adam qureshi

Why are ugly websites so successful?

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:17:58 -0500

“Techmeme has redesigned,” Gabe Rivera founder of the popular technology news site wrote in January 2012. “Drudge Report is now indisputably the web’s ugliest news site.”

I use Techmeme all the time. I find it an excellent news website. It’s a collection of well-selected links to important issues in the technology industry. It doesn’t look pretty but it works fine for me. Asides from the quality of its stories it also has black text on white background and a fairly large size, legible font.

Gabe Rivera claims that Drudge Report is “the web’s ugliest news site.” That’s probably true, as well as the fact that Drudge Report is one of the web’s most influential and most highly trafficked websites. Again, it’s a bunch of carefully selected links laid out in the most basic manner possible.

Just like Craig’s List, another website whose homepage is dominated by links and not a single image. A very ugly website. Ebay, Amazon, Twitter, Facebook and Google are not much better in the visual design area.

Did ugly visual design help these websites become more successful? The accepted wisdom in the web design industry is, absolutely not. Most web designers would say that Craig’s List and Drudge Report would be much more successful if they had a more pleasing visual design. There are studies from, for example, Stanford University, that state that the visual appeal of the website significantly influences people.

However, in the research we’ve been doing over the years we have found that visual appeal is rarely a major factor for the customer. The accuracy, up-to-datedness and completeness of the information are critical issues. The clarity of the menus and links is hugely important to people, as is the quality of the search.

But I think there is a deeper reason why people prefer ‘ugly’ design. When I was buying a camera recently I did a lot of research. I learned to avoid most content from the camera manufacturers, particularly videos. These manufacturer videos that claimed to explain how the camera worked were mainly re-purposed TV ads. They were beautifully produced and were really irritating and content-free. They were utterly useless. A hundred times better were the really badly produced YouTube videos by expert photographers who were actually using these cameras.

When we watch people try to complete tasks on websites we notice that often the more visually appealing something is, the more they ignore it. If it looks like marketing or an ad, then people dismiss it as having low value or credibility.

In the eyes of many customers, ugly equals authentic and credible. Ugly helps you get the task completed quickly without any fuss or distraction. Ugly is going to give you the details. Ugly is not hiding anything. Ugly does not waste your time on surface images and trivial jargon and hype.

In about the last 100 talks I have given to web professionals I show them two alternative registration pages that were tested. One page was 40% more successful than the other at getting people to register. That is an absolutely enormous difference in effectiveness. I ask the audience of web professionals to choose which one was more successful and practically every time, 80% of them choose page B. Page A was 40% more successful. Page B was prettier, a nicer visual design. Page A was uglier. But time and time again, ugly gets the job done.

Author: www.gerrymcgovern.com

You don't need a mobile strategy

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 10:43:42 -0500

Mobile is a platform. It is a tactic, not a strategy. What you need is a strategy for the connected customer.

If a Norwegian man is sitting on the toilet reading the news on his iPhone, is he mobile? Well, research indicates that one of the most favored places where Norwegian men use their phones is on the toilet. iPads are used a lot on the couch but the iPhone is more popular in bed.

Mobile is not necessarily mobile. It is flexible, convenient, fast, and private. Pictures of sexually transmitted diseases are often accessed through mobile devices. This could be because mobile is particularly favored by young people. It could also be because a phone is more private than a computer. A number of people might have access to the computer you use, for example.

I’ve read that mobiles will be used a lot this Christmas, particularly for last minute gifts. That implies that people using them may need advice on what to buy, because by definition they will not be buying for themselves.

“Desktop copywriting must be concise. Mobile copywriting must be even more concise,” Jakob Nielsen writes in his article ‘Mobile UX Sharpens Usability Guidelines.’ We need more than content reeducation according to Jakob. “The feature set should be much smaller for a mobile site than for a desktop site.”

However, the customer is not always in a hurry. Some people read more on their smart phones than they read on websites. So, one of the most important links any mobile website can have is a link back to the main website.

A major weakness of organizations is that they behave reactively rather than strategically. “We need a mobile app.” “We need to be on Twitter.” “We need more video.” “We need to blog.”

Web strategy is far more about psychology than technology, blogs, Twitter or any other forms of content. The more people use the Web to live their lives and do their jobs, the more web professionals need to invest in understanding human behavior. This is because the Web removes the human touch points, the opportunities to observe, the empathy zones.

