WHY YOUR WEBSITE SUCKS

Andy Hayes @andrewghayes

bit.ly/StopTheSuck

Or, “Does Your Web Site Actually Help Your

Tourism Business?”

IN THE NEXT HOUR…

Two goals:

understand what “effective” means in website

termshow to improve the experience your

Ideal Visitors have.

WORLD’S WORST WEBSITE

WEB USABILITY – “WEBSITE EXPERIENCE”

Making it effortless for an Ideal Reader to do whatever it is they came to your site to do.

What are you trying to achieve?

ATTENTION SPAN

Convince me in 3 seconds or less.

What would someone say about your site after…

3 seconds 15 seconds

RT @andrewghayes 90% of Travel Websites have too much “crap.” #SoMeT

MOST COMPANIES’ IDEAL VISITOR

Body Text here Body Text here This is a test 123

Photo by PatrickQ

WHO’S YOUR IDEAL VISITOR?

Body Text here Body Text here This is a test 123

Photo by PatrickQ

“persona”

PERSONAS

Important for all marketing activities – SEO, usability, content…

Common Mistake: Include attributes, not just demographics!

TIP: ASK PEOPLE TO SELF IDENTIFY

People do not mind self identifying to filter their choices.

PERSONALIZE

BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH MOST TOURISM SITES?

They’re unorganized.

Resist the urge to present all of the choices, all of the time. Too many Choices = User Chooses None

Hard to Read / Cluttered Menus, Navigation or Layout = Deal Killer

Web 3.0: Don’t be interactive for interactive’s sake. What’s in it for me, your visitor?

FEEDBACK

RT @andrewghayes: 80% of your website’s problems can solved by asking for feedback. #SoMeT

Random Fact: You’ll get different feedback from locals versus visitors. (Locals will invariably be more critical.)

GETTING FEEDBACK

Specificity Cost

SURVEYS

Do NOT Overengineer

The best survey is a text email: What works? What doesn’t?

Google Forms, 4qsurvey.com, kissinsights.com

NO POPUPS!

FOCUS GROUPS

Get a few of your past visitors together and chat.

Could be virtual, or what about real life if you can?

Do what works for you – there is no formula!

TESTING

You don’t need expensive labs or equipment.

Test Internet novices vs experts, new readers vs regular readers.

Do It Yourself, or: whatuserdo.com, feedbackarmy.com, fiverr.com, userfly.com, fivesecondtest.com

MEASURING

If you aren’t measuring it, you can’t improve it.

Pick one thing and work on it for a month.

Use a simple tracking document OUTSIDE analytics.

TWEAKS

How to improve? Again, one thing at a time…

HEADERS AND HOMEPAGES

Used to be the homepage was important, but now every page is an entry point.

Every page must answer: What is this place? Can you solve my problem? Can I trust you? What is the next step?

GET AN EDGE

It’s not about what’s above-the-fold, but what is on the fold…

ABOUT & PICTURES OF PEOPLE

People like to do business with people. Speaking of which, how’s your about page?

RT @andrewghayes Not-so-secret tourism marketing tool: pictures of people enjoying your destination.

#SoMeT

ARE YOU OFFICIAL?

If you’re an “official” body, say so – it adds credibility.

If you’re not official, don’t say so, but do highlight: certifications affiliations awards

Prove you’re not a spammer!

OTHER COMMON MISTAKES

× Fonts Too Small (14 pt is minimum)

× Distracting Widgets × Poorly designed / unorganised menus× Not catering for both visitors that

are familiar with your destination and ones that aren’t

× Not warning people when they’ll be leaving your site (text/visual clues can help)

CLOSING THOUGHT

Great businesses are obsessed about their visitors.

Are you obsessed?

Q & A TIME!

Got a question?

Email/Tweet me. I’d love to hear from you:

@andrewghayesandy@TravelOnlinePartners.com

bit.ly/StopTheSuck