Web Site Evaluation Research

Web Site Evaluation Research June 2008

Methodology • One-on-one Web site evaluation sessions • 16 consumers evaluated the Web site during one-on-one interviews. • Consumers were linked electronically so that viewers could direct them on the Web site and watch them navigate the site. • Consumers were recruited based on past international travel & interest in visiting the U.S. • Have either traveled to the U.S. in the past two years or are likely to in the next two years. • Primary objectives: • Determine reactions to the Web site • Evaluation of usefulness of the site • Reactions to limited German language information on the site • Assessment of the visual appeal of the site • Compare California site to other competing sites • Provide recommendations on improving the Web site

General Web Site Usage • For the domestic market, most consumers visit a state Web site after they have already chosen their destination, and they use the site to get additional information. • But among the German audience, consumers visit Web sites while they are in the process of considering international travel. They use Web sites to gather information that will facilitate the decision about where to visit. • These consumers go to Web sites when they are evaluating different destinations, and therefore a key role of the Web site is persuading consumers to choose California rather than other international destinations. • As a result, they are looking for general information about what there is to do at the destination, as well as more practical information about the details of visiting the area: • Information on activities and attractions in the area • Information on visas, transportation, flight costs, distance, etc.

General Web Site Usage • For the international market, one key type of information is price. The decision to take an international trip is much more dependent upon cost, and therefore prices become critical. • Having prices on a site makes it seem that a destination has nothing to hide. • As part of the decision process, international visitors are comparing prices and trying to find the best value: • The cost of airfare is one of the most important pieces of information because it is such a large part of the cost of an international trip. • Several consumers indicated that they would like a link on the international sites for airline bookings. • Deals and packages that make a destination seem like a good value are especially appealing and can help “close the sale.” Question: What is one of the first things you look at on these sites? “The first thing I wonder is whether there is a link to tour operators/agencies or a business working with this website. I would consider flight offers very important. It is very important for me to be able to look at these immediately.” “Also full-service packages, e.g. including travel, accommodation and excursions, so that you can get an overall impression of the price and possibly book directly rather than having to put the different elements together yourself.”

Favored Sites: Australia • Australia was one of the favored sites that was reviewed. In part this is because of the favorable image that consumers have of the country, but the site clearly projects this image. The pictures and mapping make the country seem accessible and help consumers find the information that they want. It also has easy-to-see information on entry requirements. • Consumers also reacted positively that all of the information was available in German. This made the whole process easier, and more appealing. Consumer feedback: “Liked about this site: The animation, pictures, clearly laid-out design and the welcome clip.” “The site is very clearly laid out and color -coordinated. The pictures are appealing and convey a relaxed atmosphere.”

Favored Sites: New Zealand • This site was also generally favored, in part because of its visual appeal (the pictures) and ease of navigation. • There were several specific features of the New Zealand site that consumers liked: • They liked the vacation planning feature and felt it made it easy to book in advance. • Another positive feature, which was unique to this site, was that the vacation planner allowed them to search across borders (into Australia). Consumers don’t care much about borders and appreciate the ability to see nearby options. This kept them on the New Zealand site longer, and made it more useful for planning. • Another favored feature were the prices in the Travel Deals section. Consumers felt that the availability of prices makes it seem that the area has nothing to hide. Consumer feedback: “Well written – makes you want to see New Zealand! It also came up in German right away, easy to find things and nice colors/pictures.” “I found the New Zealand site to be the most motivational – the texts were very appealing and aroused the curiosity! “

Favored Sites: Scotland • Consumers thought this site had a good booking function and provided a clear path for booking. It also had an 800 number, so people could call and talk to someone to get information or to book. • This site also has a very simple home page with striking pictures and two major options – research or booking. This felt very easy to navigate for the consumers. • Also, while the content of the German language site is different on this Web site, consumers still felt that the German option was complete and that they were getting all the information.

