A Better User Experience
We’ve created A Better User Experience Blog to serve as a learning resource to provide a better understanding of user testing and the user experience. We are dedicated to providing weekly educational articles, podcasts, reviews and more…
Ben Snyder
Ben Snyder’s 17 years of professional web design experience began at age 16 when he founded and operated his own web design firm. Since then, he’s worked with such companies (Sony, Warner Bros., and MTV), artists (OK Go, Busta Rhymes, Mariah Carey, Lynyrd Skynyrd) and some of the biggest and best names in the world of surf, skate, and snowsports (Burton, Surf Expo, Surfside Sports) to develop online strategy and messaging while growing their online business.
Ben’s marketing and web design background make him a sought after speaker, notably at events held by the SnowSports Industry of America (SIA). See his profile in the Retail Speaker’s Bureau.
Today, Ben is the owner of Little Wing Marketing (LWM), an internet marketing firm in Wilmington, NC that specializes in user-centered web design, analytics, user-testing and education. For the past 5 years, LWM has been helping clients both nationally and internationally transform websites into machines that excel at what they were created to do: make money. He is also a co-editor of abetteruserexperience.com (BUX).
After graduating with degrees in marketing and music from UNCW, he moved to New Jersey to work with major record labels to build online fan bases for their artists. He mobilized fans for a who’s who of famous musicians: The Strokes, The Vines, Radiohead, Christina Aguilera, Foo Fighters, David Gray, Pink, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, the Derek Trucks Band, Sister Hazel, Clint Black, Martina McBride, Gov’t Mule, the Black Crowes, Etta James, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and more.
He became an Internet Consultant for several record labels and went on to develop a grassroots marketing website with a membership of over 25,000 people. The site conducted marketing campaigns for such clients as RCA, Capitol, Island Records, J Records, Arista, Columbia Records, Universal Records, Epic, Warner Bros. Records, Dreamworks Pictures, Warner Bros. Studios, Sony Pictures, MTV, VH1, USA Network, Harmonix/Sony, Ubisoft, Pantene, and the National Hot Rod Association among others.
After growing tired of New Jersey (sorry Jersey), he moved back to North Carolina to work in the action sports business. He spent 3 years at Sage Island, an interactive marketing agency, working with some of the biggest and best names in the world of surf, skate, and snowsports to grow their online business. It was here that he first was exposed to and became fascinated with analytics.
That same year, Ben made the leap to entrepreneur, leaving Sage Island and founding LWM.
Ben is a firm believer in self-education and change. He also completely gets why dogs love peanut butter so much.
When not working, Ben loves to kayak, cook, and DJ. Also, Madden.
If you’d like to reach out to Ben, you can email him here.
Follow Ben on Twitter!
Connect on LinkedIn!
<—– Little Ben
Newman Lanier
“Usability ain’t easy, but it sure is fun.” – Newman Lanier
That’s Newman for you, an eternal optimist. Newman’s one of those guys that’s been everywhere and done a bit of everything. He’s lived in Alaska, has been a Lieutenant in the military, a cab driver, and more and has STILL had the time to be a web designer since 1996. And that doesn’t even include the time spent at UNCW getting his Master’s degree in Instructional Technology and Design.
Nowadays, Newman is a web designer by trade. If you’d like to reach out to Newman, you can do so here. Follow Newman on Twitter! Connect on LinkedIn
And then…
Ben and Newman got to be friends at UNCW and in summer of 2011 started talking about web usability. They decided to Voltron their abilities to learn what they could about web usability and to do so publicly. And that’s what you see on this blog. It’s a learning experiment. We’re committed to bringing you two articles and one podcast a week as we learn everything we can about web usability.
A year later a Lady Web Nerd appeared!
Jenna Curry
Before joining forces with Ben Snyder at Little Wing Marketing, Jenna was the Director of Marketing for a popular marketing, public relations and events company in Wilmington, NC.
For the last 5 years, she worked with area businesses (hotels, restaurants, contractors, small business owners), organizations (a whole bunch of non-profits) and individuals (about a dozen political campaigns) to generate awareness, improve public perception and (of course) increase revenue. Her primary responsibilities included: client relations, brand development, graphic design (websites too), social media implementation, copy writing and media planning.
Jenna is the founder and administrator of Port City Young Professionals (PCYP), a network of professionals in their 20’s and 30’s designed to engage and introduce young professionals to Greater Wilmington’s vast resources and opportunities.
She spends much of her time and abilities volunteering for civic groups and non-profits such as Wilmington Central Rotary, Good Friends Wilmington, UNCW Communication Studies Alumni Chapter President.
If you’d like to reach out to Jenna you can email her here. Follow Jenna on Twitter LinkedIn Google+
The Result: UX Voltron, now with lady parts!