SMB North Star - Amy Shin

01 - Who we build for

Designing for the small business owner

CUJ

"As a SMB (small-medium business) owner, I want my business to be found and trusted by customers."

Small businesses are defined as those having 1–500 employees, independently owned and operated. There are about 32 million small businesses within the US. 50% of Domains users are defined as SMBs. Google Domains emphasis on easy domain registration and maintenance, guidance in getting online, growing their business, and expanding reach.

32M

small businesses in the US

50%

of Google Domains users are SMBs

**Meet Ben Thompson, the small business owner**

02 - Foundational research

Foundational research

To establish Google Domains as the go-to solution for SMBs building an online presence, we conducted a two-phase research study. Phase one included 6 workshops with SMBs, exploring their experiences and perceptions of domains and websites. Phase two involved 6 video interviews with SMBs across rural US to gain deeper insights into their specific challenges and needs. This research informed a magnetic brand positioning for Google Domains, tailored to resonate with SMBs and emphasizing Google's unique value proposition in the market.

Recognition

SMBs' see their web presence as an integral part of their business

SMBs have ambitious goals for their online presence, taking pride in their work and striving to impress clients. However, managing their online presence is often a challenge, as they lack expertise in the "online things."

Challenge

But domains is just seen as an easy & inconsequential first step

SMBs prioritize their website over the domain itself, viewing the domain as a minor first step. They often choose GoDaddy due to its convenience, despite not feeling particularly positive about the brand. However, Google's existing presence in their business creates higher expectations for the benefits of a Google Domain.

Opportunity

Google Domains elevates the role of domains to a 'solid foundation'?

The "Foundation" concept emphasizes domains as essential for a sustainable online presence, crucial for SMBs. Google Domains provides comprehensive tools for creation, security, and marketing, offering a trusted solution. This meets SMBs' need for a solid base to build a cohesive web presence beyond just a website.

Inspired by the magnetic brand positioning research, the UX team initiated an exploration into,

Elevating the role of Google Domains as a “solid foundation”

03 - Co-creation session

Co-creation session

I facilitated a two-day co-creation workshop, with four Googlers and a group of SMBs (three in the first session, five in the second). We wanted to understand their needs and challenges around building an online presence to inform both near-term and long-term improvements to their overall experience.

A. Approach

Scenarios - We presented scenarios like: "What are your pain points with domain registration and web hosting?" and "What tools or services are essential for your online success?"
Discussion - Participants shared their experiences and ideas, sparking rich discussions.
Prototyping - Together, we created prototypes of potential solutions, incorporating their feedback and insights.

B. Ideas that resonated

Through a series of scenarios, discussions, and collaborative prototyping, we explored a range of concepts that resonated strongly with the SMB participants. These ideas addressed key pain points and needs across the entire SMB online presence journey, from domain registration and web hosting to essential tools and success factors.

C. Highly-voted solutions

Following the collaborative prototyping session, we identified the top 3 solutions that resonated most with the SMB participants.

**AI-powered suggestion engine**Let AI-powered suggestion engine help users find the perfect domain name and discover relevant services based on their keywords.

**Free instant website**Users can create a website instantly with diverse selection of free, industry-tailored templates.

**Website traffic overview**Report that provides a comprehensive traffic overview, allowing users to monitor key metrics and unlock valuable insights into their online presence.

04 - SMB North Star deck

SMB North Star deck

In 2019, I led the creation of the SMB North Star Deck – a strategic roadmap for Google Domains. This future-focused exploration, crafted alongside UXR and PMs, leveraged insights from a co-creation session and 20 research studies. It aimed to elevate Google Domains beyond domain registration, positioning it as the solid foundation for an SMB's online journey. This vision to empower SMBs and transform their online presence continues to guide product development and solidify Google Domains' role as their essential hub.

To bring the North Star to life, I built three interactive prototypes featured in the vision deck -
each showing how Google Domains could guide an SMB from finding a name to getting fully online.

domains.google/search

AI-based domain name search

domains.google/packages

Packages to get online

domains.google/website

Free online presence

My achievements across the SMB life Cycle

This section showcases how my various projects at Google Domains directly contributed to the larger vision outlined in the SMB North Star Deck. During my tenure on the team, I led numerous initiatives focused on empowering SMBs throughout their online journey, addressing key touch points from initial domain registration to establishing a thriving online presence. These projects played a crucial role in driving business growth and solidifying Google Domains' position as the essential hub for SMB online success.

This overview sets the stage for the following project pages, highlighting my contributions to empowering SMBs and aligning my work with the overarching vision established in the SMB North Star Deck.

SMB Journey

**Enhancing the SMB online journey: My projects at Google Domains**

05 - Shipping the vision

From strategy to shipped product

The North Star wasn't a deck that sat on a shelf. It drove a series of shipped initiatives across the SMB lifecycle.