There is so much we learn when we are physically in the presence of our customers. If I were hiring a web professional the greatest attribute I would look for is empathy; the ability and desire to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. A web professional should have a service heart.

What are Norwegian men doing with their smart phones when they are on the toilet? What do people typically do when they are on the couch? Do the tasks change when they get into bed?

SOURCE:www.gerrymcgovern.com

If customers get the first click right they have twice as much of a chance of completing their task than if they get it wrong.

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 13:34:32 -0500

Nobody likes taking a wrong turn, particularly when it’s your first turn. If you have travelled 10 kilometers in the wrong direction, then it feels like you are travelling back 20 kilometers.

Linking is the foundation of the Web. It is its key distinguishing characteristic. It is what makes the Web the Web. The essence of linking is navigation. The essence of navigation is helping someone get someplace. A link is a signpost, a promise.

That most important skill by far that any web professional can have is link design. The most important aspect-by far-of link design is the choice of words.

A 2010 study by Webusability found that, “participants were about twice as likely to succeed if they selected the correct response on the first page with which they had to deal … In addition, those scenarios that had incorrect first clicks tended to take longer to complete, and required more page views.”

Commenting on the study, Measuring Usability stated that “Few things affect task success more than the navigation of the website. If users can’t find what they’re looking for, not much else matters.”

Another research paper, published in 2011, states that when people are on the Web, “The main attention is paid to the starting and ending documents. They should be designed well.”

You can’t have good search if you don’t have good navigation. The quality of search results is directly dependent on the quality of the navigation. The better structured the environment, the better the search results will be.

The best navigation is focused on top tasks. The best navigation is simple. It has as few choices as possible. Thus, you must focus on the highest demand tasks (top tasks). Great navigation is exclusive. Each link is absolutely separate and distinct.

Let’s say you have a support problem. You see these links: FAQs, Tools, Resources. Which one should you choose? This is an example of the most basic mistake in navigation design: overlapping links.

Design the top level of your navigation in isolation. Base it on your top 20 tasks. Then test it with about 20 top task questions. Ask a minimum of 20 people what their first click would be based on the navigation you present them. You can do this manually using the simplest of wireframes. However, the simplest way we’ve found of doing this is by using Optimal Sort from Optimal Workshop.

Aim for a 90 percent first click success rate. Keep tweaking your navigation until you get that success rate. Design downwards. Get the first level right then work on the second level. Measure the success of your design based on task success. Most of what you will be doing to improve success rate will involve changing words.

source:www.gerrymcgovern.com

Content management solutions: Gerry McGovern

http://gerrymcgovern.newsweaver.ie/h0nv0mbx1i8fnqwh0fvw3q?email=true&a=6&p=18660025&t=20046995

"A Year in New York" Video Essay Flaunts the City's Beautiful Side

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 09:50:56 -0500

"A Year in New York" Video Essay Flaunts the City's Beautiful Side:

Enjoy this lyrical interpretation of New York City, shot and edited by talented videographer Andrew Clancy. Not only does “A Year in New York” give you a good look at the city and its vast array of people and sights. It demonstrates the gorgeous quality of expertly-framed HD vide…

Protecting Your Online Reputation: 4 Things You Need to Know [INFOGRAPHIC]

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:41:58 -0400

Protecting Your Online Reputation: 4 Things You Need to Know [INFOGRAPHIC]:

You don’t have to be running for president to care about your online reputation. Almost everything you do online is easy to track, especially when you’re using social media sites. This infographic shows you how to manage your “e-reputation,” perhaps saving you some embarrassment, or even your car…

createthegroup: Are Luxury products without overt branding the...

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:08:22 -0400

createthegroup:

Are Luxury products without overt branding the new mark of exclusivity?

The appeal of living large hasn’t disappeared but it seems the logos associated with lavish lifestyles have. When it comes to statement accessories, brands as diverse as Victoria Beckham and Céline are whispering their exclusivity amid a growing consensus that “anonymity” is the key to being recognised.

Flip through the Barneys New York autumn handbag catalogue and it’s clear that the less-is-more approach has permeated the luxury accessories market – a move that Daniella Vitale, the store’s executive vice president, says is intrinsic to the Barneys DNA. “Historically, our clients have always responded to a more subtle, beautifully crafted product,” she says. “[It’s about] expression through details, exquisite materials and things that are not so identifiable.”

