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Yesterday I wrote an open letter to one of my favourite restaurants about site usability and design and how a poor site affects online experience and brand. Today I thought I would focus on the content side of things- how to determine what people really want to see.Let’s go out on a limb here and say there are two types of people who are your main audience:
1.) People who haven’t yet been to your restaurant.
2.) Your regular customers.
What sort of content would be necessary for people who have not yet tried your restaurant?
Location and Hours
This should be a no-brainer, but it is amazing how many restaurants don’t include their contact information or have it hidden away where it is hard to find. Information should include telephone, email, and address. You might also provide reservation details here too. Google Maps are a great way to help people find your restaurant. Hours of operation are also very important - I don’t want to show up at 3:00 p.m. for a late lunch to discover the restaurant is closed until the 5:00 p.m. dinner service.
Cuisine
Tell me quickly what type of restaurant you are. Thai? Fusion? Upscale? Casual? Family? These sorts of words are great for people (and search engines). Make yourself findable for the folks who are searching for “Indian restaurant near Queen West” or “Wine bar in the financial district Toronto." Also, from a user point of view, it makes it easy to quickly get a picture of the type of cuisine and restaurant I can expect.
Menu
As a foodie, I want to see what sort of culinary options I have, and as a consumer, I’d like to know the price range. Make it easy to read online, as well as to print or download.
Food & Interior Photos
Help me familiarize myself with your establishment. Give me a glimpse of the sort of ambiance and atmosphere I might expect. While some restaurants create a gallery -and that’s great- it is not necessary, but do have nice professional photos throughout the site.
Reviews
If there are food critic reviews or user-generated reviews, these should be included. While it’s nice to hear that you use local seasonal ingredients, I’d love third-party, unbiased confirmation that the food is good.
What sort of content would attract your existing clientele to visit your website on a regular basis?
- How about adding the daily specials to your homepage. (Or at least a prominent link/banner to daily specials.)
- If you are the type of restaurant that has take-away food, allow customers to order online.
- Does your restaurant offer special events – wine tastings, live music, etc., have a calendar or schedule.
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Do you have a favourite restaurant? A place that makes you feel welcome and happy?
If you've got a website, it's really not at all dissimilar from your favourite bistro. There are visitors, a menu, hopefully your fare is consumed and enjoyed, and if so, a return visit might be in order. If you're lucky, they'll tell their friends about you and you will increase your clientele. But there are a few key steps:
Plan your menu!
You're confident in your abilities - you've got the best barbecue chicken & ribs joint in town. You've got a secret sauce that none of your competitors have. The sky is the limit.
Now it is time to organize your menu for your potential clients. You want people to be able to read it easily, and be able to find what they are looking for. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it?
First, you have to understand how your prospective client will interact with your company. Restaurants know that clients come in, they might be interested in an appetizer or a soup before ordering the main course, and that following dinner they might want a dessert. It's no mistake that almost every restaurant menu follows this outline.
So, how will you organize your menu? Organize it in a way that responds to your customer's need. Start thinking about not just what you offer, but in the solutions your customers are looking for. Then design your site structure around that.
Invest in quality ingredients.
What's the one thing above everything else that will get people to go back a second and third time to a restaurant? Good food made with quality ingredients.
Your Web site is no different.
Content is your food. At the very least it needs to be grammatically correct, concise and have a consistent tone. That's your basic burger. Now, if you want the crème de la crème of burgers, you need something extra, something more. You need finesse.
How do you get finesse on a Web site? You get it through quality professional writing. Writing that separates you from your competitors. If you want something that will keep people coming back for more, offer them daily specials, or in Web terms: fresh yummy content. Think about adding news, press releases, updates, white papers, research & trends as a way to get visitors to check back and see what is new. And, guess what, by the time the client has come back a third time, you've got a relationship. What could be better than a regular?
Does the décor match the food?
The menu has been set, you've got your quality ingredients and now it’s time to bring in the designer. Your décor needs to match the offerings.
It makes little sense to have the Atlantic Seafood Extravaganza Bistro decorated with a Tex-Mex motif. And if your company offers professional service, it better not be created by your friend or little cousin Timmy who dabbles in Web design.
Your kitchen - Is it up to code?
As great as it is to have that nice china and quality stemware, it is just as important to have a clean and efficient kitchen.