1

Simplifying Domains Acquisition

Google Domains Within MOG, NMX (H1 2022) and Google Sites integration (H2 2020)

Problem

SMBs recognize the importance of online branding for customer acquisition and retention. However, are unaware they can achieve this with Google due to lack of entry from Google products they typically engage with.

Solution

Designed a seamless purchase flow from Domains entry to checkout across MOG (Merchant On-boarding), NMX (Next Merchant Experience), and Google Sites.

Impact

Capturing new merchants, driving growth, and simplifying custom domain acquisition. Google Domains in MOG and NMX launched in Q2 2022 and adding 21K new domains monthly with a 26% Workspace attach rate, generating an additional $11M in the first year.

21K

new domains / month

26%

service attach rate

+$11M

estimated revenue, year 1

2

One-stop shop for online presence

Google Domains Cart page re-design (H1 2023)

Problem

The acquisition of a positive "Buying" experience is integral to Domain's mission. However, the cart and the checkout page was outdated in comparison to current e-commerce design standards, and does not provide the necessary adaptability for incorporating new features and future services.

Solution

Introduced new Google Workspace pricing model and business bundles with as little friction to purchase experience by providing straightforward, scalable design.

Impact

Created a more adaptable cart design, enabling the seamless integration of new features and product bundles.

Cart - proposed design — **Proposed design**

This initiative focused on improving the Google Domains cart experience in 2024+. We aimed to enhance the buying process with:

Transparent pricing: Clear, easy-to-understand costs with no hidden fees or surprises.
Simplicity: A straightforward, scalable design to ensure an efficient and frictionless purchase experience.
Useful recommendations: Trustworthy suggestions for packages and additional services to help users get online quickly.
Scalability: An adaptable cart design to seamlessly integrate new features and maintain a consistent user experience.

3

Seamless website creation

3P website builder (H1 2023)

Problem

To improve our website builder solutions, Google Domains was exploring a partnership with 3P website builder to seamlessly integrate their website builder functionality with Google Domains.

Solution

Designed to allow customers to seamlessly choose between a simple site with a 1P solution and a custom site with a 3P website builder.

Impact

Ensured effortless user experience, accommodating varied preferences, and facilitating smooth transition from domain purchase to website creation while maintaining crucial revenue streams.

Seamless website creation with 3P builder — **Proposed design**

This initiative focused on improving the Google Domains website creation experience in 2024+. We aimed to enhance the integration of third-party website builders with:

Seamless integration: Allowed customers to choose between a simple site with a 1P solution or a custom site with a 3P website builder.
Effortless user experience: Designed to accommodate varied preferences and ensure a smooth transition from domain purchase to website creation.
Maintained revenue streams: Ensured the integration supported crucial revenue streams while enhancing the user journey.

I proposed three design concepts in Q2 2023 and iterated based on user feedback:

In-cart add-on: Create a WordPress add-on accessible from the Domains overview.
Post-checkout model: Offering a choice of two website builders, each represented by a single template.
Post-checkout full-page takeover: Displaying multiple templates for two website builders.

These concepts were tested to assess how seamlessly users could transition between Google Domains and the 3P website builder and understand their choices, as well as how effectively they communicated the WordPress opportunity and impacted the anticipated setup journey.

4

Guided Journey / Streamlining service management

Guided journey / Service cards

Problem

SMBs often struggle with setting up and managing their digital presence due to a lack of experience and clarity on the next steps. With 72% having no prior experience managing a domain, they miss opportunities to leverage Google's tools effectively.

Solution

Guided Journey provides a step-by-step path for SMBs to navigate setting up their online business, helping them understand and use various Google services through a centralized hub, allowing them to manage their domains and services efficiently.

Impact

Guided Journey significantly increased signups across Google services, enhanced domain management efficiency, and improved user engagement through clear, step-by-step guidance from Q2 2021 to Q1 2023.

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5

Improve the digital presence

Reports (Search Console integration)

Problem

SMBs face challenges in effectively monitoring, understanding, and optimizing their online presence due to unfamiliarity with analytics tools, complex setup processes, and difficulty translating analytics data into actionable steps. Many SMBs feel overwhelmed and lack the time to become analytics experts.

Solution

Domains Reports integrate with Google Search Console to provide SMBs with insights into website traffic sources and performance metrics. This helps users optimize their content and identify top-performing pages, simplifying the setup and integration of analytics tools without requiring DNS TXT verification.

Impact

Since its Q2 2020 launch, Domains Reports have enabled over 11,000 domains to create and verify sites in Search Console via Google Domains, resulting in 22,000+ report views. Users repeatedly return for up-to-date traffic reports and an integrated hub for related Google services, enhancing engagement with Ads through keyword insights.

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