Better Web design boosts sub sales

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, Jan, 2001 by Ralph Monti

In a climate of sagging subscription sales, don't lose volume to poor Web-site design.

As more magazines up their Internet circulation efforts--and as more new titles launch with Web circulation strategies in place--publishers can hardly afford to lose potential readers to poorly thought-out design.

As consultant Donald Norman illustrates in The Design of Everyday Things, design drives function. Nowhere is this more true than online, where design is the most critical element in facilitating e-commerce. Whether you're launching a new Web site, are in the throes of revamping your old one, or are just discussing new ways to boost online sub responses, here are some general design guidelines you should not forget.

Make your Web pages fast and usable

The number-one priority for any Web surfer is speed. The second is usability. Internet users' biggest complaints revolve around frustrating navigation schemes or long waits to view pages. Flashy subscription pages may look great, but if they take too long to download or are difficult to navigate, your user will click off in a nanosecond. You'll lose not only a sub, but credibility and loyalty as well. Your mantra for your Web page should be "fast and simple, fast and simple."

Design a clutter-free home page

In their zeal to present as much content as possible, publishers too often create a home page that looks like the Las Vegas strip. Not surprisingly, subscription promotion messages can easily get lost. Make sure your subscription banner or button is one of the main focal points of your home page, and any other pages on which it appears. Remember that too much clutter can push that banner or button well below the screen page, forcing the user to scroll up, down or even sideways to look for it. One way to prevent the user moving to other pages and getting lost is to design your pages to fit the smallest available screen size, which is 640 x 480 pixels.

Create a subscription-services page

Show users you're serious about serving their needs by creating a page with a frequently-asked-questions (FAQ) menu and an e-mail form inviting more inquiries. Also post an 800-number. If you don't have the staff resources to answer questions immediately, install an automated acknowledgment that bounces back to the user. This message will give your circulation staff some breathing room to catch up on earlier questions, and will assure users that someone will respond to them as quickly as possible. Do make sure you answer all questions received or your credibility will suffer.

Simplify your information architecture

When you design a site, your top priority must be the user's experience, needs and wants. The most successful Web sites are those that streamline the information they are presenting. Sites with a well-designed graphic user interface and carefully selected words, phrases and art on each page lead their users by the hand. Once users leave the home page, they aren't left wandering around the site aimlessly without guidance. Each page of a smartly designed site should give suggestions about where visitors might go next, such as an archive of relevant articles. And don't forget to strategically position subscription buttons near exciting editorial news and promotions.

Is your site dated? Consider outsourcing

Many publishers simply don't have the resources to build and successfully maintain a Web site. Because of this, too many magazine sites offer months-old information and subscription pages with outdated offers and terms. If this sounds like your site, you might want to consider outsourcing. There are many companies with solid Web management know-how that can assist you in building and maintaining your site, and in facilitating your subscription marketing. An investment in such a company should result in a more professionally managed site and higher subscription sales.

Ralph Monti is president of Special Interest Media, Inc., a Bloomfield, New Jersey-based magazine consulting firm.

Traffic tells a story

Is your online subscription response dismally low? Try analyzing your current traffic patterns. Charting how often the "search" and "help" buttons are used, for example, could provide a revealing analysis of your site in general. If you notice these features are being used quite frequently, chances are users are frustrated navigating your site--and a complete site redesign may be in order. Use traffic analysis to tell you what's working and what's not--which features are popular and which should be scrapped--and adjust your site accordingly.