So, you might be saying to yourself, "All of this sounds very nice, and gee you're stretching this analogy, but restaurant patrons don't go into the kitchen!" No, but the health inspector does. And who is the online equivalent? The search engine crawler.
Just as a health inspector grades a restaurant on the cleanliness of its kitchen, part of the search engine algorithm is based on clean coding. If it isn't up to snuff, your site could be less visible.
Being a person who talks to yourself a lot, you are probably saying, "Oh, I'm not worried, my Web designer will take care of that." If only it were the case. Continuing bravely with our restaurant analogy, many times a Web designer is the equivalent of your interior designer. Would you trust your interior designer to make sure your kitchen is up to code for the Health Department? No, you need a specialist. The same thing follows for your site. Invest in a Web designer or programmer who understands search engine friendly code. It will make the difference between a pass or a fail.
Meet the maitre d'
A good maitre d' greets you, takes your coat and shows you to your seat. It's a wonderful, carefree experience to be welcomed, ushered in and before you know it --poof, there you are!--menu in hand, considering the chef's special.
Your clients don't want to have to think about where to go next. They want to be welcomed, led to their table (your products/services/raison d'être), and given a menu (information about your offerings). Make it as easy as possible.
Your homepage and every product or service page on your site needs its own maitre d'; something that guides the visitor effortlessly to a purchasing decision. In can be as simple as a cheery graphic button that says, "Click here to buy" or "Try our demo", but make it easy to see and easy to use.
Don't make the customers wait
Whether it is at the front door, or during the dining experience, no one likes to wait.
Imagine walking into a restaurant and they forced you to watch a commercial about their food before you were allowed to sit down. Would you leave? More than likely.
Why is it, then, that many Web sites incorporate Flash intros? Please don't make your clients stand around while you try to dazzle them with your company's “site experience.” (Yes, the air quotes are flying.)
Many studies now indicate that site visitors decide in the blink of an eye whether or not a site is useful to them, so never, ever, have a page that sits there with the flashing message "loading…loading…loading."
Ensure that all of your site graphics are optimized for the Web, and that all of your files are quick to load. Respect your customer's time and they will respect you.
Would you like dessert & coffee?
Your meal is finished. You're happy. You're content. Life is good. Then your charming server comes by with the dessert menu, and drops a line about the triple chocolate mousse cake being exceptionally good tonight. Why, maybe, just maybe, there is a little room for triple chocolate mousse cake seeing as it is the house special. Oh, and if you're having dessert, coffee is a no-brainer.
What just happened here?
It's the old cross-sell. Your site needs to do the same. If you sell widgets, make sure your widget page connects to the widget holder page. If you have an e-commerce site with an internal search, make sure that if there are no results for the query "giant green widgets" that there better be an alternative suggestion.
Just a few thoughts...
And, if this post has made you hungry, join Kathryn Presner and me at Burritoville tonight for some straight talk on optimizing websites.
Yesterday, I was flipping through the latest Bon Appetit magazine consumed with visions of lemon fettuccine with broccoli and pancetta “croutons” followed by a classic sour cherry pie with a lattice crust.
Two ads caught my eye – both investment advertisements. I have no idea if one is any better than the other from a product perspective, but from a copy perspective, to me, one of them is a clear winner.
Let’s take a peek, and let me know if you agree.
The first features a photo of Martin Yan and a little story that covers his background, and why he first started investing with Merril Lynch. Full Disclosure: This is a two-page ad, but I’m only showing the page with the majority of the text. The other page is mostly photos, with a quote from Yan’s financial advisor and the company logo.
The second starts off with the question “Need help managing your investments?” with a large heading “Let Fidelity’s professionals manage your portfolio for you.” Beneath that is a paragraph of corporate “blah-blah” that has obviously fallen victim to the legal department. “Having Fidelity professionals manage our money could relieve you of the anxiety and time demands of monitoring the markets and your investments.”
The Fidelity ad has some obstacles to overcome. The legal warnings (i.e. investing has its risks, etc.) take up more space than the body of the copy. By using an easy-to-read sans-serif font on the legal stuff, and font sizes that appear to be the same size as the marketing copy or larger, my eye skips down and starts reading about the perils of investing. I don’t think that was the intent.
Next, let’s go back to the copywriter’s mantra of “show don’t tell.”
In the Merrill Lynch ad, Martin Yan is at the forefront, as is the story about his relationship with his advisor. By comparison, in the Fidelity ad, the copy reads, “Our team takes a personalized approach…” with a smallish generic stock photo.
