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Making Content Flexible With Content Strategy

January 23, 2012
Posted by Carrie Hane Dennison | in Web Content | Comments (0)

At the recent UXCamp DC, two content-related sessions were held. I led the one on fitting content strategy into everything. But the the session on content modeling was quite interesting. We talked about how content management systems can be set up to make content more flexible. Someone asked how setting strict guidelines for the content on your website (by having a content strategy strategy) could make the  content more flexible. Wouldn't it have the opposite effect?

It took a moment for me to think about that and explain why that is not the case at all. A web content strategy specifies what type of content needs to be on a website and how the different types need to be presented and related, among many other things. What it doesn't do is specify exactly where pieces of content go or what they look like. Therefore, having a content strategy in place allows you to make modifications to the how and where of the content without affecting the why. This makes it all the more flexible.

Confused? Here's an example:

After doing all research and due diligence, you develop a content strategy for a bike company that says you should always cross-sell products as well as blog about local bike routes and trips. So you build the content to relate products to each other as well as the blog posts. Maybe on the product page, you have a space for a listing of related blog posts. This helps someone who wants to buy a trailer to pull their kids find out where they can use it.

But maybe six months down the road, you discover that instead of blog posts, people are interested in user reviews. Now you can set up a review system and replace what was the blog post list with space for recent reviews. The blog posts are still part of the site, but you are relating them differently.

Without a content strategy, that relationship or space may not have existed and you'd have to start all over when you learned that users are interested in user reviews.

Ultimately, a content strategy sets you and your website up for success. It gets you thinking about what is possible, what is necessary, what is most likely to work, and then outlines a path to get there. It is a road map for a road trip which may have any number and manner of waypoints to get you to your destination.

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Dark Patterns
January 16, 2012
Posted by Asea Ginsburg | in User Experience, in Web Design | Comments (0)

Last fall at An Event Apart DC, here was a lot of talk about web standards and content, but one of the underlying themes was “dark patterns.”

Dark patterns are not the same as bad design decisions, and they are nothing new. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Dark patterns are carefully thought out user interface decisions which have a solid understanding of human psychology as a base, and they have existed for years. However, as technology evolves, dark patterns evolve with it. They become darker and smarter. You may wonder why we call them “dark patterns.” Well, it’s because they are cleverly designed dirty marketing tricks. They do not have the user’s interests in mind.

The whole idea behind using dark patterns is to make users do what you want – make a purchase, become a member, or register for an event. An example would be a site that asks you to enter credit card information when you are signing up for a trial. Although, a website may promise that “your card is used to verify your identity” and that “the card will not be charged for membership during trial period,” users later find themselves in a situation where they have been changed not only once, but several times for something they never intended to use in the first place. So the credit card has been charged without the user’s authority.

Hostile User Interface is Hostile to Business

A lot of times, you may be creating a hostile user experience without even knowing it. Ask yourself:

  1. Does your website have any forms with pre-selected options?
  2. Do you allow people to easily unsubscribe form your newsletter?
  3. Are you perhaps selling a product and want to include one small additional item as part of the package for more money? (Remember last time you booked a flight and had flight insurance added automatically at the checkout?)

All dark patterns have poor expectation management and you may say “why should I care?” Well, the short answer is: It hurts your brand in the long run. With the evolution of Internet, there is a high percentage of users who browse the web on the go (i.e. while waiting in line, riding on a bus, taking a coffee break). These users expect to be able to come to your site, get necessary information and get out. They expect everything to happen fast. This means that most likely they do not read every single word on your web page, especially if it is a form. Chances are very high that they will read several headlines, maybe the intro text, and proceed to filing in the main fields of the form, without paying much attention to the pre-selected checkboxes. The problem usually occurs when users see a familiar interface on a new website. They automatically trust it and many companies rely on exactly that.

Do not be one of those companies. Be honest and upfront. It is really simple – treat your users as you would want to be treated. You will gain more loyal customers in the long run, who come to your brand because the love the way you have treated them in the past. Honesty goes along way, especially now, when the competition for attention has never been higher.

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Overcoming the Google Panda Effect
January 3, 2012
Posted by Chrissie Alquinta | in Search Engine Optimization | Comments (0)

In a blog post I wrote back in June 2011, I talked about how to survive Google’s many recent updates to its search algorithm and adapt your company’s SEO strategy accordingly. While both the Google Caffeine and Mayday updates affected websites’ search engine ranking, none has had as great an effect on the practice of SEO as the Panda update of Spring 2011.

