Download Usability, Credibility and Persuasion

Internet Marketing & e-Commerce
Ward Hanson
Kirthi Kalyanam
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Part Two: Chapter Seven
Usability, Credibility and Persuasion
“The Web is the ultimate customer-empowering
environment. He or she who clicks the mouse gets to decide
everything.”
Jakob Nielsen, Designing Web Usability
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Dynamics of a Web Visit
• Average length of time less than three
page views on most sites
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Dynamics of a Web Visit
• Average length of time less than three
page views on most sites
• Random surfer model: whether to
continue to next page is coin flip
© Copyright 2006, Thomson South-Western, a division of the Thomson Corporation
Dynamics of a Web Visit
• Average length of time less than three
page views on most sites
• Random surfer model: whether to
continue to next page is coin flip
• Look ahead model: decision to
continue based on value of current
page and expected value of any page
yet to come
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Dynamics of a Web Visit
The Look Ahead Model of Web Surfing Behavior
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Dynamics of a Web Visit
• Site visits are short, so first
impressions matter
• Visits that extend past a few clicks offer
information about motives, results
• Dynamic personalization systems
adjust information to user goals
• Identifying major entry and exit points
also can improve customization
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Matching Content to Site Location
Web Analytics Data
Marketer’s Response
Most Popular Entry Pages
Place product offers, rotate weekly
Promote online store
Sell advertising
Include toll-free number
Remind users to bookmark page
Visits by Day of the Week
Replace offers on the least-visited day
Ramp up sales pitch leading up to most popular day
“Liquidation Sale” on day following most popular
Increase pay-for-perfomance positions on search
engines during strongest performing days
Most Popular Exit Pages
Promote “limited time” offers
Offer coupons in exchange for email addresses
Launch exit pop-up surveys
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Usability for Task-Oriented Sites
• Users looking to solve problems want
efficiency and effectiveness
– Fast response time
– Effective navigation
– Responsiveness to user goals
– Higher interactivity and quality content
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Usability for Task-Oriented Sites
Slow sites break the user’s train of thought
Delay Time
Impact
0.1 second
Upper limit of delay leading to perception of
instantaneous response
1.0 second
Upper limit on delay for user’s flow of thought
to stay uninterrupted
10 seconds
Upper limit on delay to keep user’s attention
focused on dialogue
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Usability for Experiential Sites
• Gaming and entertainment sites
among the “stickiest” and most
profitable online
– Pokerstar.com, Xbox Live
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Usability for Experiential Sites
• Gaming and entertainment sites
among the “stickiest” and most
profitable online
– Pokerstar.com, Xbox Live
• Different priorities than for taskoriented web sites
– Emphasis on beauty, flow, engagement
– Greater concerns about latency
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Usability and Customer Support
• Effectiveness of support sites can
indicate proof of a company’s
commitment to customer service, or
prove otherwise
© Copyright 2006, Thomson South-Western, a division of the Thomson Corporation
Usability and Customer Support
• Effectiveness of support sites can
indicate proof of a company’s
commitment to customer service, or
prove otherwise
• Features of leading support sites:
– Inexpensive communications
– Electronic distribution
– Online publishing
– FAQs and customer self-help
– Key notices and events
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Usability and Customer Support
Online support provides cheaper solutions
Median cost per
transaction
Web
Phone
Email
Web/Phone %
By price of best-selling product
$10,000+
$1,000-$9,995
Under $1,000
Median
$16.91
$56.84
$58.34
30%
$7.94
$36.24
$25.00
22%
$2.80
$26.67
$39.29
10%
$3.75
$27.78
$28.57
13%
Per-incident costs calculated by dividing monthly payroll costs for
employees who support each method by reported transaction volume.
SOURCE: Association of Support Professionals, (2002), The Economics of Online Support
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Credibility and Persuasion
• Anyone can build a web site
• Users seek out credibility clues
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Credibility and Persuasion
• Anyone can build a web site
• Users seek out credibility clues
– Ease of use
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Credibility and Persuasion
• Anyone can build a web site
• Users seek out credibility clues
– Ease of use
– Indicators of outside endorsements
© Copyright 2006, Thomson South-Western, a division of the Thomson Corporation
Credibility and Persuasion
• Anyone can build a web site
• Users seek out credibility clues
– Ease of use
– Indicators of outside endorsements
– Accurate and complete information
© Copyright 2006, Thomson South-Western, a division of the Thomson Corporation
Credibility and Persuasion
• Anyone can build a web site
• Users seek out credibility clues
– Ease of use
– Indicators of outside endorsements
– Accurate and complete information
– Absence of advertisements
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Credibility and Persuasion
The Stanford Credibility Guidelines
1.
Make it easy to verify accuracy of information on the site.
2.
Show that there is a real organization behind the site.
3.
Highlight expertise in organization, content and services.
4.
Show honest and trustworthy people behind the site.
5.
Make it easy to contact.
6.
Design site so it looks professional and appropriate.
7.
Make the site easy to use – and useful.
8.
Update site’s content often (or indicate recent review).
9.
If possible, avoid advertisements on the site.
10
Avoid errors of all types, no matter how small they seem.
SOURCE: B.H. Fogg, Stanford Web Credibility Project (2004), Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab
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Credibility and Persuasion
Evaluating Information
Why some users turn away from health information sites
Health Seekers
%
Site was too commercial
47
Couldn’t determine source of information
42
Couldn’t determine when info last updated
37
Site lacked independent endorsement
30
Site appeared sloppy or unprofessional
29
Site contained inaccurate information
26
Information disagreed with doctor’s advice
20
SOURCE: Pew Internet Project
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Credibility and Persuasion
• Usability experts emphasize simplicity
and benefits of online text
• Marketers value long tradition of using
images for persuasive purposes
• Visual metaphor can be the tradeoff
between straightforward information
and other branding goals
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Credibility and Persuasion
AskJeeves.com: matching simplicity with effective imagery
SOURCE: ©PRNewsFoto/AskJeeves, Inc.
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Credibility and Persuasion
• Core strength of online interaction is
the ability to present the right
information at the right time
© Copyright 2006, Thomson South-Western, a division of the Thomson Corporation
Credibility and Persuasion
• Core strength of online interaction is
the ability to present the right
information at the right time
• In ancient Greece, the concept of
kairos – the opportune moment
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Credibility and Persuasion
In real estate, key persuadable moments
© Copyright 2006, Thomson South-Western, a division of the Thomson Corporation
Credibility and Persuasion
• Core strength of online interaction is
the ability to present the right
information at the right time
• In ancient Greece, the concept of
kairos – the opportune moment
• Online activities can alter balance,
make favorable moments as easy to
spot in real time as in retrospect
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