Negative Reactions: Florida • This site was viewed as too busy, confusing and commercial, and therefore was among the least favored. • There is so much going on that consumers are overwhelmed – they find it hard to navigate the site and find the information that they want. As a result, consumers are less likely to use this site. • Due to the many ads, some of the information that is not advertising is being overlooked, because it seems like advertising. • Local recommendations – this feature received mixed reactions. The “celebrity status” of these experts isn’t obvious to the international visitor, and they are unsure why these people were selected. Consumer feedback: “I find the Florida site a little too confused. The pictures are a bit too small to draw me in straight away.” “First impression – too many colors and too much animation - too difficult to find things! In some cases, it is not possible to distinguish between advertising and site content.”

Negative Reactions: Italy • This site was viewed as the least appealing and the most commercial. Consumers didn’t feel that this was an official country Web site. They felt that it was simply the front for a tour company. This made it lose credibility. • There was also criticism of this site as being visually un-appealing and not highlighting the assets of the country.

Negative Reactions: Ireland • This site did not get a positive response. It was less appealing visually and did not make consumers want to learn more. • There were too many things happening on the home page, and the site was chopped up into lots of small pictures and features. This made the site look cheap. • Consumers also felt that the site was hard to navigate, and they had trouble finding the information they wanted. This is noteworthy as this site actually offers many of the features that consumers mentioned. But, because of the layout, they are failing to see these features. • The “My Ireland” function requires consumers to supply an e-mail address. While consumers don’t mind providing an address to get valuable information, in this case they were confused as to the purpose of this function, and what they would receive.

Official Web Site • One of the factors that came out in the discussions was that there was a desire to utilize the “official” Web site of the destination. The official site provides a measure of credibility that consumers are seeking. • While this is important, consumers feel that they generally find the official site fairly easily through the search process, and they expect the official site to be one of the top search returns. Occasionally consumers would check to see who originated the site, and whether it was official. • But generally, in terms of identifying the “official” site, the evaluation tends to rely on how the site looks and feels. Sites that are too commercial don’t feel like the official site. On the other hand, the “official” site generally creates a strong image that is congruous with consumer expectations. • Practically, the goal should be to be the top search return, and then have a look that keeps consumers on the site by providing reassurance that they are getting reliable information.

Web Sites & Advertising • A continuing discussion regarding destination Web sites is how consumers react to advertising on these sites. This becomes especially important in light of the consumers’ desire to use an official Web site, and therefore any destination must consider whether the inclusion of advertising taints the perceived credibility of the site. • Yet many of the destination sites under consideration include advertising, and consumer reactions are not always negative. Generally, consumers have a negative reaction when there is too much advertising or the ads are unrelated to travel and the destination. • When the ads are relevant, and when the advertising is not overwhelming, it is not a major negative and doesn’t cause concern. The challenge is to make sure that the advertising “fits” with the site and doesn’t detract from the overall design and ease of navigation.

Sites Overall – Good Sites • Pictures are key. They need to be the first thing that people see and need to draw them into the site. Changing pictures work well, as long as they don’t change too quickly. The pictures need to show appealing activities, but they have to look believable • Strong sites market the destination, but are not “over the top.” The key is to motivate without making it seem that they are misleading or “over-selling.” When consumers were asked about whether they wanted the descriptions to be basic and factual or imaginative, there was a mix of responses. But consumers generally want to be able to imagine their vacation in a location – and see themselves enjoying the destination. • Strong sites mix basic travel information, such as visas, weather, and prices, with more motivational information about attractions, activities, and events. • Maps are also a key element of a strong site. The maps aren’t necessarily important to help people plan their trip, but they help make the destination seem more accessible. • Another key desire is information that helps consumers identify the top features or attractions that they need to see. Planning a trip to a foreign country can be daunting, and assistance in knowing the “best” attractions is appealing.

