Martin Byrne, ZOO Digital 

The communications revolution has created a world where customer service is more important than ever. Whereas companies in the past could impose their systems, their language and their rules on the general public, the expectation now is that the customer is front and center in everything and it is the job of the seller to meet the client where they are, not the other way around.

This presents challenges for businesses who understand the need to deliver excellent user experiences, but are embedded in an older mindset.

We have helped numerous organizations to embed UX and design thinking into their everyday operations, and to bring their stakeholders along with them. Here, we look at the top five lessons we’ve learned from that experience.

1. Being Customer First

Bigger and more established companies in particular are used to calling the shots. Even typically service-oriented organizations are challenged in today’s customer-first world. But, we are faced with less patience from users and excellent challengers in the field who set a high bar for customer expectations.

UX and more broadly CX is all about the customer. That’s why we test with real people every step of the way,  your idea out to testers using usabilityhub.com, usertesting.com, playbookux.com, and in face-to-face interactions.  

In addition to this, we keep these core tenets in mind when designing service flows for customers:

• • Don’t use your words, use theirs.
  • Don’t force your users to think – give them a maximum of three options at a time, and if possible avoid choices completely. The best interface is no interface, don’t you love automatic sliding doors?
  • Respect the users’ goodwill. Think of goodwill as a currency that you can take from and add to as you bring a user through a journey. Every time you make them work, you reduce it, and every time you surprise and delight, you add to it. Creating goodwill and positive sentiment will get users in the mood to click that all-important confirmation button.
  • Test and measure. Test new ideas, test them again until they’re working well and then see how they work by measuring. Keep repeating this process to keep your conversion rates tuned.

2. Being Evidence Based

Evidence is more important than opinion when it comes to UX. Evidence gives you the power to ask for a budget and team because you can provide proof that there’s a problem to be fixed. When we map out user journeys, plot drop-off points and are able to show a pain point that is losing the customer business, then we have almost made our case. We gather that evidence from:

• • Analytics
  • Surveying
  • Customer feedback in public reviews and ratings
  • Customer service and support call statistics

The last, and perhaps most convincing, piece of evidence we can present is the voice of the customer.  There is nothing more powerful than video of a system test conducted with a user where they are shown having obvious difficulties with a process. You don’t need to do lots of these – anything more than seven and you’re seeing diminishing returns.  But do them regularly as part of your process.

3. Not Being Persona Focused

Your systems should be a pleasure to use for human beings, no matter what their demographic is. Marketing personas let you create campaigns and target people with more accuracy and bang for your buck. UX personas, if you need them, are more about function; Checking Account User, Returning Shopper, First Time Onboarder etc.

Our experience has taught us that we can ditch the personas and test with humans.

4. Be Prepared to Be Wrong 

When it comes to CX and UX, being wrong is great. No really – it means you’ve discovered something through your evidenced-based process. If all your assumptions are right, be worried that you’re not asking the right questions. Set up your experiments to find out new stuff, not to validate what you already have in place.  

5. Being Taken Seriously

Embedding UX and design thinking is a huge challenge for any organization and you can’t do it alone. Because the practice will affect everyone, you’ll need buy-in so that you’ve got a whole team behind you and can be effective. 

We begin all of our UX projects by identifying the stakeholders (and blockers) who we will work with. We can then bring them through our process and make the case to embrace the need for a good UX process. That method is to show them evidence.

Scott Freeman, SEO Manager

When it comes to enhancing your website’s visibility on the internet, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) plays a pivotal role. With a well-optimized website, you can attract more organic traffic and potential customers. Here are six essential SEO tips that can work wonders for practically any website:

Target Relevant Keywords to Your Business

Imagine you’re embarking on a safari, and you want to see the Big Five. It’s vital to know where they are, just like in SEO. Identifying and targeting the right keywords is like pinpointing the best wildlife spots. Knowing that, conduct research on keywords that are not only relevant to your business but are also commonly searched for by your target audience.

It may take time as well as some trial and error, but this is a vital step in the overall SEO process. Without a solid list of keywords to help your efforts, you’ll be lost in the bush. Tools like Google Keyword Planner and SEMrush can help you discover keywords you never thought of and help you put together a comprehensive target keyword list. 

Write Quality Original Content & Often

Just as a thrilling safari adventure requires the right guides, your website needs high-quality, original content. Regularly publishing fresh, engaging content not only keeps your audience coming back for more but also pleases search engines.

Offer informative blog posts, articles, and guides that provide value to your readers. The more compelling your content, the longer visitors will stay on your site. Keep in mind that you want to incorporate keywords from your keyword list within your content. You can’t rank for keywords that aren’t present within the content of your site.  

Optimize Metadata Across Your Website

Metadata is like the compass that guides visitors through your website. Ensure that each page’s meta title (at an optimal length of 60 characters or fewer) and description (at an optimal length of 160 characters or fewer) accurately represent the content within. This not only improves user experience but also helps search engines understand what your page is about.

The more relevant your metadata, the higher your chances of ranking well in search results. Think about metadata as your window pitch to users in search results. It’s your first opportunity to grab them in SERPs (search engine results pages) so do your best to make that first impression a positive one.  

Audit Your Site Regularly

Just as a safari vehicle undergoes regular maintenance checks to ensure a smooth journey, your website needs regular audits. Conduct a thorough audit to identify and fix any technical issues, such as 404 pages, slow-loading pages, or mobile responsiveness problems.

An audit will also identify problems with content such as duplicate content, pages missing meta descriptions, and pages with thin content. A well-maintained website is more likely to earn favor with search engines.

