Design vs Art Blog

Today two of my favorite companies decided to tell me how little they care about me and other customers. In my opinion, not bothering users with useless information is highly related to the general design of a website and usability. Keep in mind that a good website should make users’ life easier trying to make processes simple and short and without disturbing users when they are doing other activities. In another example of how design, usability and marketing mix each other I will show you the emails I got from Google and Apple. 

The first mail came from Google, it was actually coming from "noreplay" and the subject was "New Optional Benchmarking Feature Available in Google Analytics". That was it, no link to get farther information, no content in the email. At all. Then I went to my Analytics account, there was an item for the new feature in the menu but nothing inside. OK, this could be a new feature that is coming but the way they announced it was a little bit careless (maybe arrogant?).

Don’t get me wrong, I do really admire Google. They usually make good marketing, they design good processes and they care about usability. And that’s why the following email makes me angry:

The second email making me angry today comes from the Apple iTunes Store (Germany). Yeah, I love my iPod and I love Apple products but lets have a look at the following email. Apple decided today that they wanted to send me spam, OK, it was not unsolicited email because I signed up for the newsletter, but the information on it was as useless and aggressive as spam could be.

The "iTunes alert me" newsletter should recommend me music I might like. Today, Apple sent me an email offering me an album I already have, one that I listen to very often and one that has been released 4 years ago. I am sure Apple already knows all that, so why bothering me with so useless information?

Popularity: 19% [?]

Websites need to notify something to its users and send emails like crazy. But most of those emails will be ignored if you don’t think in the details.

"Try also to sort those emails through the very same sender name…"

Sender name should be clear, so users could see when an email is important. I have gotten emails coming from "mail robot", for example. That confuse users and your email will be directly going to the trash.

Try also to sort those emails through the very same sender name. Thinking in these details will improve usability and users will notice it. Check this examples:

Sender: Mail Robot (this company does not care about users)

Sender: Sheraton Hotels (not bad)

Sender: Sheraton Miami (better)

Sender: Sheraton Miami Reservation (Excellent)

Sender: Sheraton Hotels Newsletters (Excellent)

In the last two examples users are able to identify the important emails coming from a website. This technique will prevent, for example, users deleting reservation confirmation emails.

Popularity: 7% [?]