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Oban Multilingual’s Head of Client Services Joe Doveton Shares His Insights on Culture and Conversion, SOPA/PIPA, and Cha Cha Cha Bar
Editor’s Note: With Conversion Conference 2012 San Francisco just around the corner, we thought it’s about time you learn a bit more from each of our speakers. So we put on our journalist/paparazzi hat and placed each speaker on the proverbial hot seat by asking four questions, including one which can be considered a burning issue for digital marketers and other professionals in the internet industry: the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA). From this day until the conference, we’ll be featuring a speaker and their answers to the questions so be sure to check out our blog regularly.
But wait, there’s more! You can join in and do some pre-conference engagement with our speakers by sending in your own questions through email, Twitter, or our Facebook Wall. We’ll make sure your questions get the attention they deserve and even feature them here.
If there’s anything that the rise and growth of the internet has shown us, it’s that global integration does not necessarily translate into cultural homogenization. That makes things a bit complicated for global internet marketers especially in conversion optimization. So we asked Joe Doveton to share his thoughts on the hottest conversion trend and biggest failure people still make in optimization. We also dared him to comment on the SOPA/PIPA and to reveal his favorite hangout in San Francisco. As Head of Client Services at Oban Multilingual and GlobalMaxer, we figured Joe’s is the best brain to pick on all things related to the impact of cultural factors on conversion rates.
1) What do you think is the hottest trend in optimization or conversion for 2012?
More segmentation and integration with third party data sources like eCRM. In particular, understanding and segmenting users into cultural groups to understand cultural drivers to conversion.
2) What would you say is the biggest mistake people (still) make when it comes to optimization?
Not enough test planning. We can’t stress enough to clients the importance of really squeezing your web analytics and extensively researching design ideas to set the best test goals, on the right pages, with the right methodologies.
3) What’s your take on the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA)?
I think these two bills are/were using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. The bigger issue here is protecting the principle of an independent self-regulating web; so creators and producers will have to find a way of fitting in round this principle, rather than users fitting in round them.
4) What’s your favorite place to hang out in San Francisco (that one place you just have to drop by/visit when you’re in the city)?
As a tourist, not a local, I’m rather partial to Cha Cha Cha bar on Haight Street….with easy access to Amoeba Records next door!
We can’t wait to hear Joe expound on culture-based segmentation (and maybe hang out with him over some sumptous napa afterwards); Good thing he’s flying in for Conversion Conference and that’s in 20 days!
Got a question for Joe that can’t wait till March? Post it on the comments section below, tweet it to us, or post it on our wall and we’ll make sure he gets it.
More About Joe
Joe Doveton is a highly experienced internet marketing professional whose interests and experience encompass Web Analytics and Usability/MVT, Digital Display advertising, SEO/SEM and Web Publishing. He is currently the Head of Client Services at Oban Multilingual, a UK-based specialist agency which developed the leading cultural/international testing tool GlobalMaxer.
See Joe Live!
Joe will be presenting a session on “Going Global: Cultural Drivers to Conversion” at Conversion Conference West 2012 in San Francisco, California. See the full agenda and read more about this session.
Want to save on your Conversion Conference Registration? Connect with Joe on LinkedIn and request for a discount code!
P.S. Advance Pricing for Conversion Conference SF ends Friday, March 02, 2012. Don’t wait the last minute, register now to enjoy some savings while you still can.
