Top 50 Websites

transcript

WikibrandsDigital Engagement

Resource Deck #1

“Top 50 Websites”May, 2012

www.wiki-brands.com

Top 10 Wikibrand Factors

Execution (MILCC)• Measurement/

Metrics/Monitoring/Insight

• Internalizing Community

• Life Stage Planning• Community

Management• Culture Building

Strategy (FLIRT)• Focus• Language, Content

and Tone• Incentives and

Outreach• Rules, Guidelines and

Rituals• Tools and Platforms

“Customers don’t forgive organizations for bad

websites”

“It takes 99% of us less than 4 seconds to determine if they want to stick around

your website…”

What’s it saying?

“Users spend most of their time on other websites…this means that users gear their expectations for your site by what they have learned to

expect elsewhere.” Jakob Nielsen

The Higher Call of Great Websites

Top 10 Landing Page Features

The 100 Point Website Test

Website Criteria – 100 pt. Scale

Criteria ImportanceOverall Impact 25 pointsContent 15 pointsNavigation 15 pointsUser Experience

15 points

Findability 15 pointsSociabiility 15 pointsTotal 100 points

Website Criteria – Overall Impact

Overall Impact

Criteria Pts.

First Impressions

Creates immediate wow, looks contemporary, causes to sign up, engages for significant time

Simplicity Uncluttered, readable, graphic/colourful, strong calls to action, infographics/flowcharts, above the fold

Uniqueness Distinctively branded, unique graphics, brand consistency, look and feel diff. from competitors, Typography

Dynamic Slider windows, Dynamic news feeds, Rollover prompts, Real-time response and feedback

Multimedia Varied and interesting use of animation, pictures, video, music, mashups

Website Criteria - Content

Content Criteria Pts.

Usefulness Helps users, up-to-date, interactive, provides real value, customized, well-presented, breadth, has a point of view

Transparency

Real people/employees, mission statement/manifesto, policies and rules

Credentials Evidence of popularity, third party or customer testimonials, Organizational authority

Human/Fun Conversational language, Humour, Consistency with audience, enthusiasm, Stories, leaves you wanting more

Incentives/News

Dynamic stream of news, Campaigns, Offers, Competitions, External links, Opportunity for fame

Website Criteria - Navigation

Navigation Criteria Pts.

Search ability

Internal search engines, menus, support, mental model on what to expect when you click

Links Graphic links, internal links, return to home menu easy, links open in new windows

Intuitive Top options for clicking dependent on user and place on site, priority of information

Menus Consistency of presence, descriptiveness /3

Types of user reaction

New vs. returning user, Country and language of user, Tiered user access

Website Criteria – User Experience

User Experience

Criteria Pts.

Usability Limited click to completion, no need to upload new software, browser and monitor capability, Download speed, Cross platform

Knowledge of users

Adaptive, flexible taxonomies, know history, analytics inform experience, customizable environment

Security Safe for users to use, not flagged by filters, password protection

Troubleshooting

Strong Q&As, How-tos, Tracking orders/process, Virtual live customer service

Easy to Contact

Availability of forms, contact us page, triage to the right person in the organization

Website Criteria - Findability

Findability Criteria Pts.

Smart URL Short, intuitive, .com, Multiple vanity urls

Metatags and Keywords

Own the best relevant words, each page sufficiently tagged and named

Links Good level of working inbound and outbound links, seamlessly linked microsites

Partners and Affiliates

Network of partners, community of ambassadors, employee extensions

Funnel Social networks and content drive back to website

Website Criteria - Sociability

Sociability Criteria Pts.