WHAT MAKES SOMEONE LEAVE A WEBSITE ?

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 01:03:00 -0400

Source: What Makes Someone Leave A Website?

night out!

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 13:02:28 -0400

night out!

5-Minute Guide to Getting a Job in Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC]

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:31:27 -0400

5-Minute Guide to Getting a Job in Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC]:

Are you looking to get a job in social media? Of course, we’d highly recommend jumping into this lively line of work, but the field is highly competitive and there are lots of people looking. This infographic from online training software company mindflash.com can help you stand out from the crow…

Noodlers Infographic on typography

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 09:45:29 -0400

Noodlers Infographic on typography

startupquote: Ideas are commodity. Execution of them is not. -...

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:42:09 -0400

startupquote:

Ideas are commodity. Execution of them is not.

- Michael Dell

THE CHANGING ROLE OF MARKETING

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:41:11 -0400

Marketing has become everything you do. Everyone in your organization is a marketer.

In classical management thinking, marketing, advertising and branding were often separate from the product and company. This is a particular type of thinking best associated with what is called Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), but has become popular for all types of products and services.

For many FMCG goods there is essentially no difference between competing products. So, marketers are employed to invent a difference. They do this through association and repetition; essentially psychological and emotional manipulation and trickery.

Sometimes it’s about story telling. You tell a funny or interesting story to the consumer and they repay you by buying your product. In many ways, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Exciting, funny stories and fantasy make life interesting. We pay a little extra not to be bored.

The problem is that this sort of marketing has become commonplace. Marketers think that this is marketing and branding in general, rather than the product-specific type of marketing it really is. So many marketers dream of having big ad budgets. They think that their heroic marketing is convincing those who have absolutely no interest in your product that they now absolutely MUST have it.

The Web reflects an empowered, engaged consumer who sees past many of the traditional marketing tricks. “At the end of the day, customers no longer separate marketing from the product—it is the product. They don’t separate marketing from their in-store or online experience—it is the experience. In the era of engagement, marketing is the company,” Tom French, Laura LaBerge, and Paul Magill write in a July 2011 article for McKinsey Quarterly.

Kristin Zhivago is one of the smartest marketers I know. In her new book, Roadmap To Revenue, she states: “Stop trying to “sell” and “market”. Instead, start to figure out how to make the purchase easier for the customers who would benefit from your product or services.”

This is an essential point. A few days ago I searched for “digital watches”. Did I want to buy a car, jeans, glasses, house, gloves, pension plan? What were the chances of a big banner ad trying to sell me home insurance? Here’s what I wanted to buy. You’ve guessed it, yes, I knew you would, because you’re very clever and perceptive. What I wanted to buy and what I did buy was a digital watch.

There’s a growing number of consumers out there who know what they want to buy, or at least have a very good idea. Many of these customers judge your brand first and foremost based on your service, not your product or fancy advertising. Part of this service is the self service simplicity of your website. How easy is it to use? Does it give real answers to specific questions?

At Zappos they state that, “Customer service isn’t just a department. We’ve been asked by a lot of people how we’ve grown so quickly, and the answer is actually really simple… We’ve aligned the entire organization around one mission: to provide the best customer service possible.”

WEB LINK FOR THIS ISSUE:http://gerrymcgovern.newsweaver.ie/d7ljk71aor5fnqwh0fvw3q?email=true

O MAN I GOT THIS EMAIL! another nigerian scheme!

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 00:12:11 -0400

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Arial; color: #333233} span.s1 {text-decoration: underline ; color: #1255cc}

I am Barrister Idiawe Fujiking of & Associates Lome-Togo, personal attorney to the late Mr. Victor.Qureshi, a National Of your country who worked with Shell Development Company in lome-Togo. He and his wife and only daughter were involved in an automobile accident while visiting a neighboring country on 2nd April 2008 and left nobody as a Next of Kin that can lay claim to his estates. This has proved unsuccessful. After several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to contact you hence I know that you bear the same surname with him. I seek your consent and assistance in repartriating money left behind by him before it gets confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Bank. The deposit is valued twelve Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars only and it is lodged with Bank. The Bank has issued me an ultimatum to present the next-of-kin of the deceased to inherit the funds or have the account declared unserviceable. I here by seek your consent to present you to the Bank as next-of-kin of the deceased, so that the proceeds of this account valued of the said fund can be transferred to you as inheritance, and thereafter you and I will share the money, while part of it will be donated to Charity Fund. I have necessary legal information which in legal terms are supposed to be known by me and this will I relate to you to support the claim of the inheritance from the Bank. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see the transaction through. I guarantee that the transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. PLEASE CONTACT ME trough my private email address barristeridiawefujiking04@gmail.com for more details Thanks waiting to hear from you soon. Barrister Idiawe Fujiking

Google+

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 21:04:27 -0400

Talk about hitting two birds with one stone: Besides Facebook, Twitter is another social-media site threatened by Google+.

