Please Don't Make Me Upgrade to See Your Web Site
Today I came across three web sites that convinced me to see what they had to offer. Upon viewing the site, I was prompted to upgrade my flash player. I know it seems like a minor task, but like most of you, I am busy working on a multitude of things during the day. In addition to this inconvenience, the web sites did not even provide me with the link to upgrade my player. This simple step may have coaxed me into taking those extra few steps, but alas they have now quite possibly lost me forever. In a world where competition is thick, why are so many websites neglecting to harness the potential of new visitors?
Last week, I gave a workshop to a group of small businesses regarding how to start and operate a business. One of the key points I was conveying was "understanding your audience". This point is less about demographics and psychographics, but rather it addresses "tech-know-graphics" (yes it is a made up word). I define "Tech-know-graphics" as an understanding of the technological skills of the consumer. In greater detail, it is the consumer's knowledge of technology and their preferences like screen size, screen type, choice of web browser and plug-in levels. I know of many users who don't like to upgrade or download updates because they have finally gotten their computer to a point that is stable and performing well.
The flip side is that, the usability of the applications fall at the wayside. Designers and business owners want their web sites to be exciting and engaging to their audience. But at what cost? When you are planning to launch a site in Flash, why not make it compatible with at least the previous version? Businesses who have upgraded to Office 2007 are still saving their documents in 2003 formats to make sharing and communicating with outside partners easier. Is the design worth the price of losing a customer? I know I strayed from three different web sites today. How many sites have you left because you didn't want to take the time to upgrade at that moment? Let me know your thoughts, leave a comment below.
Last week, I gave a workshop to a group of small businesses regarding how to start and operate a business. One of the key points I was conveying was "understanding your audience". This point is less about demographics and psychographics, but rather it addresses "tech-know-graphics" (yes it is a made up word). I define "Tech-know-graphics" as an understanding of the technological skills of the consumer. In greater detail, it is the consumer's knowledge of technology and their preferences like screen size, screen type, choice of web browser and plug-in levels. I know of many users who don't like to upgrade or download updates because they have finally gotten their computer to a point that is stable and performing well.
The flip side is that, the usability of the applications fall at the wayside. Designers and business owners want their web sites to be exciting and engaging to their audience. But at what cost? When you are planning to launch a site in Flash, why not make it compatible with at least the previous version? Businesses who have upgraded to Office 2007 are still saving their documents in 2003 formats to make sharing and communicating with outside partners easier. Is the design worth the price of losing a customer? I know I strayed from three different web sites today. How many sites have you left because you didn't want to take the time to upgrade at that moment? Let me know your thoughts, leave a comment below.
Labels: small business, web design, web marketing
1 Comments:
This is quite true. I am often prompted to upload to a new version to view certain sites, and this has definitely been a deciding factor in making business decisions. It's easier to just go to a competitor with a more user-friendly site.
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