Helping People Can Be Good Business
How well do you know your customers?
CNET’s Product Finder successfully identified and addressed unmet user needs, leading to increased engagement, improved user experience, and new revenue with targeted product recommendations.
The CNET Reviews TV product finder featuring in-line questions to help consumer narrow down the best product choices.
Situation
CNET is a leading technology and product review website that helps people make informed purchasing decisions. However, not everyone approaches research in the same way—some require personalized guidance.
Challenge
Traditional product reviews did not address some of CNET’s audiences’ specific needs. By challenging the opinion ‘we know our users,’ we discovered a significant segment, later identified as ‘trend-followers,’ who struggled with complex product comparisons and needed more intuitive ways to find recommendations.
Question
How can CNET engage more users and grow ad revenue?
Two personas were identified during user research—including the verificaiton of the ‘trend-setter’ persona and the discovered ‘trend-follower’ persona with unmet needs.
Discovered new persona
- Research revealed a previously unidentified trend-follower audience.
- This group needed clear, simple, and guided product recommendations.
Developed new products
- CNET introduced interactive product finders tailored for trend-followers.
- These finders incorporated in-line expert advice to assist users.
Higher engagement and revenue
- The tools drove higher user engagement, improving key performance metrics.
- It also generated new ad revenue opportunities, proving the value of user-centered design.
The proposed product finders would provide multiple ways to access and engage with products relevant to consumer needs.
Results
User Engagement Growth
- Over 10,000 unique daily visits
- More than 84,000 daily page views
- Users viewed an average of 25 pages per session
Business Impact
- Increased advertising revenue through higher engagement
- Strengthened CNET’s value proposition by meeting a previously underserved user need
Conclusion
By leveraging user research and behavioral insights, CNET’s Product Finder effectively improved decision-making for trend-followers, boosting engagement and revenue while enhancing the overall user experience.
