Comments on: The Great Copy Debate http://webstrategyworkshop.com/the-great-copy-debate/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-great-copy-debate Web Strategies To Help You Master Your Domain Sun, 20 Nov 2011 08:56:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: qtmcfnxm http://webstrategyworkshop.com/the-great-copy-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-2742 qtmcfnxm Wed, 24 Mar 2010 04:26:10 +0000 http://webstrategyworkshop.com/?p=3583#comment-2742 RR3ZrO <a href="http://ojwasbvwspqh.com/" rel="nofollow">ojwasbvwspqh</a>, [url=http://mojijeuzkmfs.com/]mojijeuzkmfs[/url], [link=http://rsjzyhoayalp.com/]rsjzyhoayalp[/link], http://tyfulymblaxj.com/ RR3ZrO ojwasbvwspqh, [url=http://mojijeuzkmfs.com/]mojijeuzkmfs[/url], [link=http://rsjzyhoayalp.com/]rsjzyhoayalp[/link], http://tyfulymblaxj.com/

]]> By: abrudtkuhl http://webstrategyworkshop.com/the-great-copy-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-2676 abrudtkuhl Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:23:23 +0000 http://webstrategyworkshop.com/?p=3583#comment-2676 Roger - Would love to have you guest post your thoughts on the subject! Roger – Would love to have you guest post your thoughts on the subject!

]]> By: Roger I. Garcia http://webstrategyworkshop.com/the-great-copy-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-2675 Roger I. Garcia Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:10:17 +0000 http://webstrategyworkshop.com/?p=3583#comment-2675 I understand your point. That said, everything that Amazon has tweaked and perfected is based on their own user experience model covering from the moment you enter their site all the way to the thank you email you receive after you complete a transaction. You cannot look at their checkout without looking at how you get your customers to this point. Thus the solution is not only emulating Amazon's checkout experience but understanding where and why your customers are not following your sales funnel. I understand your point. That said, everything that Amazon has tweaked and perfected is based on their own user experience model covering from the moment you enter their site all the way to the thank you email you receive after you complete a transaction. You cannot look at their checkout without looking at how you get your customers to this point. Thus the solution is not only emulating Amazon's checkout experience but understanding where and why your customers are not following your sales funnel.

]]> By: abrudtkuhl http://webstrategyworkshop.com/the-great-copy-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-2666 abrudtkuhl Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:59:44 +0000 http://webstrategyworkshop.com/?p=3583#comment-2666 In some ways these are related to IA however I do agree with your point. You should design your website to meet your goals first and foremost - and that is unique to your business and your website. However adopting standards presented by Amazon and others are a great start. And your point above is right on - we live in an era where standards change overnight. It's important to stay agile In some ways these are related to IA however I do agree with your point. You should design your website to meet your goals first and foremost – and that is unique to your business and your website.

However adopting standards presented by Amazon and others are a great start. And your point above is right on – we live in an era where standards change overnight. It's important to stay agile

]]> By: Roger I. Garcia http://webstrategyworkshop.com/the-great-copy-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-2661 Roger I. Garcia Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:42:25 +0000 http://webstrategyworkshop.com/?p=3583#comment-2661 I guess the first task at hand is to define what is meant by copying a website. As an user experience design and communication professional, I am all for emulating best practices and learning from those who do things well. Amazon has developed a model that works for them and although the model may be emulated by others, trying to be the next Amazon by copying them only puts you in second place. Each business has different and unique needs, goals, objectives and culture and these need to be captured and communicated on your website - this is the only way you will be able to differentiate yourself anything. This is why I do not recommend using off-the shelf templates, but this is a topic for further discussion. I guess the first task at hand is to define what is meant by copying a website. As an user experience design and communication professional, I am all for emulating best practices and learning from those who do things well. Amazon has developed a model that works for them and although the model may be emulated by others, trying to be the next Amazon by copying them only puts you in second place. Each business has different and unique needs, goals, objectives and culture and these need to be captured and communicated on your website – this is the only way you will be able to differentiate yourself anything. This is why I do not recommend using off-the shelf templates, but this is a topic for further discussion.

]]> By: abrudtkuhl http://webstrategyworkshop.com/the-great-copy-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-2679 abrudtkuhl Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:18:00 +0000 http://webstrategyworkshop.com/?p=3583#comment-2679 Thank you very much for stopping by! I think there's been some consensus in this discussion that copying/emulating best practices is an okay tactic to get started - however if you are not testing and optimizing for your specific site and your specific audience within your specific niche than you are likely missing out. Thank you very much for stopping by!

I think there's been some consensus in this discussion that copying/emulating best practices is an okay tactic to get started – however if you are not testing and optimizing for your specific site and your specific audience within your specific niche than you are likely missing out.