Users of Google’s new social network have found it is essentially a “Twitterbook” hybrid. As with Twitter, users can follow large numbers of people. As with Facebook, users control who they share information with. You can broadcast to everyone on the network or share photos of a night out with friends only.

Facebook, at least, is taking Google+ seriously enough to conduct reconnaissance on the service. Facebook product manager Sam Lessin has been posting test messages, presumably to understand how the service works. “Why are you following me?” he asks his nearly 2,200 followers on the site. Facebook director of product Blake Ross goes a step further. A recent posting of his encouraged users to contact Facebook’s vice president for user feedback—via Google+.

source:WSJ.com - Overheard: Socially Active http://on.wsj.com/phvJUf

How to spot a fake Bag

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 09:34:50 -0400

How to spot a fake Bag

Adam Qureshi with artist Liu Bolin at the opening party for his...

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:51:49 -0400

Adam Qureshi with artist Liu Bolin at the opening party for his new book in soho

Adam Qureshi with David Blaine at the Liu Bolin party in soho

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:34:03 -0400

Adam Qureshi with David Blaine at the Liu Bolin party in soho

Google Panda changes SEO best practice!

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 00:19:56 -0400

Google Panda changes SEO best practice!

Where to get your task list from

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 14:04:05 -0400

The first step in top task management is carrying out a task situation analysis in order to understand the whole range of customer tasks that exist. I call this list of customer tasks the ‘Longlist.’

The following longlist sources are specifically for a public website, but the basic approach to building a longlist works just as well for an intranet. (However, you can’t really look at ‘competitor’ intranets, and using public web search statistics is not relevant from an intranet perspective.)

Start with organization strategy. Analyze corporate philosophy, vision and strategy statements. What does the organization want to achieve over the next 5 years and how much of that does it want to achieve on the Web? It is very important that you link your website strategy to the organization’s overall strategy. This seems obvious but you wouldn’t believe how many websites are disconnected from core organizational aims and objectives.

Talk to key stakeholders: Find out what key people within the organization think the website’s purpose is. What do they think the customer’s top tasks are? What do they think the top tasks should be? Tip: Sometimes we deliberately include stakeholder tasks in the final list that we know won’t get a big vote. But then we can say, look, this task didn’t get many votes.

Examine the existing website: A good way to gather tasks is to copy level 1 and 2 of the website classification into the longlist. Another good source is the site index.

Collect top search terms: Get the top 50-100 search terms over a 12 month period for your search engine. With the English National Health Service (NHS) Choices we used Google Adwords to find out the top health related terms that people were searching for on Google.

Competitor websites: Examine four to six competitor websites, taking tasks from the homepage and second levels of these websites.

Relevant media (including social media): Are there magazines, blogs, specialist industry websites, associations, Twitter feeds, etc. that might have relevant tasks?

Customer feedback and research: What are the most common customer inquiries and complaints? Talk to support, help and sales staff to get this sort of data. Are there surveys or other research that show what tasks customers come to the website to complete?

For a large project, I recommend doing 10-20 customer interviews. These interviews don’t usually uncover new tasks outside those already discovered as a result of analyzing the sources above. However, interviews are great for getting a feel for how the customer thinks. Make these interviews very short (about 15 minutes), using the following format:
Brief introduction

It’s important that you are as comprehensive and thorough as possible in gathering your tasks. Remember, top task management is an evidence-based approach. You don’t want someone saying later that you missed an important task.

Depending on the size of the website the initial list of tasks may range from 300 to 1,000. For example, for the NHS Choices website, we had almost 1,000 initial tasks. Next issue I will describe how to go about cleaning up the tasks and bringing them to a much shorter list.

Source:www.gerrymcgovern.com

seo infographic

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:37:39 -0400

seo infographic