Airplanes and flight have always intrigued me. The idea that you can put a heavy hunk of metal in the sky and make it soar is truly a phenomenon. And, as a fairly green gal, I’m also interested in the evolution of this science and how we can improve upon its efficiency. So imagine my delight when I found The GE Show: A celebration of flight.

This site, developed to help demonstrate (not just tell people) what GE is doing, is a truly brand-defining digital experience. Fun, educational, interactive and engaging: yes. Interesting and relevant information that helps you understand technology and how it influences and changes our lives: check! And, I come away from it with a somewhat surprising appreciation for GE that I never had before.

Fun fact: the number of airplanes in the sky every hour in the U.S.—5K. Check out their intersecting flight patterns. There’s also the celebration of innovative ideas: electric planes and optimized descents that reduce fuel consumption and CO² emissions. Personally, I recommend the High Flying Tens—top ten plane landings, weirdest planes, window photos and trying your hand at designing your own plane.

You know it’s a good experience when you’ve lost track of time during your exploration, can’t wait to come back for more, leave armed with new found knowledge that you can’t wait to share with your friends and feel inspired by something that happens every day. If you aren’t enamored by the magic of flight now, once you soar through this innovative experience, I think you will be.

- Rachel Olmsted

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But, to your surprise, your analytics are telling you that your site isn’t making some critical conversions. What is the reason for this? What did you miss? Well, the answer may lie in questions that don’t always occur to researchers. Here’s what I mean:

- User research seeks to establish the goals and motivations of users.
- Usability studies test whether users can complete critical tasks or locate information that satisfies their goal.

Typically, neither method is used to unearth how experiences make users feel about your brand, and what effect that feeling has on their actions.

Customers abandon experiences for a variety of reasons. More often than we realize, it’s because we haven’t clearly established the value of continuing. Whether you want them to complete an e-commerce order or sign-up for a webinar or newsletter, they must be convinced the action they are about to take will deliver the level of value they expect – or greater.

Conventional usability wisdom is that factors such as color, size, affordance and placement of calls to action are the key drivers of conversions. But what’s missing from this tactical equation is a truer understanding of what value users expect from your brand. How must individual elements, such as calls to action, be oriented within an experience that delivers more value than the sum of its parts?

So, when and how is it appropriate to “test the experience” in the context of website development? The answer is, throughout the entire process:
• In user research, try to establish what the brand means to them, what value it provides and what kind of experiences would demonstrate that value and build on it for them
• In prototype or usability testing, don’t just test for simple task or goal completion, but try to determine if users are perceiving value, and what would improve their overall experience.
• In ongoing customer surveys, ask how the site experience contributes to their overall brand experience with the company.

–Jen Travis

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We call these brand-defining experiences: experiences that clearly and compellingly demonstrate the meaning behind the brand. In very strong brands, those experiences go on to serve as an expression of the customer’s personal identity. (e.g. I have an iPad because it says that I am hip, smart and I like to be connected to anything and everything around me).

A lot of the time these brand-defining moments are supported by some kind of digital experience or technology (think Apple, Amazon, Facebook etc.), but they can also be seemingly simple gestures that showcase human sentiment and fulfill deeper emotional needs. We think this example is particularly great because it illustrates just that:

In this new year, we challenge all brands to think about how they can win a role in their customers’ lives and what their brand-defining experiences might be. And, as consumers, think about those brands that have won a role in your life. What experiences did they provide that sealed the deal for you?

–Jen Travis

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The brand that’s made me the happiest this year is Wolfgang’s Vault. I go there on a regular basis, often on Friday afternoons when I’m finishing up administrative tasks and need some ear candy. The more I listen, the more often I return. I’ve heard concerts by artists I wish I’d gone to and concerts from the same tours I saw “back in the day” by artists that hadn’t made it big yet. I started going to the site a couple of years ago to relive some great musical moments in my life—but now I’m getting much more.

I love that the Vault has branched out to newer artists and more recent concerts. Their A to Z list of performers is huge and inclusive, so I can experiment. There are artist interviews as well as concerts. There are lots of free downloads as well as ones you have to pay for. Plus concert listings in my area.

The website has improved steadily. It’s become increasingly easy to use and what Wolfgang’s Vault is adding, I’m enjoying. I must be in their target demographic—they’re hitting me in my soft spot and I love it!

What’s the brand lesson? Do one thing really well and build from there. Innovate around what you know and give your customers and fans an easy path to follow as you lead the way. If the substance is there and you demonstrate that you’re listening, you’ll keep your die-hards and win new ones.

Have a great 2010!

Beth Woolley

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-Jen Travis

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American Airlines' current home page

Your web site says more about your brand than you think–as evidenced in this article about American Airlines.

–Jen Travis

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