Usability

With the cost of PPC and other online media rising (nearly doubling last year), companies need to find affordable and effective ways to maximize their ROI. The science of usability is rapidly rising to meet that challenge.

In some instances, organizations are experiencing greater returns from tweaks suggested by usability testing than they are from entire banner ad campaigns. One well-known eCommercesite changed the color of their “checkout” button from blue to red and consequently experienced a double-digit increase in sales. A national pet store chain moved their “hacker safe” logo from the bottom to the top of the page and increased sales by 9%. Another eCommerce conglomerate implemented personalization on their site and thereby increased conversion rates by 16%.

Every site is unique. A successful design change on one page could spell disaster on another. We have the tools, expertise, and experience with Fortune 500 companies to uncover the winning solution for your site. Think of it like this: Above all else, the most important design consideration is your customer; what’s the point of a beautiful site if users find it to be counterintuitive? Let us work hard so your customers don’t have to.

Information Architecture

If your website is your house, then your Information Architecture is your floor plan. Its purpose is to provide the optimal intuitive experience for your end user. IA can be the blueprint for your site or it can be implemented later to enhance usability at any time.

At El Toro Interactive, we have the resources to develop and implement tools such as Content Management Systems (CMS), site maps, and templates to organize the information you need to convey.

Wireframing

Wireframes are page layouts that illustrate the key components of each screen. They set up the essential framework for a user-friendly experience and establish relationships between the various pages within a website.

Our clickable wireframes are ideal for the prototyping process because users can test them and comment on their experience early in the development process. They are highly valuable because their modular structure allows for quick and easy alterations during testing—while it is still relatively cheap to do so.

Website Testing

A/B Testing

Sometimes the smallest design change can have the biggest impact on usability. A/B testing presents alternate versions of your site (with one design difference) to users through a dual-release method. Based on data collected from user responses, this process alerts you to the most effective design, allowing you to maximize:

• Call to action
• Conversion rates
• Usability of your final site

In addition to a dual-release online method, we can directly facilitate task-based A/B testing with focus groups.

Multivariate Testing

Multivariate testing allows you to evaluate multiple design changes simultaneously without increasing sample size (relative to AB testing). With this method, not only do you learn what works and what does not, but you also learn which combination of elements provides the optimal user experience.

Focus Groups

Focus groups allow us to gain valuable insights into usability through direct observation and interaction. During focus group testing, we can engage customers in conversation to gain qualitative data regarding user experience, new perspectives, likes, and dislikes such as:

• Do you think that the number of steps involved in the e-cart checkout procedure is an issue? Why or why not?
• Did you experience anything unexpected during checkout?
• How do you think the checkout process can be improved?
• What number of steps do you think is acceptable for this process?

Developers and hosts often become blind to potential problems because they are so familiar with their websites. Focus groups shine an objective light on existing or developing processes. We recruit, implement, and proctor a wide variety of focus groups:

• Teleconference
• Online
• Dual moderator
• Dueling moderator

Market Research

How well do you know your customer? Consumer preferences change constantly and it is impossible to make intelligent decisions when relying on antiquated data. We provide you current analysis through:

• Analytic study
• Online surveys
• Market segmentation

Web Analytics Consulting

Do you sometimes question the integrity of your web analytics data?

During your analytics consultation, we will arm you with the knowledge and tools you will need to decipher the graphs, charts, and terms included in your current reports. We will also clue you into which campaigns are performing well, and which of your resources would be best applied elsewhere.

We can provide consultation or full reporting services for:

• Omniture
• CoreMetrics
• Google Analytics

eCommerce Consulting

Online retail sales provide one of the few rays of hope in our struggling economy.

• eCommerce accounted for $31.9 billion dollars of retail sales in Q4 2008; a 5.7% adjusted decrease from Q3, yet still holding stronger than offline sales.
• Mobile internet use has skyrocketed, nearly doubling over the past year. With smartphone sales projections on the rise, a comprehensive multi-platform eCommerce strategy is paramount.

As the wallets of customers are tightening, the scope of eCommerce is expanding. Keeping up with new e-payment, shopping cart, and order tracking technologies is essential. However, incorporating newsgroups, teleconferencing, email campaign, and personalization strategies into your eCommerce plan can provide the competitive advantages necessary in this cutthroat economy.

eCommerce is just one piece of the symbiotic puzzle of your business. Every aspect of your brand must work together to support and strengthen each and every other element. That is why we believe in a holistic approach to online consultations. We constantly evaluate the ways in which a customer’s eCommerce experience extends beyond the borders of their online interactions. We can provide you with an actionable, multi-channel approach to your retail strategy through:

• Offline support strategies: Don’t let one single sale slip away. Even if customers are not ready to purchase in-store, personal reminders from associates help to keep all of your on and offline sales channels top of mind for when they do decide to purchase.
• Offline media consultation: Your online sales channels should never be an afterthought in your other media. Clear, direct links to your online store should be highly prominent in your direct mail, print and broadcast media.

New business is vital to the replenishment and growth of your eCommerce business, but we like to really focus on evaluating the 20% of customers that already generate approximately 80% of your revenue. Your loyalists can be your soldiers during tough times, because they already understand the value of your brand and seek it regularly.

• Personalization: Research shows that adding a personal touch to your eCommerce site can increase sales on average by 10%.
• Preferred added value: Deals on shipping, coupon offers to a loyal customer and a friend (have your loyalists market for you)
• Social media and blogging: Keep loyalists energized and excited about your brand through as many points of contact as possible.

During a full audit of your live or developing eCommerce business, El Toro will evaluate various factors to determine current strengths, weaknesses, and existing opportunities regarding:

• Overall design
• Transaction processes
• Personalization
• Content management
• Navigation