6.

1 Introduction to site design

design = Function + Content + Form + Organization + Interaction

• Accessibility
• User-centred design and usability
• Information architecture and findability
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Web standards
• Persuasion to deliver commercial results
• Visual design
• Digital analytics
• Legal requirements
• Digital marketing planning and improvement process

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 6.2 Integrated design
sites must integrate with all other communications tools, both online and offline
Online value distribution and inbound communications
Mixed-mode buying/multichannel behaviour

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6.2 Integrated design

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 6.2 Integrated design
An integrated database can personalize the experience and
make relevant offers that match the needs of customer
types
A planned user-centred design approach
1. Active involvement of users and a clear
understanding of user and task requirements
2. Appropriate allocation of function between users and
technology
3. Iteration of design solutions through prototyping and
user review
4. Multi-disciplinary design

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6.2 Integrated design

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6.3 Online value proposition
You need to find a proposition that explains what your
organization or site is offering that:

• Is different from your

competitors The value proposition
describes the total
• Is not available in the real customer experience
world with the firm, rather
than (being limited to)
• Makes a difference to your that communicated at
customers’ lives the point of sale.
Molineux (2002)

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 6.4 Customer orientation

Four stages of research that help achieve customer orientation

Rosenfeld and Morville (2002)
1. Identify different audiences 3. List the three most important information
needs of each audience
2. Rank importance of each to the business
4. Ask representatives of each audience type to
develop their own wish lists
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 6.5 Dynamic design and personalization
Personalization helps to Sell, Serve, Speak and Sizzle

• Customer or company name

• Country
• Customer preferences
• Recommendation algorithms
Options for • News and events
personalization • Viral personalization
• Referrer string
• Location
• Multivariate, real-time, conversion-optimized
personalization

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 6.5 Dynamic design and personalization
Personalization helps to Sell, Serve, Speak and Sizzle

• Expanding navigation through synonyms

• Applying faceted navigation or search approaches
Online retail • Featuring the best-selling products prominently
merchandising • Use of bundling
• Use of customer ratings and reviews
• use of product visualization systems

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 6.6 Aesthetics
thetics = Graphics + Colour + Style + Layout and Typography

Personality is the unique, authentic,

and talkable soul of your brand that
people can get passionate about.
Site personality
Personality is not just about what you
stand for, but how you choose to
communicate it. It is also the way to
reconnect your customers, partners,
employees, and influencers to the soul
Bagharva (2008)
of your brand in the new social media
era. 10
 6.6 Aesthetics
thetics = Graphics + Colour + Style + Layout and Typography

Schemes that need to be Information-intensive sites

right for: Graphics-intensive sites
- A personality which fits
the target audience
- Brand fitting
- Usability and
accessibility
Watch out for design constraints
• Modems and download time • Plug-ins and download time
• Screen resolution • Font sizes
• Number of colours • Platform
• Browsers

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 6.7 Page design
ntent Management Systems (CMS) used as page templates

• Home page
• Product or service pages
• Product category and sub-category
pages for sites with multiple
Key page types products
• On-site search results page
• Landing pages for bought media
• Content marketing pages
• Social hub page
• Blog page
• Utility pages
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 6.7 Page design
tent Management Systems (CMS) used as page templates

• Company name and logo for

Common identity
• Menu (and sub-menu) for
layouts across
navigation
sites • Footer for reference to copyright
and privacy information
• Page title for content

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 6.7 Page design
ntent Management Systems (CMS) used as page templates

• An aesthetic, visually pleasing layout

• Clear emphasis of different content
types
Good page • Visual hierarchy showing the relative
template importance of different content
design through size
• Prioritization of marketing messages
and calls-to-action for different
audiences and products for
persuasion purposes
• Clear navigation options to a range of
content, services, and visitor 14
6.8 Content strategy and copywriting
The management of text, rich media, audio and
video content aimed at engaging customers and
prospects to meet business goals published through
print and digital media including web and mobile
platforms which is repurposed to different forms of
web presence such as publisher sites, blogs, social
media and
CONTENT comparison sites.
STRATEGY
1. Content engagement value
2. Content media Elements of content
3. Content syndication management that need to
4. Content participation be planned and managed
5. Content access platforms

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6.8 Content strategy and copywriting
COPYWRITING Gerry McGovern’s top ten rules
Chunky 1. Be honest
2. Be simple, clear and precise
Relevant
3. State your offer clearly
Accurate 4. Tell them about your products’
Brief limitations
Scannable 5. Have a clear call to action
6. Tell them quickly if they’re not
customer you can supply
7. Edit! Edit! Edit!
8. Give them details
9. Write for the web
10.Leave it at nine!
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 6.9 Navigation and structure
Ease of use = Structure + Navigation + Page layout + Interaction

Flow control
Information architecture Rules
Card sorting Keep it simple
Web classification Be consistent
Three clicks rule Signposts

Types
Global navigation
Local navigation
Contextual navigation
breadcrumbs

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 6.10 Navigation and structure

sing interactivity to move customers through the buying process

1. Learning
2. Deciding
3. Buying

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 6.11 Mobile experience design
Increase in mobile use Mobile first design philosophy

Mobile marketing options Mobile design requirements checklist

Thurner (2012)
1. SMS User experience is fundamental
2. Quick response codes (QR
Use handset detection software
codes)
3. Bluetooth Ensure that all other media channels
4. Mobile applications drive traffic to your site
5. Mobile site Use personalization
6. Mobile site and app Evaluate payment options and optimize
advertising checkout
7. Location-based advertising Test! Test! Test!
8. Social network-based Monitor!
advertising 19
6.11 Mobile experience design

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6.11 Mobile experience design

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Chapter summary
• Site design should be determined by clear marketing objectives: usability, accessibility and
persuasion.
• Web site design needs to be integrated with other marketing activities.
• Each site should have a clear online value proposition.
• Customer orientation involves grouping access to content and services that meet the need
of an audience made up of different stakeholders and customer segments, with different
degrees of familiarity with the Internet and the organization.
• Customized service can be delivered through personalization of web pages and email.
• Site aesthetics are an important consideration in design since the combination of graphics,
colours, style, layout and typography define a site’s personality and style which are important
in branding.
• Page layout is important to providing a clear consistent message throughout the site.
• Ease of navigation is achieved by creating a sound information architecture, and then
designing the navigation tools and structures that enable a smooth flow for a site version.
• Providing interactive content can help support the customer throughout the buying process
• Develop a usable mobile experience, considering the relevance of apps.
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Chapter summary
• Digital marketing must support and be integrated with corporate or business plans and marketing
plans. SOSTAC – Situation Analysis, Objectives and Strategy, Tactics, Actions and Control.

• Situation analysis – where we are now. It reviews internal resources and digital marketing
performance, and external factors such as customer, competitor and intermediary activity.

• Objectives – where we want to go. There are several approaches including marketing and
MarComms KPIs, the 5Ss, and the Big 4. Objectives must be quantified and checked to ensure they
are SMART.
• Strategy – how do we get there. The key components are TOPPP SITE.

• Tactics are driven by strategy. They describe the e-tools used and how they will be sequenced through
time.
• Action equals implementation of plans. How can you ensure excellent execution of your plan?
Clearly define processes, systems and even checklists can help. Internal marketing needs to be in
your plan and requires resources.

• Controls gives a feedback loop, starting with monitoring whether the objectives are
achieved, assessing what the problems are and then revising the strategies, tactics and
actions as appropriate.
• Resources can be planned through the 3Ms of Men (and women), Money and Minutes.
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