This is what Google would look like if the average web manager, marketing manager, advertising guru or CEO had a say in it. (Granted, it’d look more polished and glitzy but the content wouldn’t differ so much.)

How did we come to this conclusion? Crank up your speakers and watch the 3 minute video with commentary by my lovely colleague Karl Gilis. You’ll never look at your own homepage the same way again…

Credit where credit is due

All the credit for this example goes to Gerry McGovern who shows a similar version in his seminars.

If you haven’t already, subscribe to Gerry McGovern’s weekly newsletter. You’ll love it.

What do you use Google for?

Ask 100 people this question and I guarantee you that at least 99 answers will contain the word ’search’.

A small group of people will also talk about things like Gmail and Google Maps.

An even smaller group will talk about Google Adwords, AdSense, Analytics etc. The stuff that only web professionals really know about.

Top task: search

Because search is the absolute top task people visit Google for, the new Google homepage focuses on it for the full 100%.

Strange?
Not at all. Search is what 99% of people visit Google for. Give people what they want.

Less important tasks: less prominent on the homepage

If you move your mouse over the screen, you get to see more. The other important tasks, like Gmail and Maps are at the top. Below the search are the things Google actually earns money with: the advertising programs and the business solutions.

A bold move?
Not really. Though it is true most people lack the courage to do this on their own website.

Google puts the stuf that generates revenue in the background. Most CEOs and web managers are afraid to do that. But at Google, they realise it’s not the advertising programs that generate the revenue, it’s the millions of people who ‘google’ every day. Why do they google every day? Because the website is so deliciously simple.

How do you identify your website’s top tasks?

We can help you on your way with user research.
That way, you can base your website on facts instead of opinions or feelings.

Related articles

• What would Google look like if you had made it?
• Focus: the basis of every good web page
• Page fold: myth or reality?

What’s so good about the Brussels Airlines website?

1. Task-oriented homepage

If you’ve been here before, or read Gerry McGovern’s column, you know it’s important to identify and manage the users’ top tasks, the main reasons why they visit your website.

Brussels Airlines knows that. And both the professional jury and the public appreciate it.

Jury comments:

• “Task-oriented homepage. The majority of visitors come to look for a flight, book a flight or look up details of a flight they’ve booked earlier.”
• “Good sectioning off of the different reasons people visit the website for.”
• “You can start booking on the homepage.”
• “Clear homepage.”

More good things about the homepage

• The navigation is aimed at the important stuff. Things 99% of the visitors are looking for. The odd user wanting to know more about the history of Brussels Airlines is going to have to try a bit harder to find that information.
• ‘Book now’ is very prominent on the homepage. And that’s good. It’s what most people visit the website for.
• ‘Manage my flight’ is important for 2 reasons:
  • Direct access to these top tasks. Especially ‘Check in online’.
  • Inspire confidence. It’s good to see things like ‘Change my flight’ and ‘Cancel my flight’ are easy to find when you’re about to book a flight.

2. Inspire me!

The big disadvantage of most booking systems or travel search engines is their database-approach. The result of that is a block like ‘Book now’ on the homepage. Great if you want to book a flight to Melbourne from November 15 till December 16. Not so great if you’re tired of the winter and looking for any destination where it’s sunny and warm.

On the ‘Destinations’ page Brussels Airlines tries to go beyond the classical database-approach. Pick a theme and a time period and they give you a list of destinations that fulfill your wish. Nice. 

3. Practical overview of the practical information

Okay then, I’ll say it one more time: it’s practical.

4. Book a flight

The ‘Book now!’ block on the homepage scored the site points with all jury members. The type-in fields and the date-picker are well-executed.

The division into logical steps was appreciated as well: “the wizard-like approach helps present a complex procedure in a simple way”.

Does Brussels Airlines have the perfect website?

Can pigs fly? Is it raining men? 

There’s no such thing as the perfect website. The Brussels Airlines website is good, but of course there are points of improvement as well.

Jury comments:

• “The copywriting is often very good, especially on destination pages. But the pages with practical information can be long-winded and not very visually appealling.”
• “Booking online works well, but it could be better still. It’s often unclear why there are price differences in the same class (economy or business). The error messages can be improved as well.”
• “The map showing all destinations isn’t ideal.” Read our article ’Google Maps: cases from travel websites’ for more information.

Would you like to know what your website’s strengths and weaknesses are?

• Register for our web usability and writing for the web training in Dutch
• Get a usability expert to have a look at your website
• Have a user test on your website

What do you have to do?

1. Get yourself a cup of coffee or hot chocolate
2. Watch the presentation
3. Change your website where needed

Tip: for a full screen view, click the second to last icon at the bottom right.

Problems?

• No Flash on your computer?
• SlideShare blocked by your firewall?

Don’t panic. We’ll talk about the tips in detail over the coming weeks.