Blog Content

Frequent, well-tagged, relevant, engaging posts, Smart headlines, Strong user engagement

Social Integration

Top social network integrated apps, easy to register through social profiles, activity linked to social network feeds

Community Provides forums, crowdsourcing and microcommunities for participation, community moderation

Easy to link Compatible with all the key social networks, automated actions/emails, widgets

Participation

Ability to participate, to give and receive, hear and respond, real-time feedback, peer to peer capability, leaderboards

50 Great Websites

#1- lululemon – Fitness with a Cause

Pros - Visual, Point of view - Manifesto, Great Content, Ambassadors, Menus

http://shop.lululemon.com/home.jsp

#2- Icebreaker – Visual Active Storyteller

Pros - Photographic, stories of founder/history, Authenticity - Trace back your garment http://ca.icebreaker.com/

#3 TakingItGlobal – Global Youth Leader Community

Pros – Great set of resources and community tools for youth http://www.tigweb.org

#4- Ashoka – Changemaking via Youth

Pros - The power of microfunding, great team profiles http://www.changemakers.com/main

#5- Tourism Australia – Map-based Travel Discovery

Pros - Great location-tagged photography and experiences http://www.nothinglikeaustralia.com/ca/flash.htm#/entries

#6- Twitter Stories – Tales from 140 Characters

Pros - Curated stories, emotional meaning, photographic impacthttp://stories.twitter.com/

#7 Moo.com – The Loveable Commodity

Pros - Friendly tone of voice, visual impact, helpful user-generated hints and tips http://us.moo.com/

#8- Outside 127 Hours – User-Generated Video Inspiration

Pros - Powerful use of video, competitive entries, inspirationalhttp://www.127definingmoments.com/

#9- The Responsibility Project – From insurance comes conversation…

Pros - Issues discussion, intercativity and guides, bringing to life a commodity product http://responsibility-project.libertymutual.com/

#10- SHFT – Curating the Best Sustainable Stuff to Notice and Talk

Pros - Great visual impact, well-categorized by activity, recognition for authors http://www.shft.com/

#11- NASA – Making Space Watchable

Pros - Key headlines, images and multimediahttp://www.nasa.gov/

#12- Mint – Bringing to Life Personal Finance

Pros - Clarity, simplicity, aggregated member data, user experiencehttps://www.mint.com/

#13 - Tribeca Film – Telling the Stories of the Storytellers

Pros - Simple navigation, visual display, most popular posts, filmmaker profiles http://www.tribecafilm.com/

#14- Freelancer – Crowdsourcing simply explained..

Pros - How it works, latest dynamic statistics, menu/category system

http://www.freelancer.com/

#15 - Sundance Festival – A lot of content colourfully

displayed…

Pros - Dynamic slider, extensive drop down menus, clean aesthetic http://www.sundance.org/festival/

#16- Open Ideo – Posing Challenges to the Creative World

Pros - Ranking of challenges and status, key statistics and activity, optimism

http://www.openideo.com/

#17- Crowdrise – Real-Time Call to Actions

Pros - Focus on projects, events, people – visual impact above the fold

http://www.crowdrise.com/

#18- Historypin – Creating a new category of visual website

Pros - Creative idea, well-explained in video, clean and simplehttp://www.historypin.com/

#19 Vibram – Provocative Technology

Pros - Simple concept provoactively renderedhttp://www.youarethetechnology.com/

#20-- Life – Cultures and Eras in Pictures

Pros - Black and white and hitory appeal, social media integartion, featured

http://life.time.com/

#21- The Johnny Cash Project – Multimedia Creative Production

Pros - Wonderfully simple crreative crowdsourcing ideahttp://www.thejohnnycashproject.com/

#22 - The Tiziano Project – Kurdistan’s Tapestry of Stories

Pros - Video collage, individual stories that tell a bigger storyhttp://tizianoproject.org/

#23 – National Geographic – Nature as an Art Gallery

Pros - Visual impact, editor’s picks, social media integrationhttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/

#24 – Dropbox – Simple Solution, Simply Explained

Pros - Directed attention, simple educationhttps://www.dropbox.com/

#25 Vitro Design Museum – Content on a Different Menu Plane

Pros - Unique menu system, supporting dynamic contenthttp://www.design-museum.de/index.php

#26 – Lego – Toys with Announcement Value

Pros - Colourful background, product displayhttp://www.lego.com/en-us/Default.aspx

