The Benefits of Web Site User Testing : Avatar News : July 2009

Avatar News : July 2009Internet Marketing from a Kiwi Perspective

Written By:: Tanya Hyde
Edited By:: Mark Rocket

Celestial Greetings,

This week the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing has created a good dose of lunar mania around the world, particularly of course in America. It's certainly a great time to reflect on that incredible achievement and to contemplate how exciting new space projects at NASA, and an emerging private space industry, are taking us back to the lunar surface and beyond over the next two decades.

Rocketing back to Terra Firma, this month we take a look at the benefits of test-driving your Web site with your users and we also check out NZS.com's new Website Resources. Then we do our usual splash down with some tidbits and sites of interest.

Kind regards from the Avatar Team.

In This Edition

The Benefits of Web Site User Testing
NZS Website Resources
Tidbits
This Month's Sites of Interest

The Benefits of Web Site User Testing

As specialists in a given field, companies are often too close to its products, the market, and industry terms to think like a customer, and understand what motivates them to view and buy from a particular site. Understanding how end users navigate your Web site and how they interpret the information they find there is an important part of your Web design process and something that is often forgotten about, or a poorly planned afterthought.

Web site user testing can provide important insight into how real users really interact with your Web site. When conducted properly, user testing has the potential to benefit your company in a number of ways.

How Web site user testing can benefit your company

Understand the customer's way of thinking
Real users provide valid insight into what is and isn't working on your site, and as they aren't emotionally attached to the project they are more likely to be honest with their feedback. You can also gain insight into customer terminology, helping you to define the most effective search terms to deliver traffic to your site.
Identify how your customers really use the site
This will help you develop the best navigation and grouping of your content to move users through the Web site to the key calls to action (e.g. make an enquiry, purchase online etc).
Raise issues that haven't been considered internally
Combating the disadvantage of being 'too close' to the project, user testing can highlight an area that you considered complete that may in fact need improvement.
Discover the problems that drive customers away
By identifying where users experience barriers to progression, areas of frustration, or security concerns, you can establish why sales are abandoned part way through the process or why a certain page has a high bounce rate. This is especially important if you have a shopping cart or an eCommerce site.
Invest effectively
Rather than continuing to spend budget on marketing campaigns and paid advertising to drive traffic to a site that isn't generating conversions, user testing can enable you to effectively invest in the areas that need the most improvement before you undertake expensive campaigns.
Maximise return on investment
Through listening to your customers and providing a good user experience, you can improve customer satisfaction, loyalty and retention and in turn increase key conversions and ultimately your ROI.

If you'd like assistance with user testing for your Web site, then get in touch with Avatar to discuss a strategy.

In the spirit of user testing, we have a special offer for Avatar clients. Take a look at our new Web site and if you find any bugs then we'll slice $40 off the price on the next project you undertake with us. Your feedback is much appreciated.

NZS Website Resources

NZS.com have a very useful new tool available for registered users – their Website Resources tool allows you to claim your Web site and add business details to improve your listing.

There are also a range of articles and inside tips on Web design, how to increase traffic to your site and how to understand various Web tools, plus access to their monthly newsletter.

Claim your own Web site and check out this excellent New Zealand Website Resource.

Tidbits

This month we're loving:

Memories of Apollo. If you haven't had enough of the moon landing hype this week, then here's a wee clip about Neil Armstrong and his family.
Return to the moon. While we're at it, worthwhile reflecting on the upcoming Constellation program, which will make the next couple of decades pretty interesting for space fans.
Waterless clothes washing. Soon you'll be able to choose between the Xeros 'waterless' washing machine that cleans using nylon beads or the Silver Nano Wash system from Samsung that uses the power of silver to kill bacteria.
Singing electricity. A group of 'hardware hackers' have managed to create a unique show using two Tesla coils, resulting in something like a 'Dalek singing karaoke' combined with enormous lightening bolts.

This Month's Sites of Interest

Tūhoronuku - Te Manu Aute A Rāhiri (Web site design and development)

This website has been established by Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-O-Ngāpuhi, New Zealand's largest iwi, to inform the Ngāpuhi nation of its progress with the settlement of Crown breaches against Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The site provides updated news and press releases; consultation documents, notification of meetings and also a feedback forum, and hopes to create more visibility for Ngāpuhi and their cause.

123 Easy Drive Rental Cars (Web site design, development and marketing)

Great value rental cars from Auckland Airport, Auckland City and Christchurch City. The site was redesigned to appeal to a younger target audience, including backpackers and travellers, which is reflected in the fresh and funky design, bright colours and Adobe Flash elements.