ultimately, credibility is a significant factor in your bottom line because trust must exist for a sale or a transaction to take place. Does the design of your organization’s website inspire trust?

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May 11, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Top 10 Information Architecture Mistakes (Jakob Nielsen)

Every now and then, Jakob Nielsen publishes a great article that really hits home and embodies all the rules we are trying to explain every day as we create web sites for our clients. Take a moment to read this one:

Top 10 Information Architecture Mistakes

It’s a great review of some of the little details that can make the difference between a mediocre website and a great web site.

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April 5, 2009 By 2 Comments

Improving the Usability of your Pricing

Our Creative Director at SpinWeb, Rob Alan, sent me this blog post today that I absolutely loved:

Is there a better way for you to price your product? – (37signals).

I was very happy to see it because it validates something we’ve been doing for the past year – improving the usability of our pricing.

As an interactive agency, we come from a world where most companies like us are used to a sales process that involves lots of planning meetings, big proposals that go back and forth, free consulting to create estimates, and vague pricing based on a mysterious number of hours that it may take to complete a project. From what I’ve seen, this process typically leads to projects that go over budget and time, disagreements over money, and end up with both parties unhappy.

I’m very happy to say that SpinWeb has adopted a much simpler pricing and delivery process that involves three phases: blueprint, design, and deployment. Our pricing is 100% transparent. We don’t talk in terms of “hours” or “estimates”. We break our service down into smaller, logical chunks of work that we can predict and deliver with confidence. We also tell our clients exactly what each chunk will cost. I’ve sometimes met with a prospective client for the first time and then within 45 minutes the paperwork is signed and web site is in production simply because we make our process so easy to understand. In less than an hour, any prospective client can have all the information he or she needs to make a decision. It’s very refreshing.

This model has completely revolutionized our business. Arguments over money have virtually disappeared, we’ve shortened our sales process by about 90%, and our clients are happy. I never would have thought that an agency that creates web sites could “productize” design services like this but I’m amazed at what we’ve done. Additionally, it allows us even more design creativity because we can focus our time and energy on great design rather than on managing inefficient production processes.

Take another look at your business and try to find ways to create repeatable processes and pricing models. It might be easier than you think and it just may help your sales, as well.

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