#27 – Boss Bottled – A Super Curated, Nocturnal, Manly Problem Solver

Pros – Good use of data and design, global sitehttp://www.boss-fragrances.co.uk/mens-fragrances/boss-bottled-night/?lc=gb

#28 – AARP – Bringing the Everyday To Life

Pros - Interesting content, fun and games for older peoplehttp://www.aarp.org/

#29 – AVAAZ – Wearing a Cause on a Digital Sleeeve

Pros - Great global multilingual site, social proofhttp://www.avaaz.org/en/

#30 Ushahidi – Simple Crowdsourcing

Pros - Clean layout, mobile enbalementhttp://ushahidi.com/

#31 – Brains on Fire – The Personal and Intimate Agency

Pros - Personable/human tone, great About Us/Team areahttp://www.brainsonfire.com/

#32 TED – Inspirational 20 Minute Video Bliss

Pros - Video, collage effect, common format, well tagged, socially integrated

http://www.ted.com/

#33 – Kiva – Telling Stories and Providing Hope Around the World

Pros - Inspring, stortytelling, simple layout, call to actionhttp://www.kiva.org/

#34 – Quirky – If You Can Think It, You Can Do It

Pros - Clean, colourful, economy of wordshttp://www.quirky.com/

#35 Equinox – The Fitness Experience and Lifestyle Brand

Pros - Balance of information and lifestyle, mutimedia elementshttp://www.equinox.com/

#36 GE Ecomagination – Imagining The Future

Pros - Visuals, great content, infographics, loose distinctive web design

http://www.ecomagination.com/

#37 – One – Multiple Channels, One Cause

Pros - Dynmaic slider, typography, visuals, Facebook inegrationhttp://www.one.org/us/

#38 Wonderopolis – Daily Educational Inspiration

Pros - daily editorial calendar, simple focus, background imageryhttp://wonderopolis.org/

#39 – Freerice – A Reciprocal and Fun Relationship

Pros - novel educational fundraising model, real-time feedbackhttp://freerice.com/

#40 – Nike+ - Aesthetically Beautiful Fitness

Pros - Aesthetically beautiful, customer experience driven, use of icons

http://nikeplus.nike.com/plus/

#41 – Nesta – Solving for a Different Kind of Future

Pros - Words over pictures, compressed menu of informationhttp://www.nesta.org.uk/

#42 Umbra – Design Well Designed

Pros - Hero visuals and secondary menuhttp://www.umbra.com/

#43 The Nature Conservancy – Providing Greener Hope

Pros - Calls to action, what they do, descriptive dynamic sliderhttp://www.nature.org/

#44 NOLA’s Make It Right – The Continuing Hurricane Katrina

Pros - Results, icons, vdeoshttp://makeitrightnola.org/

#45 Crumpler – Fashion Icon Menus

Pros - lead visual impact, full catalogue on front pagehttp://www.crumpler.com/

#46 Threadless – Fun and Irreverent Design Challenges and T-Shirts

Pros - simple 4 menu structure, personable/human, elegant voting processhttp://www.threadless.com/

#47 Trendwatching – Prescribing and Anointing What’s

Pros - creating new vernacular, deep content depth, colur schematic

http://trendwatching.com/briefing/

#48 8Tracks – A Gallery of DIY DJs

Pros - Tagging, Front page mix portfolio, onc-click functionalityhttp://8tracks.com/

#49 Pinterest – Curating Visual Splendour

Pros - object-centred focus, balance of presnted and user-generated reaction

http://pinterest.com/

#50 Blurb – Putting Personalization Right Into Your Hands Simply

Pros - Tagline, Big Visual, 1-2-3 Step process, Focused Call to Action, Value adds– Apps, Extra, Ideas , Content Rich (50 menu opts) http://www.blurb.com/

#51 Life is Good – Shopping Optimism

Pros - optimistic tone, visual categories, typography, storytellinghttp://www.lifeisgood.com/

The 4th Annual Buzz Report Survey

Interested?

Help input the to the authoritative survey on emerging business, digital, marketing and media

trends.https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/buzzreport2012

Twitter: @wikibrands

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smoffitt@wiki-brands.com@seanmoffitt