AZZARD
CONSULTING
Successful content with a metrics
driven approach
KEVIN P NICHOLS, DIRECTOR AND GLOBAL
PRACTICE LEAD OF CONTENT STRATEGY
@ SAPIENTNITRO
REBECCA SCHNEIDER, PRESIDENT
AZZARD CONSULTING
© COPYRIGHT 2013 SAPIENT CORPORATION & AZZARD CONSULTING

Today’s Agenda
1. Introduction
2. Definitions
3. Content Personalization
4. Taxonomy and Metadata
5. Production and Content Lifecycle
6. Content Effectiveness
7. Governance
8. Mobile (Smart Phone and Tablet)
9. Pitfalls
10. Feedback and Contact Info
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1. Introduction
3

Introduction
Rebecca Schneider
President, Azzard Consulting
19 Years experience in Information Management
Industries: Retail, Auto Manufacturing, Financial Services, Technology
Kevin Nichols
Director, Global Practice Lead, Content Strategy, Sapient/Nitro
18 Years experience in the Web Development Industry
Key Clients: MIT Open Courseware, Hewlett Packard, Sprint, Intel
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Why do this presentation?
ROI for Content Strategy is one thing. . .
But, how do we leverage metrics for content development?
We will answer which metrics are necessary to:
• Measure content efficacy
• Refine personalized content experiences and ensure future success
• Develop useful metadata and taxonomies
• Measure what‟s important for publishing and content lifecycle
• Ensure effective content governance
• Understand the unique nature of content within the mobile and tablet experience
Finally, we‟ll cover metrics and analytics pitfalls.
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2. Definitions
6

Defining Content Strategy
Content communicates an idea which is recorded.
Content Strategy focuses on ways to meet the needs of content consumers, exercising
oversight and management of content distribution.
Content Experience Content Delivery Content Governance
What is the content experience What model is necessary to What are the operational
for the end-user; what goes acquire, create, maintain and processes and mechanisms
into a digital solution, to which optimize content? required to ensure the
user(s) is it targeted? continued success of content?
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Metrics Definitions
Metrics
• Tangible measures of inputs and outputs.
Key Performance Indicators
• A set of metrics used to quantify success of an organization‟s activities.
Analytics
• Conclusions drawn from metrics.
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Hard Metrics
Quantitative measurements: numbers, facts. It‟s the “what.”
Examples:
• Web & Mobile
 Conversions
 # Visits
 Time on Site
• Media
 Click-through Performance on Advertisements/Banners
• Search
 Internal, Organic, Paid – keyword usage
When to use
• There is a need to demonstrate a quantifiable return on investment.
• Too much anecdotal information is being used to make decisions.
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Soft Metrics
Qualitative: stories, feelings/motivation. It‟s the “why.”
Examples
• Primary Research
 Focus Groups
• Secondary Research
 Marketing Trends
• Social Listening – Digital Anthropology
 Online Behavioral Analysis
• Surveys
 Customer Satisfaction
When to use
• Trying to understand customer behavior (needs, motivations, perceptions).
• Further understand the hard metrics data.
Warning: do not use qualitative measurements to the exclusion of all else.
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3. Content Personalization
11

Content Personalization
Tailoring the online experience to a specific user:
Terms to describe aspects of personalization:
Customer
Intelligent segments
Targeted offers Business Rules
Ad Server
Dynamic Pages
Contextual Ads Intent-Based search Guided Selling
Up-Sell
Need Based Shopping Relevant
Social Marketing User Types Behavioral Targeting
Targeted Messaging
Recommendations
Personas Cross-Sell
Targeted Content
Counter Offer
User Generated Content
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Content Personalization
Where does the customer go? Where can content be personalized?
Favorite Metric:
Click stream (customer journey through site)
• Clearance Page > Men‟s Coats > Shearling Coat > Add to Cart >
Purchase Completion
Other Metrics:
Length of Visit Per Page
• Decision/Compare: Lawnmower Comparison
Depth of Visit
• Research: Samsung 50” Flat Screen TV (Product
Specifications)
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Content Personalization
What is the customer interested in? Their reason for coming to site?
Favorite Metric:
Customer Interaction History (profile or cookie-based)
• Accessories for previously purchased item: bracelet charm
• Similar products (artist, genre): music, books
Other Metric:
Top Keyword Searches
• “Clearance”
• “Earphones for iPod”
Photo from Pandora
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Content Personalization
Where and when does the customer convert
(e.g. filling out user profile, adding item to
shopping cart, purchasing product)?
Favorite Metric:
Purchased Product
• Product as part of series: Game of Thrones Season 1,
Season 2 to be released, etc.
Other Metrics:
Site registration
• Register for special content: Whitepaper
Viewed Product Information
• Product/Brand Blitz: Car Promotion Microsite
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4. Taxonomy and Metadata
16

