Beyond Pageviews: How is your content really performing?

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Melissa BeaverDirector of User Experience Rachel DeLauder Content Strategist !Join the Conversation #eduweb14

Hitting the Mark

Does this content work?

I don’t know.

Photo Credit: David Zack, Sears Sales Flyer (1984),Flickr.

How long does good content take?

½–1 hour

to copy edit

1–3 hours

to edit or rewrite existing content

2–5 hours

to research & write original content

10–20 hours

to research & write 1 feature article

Editing Writing

“There’s only one way to learn—and that’s through

feedback.” !

Steven Levitt Professor of Economics, University of Chicago; co-author of Freakonomics podcasts & books

How do you know if your content is “working”?

Support conversions

Leave users with the intended impression

Answer user questions

Teach something

Content Must Earn Its KeepTracking the Basics

Best Practices, Schmactices

Videos, Check

Go  to  this  report

Jul  5,  2014 -­ Aug  4,  2014Top  EventsALL » EVENT  CATEGORY:  Video

Event  Action

Rows  1  -­  10  of  10

Explorer

Event

Total  Events Unique  Events Event  Value Avg.  Value

  6,157%  of  Total:  3.06%  (201,402)

631%  of  Total:  1.23%  (51,269)

0%  of  Total:  0.00%  (11,647,434)

0.00Site  Avg:  57.83  (-­100.00%)

1. Start 919 (14.93%) 627 (13.85%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

2. 1% 794 (12.90%) 561 (12.39%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

3. 5% 725 (11.78%) 523 (11.55%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

4. 10% 704 (11.43%) 513 (11.33%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

5. 20% 663 (10.77%) 490 (10.82%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

6. 33% 622 (10.10%) 462 (10.21%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

7. 50% 563 (9.14%) 433 (9.56%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

8. 67% 504 (8.19%) 393 (8.68%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

9. 90% 437 (7.10%) 345 (7.62%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

10. Ended 226 (3.67%) 180 (3.98%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

+  Add  Segment

 Total  Events  Pages  /  Session

Jul  8 Jul  15 Jul  22 Jul  29

200200200

400400400

151515

303030

©  2014  Google

All  Sessions1.23%

How much are they watching?

It Depends

What’s your baseline?

Tracking the Basics

Where to Start

Conversions you should trackEnrollment applications

Request information forms or email links

Calls driven by the website

Registration for campus visits

Event registrations

Email sign-ups

Visits to a campaign URL

Downloads (PDF brochure, campus map, directions)

Conversions to TrackDefining Goals

Organic

Direct

Paid

Referral

Types of TrafficTracking the Basics

Tracking the Basics

Year-Over-Year Comparisons

Tracking the Basics

Sessions and Unique Users

Tracking the Basics

What a Session

Looks Like

Where are they coming

from?

Gather into Baseline

Report

What are you trying to do with your content?

Define Your Goals

Go  to  this  report

Jun  1,  2014 -­ Aug  4,  2014Content  DrilldownALL » PAGE  PATH  LEVEL  1:  www.pomona.edu/ » PAGE  PATH  LEVEL  2:  /academics/ » PAGE  PATH  LEVEL  3:  /majors-­and-­minors/

This  report  is  based  on  214,736  sessions  (90.07%  of  sessions).  Learn  more

Page  path  level  4

All  Sessions

From  New  York

From  Not  US

All  Sessions

From  New  York

From  Not  US

All  Sessions

From  New  York

From  Not  US

All  Sessions

From  New  York

Explorer

Pageviews Unique  Pageviews Avg.  Time  on  Page Bounce  Rate %  Exit

All  Sessions15,355

%  of  Total:  1.97%

(780,172)

13,081%  of  Total:  2.25%

(581,869)

00:01:06Site  Avg:  00:01:05  (1.13%)

71.44%Site  Avg:  49.19%  (45.22%)

50.59%Site  Avg:  30.52%  (65.77%)

From  New  York553

%  of  Total:  0.07%

(780,172)

467%  of  Total:  0.08%

(581,869)

