Who Says Elephants Cant Dance?

How IBMs digital marketing leaders drove change and optimized website usability
Joan Renner, Content Manager, Corporate Marketing Digital Initiatives, IBM Daniel Burstein, Director of Editorial Content, MECLABS

IBM.com Case Study

Joan Renner, Content Manager, Corporate Marketing Digital Initiatives, IBM, @JoanRenner

Daniel Burstein, Director of Editorial Content, MECLABS, @DanielBurstein

IBM.com homepage redesign project approach

1. Set and communicate the plan
Perform interviews and negotiations with stakeholders Consult with country focal points

1. Set and communicate the plan

Me

IBM.com homepage redesign project approach

1. Set and communicate the plan
Perform interviews and negotiations with stakeholders Consult with country focal points Understand best design practices Review existing reports and analysis Document and communicate the plan

2. Identify current issues and desired state

2. Identify current issues

Dated masthead

Too many features competing for attention

Cluttered family portrait syndrome

2. Identify desired state

Updated masthead

Leadspace image that can be single, multiple or cycling

Increased visibility and opportunity for promotions Rich fat footer would contain more visitor driven content

IBM.com homepage redesign project approach

1. Set and communicate the plan
Perform interviews and negotiations with stakeholders Consult with country focal points Understand best design practices Review existing reports and analysis Document and communicate the plan

2. Identify current issues and desired state

3. Create plan and test determine tools and start testing

3. Create plan and test: Leadspace pagination

Version A

Disappointing results of A/B test: graphic pagination elements only increase clicks %, or 500 clicks a week
Version B

3. Create plan and test: Increase promotion visibility

Change increased monthly CTRs to promotions by 250%, resulting in 28K more clicks a month

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3. Create plan and test: Fat footer

Terms: What we offer performed better than Shop and buy by 30%

Version A

Position: Moving frequently asked questions to the left column resulted in a 15K more clicks a month - a 300% increase

Version B

Terms: Changing Who we are to About IBM doubled the CTR to 17K monthly 11

IBM.com homepage redesign project approach

1. Set and communicate the plan
Perform interviews and negotiations with stakeholders Consult with country focal points Understand best design practices Review existing reports and analysis Document and communicate the plan

2. Identify current issues and desired state

3. Determine testing plan what tools will be used 4. Build a tracking plan to gauge ongoing performance

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4. Build a tracking plan

Heatmaps help quickly communicate to executives and stakeholders monthly status

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4. Build a tracking plan

Developing a plan and best practice to increase clicks / conversions rates is critical for ensuring the homepage provides value

Hover Clicks Conversions

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IBM.com homepage redesign project approach

1. Set and communicate the plan
Perform interviews and negotiations with stakeholders Consult with country focal points Understand best design practices Review existing reports and analysis Document and communicate the plan

2. Identify current issues and desired state

3. Determine testing plan what tools will be used 4. Build a tracking plan to gauge ongoing performance (heatmaps) 5. Iron out all the bugs and deploy worldwide, allow for slight deviations in design where it makes sense

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5. Deploy

Deployed new design

Russia

Future deployment
Israel

Communicate need and drive change with an understanding that all markets are not alike. Invest where it makes sense.

Sweden Egypt

Spain

Bulgaria

Turkey

Estonia

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IBM.com homepage redesign project approach

1. Set and communicate the plan
Perform interviews and negotiations with stakeholders Consult with country focal points Understand best design practices Review existing reports and analysis Document and communicate the plan

2. Identify current issues and desired state

3. Determine testing plan what tools will be used 4. Build a tracking plan to gauge ongoing performance (heatmaps) 5. Iron out all the bugs and deploy worldwide, allow for slight deviations in design where it makes sense 6. Maintain a backlog of testing plans

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6. Maintain a backlog of A/B testing plans

# 567 587 553 534 577 521 522 534 578 523 594 547 544 566 516 529 576 503 501 575 586 591 588 571 509 522 566 571 592 542

