Website usability in marketing communications: the case of airline companies in Turkey

Abstract

It is of great importance for the organizations to use internet environment effectively in a market where competition conditions are gradually aggravated and carry out their marketing communication activities in such an environment. Airline companies are the ones that use internet technology most effectively and actively. Thus, website usability is of great importance for airline companies. The aim of this study is to make an analysis concerning website usability as a means of marketing communication. In line with this objective, web site of the airline companies operating in Turkey have been analyzed and the roles assumed by the analyzed websites as a marketing communications tool have been tried to set forth. The methodology of the research is based on scoring system of Gibson et al.. Under the study, web sites of the airline companies in Turkey was monitored for a month between 2012 and 2014 and they were assessed in various dimensions such as functions (information provision, networking, participation, campaigning, online processes, mobile applications, social media applications) and delivery (glitz factor, access, navigability, freshness, visibility). The findings revealed that websites made progress over the years; however, online, mobile and social media applications remained incapable in terms of marketing communications targets.