00:01:25Site  Avg:  00:01:05  (29.64%)

63.53%Site  Avg:  49.19%  (29.15%)

51.72%Site  Avg:  30.52%  (69.47%)

From  Not  US1,915

%  of  Total:  0.25%

(780,172)

1,647%  of  Total:  0.28%

(581,869)

00:01:20Site  Avg:  00:01:05  (21.80%)

77.18%Site  Avg:  49.19%  (56.90%)

51.12%Site  Avg:  30.52%  (67.52%)

1. /index.aspx

  14,225  (92.64%) 12,116  (92.62%) 00:01:08 71.41% 52.11%

  524  (94.76%) 439  (94.00%) 00:01:27 67.09% 51.91%

  1,744  (91.07%) 1,493  (90.65%) 00:01:23 77.45% 52.41%

2. /natural-­sciences.aspx

  433  (2.82%) 369  (2.82%) 00:00:57 77.78% 34.64%

  10  (1.81%) 10  (2.14%) 00:00:55 33.33% 40.00%

  53  (2.77%) 46  (2.79%) 00:00:59 81.25% 49.06%

3. /humanities-­fine-­arts.aspx

  288  (1.88%) 248  (1.90%) 00:00:50 66.67% 32.29%

  9  (1.63%) 8  (1.71%) 00:00:43 0.00% 66.67%

  52  (2.72%) 46  (2.79%) 00:00:31 75.00% 36.54%

4. /interdisciplinary.aspx

  224  (1.46%) 194  (1.48%) 00:00:51 57.14% 28.12%

  6  (1.08%) 6  (1.28%) 00:00:20 0.00% 33.33%

+

 Pageviews  ( )All  Sessions  Pageviews  ( )From  New  York  Pageviews  ( )From  Not  US

Jun  15 Jun  29 Jul  13 Jul  27

500500500

1,0001,0001,000

All  Sessions1.97%

From  New  York0.07%

From  Not  US0.25%

Increase… • Quality of Applicants? • Quantity of Applications? • Awareness/Visibility? !

For… • Which programs? • Which regions? • Which audiences?

Quantitative Measures

• Do you want more applications/request info/campus visits?

- % increase?

- Time period?

• From what kind of prospectives? - Define high caliber.

- Locations?

- Backgrounds?

• Outperform which peers/competitors?

Qualitative Measures

• How should prospective students to describe the university/department after a visit to the website? (3 adjectives or phrases)

• Describe the perfect fit student. Who does well in your program/department/at this university?

Types of ContentDefine Your Content’s Purpose

Messaging

Descriptive

Promotional

Wayfinding

Detail page or a routing page?

ScrollmapHeatmap

Let’s Experiment

Are we making a good impression?

Qualitative Questions to Ask

General: You’d like to check out [college name here]. Think about what qualities you look for in a [college]. Exploring this website, how do you find out if [college] is a good fit for you?

Directed: You want to find out [this]. What information do you look for on their website? Thinking of those tasks, which of these [pages] is the most helpful?

Quick User Impressions to Gather

About students: Describe what kind of student you think would be a good fit for this college.

About about the institution: What 3 adjectives or phrases would you use to describe this college?

As Part of Usability Testing

“The polar opposite of me - i.e. someone who loves the outdoors and wants to be part of a

tight-knit community. Someone who is interested in nature and the sciences. It would be a great fit for someone who wants to get

away from the busy city, or wants to get away from a giant university where they feel

anonymous.”

Describe what kind of student you think would be a good fit for this college.

Which homepage design?

“Seems clearer, less

like a business.”

“This one feels more academic.”

We want our external audiences to say we...

“Provide individualized, human care with high-touch, comprehensive service”

“Are a world-class healthcare institution that brings together a unique blend of people, places, & performance to create outstanding experiences”

University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio

Option A

“Top 3%—that’s pretty awesome.”

“I now know that the Science Center is part of the University of Texas. I didn’t even notice that on the others... I did see UT but wasn’t sure what that stood for. Nice to know who they are affiliated with.”

