The Ultimate User-Centered Experience

There is no web experience more user centered than one that gives them what they ask for.

Landing experiences are unique in web usability in that they are intent-, rather than choice-focused. When user intent is known (or can be known in relatively short order with directed segmentation) the experience can cater to that intent. The way it does that is by limiting distractions with steely focus.

We developed supposedly user-centered enterprise websites for over a decade. Now, after testing and analyzing thousands of landing experiences, I can say that I believe there is nothing “user-centered” about any website. In 2009 the definition of user centered must evolve to consider the absurdities of information and content overload that proliferate even the most well-intentioned website.

There is nothing more important than the first impressions your brand makes in response to explicit user requests. Your PPC, advertising and email-driven clicks are full of intent that must be satisfied by landing experiences that simply give them what they want.

You want to conduct usability testing on your landing experiences? Look no further than engagement, segmentation and conversion percentages. Those are the most valid and credible usability metrics you’ll ever read.

If you’re focused on usability, then you’ve got to be focused on post-click marketing. There’s nothing more user-centered than giving them what they ask for.

Comments

[Jeff Ogden]

At the recent CMO Thought Leadership Summit, I was invited to present B2B Demand Generation with the SVP of Marketing for Level 3 and the EVP of Acteva. In my presentation, I gave an example of a company that was beaten to market by a competitor and how they might research their problem online.

It was a graphic example of the need for search and finely tailored landing pages.

I have zero doubt I could sell this all over the New York City Metro area.