How To Use Games And Quizzes To Improve Your Website

Last updated 16 August 2008

There are fives scales to measure different cultural behaviors.

• High Individualism versus High Collectivism Behavior
• Uncertainty Avoidance versus Low Uncertainty Avoidance Behavior
• High Power Distance versus Low Power Distance Behavior
• High Masculinity versus High Femininity Behavior
• High Context versus Low Context Behavior

Important: Read the Basic Guidelines For Using Cross Cultural Communication Web Tools before implementing any of these web tools.

Use Games And Quizzes For Better International Results

Quizzes and games seem right for every website. You can use them for market research. You can use them to create a fun environment on your website.

Cross Cultural Website Architecture

A website architect will tell you that every element on your website needs to work for you. You need to decide if you want one on your website and where it should go.

This is where cross cultural communication becomes interesting. We are all different. Your cross cultural web architecture will also be different.

Some cultures thrive on competitiveness more than others. They appreciate opportunities to achieve things. One of the things you can put on your website to make it more attractive in such cultures is indeed:

• A Game or A Quiz

In such cultures you will create a stronger relationship using tools that give people an opportunity to achieve something, to compete with others or with themselves.

Let’s review the the cultural behavior of masculinity:

Traits Of Cultures High In Masculinity

Some cultures are described as being high on a scale of masculinity and are compared to cultures at the other end of the scale which are high in femininity. The cultures high in masculinity are stimulated more with:

• Ambition
• Achievement
• Assertiveness

How Should You Use A Quiz Or A Game On Your Website?

You can look up the research done on “Masculinity” as a cultural behavior and see whether the country you are targeting falls high in this category.

It is also very easy to research by yourself. Once you have decided on the foreign countries you are targeting, you should regularly spend time browsing the websites of your local competition in those countries. Quizzes and games are easy to spot even if you don’t speak the language well. Notice the position of the quiz or game on the website.

• Is the quiz short and more like a market research survey?
• Or does it look like a fun experience for the visitor?
• Does it grab your attention as soon as you land on the main website?

What’s The Experience?

Some companies create quizzes or games that become a small website all of its own. Some appear to be more of a branding tool, they look pretty, they may be cool, but does not really demand great involvement from the visitor.

The reasons why games and quizzes work well in some cultures might have slightly different reasons. There is more than one cultural behavior. There are five of them. So the most effective type of game may be slightly different.

There are no absolutes. You need to give things a try. Track results. Learn more about the foreign markets you are targeting. As you get to know your international markets better you will know what works best for you.

Use these cross cultural web tools to inspire you to improve your web communication with your international clients.

There is lots more on the different cultural behaviors in the June issues of the Get International Clients Weekly Newsletter. Sign up quickly for more tips and ideas for getting more out of your international marketing.

Important Notice

Basic Guidelines For Using This Web Tool

If you have not read the Basic Guidelines For Using Cross Cultural Communication Web Tools as mentioned in the very beginning of this article, please do so before implementing any of these web tools.

You need to look at the whole picture of all five cultural behaviors before tweaking how you use the specific web tools outlined here.

Cindy King is a Cross-Cultural Marketer and International Sales Specialist, with over 25 years field experience in international business development. Find out about how Cindy can help you get international clients