An early educational launch helped catalog content for seo purposes.
Summary
Facing significant product awareness and educational challenges, I helped this business to business energy retailer approach the small business segment with consumer-colored glasses developing a user experience (ux) and content strategy modeled after self-service eCommerce websites.
The Challenge
Direct Energy Business (DEB), a retail supplier of electricity serving businesses throughout North America, was seeking to launch a new Web strategy for their small business segment. Approached by DEB to assist with copywriting, I met with the team and then realized they needed to develop the bigger picture—a user experience (UX) and content strategy.
DEB’s objectives were to reduce the cost of door-to-door sales efforts and, at the same time, continue to increase market share. Their strategy to accomplish this was to generate direct account signups for electricity and gas service via a self-serve Web interface, a completely new and daunting sales approach to this market segment. There were significant product awareness and educational challenges with the audience because most small business owners are not aware that you can purchase electricity from a company other than the direct utility. Once aware, the contractual language and process can be overwhelming for an average consumer.
Example Leveraging User Personas in Site Design
The Solution
With the product development and market research in place, I began the process by reviewing these materials and then conducting an evaluation of competitor sites, third party sites, and general search engine keyword results. How were small business owners looking for information regarding their energy usage and costs? Due to tight timelines, the client declined to conduct direct User Research, but based on indirect research and anecdotal knowledge, I created a set of User Personas to guide us through the user experience strategy and content development on the project. The baker, the salon owner, the brewer and the printer became our guides through the site experience design and content development.
Web user experience example: simplifying an 8-step process to four easy steps.
Next, I developed an interactive experience strategy that guided the user through a 4-step process (reducing their existing enterprise process of 8 steps). During the 4-step process, the site generates a sidebar of dynamic FAQs, testimonials and related content based on the user’s input during each step. For example, if the user enters a New York zip code, additional regulatory information about NY appeared in the sidebar. The dynamic FAQs were critical to help users feel comfortable with and trust DEB while reading complex contractual information heavily loaded with legal disclaimers.
All this was designed with in-screen refresh or pop-up boxes to prevent the user from ever leaving the 4-step form process. I completed the site architecture (IA) map and wireframes, then worked closely with a copywriter on the education content as I wrote the instructional process language.
The Results
The current site is under development, but a simple educational shell has been launched to begin the process of content cataloging and search engine optimization. The final site, with the dynamic content sidebar, should launch in early 2011.