Taxonomy & Metadata
Improving taxonomy
(navigation, search)
metadata (filters/facets)
and to further enable
findability.
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Taxonomy & Metadata
What’s working for users? Are they finding what they need?
Favorite Metric:
Top successful searches
• My Little Pony, iPad Cover
Other Metrics:
Organic, Paid search keyword ranking versus
conversion (which keywords yield higher
conversion rates)
• Notebook vs. Laptop
Click-stream to specific product category. Are
users going down the right path?
• Homepage > Furniture > Children‟s
• Homepage > Children‟s > Furniture
Photo from puuikibeach.
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Taxonomy & Metadata
What’s not working for users? Where’s the breakdown?
Favorite Metrics:
Bounce rates (entered a page from outside the site,
then immediately left)
• More useful than exit rates.
 Luxury hotel page, but looking for a B&B (“breakfast
in bed”)
Other Metrics:
Exit rates (looked around the site, then left from a
particular page)
• Exit rate can be considered successful (when
leaving after accomplishing a task)
 Product purchase: iPad Cover
 Product non-purchase: Wrong item? Wrong size? Stock
availability?
Previous page prior to search (potential
navigation problems)
• In home décor page, but then search for floor lamp
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Taxonomy & Metadata
What terms should be added to taxonomy or metadata to enable better
findability?
Favorite Metric:
Search terms used frequently that return no results
• Bathroom plunger (toilet plunger)
Other Metric:
Search terms used often in ad hoc description
fields
• Mutual fund distribution, Roll-over
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Taxonomy & Metadata
What terms do users employ in search?
Have they been leveraged?
Favorite Metric:
Refined searches
• kitty toy > cat toy
Other Metrics:
Search terms that are variants of a
preferred term
• soda vs. pop; bubbler vs. water fountain
Terms used in taxonomy, but not in SEO Photo from taiyofj
metadata. Does the SEO metadata need to
be updated?
• bed lifters, bed risers, bed storage
Organic, Paid keyword rankings
• manila file folders, green hanging folders
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5. Production and
Content Lifecycle
22

Publishing & Content Lifecycle
Entire end-to-end process in which content is acquired, created, managed, published
and optimized or retired.
Manage
Acquire/Create
Content
Content
Governance
Enhance Publish
Content Content
Evaluate
Content
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Publishing & Content Lifecycle
What is the benefit to improved content lifecycle processes?
Favorite Metric:
Time (cost) saved in optimizing (refining
content)
• Revision pushed to web
Other Metrics:
Time (cost) saved in all other steps of the
content lifecycle
• Acquiring Image from FreeDigitalPhotos
 Length of time for content gathering
• Creating
 Length of time to create new content
• Maintaining (content review cycle)
 Number and duration for review cycles
• Publishing
 New content pushed to Web
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Publishing & Content Lifecycle
What is the benefit to new product introduction?
Time reduced to take product to market (due to content bottlenecks)
• New Surface Windows 8 Pro (launched in various channels)
Photo from SpicaGames.
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Publishing & Content Lifecycle
How can content quality be improved?
Favorite Metric:
Drop in number of errors in content.
• Tagging: outfit vs. welding kit
Other Metrics:
Decrease in content redundancy (also
reduces cost)
• Sales vs. Marketing
Decrease in time necessary to respond to
user feedback, errors in content and/or
changes to published content.
• Alert to correction (spelling errors, etc.)
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Publishing & Content Lifecycle
How can internal user satisfaction increase?
Favorite Metric:
Increase in internal organizational satisfaction
due to better findability, ease of content
creation, maintenance, etc.
• Survey Tool (Foresee)
Other Metric:
Number of users in organization using CMS.
• Ratio of users vs. total number
What is the ROI of robust localization processes?
Reduction in localization costs due to
streamlined CMS processes
• Cost per word reduced for localized content
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6. Content Effectiveness
28