In the Merrill Lynch ad, they’ve inserted quotes from Yan and his advisor:
“John understands my needs,” says Yan. “Now his 15-year-old twins are facing college,” says Ting. “And we’re ready.”
Such a simple approach. The Martin Yan quote is a testimonial, with connotations of trust. And his advisor John Ting’s quote is there as a easy-to-relate-to metaphor, that everything is okay. The money is there for the kids to go to college, and no doubt, other financial affairs are in order.
By comparison, the Fidelity Investments ad mentions, “…matching your goals, financial situation, and risk tolerance to a diversified, actively managed model portfolio of mutual funds.”
Yawn. As fellow blogger Michelle Kostya says, “My eyes glaze over.” As well, I don’t like the “So do the smart thing and call today for a complimentary investment consultation." Perhaps I’m too sensitive, but it sounds a little condescending.
Now, for the final aspect that won me over… context. The ads are running in Bon Appetit. The Merrill Lynch ad features a well-known chef, and includes lines like, “When you put something in the oven, you can’t rush it, says Yan. “If you take it out early it’s raw. Same thing with investments.”
The other ad? Nope.
I’m sure they are equally good companies, but from a copywriting point of view, to me, one is a clear winner.
Take a peek at this. This card was tucked in with my daughter’s mail order swim cap from a major U.S. retailer.
A leisurely swim is not an inherent quality of a bathing cap, and I don’t know how anyone could (with a straight face) pronounce increased scalp sweating a benefit. But, apparently someone could.
So this seems like a fine time to have a chat about writing benefits.
The MarComm folks always love to promote benefits over feature sets, as benefits make it far easier to get customer buy-in. Features are essential, but benefits are the irresistible offer.
What are the top three secrets to conveying a compelling benefit?
Customer Understanding
Who are your customers? What is “mission critical” in their world? What are their “pain points” and how does your product or service help solve their problems or make their day-to-day life easier? Knowing your customers’ motivation for buying is essential to establishing your benefit list.
Identifying the Meaning of the Feature
Features tell your customer what your product or service does, but benefits explain how your products or services HELP the client. Let’s say you’re a professional organizer…well one of the main features of your service is that you can clear away clutter and make your clients’ homes -or offices- tidy and neat. But what does this service feature mean to the customer? Time saved: Find what you are looking for in the blink of an eye. Reduced stress: With no more searching for lost or misplaced items or paperwork, you’ll feel an overwhelming sense of relief. The key question to ask yourself for every feature is, “Why does this matter to my customer?”
Authentic Language
Product and service benefits help distinguish your company from the competition. So, very simply, your language needs to resonate with your customers. They need to “get it” instantly; the terms and expressions you use must match those of your target market. People can sniff the stench of hype a mile away. Be honest. Be authentic.
Next time you’re writing some advertising copy, take the time you need to focus on your customers and create a solid list of benefits. Your response rate will benefit too!
As you know, the Canadian loonie has been soaring and yet consumers haven't felt much of its trickle-down effect at their level. I'm so proud of my pal, Tabatha. For the last few months she has been comparing prices between American and Canadian online retailers and contacting retailers who have not changed their prices to reflect the stronger Canadian dollar. She's also been sending her findings to the media, and yesterday appeared on Global Toronto in a piece talking about which stores have adjusted their prices and which have not.
Go to Global and then click on "Good and Bad Stores" from Thursday.
Go Tabatha, go!
Have you seen the latest ad for Loblaw? Created by Bensimon Byrne, it's the one with friendly gazillionaire Galen Weston Jr. talking about Loblaw's commitment to the environment… They've resurrected an old tagline ("Worth switching supermarkets for.") from the 80s when Dave Nicol was Loblaw's spokesperson and agent of change.
There's an interesting article at Marketing Magazine on Weston Jr., and what caught my eye was this bit…
Don Watt, chairman and CEO of retail consultancy DW+Partners, and the man who first put Dave Nichol on television, believes having a platform is key to becoming a successful pitchman. "One of the things that made it work well was that Nichol was a highly innovative individual who was making real substance of change. If Galen Jr. wants to go on television, he really needs to have an idea of where he's going and indicate how he's going to make a difference. Just going on television and talking about platitudes would not do him or the chain any good…"
An idea of where you're going and an indication of how you're going to make a difference.
That's something that any company -big or small- needs to remember when it comes to any kind of branding and advertising. How can you do it?
