This video by Google illustrates several issues that have
been plaguing product and brand managers, UxDs (user-experience designers) and IAs (information architects) and most obviously, the
general public. Google asks “What is a browser,” only to find that less than 8%
of those polled have an understanding of the term. (It is, by the way, “a
software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information
resources on the World Wide Web” – Wikipedia; e.g. Mozilla Firefox or
Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (The big blue ‘E’))
For Branders
For those of us concerned with brand definition, the example
is clear: Google checks to see if people understand how Chrome is better
even have a basic understanding of the term “browser,” and find that the
confusion has hardly cleared up over the past 15 years, since graphical browser
use became widespread in the mid-’90s. Back then, users thought they “used
Yahoo!” to surf the information superhighway, and as we see here, they still
believe the same.
For Google Chrome achieve any penetration in this market,
the big G needs to focus on not only defining and demonstrating Chrome’s unique
value, but also educating the public on the very basic concepts of “browsing,”
and “applications.” This is no small task, as Firefox has long been fighting
this battle and making slow gains against the IE giant, mostly through
word-of-mouth from passionate advocates, again illustrated in the Google video.
(I, personally, have done this on many occasions, wiping IE from friends’ and
families’ hard drives in a Firefox coup.)
For IAers
For those of us concerned with interface design, the
interviews illustrate the need for simplicity. This video may make you consider
an edit or two if your web site copy includes the call-to-action “Download to
your browser,” or similar industry-insider phrases. On a more macro level, the
interviews highlight the importance of maintaining a holistic view of the web
experience.
If your users don’t really understand what a browser is, do
they know when they are on your web site, or is your vanity URL confusing this;
perhaps they’re on an “unofficial” site created by a passionate fan?
If your users don’t really understand what a browser is, do
they think they have to come through Google or Yahoo! to reach your site? Do
you show up (positively) there?
If your users don’t really understand what a browser is, are
they savvy enough to find their way through your site; are they stymied by
nomenclature that is cloaked in your brand’s jargon or Internet industry
jargon?
I don’t care what a browser is.
Ultimately, this video illustrates the fact that people
don’t really care how they get what they want online, just that they get it.
The best thing your brand, product or digital experience can do is make it easy
and understandable for your customers.
So for product and brand managers; UxDs and IAs, the
questions become, does your market know what your brand promises? Do they know
what your product does? Do they know what that button does or where that link
goes?
Or, does your market make assumptions about your product,
lumping it in with a lesser offering, mistaking it for your competition, or for
a completely different idea?
If so, you have a lot of work to do. Maybe it’s time to hit
the pavement and get some real insight from real customers.
Comments
Connections
Agreed. People just do not care how they get online, they just want to get there.
It’s hard to realize this, since many of us who are in the “digital” world all the time know exactly what a browser is, and why they prefer IE over Firefox or vice versa.
But really, there are a lot more individuals who are not interested in cool and new software, and still think Google is “just” a search engine.
Will things change? I think they will. It might take a lot longer than people expect though.
I agree too. But doesn’t this just show that the digital world is STILL too much in its own world. Understanding the consumer and their perspective on things is FUNDAMENTAL and what we, in the offline marketing world have been doing for decades. Why is there still such a wall between ‘digital’ and the very established world of consumer insight and communication? Consumers are still consumers whatever the medium and we do well to remember that and put them at the centre of everything we do. The sooner this wall is broken down and we can transfer more skills into the digital world the better, and more digital concepts will get off the ground. How easy is it to use a social bookmarking site anyone – really???
To be honest, I don’t think things will change. People don’t need to know what a “browser” is to have a positive experience online and get what they need.
As for brands, there are many billion dollar corporations who have lost their brand promise and don’t know how to manage product marketing. Perception is reality for consumers, and digging out of these types of misconceptions is extremely challenging for many companies and agencies.
Great article Craig.
