Tuning the usability of online applications using web analytics techniques

Tuning the usability of online applications using web analytics techniques Jordi Roura i Rabat

Introduction
What is web analytics?
Why should we do it?
Understand the user
The value of testing, experimenting and segmenting

Who am I?
Started web development in 1996
Specialized in the study and implementation of user interfaces
Currently Web Analyst and Developer at Atrapalo.com
Founder of Conversion Thursday
Director of the Barcelona Internet Marketing Conference

No really... who am I?
Blogger
Geek
Gastronomic tourist
Devoted lover of beer
Casteller
Monty Python Fanboy

And very recently... ...won a prize for an OpenSocial gadget at the Google Developer Day

What's the story? Web Analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of Internet data for the purposes of understanding and optimizing Web usage. Web Analytics Association

Why do I care?
You are a vital part of the development of an application
Doing the best possible job is in your hands, and this is really cool
Your views, the developer's, don't matter
In fact, neither do the HiPPO's

HiPPO? Highest Paid Person in the Organization (Thank you Avinash!)

Understand your users
Where do they come from?
What do they want?
Are they getting what they want?
How can they get it better?
Are all my users the same?

Bounce rate is your friend
How many people come... and just go?

Where do people come from?

What do they want?
What is your online application for?
Do your users want the same?
If they search for you, do the keywords match your content?
Are they getting where they want easily enough?

Are you confusing your users?

Are they getting any? Source: http://www.searchenginejournal.com

Segment
Check to see which groups of users behave differently, and see if different designs or application behaviors
See if people from Madrid or Barcelona react differently to content, Firefox vs IE vs Chrome, organic traffic vs referrals, keyword A vs keyword B...
No answer is good enough for everyone!

And now for the cool bit!
But how do I know how to improve?
TEST... ...using the likes of Google Website Optimizer

Testing: A/B & Multivariate

Testing: A/B & Multivariate
A/B Testing
Test between completely different pages
Best with low levels of traffic
Great for different application behaviors (e.g. search results)
Multivariate testing
Test different elements within a single page
Best with higher levels of traffic
Great for client side tests. AJAX for dynamic tests.

How does it work?
A JavaScript tag is added to the top and bottom of the landing page, to detect page load and decide which combination is shown.
Another JavaScript tag is added to the final page, to detect which tests provide the most visits.

What does it do?
All different tests are displayed randomly to your visitors.
Once a visitor has seen a test, a cookie is written to ensure he will always see the same test, for consistency.
Thus, all tests are run under the same conditions, guaranteeing meaningful results
If a test is performing badly... just stop it!

What do we get? This way we find the combination of design and application behavior that helps our users achieve their goal easier

Conclusions
Learn who your users are
Learn what they want. What do they expect from you?
Accept the facts. Get over it.
Test, test, test, test... Did I say test yet?

Q & A Jordi Roura i Rabat mail: [email_address] blog: http://www.iMestre.net Resources: GA: http://www.google.com/analytics GWO: http://www.google.com/websiteoptimizer WET: [email_address]

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Tuning the usability of online applications using web analytics techniques

by Jordi Roura

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Tuning the usability of online applications using web analytics techniques Presentation Transcript