Content Effectiveness
Focus on the content journey, content quality and overall fit for the user.
TRIGGER WWW.COMPANY.COM IN-STORE
1 As she approaches
her local store, she
receives a push
SMS
notification on her
Michelle, an
phone, letting her know
existing She clicks the e-spot to about new accessories.
customer, receives view more She clicks on
a text message the product to view more As she adds to her
Mobile
details. Entering the store,
Web from retailer. “favorites”, 7
Michelle is greeted by
recommended
Ken, a sales associate.
products become
He has Michelle’s
even more
Mobile “favorites” ready for her to
relevant.
App view, which he pulled up
on his tablet.
2 3 4 5 6
Tablet
Web 8 9
Michelle saves
product to her Michelle has saved 6
Using her iPad, Michelle Using the sales
“favorites” and products to her
Tablet visits .com to “favorites.” Michelle associate tablet, Ken
continues to browse
App look for new products. updates her customer is able to pull up
the product catalog.
She notices an e-spot on sends her “favorites” to Michelle’s profile,
the homepage for a the nearest retail where he accesses
featured product that is location. her store loyalty
Desktop her favorite brand. coupons.
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Content Effectiveness
How is content relevance measured to determine the most effective messages?
Favorite Metric:
A-B Test of one message versus another.
• Test two different value propositions, headlines or product images to see which performs the best.
• Shopping Cart Icon vs. Shopping Bag Icon
vs.
Image from TheNounProject. Image from TheNounProject.
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Content Effectiveness
How is content relevance measured to determine the most effective messages?
(cont.)
Other Metrics:
Rate at which content is viewed (frequency and duration)
• Product specifications vs. Product “quick look” – which results in a conversion?
Multivariate testing of content on high-priority pages.
• Test placement of various items on a page, various messaging and/or several different labels or
headings.
 Should filters be listed at the left or on top?
Determine the most popular content: Content that is „trending‟ with traffic and engagement time:
• Use a trends app to measure which content is most used.
 Popular whitepapers, Investor relations information, Cat videos!
Know the most successful content– in the eyes of the customer:
• Rate at which a specific piece of content will result in a conversion
 Product videos that generate a high rate of purchase
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Content Effectiveness
How do you determine an effective content journey and if the customer
arrived at a desired destination?
Favorite Metric:
Actual browsing path versus assumed (pre-defined Awareness
browsing path)
• Home > Support > Drivers
Consideration
• Home > Product > Support > Drivers
Preference
Other Metrics:
Number of visits to convert (E.g.: purchase a Purchase
product) and time to convert
• Customer returns after completing research
Retention
Where and when a customer exits prior to
conversion
• When forced to register on news site after viewing
several articles, is conversion completed?
Bounce rates
• Where and when a customer jumps to search from
navigation. What key terms are then used in search?
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Content Effectiveness
How do you determine user satisfaction with site or experience?
Favorite Metric:
Rate at which content is being shared via social
• Email, post to Facebook
Other Metrics:
Rate at which content is downloaded
• User Manual/Instructions
Survey the user on site or page performance with
user feedback tools
• Foresee
Determine problematic areas through bounce rates
and exit rates
• Cart abandonment
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7. Content Governance
34

Content Governance
Operational and organizational models needed to manage and ensure the continued
success of content.
Executive Sponsor
Governance Committee
Strategy Brand Accessibility Legal Taxonomy Content
Working Groups
Strategy Operations Technology Marketing Publishing Taxonomy
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Content Governance
Is there governance structure in place, with defined governance workflows?
Is it effective and successful?
Favorite Metric:
Time to implement content changes based on governance
decisions.
• Major taxonomy change (structural shift) vs. minor taxonomy change
(label change)
• Addition of information to support new product set
Other Metrics:
Time for governance committee to review content requests
Time to complete a content review cycle
• ROT (Redundant, Outdated, Trivial)
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Content Governance
Is the content up to governance standards?
Favorite Metrics:
Accuracy/error rates
http://www.zillow.com/howto/DataCoverageZestimateAccuracy.htm
Other Metrics:
Currency
Effectiveness – based on testing, web statistics, surveys
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8. Mobile (Smart Phone & Tablet)
38

