Gathering Best Practices from the Web

Research helps us do our jobs better. It allows us to base decisions on evidence in addition to gut instinct. But what if you don’t have the budget or time to do extensive surveys, interviews, and other market research?

You can get a lot of information from simply reviewing what’s happening online. Here’s how to use the web to gather important insights.

Review your competitors

Start by looking at all the websites of your competitive set. You probably already know which ones are most successful—the ones you are losing business to. Examine what their brand looks like and feels like. What color palettes are they using? What type of imagery? Think about how you can compete. Don’t copy, but match the quality level. Figure out how you can stand out.

Then look at what functionality they are providing to make their customers’ lives easier. Calendars? Appointments? Video? Audio? Online chat? Is it adding value? Is it something you could do better?

Lastly, look at the content they are providing. Blogs? Data? Checklists? Stories? Humor? What kind of content could you provide that stands apart and is useful to your customers?

Tap into your customers

Dig in to those Google Analytics. How are your customers finding you? What keywords are they searching? What pages of your site are they landing on? What pages are they staying on? Use this information to find out what content is working and what isn’t. Find out which push techniques are most effective—banner ads, Google ads, email, social media, coupons, etc.

Ask your customers what they like and dislike. Add a small survey to your site to find out what more you could offer them and what to discontinue.

Get some inspiration

Depending on your market, you may not get much inspiration from your competitors. Look outside your sector to expand your horizons about what is possible. Do you want your customers to be passionate about your brand? Look at brands with raving fans and see what they do.

You may not think you have anything in common with The Grateful Dead or Harley Davidson, but if you want that kind of loyalty, take a look at how they achieve it. (Our Learning from Others blog post will give you a more in-depth process for this.)

Research can be as simple or as extensive as your timeline and budget allow. But, if you at least take the time to do this web-based review you won’t be shooting in the dark.