We really are no better off today than a decade ago. Does the average user know what GB stands for? Or what CPU speed is measured in? I have this challenge with clients who seem to think the average user thinks in (and more importantly speaks) their language.
While the adoption of the internet and computer usage has grown exponentially in the past decade, an understanding of how it works and why that’s important seems to have been left behind.
And that truly is a shame.
Tony
I think the Google video does make a valid point, but in the end they are probably trying to sell their own browser/product. Judging by the video many people think Goggle is their browser already. These interviews (and all the comments we don’t see) would be a great way for Google to figure out how to capitalize on that fact. Google is already synonymous with search, so it’s not a far leap for them to be synonymous with browsing… I don’t think the Google folks are too upset with these results.
No doubt this video is for this purpose.
Although this could be viewed as positive for Google, the Chrome product team must see this situation and the work ahead as quite daunting.
The public not only doesn’t know what Chrome is, but doesn’t even know what product “bucket” it falls into. Plus, they already believe they are using Google… Why “switch” if you think you’re already using Google’s product?
Moreover, even ignoring Chrome, there’s simply no way that Google wants users to believe that “clicking on the ‘blue e’ launches my Google.”
That’s neither going to help them build their brand nor fix the messy web that Microsoft has given us.
(Also, thanks for the comments everyone…)
Great article. It applies to the whole digital age and any industry that associates with it.
I have a theory that as much as we think we are intelligent and the brain has unlimited abilities we do not tap into, we are very limited by our individual environments. Our schooling, our families, our hobbies, our employment and the most influence is our lack of time, all effect our abilities to soak up the knowledge to answer this seemingly simple question on technology.
Companies who still market to us based on old principles of multiple choices, confusion in specification listings and upsell for more profit, only hurt themselves in the long run. When a person who parts with their money to perform a simple/series of tasks, they do not want to think too much as to what they need to accomplish it. How many times have we bought a product from a big name store after spending an hour quizzing the store employee and 300 dollars, then find out at home we did not ask the right questions because we had no idea what to ask? Then the product won’t do what we wanted….. Just be like Henry Ford, make a product that does everything with little choice in color. Don’t make so many stepped products that have multiple costs, confuse the consumer and promotes distrust in the product. Make one or two options that do all, sell it cheap and eventually you will make the money back and dominate the market.
It takes work to filter thru all the technology options in a persons’ day at home and at work. We don’t care what technology is, but what it does and specifically does not do. Like the article states, we don’t care what technology states, but what it does. We don’t want to spend hours trying to figure out what we need, what is the lastest software or what equipment is necessary.
The reason we don’t care, too much information and too little time. The best way to show love is to give something time. If we love technology, we know it and shout specifics on how it works and what it is called, like a browser. If we love something else more, then we probably won’t take the time to know much of anything in technology….. Not many of us can work in an IT department 8 hours a day or spend all our waking moments brushing up on technology nomenclature and specifications. Most of us have hobbies, kids, chores, sleeping and other things which do not allow us to answer street-side interviews while looking 100 percent cool and informed.
There is so much information out there and it updates so frequently. So as a result, technology’s need to profit suffers. Technology’s need to be noticed suffers. We human beings have so many bases to cover, so we can not recognize the definition of a browser. So what? Who cares? Companies selling it do. We consumers only care if you make us care (like making us think about what we need or how much we need and why.). Then we have to take the time to care, probably reluctantly.
Make us feel comfortable. Make us trust you. Make us want to care thru all the fog of technology. Make us remember you by giving us what we want. Make is feel our 400 dollar product can be upgradable in 6 months. Make us stop feeling as though your product will not be around or useful next year. Make us feel like learning your product today won’t make us relearn your product all over again tomorrow becuase you flipped the interface on it’s head. Make us feel your design change was functional, not just rewrapped to generate more revenue. Make us feel good about investing our time or spending our money on your product.
Make us want to know what a browser is. Because if you don’t, we won’t give you our trust and love……