Implement Short, Descriptive URLs

In the wilderness, having a clear trail to follow is essential for a safe and enjoyable adventure. Likewise, your website’s URLs should be clear, concise, and descriptive. Use keywords from your target keyword list in your URLs to give both users and search engines a better understanding of your content.

If your URLs look like gibberish, it’s high time you begin thinking about how to make them clearer. Don’t overcomplicate things either. Keep URLs related to their page and just add a relevant keyword (if possible) and give them some zhuzh. This simple step can significantly improve your overall SEO efforts.

Ensure Your Website Is Relatively Easy to Navigate

Think of your website as a vast savannah, and your visitors as explorers. It’s essential to make their journey as smooth as possible. Create a clear and intuitive website structure with a user-friendly navigation menu.

Include logical categories and subcategories, making it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for. The more straightforward your website is to navigate, the better the user experience, which can lead to higher rankings.

SEO Is Worthwhile So Start Optimizing Today

These tried and true SEO tips can transform your website into a thriving ecosystem, drawing in visitors and boosting your online presence. Just as a safari through the African wilderness promises unforgettable experiences, a well-optimized website offers endless opportunities for growth and success.

Implement these tips, and watch your website’s search engine rankings begin to tick up and up. Just remember that SEO is a regular touchpoint and not a set-it-and-forget practice. So, go ahead and explore the vast landscape of SEO, there’s plenty to discover!

CP’s team of senior strategists and anthropologists regularly release insights on cultural, economic, and social shifts that can impact our clients. Here are their most recent observations.

1. “I bought it on TikTok!” Ecommerce knows no digital boundaries.

Ecommerce app installs, sessions and now purchases are all way up year-over-year (particularly in recent months), including on historically social-focused platforms like TikTok and Instagram. These novel purchases are up so much that experts are exploring new opportunities for native content and stress a heightened need to focus on conversion metrics.

Brands need to evaluate their presence across all digital channels and begin to strategize how and where to expand product offerings and sales opportunities across organic content.

Sources: Forbes, Adjust, Digital Commerce

2. Where have societies’ dependable “rocks” gone?

In the past four weeks alone we’ve seen Walmart, our largest, trusted retail institution announce major layoffs as they anticipate a weakening economy and see profits shrinking due to double-digit inflation. This has fueled consumer outrage on social channels. We’ve also seen an FBI raid of former President Trump’s home to seize classified materials taken when leaving office. News narratives have furthered Americans’ doubt of U.S. institutions creating a heightened sense of instability that we predict will grow into a full-fledged mainstream trend in the next few quarters.

The opportunity for brands is to be more communicative and intentional in curating messages of reassurance – both to internal and external audiences. Messages that reinforce good policies or practices, for example, create a sense of consistency and moral stability that consumers crave.

Sources: Gallup

3. “Limited edition” digital content is all the rage!

Time-sensitive/recency forms of media—i.e. that content which is available for a limited period of time/never to be seen again—is an increasingly common feature, especially when it comes to social media. 

Part of what’s appealing about time-sensitive content is that if you’re looking at it, it’s guaranteed to be current and relevant. That inaccessibility – which is the antithesis of the internet’s main characteristic, creates an exclusivity and specialness to the content. It can also feel authentic and proprietary, which is why WhatsApp has recently been working on a feature to block screenshots of media you’re only meant to view once – adding to its exclusivity and once-in-a-lifetime exposure.

Sources: Social Media Today, Axios, Hubspot, Better Marketing, Android Police 

4. Poetry has entered its own Renaissance – say “hello” to Instapoetry.

Poet Rupi Kaur’s recent world tour is being met with great fanfare, an extension of the growing popularity of poetry’s newest incarnation, Instapoetry. For many, the pandemic inspired more abstract self-reflection and exploration of emotions, which translates well into the “concise and luminous” poetry that’s become so well-received on Instagram.

Instapoetry’s most popular topics reflect shifting cultural priorities as people, especially younger people, call out topics older generations have often tried to sweep under the rug: mental health, romance, feminism, sexuality, and domestic violence.

Sources: The Poet List, Inside Hook, The Outspoken

5. Want to kick-start your creative thinking? Take more risks in life and work!

Have you ever wondered why there’s literally no good ‘new music’ coming out on our streaming channels and airwaves? Well there’s a very good reason.

The music industry today is not as equipped to discover and nurture new talent. There are many reasons: fear of copyright lawsuits in an increasingly litigious industry, moguls who’ve lost confidence in new music, an unwillingness to take risks on new musicians with new sounds, gatekeeper prejudices, and an algorithmic listening environment that promotes standardization. 

Businesses outside the music industry can learn from this creative drought by fostering more risk-taking by employees, getting them outside their comfort zone, creating new outlets, new team-pairings and special initiatives that promote creativity.

Sources: The Atlantic, Wbur

6. Key to future business success? Getting up-to-speed with E.S.G.

Policy changes and mandates surrounding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) are causing companies to adapt to avoid risk and position themselves for future rewards. Companies including American Express, Google, Ford, and more have recently been acquiring and launching new businesses to address emerging opportunities related to ESG initiatives, creating competitive advantages. 

Companies who have strong ESG are prone to be more successful, have more loyal workers and are more likely to have strong investor interest. Most organizations today are rapidly developing and evolving their DEI initiative, as they should. Being an early-adopter of these initiatives can mean better retention and great business success.

Sources: McKinsey, Nasdaq, Intellizence, Biz Journals, TMF Group

All good things expire. Look out for more trends coming soon.