One of values which informs the way I plan and design websites is simplicity. I keep a sharp eye on ease-of-use for each website I build, making sure copy is concise and clear and the site structure assists viewers in finding the information they need. I also recommend taking steps to assure the audience being served feels seen, heard and attended to.
Of course, I can’t do this by myself. Having an “Easy Button Strategy” for your ideal clients can’t be faked. It’s something that clients, if they wish to be successful online, must be committed to on numerous levels. The key is finding those places on your website where visitors are likely to experience discomfort that may cause them to hit the back button and navigate away from you.
Some good questions to return to again and again are: Where in the sales cycle do my customers lose momentum? When do they seem to lose confidence? What can I do to make their experience as easy as possible?
A great way to accomplish this is providing instructional How-To videos for your customers. It’s something I know my clients really appreciate which is why I include custom WordPress walk-through videos for most of the projects launched here at Clearly Presentable.
The videos below were produced for a website I recently launched for a major Taos art event: Pressing Through Time: 150 Years of Printmaking in Taos – a site which targets two distinct audiences:
- Contemporary Fine art Printmakers to whom the site broadcasts a Call for Entries for a juried exhibition.
- Tourists, including anyone interested in the American Southwest, but more specifically: artists, art collectors, and people with an avid interested in American art history.
Just a few weeks after launch, we identified a point of resistance we found in the Contemporary Printmaker audience. Many of them felt unsure with formatting digital files that would meet the image upload requirements for the Call for Entries.
Instead of responding to these ideal clients with a low-touch recommendation to simply buddy up with other artists with previous experience handling digital files correctly, we took an added step. Instead of pointing at the moon and telling visitors to figure out how to get there, we are meeting them where they are with a high-touch solution, showing them how easy it is to clear what could very well feel like a difficult hurdle.
The result is the video below, divided into two shorter sections for easier video. In addition to demonstrating a free online photo editing tool, I take the artists on a quick tour of the website, conveying my authentic experience working with the co-curators of the exhibit, and sharing my real enthusiasm for this exciting project.
I invite you to take a look, and when you’re done, why not ask yourself what you can do to make their direct experience with you and your brand as simple and convenient as possible?
Part One: Website Overview for Taos Printmakers to the Pressing Through Time Website
Part Two: How to Videos–Easily Edit Digital Images for Upload for Juried Art Exhibitions