Before Panda, many companies built their SEO success on a foundation of using keywords profusely in strategic locations:

  • Domain name
  • Internal links
  • H1 & title tags
  • Descriptive anchor text

The Panda update focused on a website’s quality and usability. Which, by the way, is something usability experts have long been stressing – SEO strategies should chase users, not algorithms, because for a website to be successful on the SEO front, various disciplines need to come together and work in harmony.

The outcome of all these changes is that this tried and trusted method of SEO success is no longer so….um….successful.

So, this begs the question….what do you do if your website has been Pandacized?

Take a Fresh Look at Your Website as a Whole

Ask yourself (and answer honestly please) whether your site is designed with your users in mind. Website visitors are thinking of their needs when they visit a website – you should be thinking of how you can meet those needs in your digital corner of the world. Meeting user needs is the key to increasing search engine ranking, increasing visits, and accomplishing company goals, among other indicators of online success.

Focus on Quality Content

  • Keep content fresh and frequently updated
  • Build your website around content that is relevant to your users and serves the users best
  • Write content naturally, focusing primarily on the message and less on the keywords used to convey the message. Are your keywords used naturally throughout the site or are keywords stuffed in content? Note the two examples below:
    • Good: Black patent leather shoes are great for any occasion. We have thousands in all sizes, for kids and adults, and in a variety of styles. Buy some today!
    • Bad: Are you thinking of buying black patent leather shoes? We have thousands of black patent leather shoes! Black patent leather shoes in all sizes, for kids and adults, in different styles. Black patent leather shoes are great for any occasion….so get your black patent leather shoes today!

Re-think Your Online Strategy

Go beyond keywords for search engine rankings. Look at your entire online presence and determine: A) whether it exists at all beyond your website; and B) whether it is helping or hindering your website goals. Make changes accordingly.

  • Marketing: Are you keeping in contact with customers/clients in a way that works for them? Are you out there marketing the heck out of your brand?
  • Social Media: Are you active in the social media sphere? Are you meeting and interacting with your target audiences where they are active online? Are you doing this in a way that is appropriate, e.g. not just shoving promotional stuff down their throats but truly interacting?
  • Analytics: Are you regularly reviewing your site’s data and using this information to feed into how you allocate time, money, and resources to your web presence?

What better time than the New Year to re-vamp your web presence! And if that isn’t a good enough excuse, Panda is the perfect one – to compete, you’ve got to put your best digital face forward, and that should be one that focuses primarily on the users and secondarily on everything else.

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Drupal For Associations: An Executive Breakfast Success Story
December 19, 2011
Posted by Trudi Rivers | in CMS, in Web Development | Comments (0)

It came and went so fast, it’s more of a blur than anything else. At least that was my recollection and thankfully not how our guests remembered our Executive Breakfast, Drupal for Associations.

Our tradeshow booth stood tall against a far wall, breakfast was served, and the Balance team welcomed guests who came to learn more about what makes Drupal a compelling CMS of choice. Our keynote speaker was Tom Cochran, Director of New Media for the Office of the President.

Cochran delivered a 45-minute presentation on how the whitehouse.gov team came to their decision to use Drupal for the re-design of their website. He spoke to a crowded room of association executives about how their website is used to amplify the President’s message. He stressed how technology is an enabler of strategy, design, and content, and urged executives to define the rules of their business before the design process. As Cochran rightfully suggests, think of a website as organic, changing, and evolving – never a complete entity.

Bryan House of Acquia presented his break-out session on Social Publishing: Connecting Community. Did you know that the Drupal community has reached over 600,000 members, and is growing strong? He delivered a clear message – the strength in Drupal lies in its content and community tools. He elaborated on this idea of delivering a social web experience by pointing out how effective Drupal is for gathering market research, mobilizing grassroots campaigns, and ramping up community sites – faster than other content management systems available. He cemented this by encouraging executives to think outside the box: Want community participation in blogs? Try including polls and surveys. After all, as Bryan stated, we shouldn’t all be closet bloggers.

Idealware gave us a very interesting idea for a second break-out session: CMS "speed dating." A short introduction by Krystee Dryer highlighted the principles associations should consider before deciding on the right CMS for their enterprise: ease of hosting, installation, flexibility, integrating, and especially ease of use. The audience then broke into two groups, each to receive two 10-minute "dates" with different content management systems.

The feedback we received about the event has been positive on all fronts. We hope for those of you that weren’t able to join us, this has helped to fill in some details on what you missed. If we were fortunate to have made your acquaintance for the first time (or you are seasoned friends), we appreciate your support and hope that you walked away with a Drupal toolbox.

What were your key take-aways from the event? Share how Drupal (or another CMS) has helped you and your enterprise. What did you think of Drupal for Associations?

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