[Reading the “We make lives better” statement]: “It is the most helpful because it makes it easy to understand WHY going to a center that includes research and academics can provide me with a better healthcare experience.”

Option B“As soon as I land [on the page], I see we’re talking about exceptional patient care. I feel like I’m in the right place. Page feels warm when I land on it. Doesn’t feel busy or overpowered.”

“He looks very scientific... I don’t get a healthcare impression... Seems more focused on research aspect—doesn’t make me want to choose this.”

Option C

“It’s got that great catchy sentence at the top.”

“Like this button ‘Find out how we can help.’ I definitely know where to go to get more information about patient care.”

[After seeing them on previous designs]“Where are the numbers?”

What does UT Health Science Center do?

• I think it's a medical facility that teaches and practices the newest medical treatments. 

• It provides healthcare, is a medical school, and research center, and these 3 aspects combined make for an excellent healthcare experience.

• It’s a teaching medical center that offers all sorts of resources - medical and dental care, a learning environment, and research facilities.

• Provides excellent health care, medical training and medical research.

• I believe it is an academic university and medical research center.

Comparing Your Site to Peers

Are flashy features worth the trouble?

Choosing Features

Don’t Jump to

Conclusions

Using Events to Track Behaviors

Go  to  this  report

Jul  5,  2014 -­ Aug  4,  2014Top  Events

Event  Category

Rows  1  -­  12  of  12

Explorer

Event

Total  Events Unique  Events Event  Value Avg.  Value

  201,402%  of  Total:  100.00%  (201,402)

51,269%  of  Total:  100.00%  (51,269)

11,647,434%  of  Total:  100.00%  (11,647,434)

57.83Site  Avg:  57.83  (0.00%)

1. Reading 75,421 (37.45%) 10,590 (20.66%) 11,613,031 (99.70%) 153.98

2. Accordion 63,538 (31.55%) 12,629 (24.63%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

3. External  Link 19,508 (9.69%) 14,991 (29.24%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

4. Interest  Form 13,460 (6.68%) 1,121 (2.19%) 4,727 (0.04%) 0.35

5. Engagement  Module 11,324 (5.62%) 8,506 (16.59%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

6. Event  Registration  Form 10,803 (5.36%) 1,853 (3.61%) 7,412 (0.06%) 0.69

7. Video 6,157 (3.06%) 631 (1.23%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

8. Download 632 (0.31%) 595 (1.16%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

9. Mailto 263 (0.13%) 195 (0.38%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

10. Application 173 (0.09%) 67 (0.13%) 22,264 (0.19%) 128.69

11. Campus  Visit  Registration  Form 110 (0.05%) 79 (0.15%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

12. Error 13 (0.01%) 12 (0.02%) 0 (0.00%) 0.00

+  Add  Segment

 Total  Events  Pages  /  Session

Jul  8 Jul  15 Jul  22 Jul  29

5,0005,0005,000

10,00010,00010,000

555

101010

©  2014  Google

All  Sessions100.00%

Terminology

But does it tell me what I want to know?

What did you come to the site to find or to do?

University of Portsmouth, UK.

Translation for us yanks, Course = Major

This is just “general.”

“So, what did they do, exactly?”

Unmoderated User Testing

“Eyesore.” Seems made up, “fake.”

“Impressive…Meeting their patient’s needs not just making money.”

Are we using the right words?

Average Monthly SearchesComparing Keyword Phrases

9,320professional development

1,090 10continuing education

professional learning

Average Monthly SearchesComparing Keyword Phrases

2,900professional development for teachers

390 20continuing education

for teachers

professional learning

for teachers

Choosing Words Wisely

Use Data to Declare a Truce

Tools You Can Use

Click locations and scroll mapsCrazyEgg

Engagement with page elementsHeap

User tasks and opinionsUserTesting, Peek

Preference, memory, click testsVerifyApp

Nav and task completionOptimal Workshop’s Treejack

Content drilldownGoogle Analytics

Behavior flow by pages and eventsGoogle Analytics

Questions?

Thank you! Let us know how the content of this

presentation performed. !

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