Transparent UX Content

How many times have you read copy on a website, or 0:00 watched a video produced by a brand, and really felt like you understood them and 0:03 that they understood you, where it felt like these people were speaking your 0:08 language, so much so that you wanted to learn more about them? 0:12 When you can form a connection like that, users become more engaged and 0:16 interested in everything a brand has to offer. 0:21 It's a lot like meeting someone in real life and sparking up conversation, 0:24 only to realize, hey, we've got something in common. 0:28 Too many brands play it safe and try to say the right thing, but 0:31 end up saying nothing at all. 0:35 We value quality and integrity. 0:37 Well, of course you do. 0:40 Everyone does. 0:42 Brands can provide a better experience than that. 0:43 They need to. 0:46 To form strong personal connections and generate emotional responses, 0:47 we need to create transparent UX content. 0:52 Content that reveals who we really are behind any corporate facade or 0:55 personal web page. 1:00 It allows us to build trust with our customers and followers, 1:01 reveal the meaning or purpose behind our efforts, and 1:05 create a deeper connection between us and our users. 1:09 By being genuine, honest, and direct, you could have accomplish these goals. 1:13 So let's explore how to create transparent UX content. 1:17 If you check out the team behind Wistia, 1:22 you'll discover their About Page shows you more than just a list of team members. 1:24 It's an interactive array of photos that dance and move and 1:29 do whatever else the person decided to do. 1:33 They could've written something obvious, like we're a cool company. 1:36 But instead, Wistia delivers this cool experience that reflects who they 1:39 really are, a company that values their fun culture and isn't afraid to show it. 1:44 Now, at first people might think dancing pictures, 1:50 why would we create something like this? 1:53 Why does this even matter? 1:55 Wistia did it because they wanted to connect with their audience in 1:57 an emotional way. 2:02 They're basically saying, if you value fun, we're the right company for you. 2:03 An audience that identifies with the values you display through UX content will 2:08 be more likely to trust you, connect with you, and be influenced by your content. 2:14 So using content to represent your values is one way to connect, but 2:19 explicitly stating your beliefs is another. 2:24 One of the causes Starbucks supports is the environment. 2:27 So on their website they've prepared mission statements that detail what they 2:32 do, inside and out of their stores, to support this cause. 2:36 Their transparency about their beliefs and 2:39 actions help followers understand why they care and do what they do. 2:42 And those customers that share the same beliefs will probably support the company 2:47 even more. 2:52 So if you've got specific beliefs and values you're passionate about, 2:53 how could you raise awareness of them through UX content on your site? 2:58 You could be like Help Scout and state this plainly, 3:04 our mission is to help you build a company people love. 3:07 You might consider an approach like Southwest providing bilingual 3:11 versions of multiple kinds of customer commitment statements and documents. 3:15 So their commitment to you, the customer Is clear and in writing, 3:20 no matter where you're from or what language you speak. 3:24 Or you might take the TriNet approach and state on your homepage the number of 3:27 customers and the amount of payroll processed through your HR platform. 3:33 By sharing this data, you're establishing your expertise and abilities. 3:37 Other people or brands might take a different approach and 3:43 offer transparency by telling their own story to help people understand 3:46 why they do what they do and what brought them here today. 3:51 Like a comic book superhero, some brands will detail their origin story, the spark 3:55 of creativity, or the unique event that drove them to begin their efforts. 4:01 They might also include their life lessons, the key pieces of advice they can 4:06 share based on the various ups and downs they've experienced along the way. 4:10 Ironically, though, some of the best stories focus on the user. 4:15 When you read Dropbox's story on their site, they start by saying, 4:19 we've always been obsessed with making work better for people. 4:23 But they end it by stating, so you can focus on what matters. 4:27 Remember, we want out users to identify with us. 4:33 So when you relate your story, 4:37 your users need to see very clearly how they fit into the story as well. 4:39 Buffer has regularly published insightful posts about the inner workings at their 4:45 company, openly talking about the lessons they've learned, creating budgets, 4:50 making deals, and even defining their core values. 4:54 One of those core values, by the way, is default to transparency. 4:57 And there's a great quote within the presentation they've shared online. 5:01 As a company, we view transparency as a tool to help others. 5:05 This is an important point. 5:10 As someone who will create an experience, 5:14 you have a responsibility to provide many opportunities for 5:17 users to do things, try things, or consume things. 5:21 By creating content that's genuine and honest and allows your users to 5:25 understand you and your motivations, like your values and mission, 5:30 you can build a relationship that's deeper than just someone using a website or app. 5:34 It'll be the beginning of a relationship you can grow and build upon. 5:40