All, The Web-Dev team are in discussions about a new home page.
Louis has asked that the guiding principle for it to be "Increase Downloads" Given the less than successful result of our last campaign, it's easy to agree with the sentiment. I gave the whole thing a lot of thought and came up with a few issues, which I have already stated but I'll state again here so we're all on the same page. One: The step from Click through to Download is too big Two: The home page is not geared toward turning the casual arrival into a downloader Three: The Homepage is geared too high in terms User sophistication Four: The home page is somewhat confused as to it's target audience I agree with Louis about the portal.openoffice.org and that the content that is at present on the home page would best be at portal. This leaves www.openoffice.org to be an index or set of signposts that reflect the needs of our Users We identified 3 major groups 1) Curious arrivals This arrival came here out of mild curiosity, he clicked a link in a Google ad or a context ad or a Keyword. There is no intention to download. His motivation is curiosity The answer to his "What Now " question is on the button marked "I want to learn more about OpenOffice.org" 2) Informed arrivals, they know what they're here for they clicked on a link deliberately to come to OOo. they could be either First Timers or Upgraders or Users needing help 3) Cognoscenti, They are active community members and have been to the point where they know their way around. They don't require big buttons or graphics just text links that are in familiar places and in fact they don't come here often preferring to link directly to their place of interest. However all of these groups have needs that overlap so in terms of the navigation from the Homepage we needed to look at the demographics in terms of needs or wants. Using that criteria I identified Four major Demographics amongst our site visitors: 1) Casual arrivals 2) Upgraders 3) Users Requiring help 4) Developers and potential contributors In group 1 are pretty much all of the people who clicked on our Google ads. They don't really have a reason to be here other than some level of curiosity In group 2 we have our regular downloaders who return for each new version as it is released. These people want to get to the download button quickly Groups 3 and 4 are self explanatory. It's obvious that close to ALL our increase in downloads is going to come from Group 1 while Group two keeps things ticking over. With all of the above in mind I suggested using action statements Four at this stage but I can think of perhaps two more but no more IMHO The action statements are aimed at each of our demographics and go like this "I want to learn more about Openoffice.org" Target = Casual Arrivals. link to why.openoffice.org "I want to download OpenOffice.org now" Target = Upgraders link to download.openoffice.org "I want help with OpenOffice.org" Target = Group 3 link to support.openoffice.org "I want to help OpenOffice.org" = Group 4 link to contribute.openoffice.org I've coded up a simple demo here http://ooogear.co.nz/splash_prop.html which is a coded version of an idea from Ivan M on the Art List. This is minus all trimmings This is another treatment done by me from a version modified by Ivan of a Nikash original. :) A very opensource piece of art http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/mwiki/images/5/52/Siteconcept2.png There has been a lot of discussion on both the art and WebDev list. Mostly around the idea of using the action statements I'm trying to come at it from a marketing/sales POV For the Casual arrival the learn more takes them to the Why page. My assertion is that once having read the info in the Why page the step to the download is a considerably smaller one for a casual arrival. We know that we're getting the landings, we just are not turning that into downloads. I think this will go a long way toward doing that. This needs input from Marketing people. At present I'm the only marketing person involved in the discussion. Cheers G -- Graham Lauder, OpenOffice.org MarCon (Marketing Contact) NZ http://marketing.openoffice.org/contacts.html INGOTs Moderator New Zealand www.theingots.org.nz GET DRESSED : GET OOOGEAR Gear for the well dressed OOo Advocate www.ooogear.co.nz --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
