According to Wikipedia, Luddites were a social movement of British textile artisans in the early nineteenth century who protested — often by destroying mechanized looms—against the changes produced by the Industrial Revolution, which they felt were leaving them without work.

Today, Luddites are often referred to as those individuals who have not embraced technology and prefer the old fashioned way over web-based access and solutions. If they do use the web (and this is definitely a growing market and should not be short-changed), they will require a certain online experience to convert.

If you are an online brand professional, web developer or even a business to consumer web site, how do you address Luddites and engage them to your online initiatives?

Keep it simple!

Web sites that are properly built with easy to use navigation, menus and call-to-actions are much more preferred over emphasizing 'internal search' as a way to engage visitors to your site. BUT, Luddites use search ten times more than most sophisticated web visitors and 'internal search' should continue to be part of the Luddite user experience strategy.

Manual over Automated

Most Luddites prefer human contact and are not impressed with fancy 'chat' or 'paypal' options. When catering to Luddites, ensure that there are plenty of options for manual interaction - including phone options for questions and/or ordering.

Respecting the Luddite

Show how you are personally using this new technology, how others are using it, and how they specifically could. FAQs or other similar resources will aid in providing Luddites the tools they need to engage.

Great Resources:

And the Luddites Shall Inherit the World (Wide Web) - By Steven Goodwin of Free Software Magazine

How to Sell Social Media to Cynics, Skeptics & Luddites - By Interactive Insights Group

Best

Denice MacDonald