New Online Publishers Association Study Identifies Key Experiences That Drive Web Usage; Results of User Experience Study Conducted with the Media Management Center at Northwestern University Unveiled on Eight-City ''Eyes on the Internet'' Tour

Business Wire, June 1, 2005

NEW YORK -- The Online Publishers Association (OPA) today unveiled the results of its latest research project, the "Online User Experience Study." Conducted in partnership with the Media Management Center at Northwestern University, the study identified 22 experiences that describe and define of how people interact with and relate to digital media, and determined how each of those specific experiences impact site usage.

"Experience is a critical concept to understand, particularly in a crowded environment where media constantly compete for consumers' attention," said Michael Zimbalist, president of the Online Publishers Association. "It goes beyond providing content that gets good user satisfaction ratings, to involving and engaging users' minds and emotions. Properly implemented, it can elevate a product from something that satisfies a basic need to something that compels repeat usage and loyalty."

The research involved a combination of personal interviews and surveys. In-person interviews were conducted with 65 Internet users from across the country. The statements these Web users used to describe those experiences were then incorporated into an online questionnaire.* Analysis of the survey results identified 22 distinct user experiences. The survey also measured site usage for each respondent and its relation to how that user rated each of the experiences identified through the qualitative interviews. From there, the relationship between usage and experience was derived, and the experiences were ranked according to their relative impact on site usage.

The study revealed that the experience "Entertains and absorbs me" is the top driver of site usage. The top 12 experiences that drive site usage are as follows:

TOP USAGE DRIVERS
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Experience                                                  Rank
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Entertains, absorbs me                                        1
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Looks out for people like me                                  2
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Regular part of my day                                        3
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My personal timeout                                           4
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A credible, safe place                                        5
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Connects me with others                                       6
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Touches me and expands my views                               7
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Makes me smarter                                              8
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Turned on by ads                                              9
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Easy to use                                                  10
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Helps and improves me                                        11
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Worth saving and sharing                                     12
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"This research gives marketers and online content providers unique insight into how they can increase site loyalty and usage, which ultimately translates into better business results," said Mr. Zimbalist. "Targeting experiences that have the highest impact on usage but are among the least prevalent on a particular site can guide product development in a way that increases user engagement, which is especially important in an age of media fragmentation and consumer control."

The research methodology employed in the User Experience Study has been used by the Media Management Center in the past to study engagement with newspapers and magazines. While many experiences are common to both print and digital media, several are unique to the Internet, including: "Entertains and absorbs me"; "Connects me with others"; "Tailored for me"; "Guides me to other media"; "A way to fill my time"; "My guilty pleasure," and "Tries to persuade me."

Two particularly noteworthy experiences common to print and online are "Annoyed by the ads" and "Turned on by the ads." This suggests that the creativity and relevance of advertisements impact a user's engagement with a particular Web site, just as it does in newspapers or magazines.

Details of the Online User Engagement Study are being presented on the OPA's annual, eight-city "Eyes on the Internet Tour," which begins on Thursday, June 2, in San Francisco. For more information about the tour or to register for the free event, visit www.online-publishers.org/eyes2005. Each presentation will be followed by a panel discussion among leading marketer, publisher and agency executives about the implications of the research. The complete study results will be published at the conclusion of the Tour.