Sites Overall – Weak Sites • Weak sites are confusing and make it difficult for consumers to find the information they want. Consumers have lots of options, and they will quickly leave a site if it doesn’t “lead” them through the discovery and planning process. • Pictures are another factor in a weak site. While some of the sites try to use a wide variety of pictures, if they are too small they lose their impact. The pictures must be striking and iconically represent the destination. • The home pages of the weak sites tended to be confusing and include too many elements. In many cases, in an effort to meet a wide variety of needs, there are just too many things going on. It is better to focus on a few major elements, rather than having too much. • Another element that seems to characterize the weak sites is too much symmetry. This tends to make the site seem boring and detracts from the visual appeal.

German Language Site • A key issue that was considered was the necessity of the California site being available in German. Currently the site is in English, with a limited amount of information provided in German. • When this question was posed to the participants, about half indicated that they thought the site should be in German, while the other half felt English was fine. This doesn’t seem strongly related to their ability to read English, as some of those who wanted a German site were more fluent in English. • The initial results might make it seem reasonable to translate only specific elements of the site into German. While many consumers did not indicate that a site needed to be in German, in every case where the German option was available, this is what consumers used. • It is clear that having a German language option is friendlier and is the preferred option.

California & German Language • As noted, if there is a German language option, this is what consumers choose. So, most consumers elected to check out the German language option on the California site – if they saw it. Currently, the option is not especially visible. • Unfortunately, California was deemed to have the worst alternative in terms of a German language option. The California site seemed to cater to German consumers, but in reality the information offered in German was very limited.

California & German Language • Additionally, there were negative reactions to the English headers and text surrounding the German language option. This made the site look amateurish, and unfinished. Consumers want to know that all the information offered in English is also available in German. Simply presenting a fraction of the information in German is viewed negatively. • Consumers were fairly positive about the information that was provided, but they wanted more information in German, and not simply a few PDF files for downloading. Consumer feedback: “If you change the language to German, only the welcome text is presented in German – the rest stays in English. This comes across as unprofessional. I also think it is bad that the information is displayed in PDF format, meaning you have to download it.” “My knowledge of English is definitely good enough for me to find my way around the English version. I just think that if a German version is being offered, then everything should also be available in German. Otherwise it comes across as unfinished or half-hearted.”

Evaluation of California Site • The site is viewed as visually appealing, especially the rotating photos. The pictures were a good mix of the expected and the unexpected. As a result they reinforced positive perceptions of the state, while expanding its appeal. It is noteworthy that on some sites the rotation of pictures occurred too quickly and this detracted from their appeal – but this was not the case for California. Consumer feedback: “I think it is good that the pictures change. For example, I did not know that you can go skiing in California.” “There are a few nice-looking pictures on the site and the site is very inviting. As I said, it ‘radiates warmth.’ “Conveys warmth.” “Stylish.” “Very nice website.”

Evaluation of California Site • Generally the reactions to the California site were positive but not overwhelming. This site was seldom the favorite site, but it was also not the least favorite site. It was generally rated somewhere in the middle of the pack. • The regional map was somewhat appealing, and helped consumers get a better idea of the scope of the state and the relative distance of various cities/areas/attractions. But few consumers spent time with the map, so it was difficult to assess their reactions to its interactive features. “I also like it a lot because it is very informative and makes you curious about California.” “I find the site very good, appealing and informative. I would not change anything as this site has its own style with a high degree of ‘brand recognition.’ ” “Maps enable you to picture the layout of the place. They help you recognize the cities and regions.” “The map is important for an overview; plus you can see the lay of the land on a map.”

Evaluation of California Site “I can imagine booking trips through this site. The pages seem very classy and thus reputable to me.” “Very posh homepage.” • This site feels like the state’s official site and this provides credibility. • One of the appealing features on the site was the weather information. This was especially appealing to the German audience, as the weather that was displayed made them want to visit. • The site offers a “Visit California video” that didn’t generate a lot of interest. It was not clear to consumers that the picture of the governor was a video, and this picture didn’t draw them in. When consumers knew it was a video, the idea of being able to see more about the area was interesting. This suggests that the video feature should be made more prominent. It is important to keep the video short, as most consumers didn’t want anything that was more than a minute or two minutes long. • There was also interest in some of the features that were offered, such as trip ideas and reservations and tickets. But these features were often overlooked until they were pointed out.