Mobile (Smartphone)
Metrics captured for mobile can be very similar to those captured for other form factors.
However, the analytical perspectives will differ because of the physical nature and practical
constraints when dealing with smaller form factors. Also user tasks are different from Web
behavior. For example*:
68 percent mobile searches result in a map
look up
61 percent of local mobile searches result in a
phone call
59 percent of mobile users interact with
businesses via social media regularly.
*Source: http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/4-
myths-of-mobile-metrics
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Mobile (Smartphone)
Is the content experience delivered effectively?
Favorite Metric:
How long does a user spend on page?
• Time spent on pages optimized for mobile
• More time may indicate user cannot achieve or find
information.
Image from Pixabay.
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Mobile (Smartphone)
Is the content experience delivered effectively? (cont.)
Other Metrics:
How is search used?
• Taxonomy/metadata related metrics – with a focus on mobile OS.
 Low search utilization may indicate user cannot find search functionality.
How do users interact with form fields?
• Track interaction with Form fields
• On mobile sites, one field is recommended per page
How often does the phone orientation change (switching from vertical to horizontal)?
• Generally, higher rates will correlated to higher exit rates. Exception: functionality requires orientation change (e.g. viewing a video)
How is social media being used?
• Survey amount of traffic entering from social media.
How many users accept location awareness prompts
• This metric can demonstrate trust with brand as well as indicate demographic behavior information.
Where and when are Smart Phones being Used: e.g., How are Smart Phones being used in-store?
• Track user behavior – bar code scanning
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Mobile (Tablet)
In general, the same metrics can be used for Websites for mobile tablet sites, and similar
ones for mobile phone apps for mobile tablet apps. However, some interesting metrics
to track include the following:
Favorite Metric:
• For Websites that have apps, how many users ignore the call to action to
download the app and opt to view the actual Website?
 The advantages of the app may not be clear prior to download.
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Mobile (Tablet)
Additional Metrics
How many apps are being downloaded versus purchased.
• This metric is relevant for organizations that either offer both types of apps and/or organizations
that offer apps that can be activated after a certain trial period.
How many people purchase what they have downloaded?
• If the app is downloaded, how many convert to purchase the app?
What is the delta between the conversion rates on Tablet/Smart Phone versus Desktop?
• Difference could indicate whether content is working well on the device.
Which products or services are sold from an app?
• Tracks user purchasing behavior.
Combo metric: What is the screen resolution and the device.
• Measures how content is being consumed, which is important for responsive design.
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Mobile (Tablet)
Additional Metrics
Which services are used on an app versus Website?
• Does the user use certain support features on App that are not used on the Website and/or vice-
versa?
How many users switch to the desktop view from a mobile app?
• User becomes irritated by App functionality and switches to desktop to complete a task.
When does the user switch to desktop from a mobile app?
• User wants to view long-form specs of a product, not available on app.
Number of Wi-Fi versus 4G users? What is the load time?
• How does user behavior differ between each? (Note: not all tablets are 4G enabled).
For commodity/published content, what are the actual number of readers in a tablet edition
versus a paper published edition?
• Many publications such as the Economist, Vanity Fair, etc. have offered their subscribers
complimentary digital access (for those already subscribing to the paper-version). How many
users take advantage of the complimentary digital access?
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9. Pitfalls
45

Pitfalls
Avoiding metrics and analytics pitfalls:
• Statistics and damn statistics
• Not all data is good data
• More data does not equal better data
• Ignoring common sense
• Ignoring indicators (you can‟t pick your favorite)
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10. Feedback and Contact
Information
47

Questions
What did you want to learn that you still have questions about?
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Keep the conversation going.
Kevin P Nichols
knichols@sapient.com
kevinpnichols.com
Twitter: #kpnichols
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinpnichols
Rebecca Schneider
rschneider@azzardconsulting.com
azzardconsulting.com
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaschneider
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THANK YOU !