• by Andrew Sullivan , March 9, 2006

Like many other industries, ours places a lot of stock in trends, especially around the first few months of the year. Rather than look forward and attempt to predict the future, I think it is of value to reflect upon recent history and identify areas we as marketing professionals should--and can--capitalize upon to move clients' businesses forward.

Like most consumers and prospects, Web users are impatient, fickle and demanding, as they should be. It's our job as interactive experts to understand their expectations, how they use the Web, and how we can best communicate with them to achieve our clients' goals. Below are a few words of advice that attempt to do just that.

Brake for technology. Yes, podcasting is great, as are blogs and other newer channels for communicating more intimately and effectively with customers, prospects and users. But simply advising a client to put together a podcast for the sake of podcasting fails the client and ultimately the user. We've all heard the stories of corporate blogging gone awry, but they don't seem to be enough of a cautionary tale. Technology should be viewed as a tactic that can be used to achieve client goals when borne from a sound, cohesive strategy. Unless the tactic has a compelling reason to be, it should not be deployed.

For example, a front-page takeover of Yahoo is in line with the branding initiatives for a large company like Budweiser, but inappropriate for the direct response efforts of a credit card issuer. While front-page takeovers can be "cool" and attention-getting, they have a one-time frequency and offer no opportunity for users to act, making them a great tactic for creating general awareness but not for driving specific calls to action.

Search high and low. According to Nielsen//NetRatings, users conducted 5.1 billion searches in December 2005, nearly a 60 percent increase from the 3.3 billion searches made the previous December. Not only are these staggering numbers indicative of how users utilize the Web, they also provide ample opportunity for client successes.

When clients take full advantage of search, it can be an effective component of an integrated campaign. Not only can it be driven by offline assets, search can also be utilized to drive to print, TV and other traditional advertising. For those print and TV clients driving to search engines, it is imperative to secure good placement and develop result copy that matches up with the offline copy and deliver an ultimate payoff in line with users' expectations.

Copy that. Recognize the importance of content and copy, in addition to design, animation and functionality. An unfortunate trend in interactive is clients' reluctance to pay for copywriting services. Oftentimes, the feeling is that pre-approved copy for print, TV, brochures or other collateral can be reused or repurposed for a Web site or online campaign. Beyond the danger of shoehorning existing content into a medium it was not originally intended for, cutting copy out of interactive eliminates having a writer sit in at the concept phase. The best interactive consistently involves close collaboration between writers and designers.

Recently, we redesigned the corporate site for a Fortune 100 client. They supplied us with pre-approved copy and we came up with a concept and design. We realized that the print copy was not working in an interactive environment, so we brought in one of our writers to revise the copy for the Web, at no charge to the client. The client was extremely appreciative and subsequently asked us to review the copy and make any necessary edits. The result was a Web site that looked great and provided compelling, readable copy.

UX weekly--or however frequently is necessary. Unfortunately, usability testing is sometimes viewed as an afterthought or a necessary evil. When properly folded into Web development, UX can mean the difference between a so-so, disappointing experience and an impactful, memorable experience--for both the client and end user. Bring UX experts into the process early, so they can work closely with creative to ensure the site functions in a way that meets and exceeds user expectations, and is aligned with the client's brand promise.

In addition to involving UX sooner in the process, testing should not end prior to, or right after, the launch of a site. To quote Ben Levin, one of Refinery's UX experts: "Even under ideal circumstances, Web sites launch with bugs; they're missing features that stakeholders want, and customers' expectations are--at best--partially fulfilled. This is because the online world is an environment of continual improvement. Take the long view, especially when balancing competing interests. Doubling your advertising budget will drive more visitors to your site--but only for as long as your budget lasts. Making usability improvements delivers more long-term ROI by leveraging your existing advertising budget. Even so, creating an outstanding, memorable customer experience is a lasting endeavor. The most successful sites are those that constantly study the user experience, track the changes in expectations and level of satisfaction, and work on improving that experience every single day." Point taken. Thanks, Ben!

Analyze this---and that. Without a sound measurement plan in place, all of the above is moot. A recent Forrester report indicates firms project they will have 23 percent more Web analytics data about consumers in 2006. The same report says nearly half the respondents import external data into their web analytics tool, such as sales or call center data.

The industry is undergoing change as well. WebsideStory, a long-time leader in the industry, recently purchased rival Visual Sciences to extend its reach into more robust business-level analytics. Google has extended into the market as well, with a free analytics offering sure to attract small and some mid-size organizations looking to get basic data. The industry should enjoy an infusion of cash in 2006, as nearly half the firms surveyed in another Forrester study indicated that they plan to spend more on Web analytics.

Overall, the conversations we're having with our clients about analytics are much more sophisticated than they were even a year ago. It's not just about traffic any more--we are helping our clients integrate a variety of data sources together. Whether it's simply matching visits to sales or looking to integrate multiple sources of online and offline campaign data, interactive data cannot be assessed in a vacuum any longer.

Yet, the more complex our data becomes, the more important it is for us to think about measurement strategically. It's still about selecting the most important, most actionable metrics that help drive the business forward.

Okay, so this hasn't been a list of predictions for 2006. By looking back, it is with the hope that we focus on what we could--and should--have done over the past few years to move the industry and clients forward and help interactive realize its full potential.