Kraft Website Review
Kraft Foods uses a website as part of their marketing strategy. Examining the website will subjectively determine its effectiveness as a marketing tool. The text offers a 7C’s approach to effective web site design encouraging repeat visits and Weblead offers nine elements of effective web marketing. We’ll explore the 7C’s and nine elements in reviewing Kraft’s website.
The seven key design elements of an effective web site as outlined in the text are context, content, community, customization, communication, connection, and commerce (Koler & Keller, p541). The context, or layout and design of the website, is fairly simple in that there is not a lot of clutter, the search function is centrally located and easy to find, and the information is easy to access through the main menu tabs. The content, or use of pictures, sound, video, etc, is balanced well with reading material. There are many pictures of their products, videos, TV commercials, etc. embedded within each page of the site. Community is described as how the site enables user-to-user communication. If the site offers this, I don’t see it. Customization is the ability to tailor to different users or allow users to personalize the site. Again, I don’t see this feature in the website. For communication, the site contains contact information, email contact forms, and phone numbers under the investor, media, and careers buttons. Additionally, the contact link at the bottom of the page allows for other information sharing. The connection seems to be minimal. I don’t find any links to other sites outside of Kraft. There are, however, several links to other Kraft sites. The Kraft ezServ link appears to be the commerce capability of the website, but I am not registered, so don’t know what features it entails. In comparing the website with the 7C’s, it seems to be fairly well designed, but could use some improvement in community and customization (Kotler & Keller).
Now we can examine the nine
The seven key design elements of an effective web site as outlined in the text are context, content, community, customization, communication, connection, and commerce (Koler & Keller, p541). The context, or layout and design of the website, is fairly simple in that there is not a lot of clutter, the search function is centrally located and easy to find, and the information is easy to access through the main menu tabs. The content, or use of pictures, sound, video, etc, is balanced well with reading material. There are many pictures of their products, videos, TV commercials, etc. embedded within each page of the site. Community is described as how the site enables user-to-user communication. If the site offers this, I don’t see it. Customization is the ability to tailor to different users or allow users to personalize the site. Again, I don’t see this feature in the website. For communication, the site contains contact information, email contact forms, and phone numbers under the investor, media, and careers buttons. Additionally, the contact link at the bottom of the page allows for other information sharing. The connection seems to be minimal. I don’t find any links to other sites outside of Kraft. There are, however, several links to other Kraft sites. The Kraft ezServ link appears to be the commerce capability of the website, but I am not registered, so don’t know what features it entails. In comparing the website with the 7C’s, it seems to be fairly well designed, but could use some improvement in community and customization (Kotler & Keller).
Now we can examine the nine
References: Kotler, Philip and Kevin Lane Keller. Marketing Management. 13th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2009. Weblead Machine. The Nine Elements of Effective Web Marketing. Retrieved 14 June 2008 from Weblead Machine website: http://www.webleadmachine.com/web-marketing.html