Story Description Position and presentation of "All xx" option. The great hover vs. click debate. Lists of items vs. interactive content chunks (several studies, totally new designs) Full size vs. "as needed" space use General landing page best practice (when user avoids the menu) Definition and usability of an Overview product page (Best practice definition). Importance and accessibility of product info such as data sheets, demos, and trial options. Significance and process for Sales Rep access and relevant info (including definition thereof) Implementation of Product package summary (shop cart) to be sent to colleagues and IBM partners. Inhibitors to conversion, end-to-end. What are users "really" looking for? Notes on what's behind the query. Do they find "it"? How often, what, and what "not" .... resulting in an effect diagram on why not. User acceptance of v17 masthead search. User acceptance of search results presentation. Implementation of direct-to-sales channel on specified and pre-qualified queries. Improvement on "moment of brilliance" pop-up menu (Let's build a smarter planet - home page). Extension of #16 to wider scope, considering user focus within site. (PLUS): experiments on use of pop-up in other site instances (products, services, context aware, etc.) Use of Graphic heavy vs. text heavy landing pages. Implementation of video flow; Video, audio, user control .... (all - leadspace, content, leading landing page, etc.): Graphics: Concrete vs. Abstract Head; short vs. long AND concrete vs. Abstract Deck (sub-head), short, long, present, not present CTA: Short, long, concrete, abstract .... Basic definition of best practice. Best Practice. Scan-ability. Can the user find the "necessary" info quickly and with understanding? Best Practice. Order of Presentation. Is the info presented in a manner digestible to the user Best Practice. Detail. Does the presentation show general info while allowing for deeper definition? Optimized use of graphics, icons, charts, etc. within body text. Metric - Define baseline and ongoing dashboard representing success of 29 studies outlined above.

Design type Mega-menu Mega-menu Mega-menu Mega-menu Mega-menu Price & Buy Price & Buy Price & Buy Price & Buy Price & Buy Search Search Search Search Search Smarter Planet Smarter Planet Smarter Planet Smarter Planet Smarter Planet Banners Banners Banners Banners Banners Content Content Content Content Content

High internal visability 1->5 4 4 3 4 5 3 4 3 5 5 3 4 5 4 2 3 4 3 3 4 4 3 5 5 3 4 4 5 3 4

Difficulty low-high M L M M L L M L M M M M L M H L L L L H M L L L L H M M M L

Value low->high M M L M H M M L M H L M M M M L M M M H M M M M H H M L M H

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IBM.com homepage redesign project approach

1. Set and communicate the plan
Perform interviews and negotiations with stakeholders Consult with country focal points Understand best design practices Review existing reports and analysis Document and communicate the plan

2. Identify current issues and desired state

3. Determine testing plan what tools will be used 4. Build a tracking plan to gauge ongoing performance (heatmaps) 5. Iron out all the bugs and deploy worldwide, allow for slight deviations in design where it makes sense 6. Maintain a backlog of testing plans 7. Keep the communication on going by offering advice in best practices (e.g. how to build better landing pages)

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7. Ongoing communication
Task #577 with low difficulty but high value: Develop guidance for landing page best practices

You can lead a horse to water, but you cant make him drink.

or can we?

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7. Ongoing communication example

Control: Recipe A Winner: Recipe C

Shortening the hero, adding the offer button and reducing page clutter increased CTRs 904% and registrations 1,475%

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IBM.com homepage redesign project approach

1. Set and communicate the plan
Perform interviews and negotiations with stakeholders Consult with country focal points Understand best design practices Review existing reports and analysis Document and communicate the plan

2. Identify current issues and desired state

3. Determine testing plan what tools will be used 4. Build a tracking plan to gauge ongoing performance (heatmaps) 5. Iron out all the bugs and deploy worldwide, allow for slight deviations in design where it makes sense 6. Maintain a backlog of testing plans 7. Keep the communication on going by offering advice in best practices (e.g. how to build better landing pages) 8. Iterate, iterate, iterate

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More information
Website Testing: IBM's navigation elements test leads to 128% increase in clickthroughs http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=32001

Website Testing: Research and testing leads to new IBM Software Group homepage, 23% increase in demos http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=32009

Landing Page Optimization: Goodbye stock photos and Happy Man, hello social media http://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/website-andlanding-page-design/lpo-photo-social-media/

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Testing tools
IBM Unica
Unica Netinsight

IBM Coremetrics
Online Marketing Optimization

IBM In house sandbox a/b testing environment Adobe test and target
Controlled a/b testing
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