Forget Usability. The New Language is Web Brand Equity!

the i3r web brand equity model

Ad engagement in mass media is never easy.  Consumers hardly notice ads, and if they do it’s difficult to get them to spend more than a few seconds on the ad.

On a website, however, consumers visit on their own and may spend several minutes finding information and making decisions.  These are precious minutes to build brand preference and equity. Instead, most websites drown consumers with meaningless information poorly presented or take them down paths that result in frustration.

We did extensive research to develop a 3-channel model through which a website or a digital asset can build brand equity and move a consumer along on the path to purchase.

01

information channel

Two hands, one scrolling phone, one holding credit card

Moves a consumer from information processing to decision-making.

02

interactivity channel

Person holding controller in front of laptop with 3d wireframe render

Engages the consumer in a seamless series of intuitive and smooth interactions.

03

image channel

Laptop screen with the text 'brand personality and visual identity'

Builds the brand’s personality through visuals, content and copy.

Web Brand Equity Metrics

INFORMATION CHANNEL

Relevance  •  Novelty  •  Credibility  •  Comprehension  • Comparison

INTERACTIVITY CHANNEL

Usability  •  Search  •  Task Framing  •  Frustration  • Interest

IMAGE CHANNEL

Clutter  •  Attractive  •  Friendly  •  Intelligence

SITE EQUITY

Overall Experience  •  Likelihood to Visit  •  Likelihood to- Recommend  •  Usefulness of Site  •  Overall Site Rating

BRAND EQUITY

Brand Attitude Change  •  Intention to Try/Buy

Top right a 3d render in blue tint of black cubes connected by glowing lines, bottom left a hand writing notes on a desk with a phone nearby

Web Brand Equity Studies

Typical Protocol

01

Consumers browse websites in the category (including test site) completing naturalistic tasks. 4-5 sites are rated after the tasks are completed.

02

Identify strategic drivers and best-in-class elements from Step 1.  Conduct creative sessions with client and design agency to develop site redesign strategy.

03

Develop research prototypes for further testing in the lab.

Weblab Resources

24 station computer lab

Real-time observation room

Eye tracking & neuroscience

Digital Transformation Strategy for a Hospital System

From functional & utilitarian

Today, hospitals are sources of information that serve a utilitarian purpose and do not aid consumers in their healthcare journey

to consumer centric healthcare website

Offers decision support as well as cost & quality transparency. The website needs to be augmented to reassure, build confidence and aid decision making through consumer centric products and by offering transparency

competitive benchmarking & strategic canvas

Web brand equity research has been used successfully for competitive benchmarking, understanding category drivers, identifying critical areas for site redesign, and for developing and overall website redesign strategy.

Website often look the same:  However, competitive analysis explains why one site does better than others.

person working on a laptop with data visualizations on the screen, superimposed by a line chart of competitive brand elements
case studies

A better way to do UI / UX research

Traditional UI/UX testing involves asking consumers for their feedback on site elements. We suggest a different way.

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Strategic thinking is hard!

Strategic thinking is hard. It is a different way of thinking that blends analytical, creative, and practical ways to think and problem solve.

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