Stay on the Pulse - How do your clients perceive your brand? What is it that they love about your brand? When you know that, you'll be a lot further ahead in understanding your differentiators.
Brand isn't a Logo - It is the whole experience from beginning to end. Scary? Hell ya! Constantly try to improve your customer experience.
Tell Your Story - Every company has a story. Internally, make sure all employees are in-step with the brand vision and promise. Externally, tell your story in an engaging and compelling way…consistently. Great stories are heard, remembered and retold. Make yours great.
Back to Galen's commercial - does it work? For me, although I heard the promise to reduce the amount of plastic bags going into Canada's landfills by 1 billion (WOW!), was it engaging and compelling? Not exactly.
What do you think?
I was going to write today about how to create incoming links, but a recent phone call reminded me of one important lesson…
Quite often I team up with strategic partner Kathryn Presner of Zoonini Web Services and together we create sites that are "people optimized." This means they are user-friendly, well-organized, well-written (if I do say so myself!), and not only is there a reason to visit, but there is a reason to come back and a reason why folks would want to link to it.
When creating a site, we start by focusing on the end-user and using this as a basis for keyword research, planning site navigation, internal linking strategy, site look & feel, content development, etc. We do this to create "destination sites" - sites that stand out, provide value, start a relationship and, ultimately IMHO, deserve to do well in the search engines. And, they do.
Unfortunately from time to time I get phone calls where the conversation begins like this: "Hi, I've got a site and I'm not getting any traffic. Can you make me #1 on Google?" When I hear that, too often the person is concerned only about positioning and doesn't care about user experience.
A #1 position is worthless if your site visitors can't find what they are looking for, the copy is incapable of selling a bucket of water to a man on fire, or the overall look & feel of the site doesn't inspire confidence and trust.
If you want incoming links, the first rule is to create a well-designed site that has a unique voice, showcases why your company is remarkable and is inherently credible. Every business owner/marketing manager needs to ask themselves one simple question:
Is my site link worthy?
I was flipping through my April 2007 Bon Appétit (the one with the yummy lemon meringue ice cream pie in toasted pecan crust on the front cover), and noticed that several of the ads didn't include the companies' URLs. One was an upscale line of cookware, and the other ads were for food products. I was really surprised that a couple of Kraft ads, one for their new Grate-It-Fresh product and two Philly cream cheese ads (the first featuring a cheesecake recipe and the second a salsa dip) didn't include a Web address. What a perfect spot to include a link to more recipes or a coupon! (Although, oddly enough, the Canadian version of the same Kraft Philly cream cheese ad that appeared in Canadian Living Magazine included the kraftcanada.com/cheesecake address…)
As I started to go through other magazines, I noticed the same thing. It seemed inconceivable that in 2007, that this oversight would be missed.
Then, and bear with me for a little bit, earlier this week JWT International announced that it had launched JWT BOOM: Boomers & Beyond, an integrated agency that specializes in reaching consumers in the 40+ age. The agency’s former Mature Marketing Group becomes part of the new group, as well.
[As a tangent rant, the new JWT BOOM site seems quickly cobbled together… nice writing on the homepage, but the sidebar contains only PDFs and links to the Beyond The Numbers Summit in Las Vegas. As the oldest and largest advertising agency in the U.S. and the 4th largest in the world, you'd think the Web design folks at JWT could get it together for the big launch.]
Anyhoo, all my grumbling aside, the reason I am bringing this up is that to coincide with the launch JWT BOOM and strategic partner ThirdAge.com conducted an online survey with over 1,210 adults 40+ years of age designed to help marketers understand the current interests, preferences and habits of Boomers and their use of online media. There are lots of interesting results in the press release, but what caught my eye was this:
- 79% would respond to promotional e-mails about products and services
- 92% have read about a Web site in a print article (magazine, newspaper) and then visited online
- 89% have seen a print ad and later visited the online site
- 83% have seen a Web site advertised on television and later visited it online
- 65% will visit a Web site address after hearing it on a radio commercial
Now, remember those absent Web site addresses I was babbling about earlier? Think about those statistics and then consider this:
In the US boomers earn $3.7 trillion each year and spend over $2 trillion. Their median household income is approximately $64,167, and median net worth is $107,000.
Wow. This is a huge online opportunity that marketers - large corps & organizations as well as SMEs - cannot afford to overlook.
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