Site
design is key for attracting signups, converting those signups to
downloads and converting those downloads into deposits. The
pitfalls along the path from visitor to player are many and even
the most successful sites often miss critical elements in site
usability
Traditionally, website development has been design led; that
is, the business requirements are interpreted by a designer into a
creative that contains the features, functions and attributes the
site owner requires. Often presented in a way the site owner
defines; these are, in many cases, entrepreneurial led endeavours
and consequently the user has not typically been considered in the
development process.
This is generally the case in iGaming, where site owners and
employees of the organisations are also users. "We know what
the gamblers need and how to make the site work for them, we are
gamblers ourselves" is the general reaction usability
specialists hear when critiquing a gaming site.
SPOTLIGHT: CASINO ON NET (www.888.com)
User behaviours are
constantly changing and techniques that worked well in the past
may no longer have the same effect. For example 888.com pops up a
promotional screen in the top left corner off the home page.
Players on a dial-up connection see that frame first, and because
of the overuse of pop-up advertisements on the Internet, most
users close this window before viewing its contents.
That being the case, an important message wants to be on the
homepage, not in the pop-up "Banner blindness" is the
phenomenon whereas users don't even see the banner on the page.
Alternatively, they see the banner but choose to ignore it.
888.com has a clean, uncluttered homepage that gets users to
their goals quickly and efficiently. Research links loyalty to
customer satisfaction and there is a high correlation between
customer satisfaction and a user's ability to achieve their goals:
i.e. intent vs. success. 888.com's simple navigational structure,
intuitive content grouping and s straightforward labeling allows
you to get to games quickly and easily with a horizontal menu
structure providing additional features and functionality for the
new or returning user. 888.com does however give a sense that the
website was designed for experienced intermediate/hard-core
Novices who may want to learn more about the games are not catered
for. As online gaming conversion rates are reducing as the
acquisition of hard - core gamblers levels out, a greater reliance
on novices for new business must be catered for. A good example of
catering to the neophyte gambler can be experienced at www.InterCasino.com, where preview movies of most games are
available.
Caveat: Designing for the theoretical user is a dangerous
approach. It is imperative that the actual user base has an input
into the development process.
The goal of 888.com is to get visitors to install their
software. Instructions for doing so are commendably simple and
easy to follow. Whether or not users understand the download
requirements is a different question. A player migrating from
sports betting to casino may be unfamiliar with the casino
technology formats and may be put off at the thought of download
in software if he is not informed of the process. The download at
888.com website takes 10 to 12 minutes on a dial-up connection. Is
this a problem? For some users certainly it is. T h e re f o re
888.com wisely offers a no-download version from sister site Reef
Club Casino.
When it comes to registration, the process is simple and
straightforward. However, there is only one entry box for email
address so there is no confirmation, which makes support harder in
the future if the address is mistyped.
Additionally, on completion of registration, players are issued
with a user name and password, which they are required to write
down. These details sent by email would make saving this important
information a more intuitive process.
Depositing is simple although I suspect a high abandonment rate
as users are told that the minimum deposit is $50, the user isn't
told this until after trying to deposit less that $50.
"Can I never let my balance go below $50, and if so what
are 888.com doing with my money?" Comments like this pop up
in usability tests all the time, and a lack of information is
usually a bigger problem than the minimum deposit amount.
TEN THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN DEVELOPING YOUR CASINO WEBSITE:
1)
Know who your users are. If you don't know, find out. DO NOT
assume.
2) Put your users at the centre of your development process.
3) Keep things simple. Use language that is easily understood.
"Java site loading" means nothing to my mom, and she
gambles online.
4) Get the simple stuff right. There is no excuse for processes
not working.
5) Don't assume that because you can use your site everyone
else can.
6) Don't trust anyone; test everything for usability,
preferably with a specialist.
7) Marry your business goals to those of your user. Where they
meet is where the money is.
8) Make sure your page download speeds work for your audience.
9) Don't be complacent about your success. Online player
interaction is always evolving.
10) Calculate the ROI from what you do to the site. Know you
are adding value.
This article was featured in the October 2003 issue of iGaming
Business Magazine.
Return to
newsletter
|