]]> By: uberVU - social comments http://webstrategyworkshop.com/the-great-copy-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-2678 uberVU - social comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:37:16 +0000 http://webstrategyworkshop.com/?p=3583#comment-2678 <strong>Social comments and analytics for this post...</strong> This post was mentioned on Twitter by tweetupbadges: RT @abrudtkuhl: Should you copy other websites? We think so ... others disagree... Chime in! http://48w.me/23Nd *thought provoking*... Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by tweetupbadges: RT @abrudtkuhl: Should you copy other websites? We think so … others disagree… Chime in! http://48w.me/23Nd *thought provoking*…

]]> By: Kim Krause Berg http://webstrategyworkshop.com/the-great-copy-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-2677 Kim Krause Berg Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:30:51 +0000 http://webstrategyworkshop.com/?p=3583#comment-2677 If someone like Seth Godin or Bill Gates, who are successful and considered to be people to emulate, told us to jump off a bridge, would we? Just because Amazon does something doesn't mean it's the right choice for our sites. If they put a call to action prompt in the upper right near navigation, is that the best place for all web sites to do the same? It could be. It might not. Would you know to test it? What is known to happen is that some people copy, line by line, color by color, code by code, the exact UI of a successful site, figuring it will work for them too. I pointed out the business requirements for why this is not such a good idea. However! Back in the 90's, when we were learning to build web sites, the practice was to copy good sites so we would learn. I still believe in this. Nothing wrong with getting ideas and trying it on. But to believe a copy will serve all your needs is not the answer. My other point was about being unique. This is what can set your site above the competition. Amazon is confusing as heck to scan and use. I use it because I like their prices and offers. So in their case, the user experience is connected to customer experience and previous customer satisfaction, not their page layout. You can't copy that, line by line. Finally, I bring up requirements gathering a lot because in my work I see a tremendous failure rate, even with big corporate sites. Not understanding and documenting business, functional, accessibility, usability, seo and social media requirements adds to poor IA, poor search results, poor usage, etc. Very inspiring conversation here! Thank you. I love reading all the perspectives and opinions :) If someone like Seth Godin or Bill Gates, who are successful and considered to be people to emulate, told us to jump off a bridge, would we?

Just because Amazon does something doesn't mean it's the right choice for our sites. If they put a call to action prompt in the upper right near navigation, is that the best place for all web sites to do the same? It could be. It might not. Would you know to test it? What is known to happen is that some people copy, line by line, color by color, code by code, the exact UI of a successful site, figuring it will work for them too.

I pointed out the business requirements for why this is not such a good idea.

However! Back in the 90's, when we were learning to build web sites, the practice was to copy good sites so we would learn. I still believe in this. Nothing wrong with getting ideas and trying it on. But to believe a copy will serve all your needs is not the answer.

My other point was about being unique. This is what can set your site above the competition. Amazon is confusing as heck to scan and use. I use it because I like their prices and offers. So in their case, the user experience is connected to customer experience and previous customer satisfaction, not their page layout. You can't copy that, line by line.

Finally, I bring up requirements gathering a lot because in my work I see a tremendous failure rate, even with big corporate sites. Not understanding and documenting business, functional, accessibility, usability, seo and social media requirements adds to poor IA, poor search results, poor usage, etc.

Very inspiring conversation here! Thank you. I love reading all the perspectives and opinions :)

]]> By: abrudtkuhl http://webstrategyworkshop.com/the-great-copy-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-2674 abrudtkuhl Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:22:41 +0000 http://webstrategyworkshop.com/?p=3583#comment-2674 YES! You have to make Data driven decisions when it comes to your web strategy. Copying is a good way to start but you should always be testing. Make sure it works for you and when it doesn't don't be afraid to change (break up with your website). Data Driven Decisions -> <a href="http://managingtheedge.com/episodes/data-driven-strategy-episode-26" target="_blank"><a href="http://managingtheedge.com/episodes/data-driven-s...</a>" target="_blank">http://managingtheedge.com/episodes/data-driven-s...</a></a> YES!

You have to make Data driven decisions when it comes to your web strategy. Copying is a good way to start but you should always be testing. Make sure it works for you and when it doesn't don't be afraid to change (break up with your website).

Data Driven Decisions -> http://managingtheedge.com/episodes/data-driven-s…

]]> By: Brian Kaldenberg http://webstrategyworkshop.com/the-great-copy-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-2672 Brian Kaldenberg Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:17:47 +0000 http://webstrategyworkshop.com/?p=3583#comment-2672 I say copy, copy, copy a successful site within a given niche. I say copy, copy, copy a successful site within a given niche.

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