Evaluation of California Site • One of the negative reactions was that for some the site felt unreal. They thought the pictures were too much, and almost became unbelievable. This didn’t give them the idea that they were seeing the real California. Consumer feedback: “In my opinion, the site seems too contrived, too colorful and a bit "ideal world.” “I personally would like pictures more without happy, good looking people – more authentic, more nature.” “Clearly laid out, but to me, the pictures seem too artificial and contrived – it looks too much like an advertising brochure.”

Evaluation of California Site – Use of Celebrities • One of the features of the site is the use of celebrities to highlight features and activities available in the state.This feature generated a mixed reaction from consumers, in part based on familiarity with the celebrities being used. Where the celebrity is known, his or her inclusion can add cachet. But, the familiarity of certain celebrities does not translate well to the international audience. • One specific celebrity on the site is the Governor. As might be expected, he is familiar to the German audience. Again, the reactions were a bit mixed, but there was little negative reaction to having him prominent on the site. • Some people doubt that celebrities can provide useful travel information and fail to find them credible. • At the same time, the idea of “experts” is appealing. Therefore, if California is going to use celebrities, they should be “matched” with the appropriate type of recommendations. A celebrity chef certainly has credibility in recommending places to eat. In a similar way, a sports figure would be good to recommend sporting activities – but not necessarily to talk about restaurants. “I am more likely to trust this information (expert advice) and follow it than I am travel guides or tourist information.” “A celebrity will recommend anything they are paid to recommend.” Consumer feedback: “When Arni invites you as governor, you cannot say no.”

California & German Language Recommendations A site that offers a full range of information in German will be more effective and have a stronger impact in generating visitation. In the short term, California Tourism should not create the perception that a German site is available through visitcalifornia.com. A good option would be to have a tab labeled “Information for International Visitors” and then offer the various PDFs at that point. This will not create high expectations and lead to disappointment. In the long term, California Tourism should create a fully fleshed out German language version of the site. This is what consumers expect and will position California as welcoming to German visitors. Page 23

Recommendations for German Language Site The German site should vary from the domestic site in some ways: It should have more information on basics – visas, getting there, transportation. Consumers want to see flight options/costs – and perhaps even some vacation packages. Reactions were mixed when the group was asked about using language that was more technical/basic versus more descriptive and imaginative. They can be sold – probably best option is to mix and use appropriate language in the right place – be more factual with the basics, and descriptive showing them itineraries or options for travel. There were some reactions that the home page was a bit overwhelming, and they seemed to gravitate to sites with a bit less going on. So the German pages should be a bit toned down. Page 24

Recommended Features There were some specific features that consumers commented upon and generally liked. These should be included in the site and featured in the German language version: Must See Features – people like to know what are the most important attractions and features to see. Some choose to avoid these, as they think they’re too touristy, but they still want to know. Inside Scoop – this relates to the desire to have expert opinions. The key is how to best position the inside scoop so that it is meaningful. Any German connection would probably be good. Trip Ideas – the state is large, and itineraries or trip ideas help people visualize a trip to the area. In fact, including nearby attractions such as Las Vegas or the Grand Canyon might make the state seem even more appealing. There’s probably an advantage if the California site could include searches/info in other nearby states. While this is problematic, it provides a service for the consumer that they want. Consumer feedback: “I would look at ‘Trip ideas’ and ‘Must see.’ I am not interested in ‘Inside scoop.’ ” “I would like to see a tour through the country, showing the most beautiful landscapes and the major attractions, and if possible, also trip reports from tourists.” “The suggested itineraries are particularly nice.” Page 25

Web Site Evaluation Research